Royalwood Golf and RV Resort

The greens have been rated as the very best in B.C.

For too many years now, every time I drove east on the Trans-Canada Highway I found the view of the Royalwood Golf Course very enticing. It is located between Abbotsford and Chilliwack off Exit 109, west of Chilliwack. Look for the big barn with the blue roof and the Royalwood sign. This is the heart of the Fraser Valley and is surrounded by the Coast Mountains.

The land for the golf course was purchased by Walter Ehrenholz in 1986, with 18 holes completed by 1990. The golf designer was Jim McIntyre, who worked on various B.C. courses like Cultus Lake and Newlands. The course is described as a links-style layout, largely because of the long grass that borders most fairways.

With the wide fairways, there are many opportunities to grip it and rip it, but keep it straight. Only holes 1, 9 and 10 would be described as narrow, with the Vedder Canal an intimidating obstacle. The fairways are lined with cottonwood, poplar and Japanese maple trees, with a few large trees being a hazard. The fairway bunkers seldom come into play, but the greens bunkers do. All the par 3s seemed to play long, but the par 5s can be reached in regulation. Holes 6, 15 and 17 are risk and reward holes, forcing the golfer to play it safe or go for it. Hole 6 is their signature hole and at 488 yards is a short par 5—but the second shot is the risk and reward.

Don't get the idea that the course is easy. For five years Royalwood was used by the BCPGA for its Playing Ability Test. Prospective pros had to shoot 155 or less over two consecutive rounds to receive a CPGA card.

Royalwood also hosts one of four Upper Fraser Valley junior tournaments, and one of the excellent junior golfers coming out of Royalwood is James Allenby, who is presently on the PGA Tour Canada. This course is completely flat and very walkable.

The greens are the best feature of the course. They have been rated the No. 1 greens in the Fraser Valley as well as all of British Columbia, which is a very impressive statement. The putting surface is large, undulating and approximately eight on the stimpmeter. The greens are a mixture of bent and poa grass and run true and fast.

Royalwood is a full service golf course with a driving range, chipping and putting greens, a practice sand trap, tournament facilities, a well-equipped pro shop and restaurant. For those who want to improve their game, on staff are two CPGA members: James McMurdo and Dean Johnson.

Dan Ehrenholz is the general manager and owner. When asked why someone should play Royalwood, he said “we have the longest holes (6,934 yards) and the longest rough and when played with a westerly wind, the course is a real challenge."   \

His special offers illustrate good business imagination, including free golf on your birthday and a Friday night Working Man Special with golf, burger and a beer for only $35. Saturday and Sunday are Steak Night plus golf with cart for only $40.

It is the RV park that adds the Resort to Royalwood. There are not many full length golf courses with attached RV parks, but here it's a short walk from your RV to the first tee. There are 69 fully serviced sites that feature water and sewer, 30/50 amps, cable, Internet, restrooms, laundry facilities and common room. The RV park has pull-through sites for big rigs and is pet and family friendly. A Stay and Play offer includes three nights and a free round of golf. The resort also three B&B rooms for those who just want to stay and play.

If you are looking for golfing value for your money, give Royalwood a try.