Royal Quebec (Royal) - Québec - Canada

Founded in 1874, Royal Quebec Golf Club is one of the oldest in North America – indeed, only Royal Montreal pre-dates it, by less than six months. Club members originally played on an estate owned by Ursuline Nuns at Cove Fields before downsizing in 1916 to a smaller site at Kent House - a property owned by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent in the 1700s - near Montgomery Falls.

The club spent less than a decade here before moving to nearby Boischatel, where Willie Park Jnr, assisted by his brother Mungo, completed the plans for an 18-hole course measuring around 6,500 yards. It’s thought this may have been Park’s very last design as he fell ill shortly after and returned to his native Scotland where he died in 1925, having never seen the finished course here.

Today, members have the use of a 38-hole golf facility comprising the original 18-hole Royal course and another 18-hole layout called the Quebec, which was constructed in two stages, the front nine opening in 1959 and the other holes appearing seven years later. Two additional holes are used to allow members to play a loop of nine that takes them back to the clubhouse after the 7th hole.

Both par threes on the front nine of The Royal are interesting short holes which are threatened by water hazards: the tee shot on the 155-yard 4th has to carry the River Ferrée and there’s a creek to be avoided on the right hand side of the green at the 190-yard 8th. Connoisseurs will also love the 310-yard 16th, a short par four that doglegs right from the tee to a triangular-shaped green that tilts from back to front.