The Royal Montreal Golf Club - Blue Course

About the club

The Royal Montreal, situated outside of the city to the northwest, is the earliest North American club still in operation. Dick Wilson, famous for such courses as Florida's Doral, laid out the Bleu, one of its three courses, and it has since hosted four Canadian Opens. Although the Bleu tends to attract more interest, the Rouge, also a Wilson design, has undergone fewer renovations and remains closer to his vision. However, Rees Jones was brought in for some major renovations in preparation for the 2007 Presidents Cup, and his rebuilding of the bunkers with sand traps and refiguring of the greens has sparked some criticism that Wilson's natural feel has been spoiled. Water hazards define the fairways here, and raised greens make up for the somewhat unimpressive terrain. A fine example of Wilson's work is the par 4 16th, which crosses a small lake to a quite elevated green.