Royal Ottawa Golf Club (Royal Ottawa)

Overview: Royal Ottawa Golf Club’s directory routing is the club’s 18-hole main course in Gatineau, across the Ottawa River from the capital. The club describes it as a 6,600-yard, par-71 championship course with a natural, old-fashioned character. Its “Scottish principle” means the layout follows the existing hills and dales rather than relying on massive earth movement. Small, fast greens, changing elevation and back-to-back par 3s make it a shot-maker’s course. The club is private, with the separate Royal Nine providing a distinct nine-hole option on the same broader property.

History: The Royal Ottawa was founded in 1891 and moved to its present Aylmer Road site in the early twentieth century. The club’s history records a clubhouse opening in 1904, when Tom Bendelow designed the course; Willie Park Jr. subsequently amended the design. Later generations of architects, including Graham Cooke, have worked on the course and its facilities, while Neil Haworth is identified as the current architect for the range and short-game area. The club’s long competitive history includes the 2000 LPGA event and a record number of Canadian Amateur Championships hosted by the club.

Did You Know? Royal Ottawa’s own history says the club holds the record for hosting the most Canadian Amateur Championships. The main course also has back-to-back par 3s, a memorable architectural feature within the old-fashioned, land-following routing.