Naples, Florida | Royal Palm Golf Club
Bio:
Royal Palm Golf Club is an ultra-private Naples layout originally designed by David Wallace in 1976 and completely modernized from the ground up by Ron Garl in 2019. The multi-million-dollar renovation implemented an advanced agronomic overhaul, including Bimini Bermuda fairways, high-speed TifEagle greens, and full irrigation infrastructure renewal. By pairing sharpened risk-reward strategy with newly engineered mounding, the design maximizes privacy between holes while delivering elite, highly repeatable member conditioning.
About the Process of Royal Palm:
Comprehensive Engineering from the Ground Up
Faced with aging infrastructure and declining turf performance, Royal Palm Golf Club underwent a radical, total-course transformation under Ron Garl in 2019. This was an intensive, foundational overhaul rather than a surface-level cosmetic touch-up. The project completely stripped and rebuilt all 18 holes, installing a brand-new, high-efficiency irrigation network, laying entirely new cart paths, and dramatically expanding the club's practice and driving facilities to provide a premier, modernized asset for the membership.
Sharpened Angles and Visual Isolation
While preserving the familiar routing footprint that members had enjoyed for decades, the architectural adjustments fundamentally upgraded the course's strategic depth. The design team reshaped every bunker from the sand up and sculpted refined green complexes to introduce cleaner sightlines and distinct risk-reward approach angles. Crucially, the team utilized strategic perimeter mounding across the property to provide physical and visual isolation between fairways, enhancing both player safety and the club’s quiet, prestigious atmosphere.
Advanced Agronomic Performance
To thrive in the punishing Southwest Florida climate and withstand heavy year-round member play, the course executed a full-scale turf conversion. The fairways, tees, and roughs were entirely re-grassed with Bimini Bermuda—a premium turf selected for its aggressive recovery, deep color, and exceptional wear tolerance. The putting surfaces were converted to ultra-dense TifEagle Ultra-Dwarf Bermuda, ensuring exceptionally smooth, fast, and consistent tournament-caliber green speeds every day.