Many architects want their opening hole to be a gentle introduction to the course; that is not the case here.  Royal Palm has virtually eliminated all asphalt cart paths and replaced them with coquina sand trails, which demand an acquired talent to hit the ball cleanly before contact with the stone dust.  The first is a majestic opener that plays 408 yards from the championship tees.  A classic dogleg left with church pew bunkers guarding the fairway's left side and a large sloped bunker guarding the right.  Finding the fairway is a must as the second shot is to a wide but shallow 2-tiered green, making distance control a priority.

The second is a straightaway par 4 playing 398 yards from the back.  Water, bunkers, and trees line both sides, making errant tee shots, especially penalizing for this seemingly innocent hole.  Another wide but shallow green slopes severely from back to front.  One deep bunker short left and another long bunker to the right protects this green.  One of the approaches that require the player to carry a bunker, especially when the pin is on the left side of the green.

The third is the longest par 4 on the golf course, tipping out at 422 yards, plays even longer as golfers are usually facing a headwind.  This slight dogleg left hole is protected on both sides by water and trees to the right and an environmental area and water to the left.  The green has a massive bunker on the left and one on the right side to catch inaccurate approach shots.  Since approach shots are usually from a good distance out, challenging putts from a long distance is all too common.

The fourth is the longest par 5 on the course, measuring 556 yards from the championship tees.  Trees and a canal running the length of this slight dogleg left hole.  Playing into a headwind like the third means only the longest bombers will reach home in two.  A fairway bunker on the left that catches a pulled tee shot and a cluster of trees and two bunkers protect the sides of this sloping hourglass green.

At only 166 yards, the short par 3 fifth requires an accurate carry shot over a pond to an elongated green that slopes severely from back to front.  A deep bunker protects shots that clear the water but do not make the green.  Going long will leave a delicate downhill pitch.  A breaking putt of sixty to seventy feet is undoubtedly possible here.

At 388-yards the par 4 sixth plays as one of the toughest holes at Royal Palm.  A dogleg right with water and trees down the sides and a large fairway bunker on the left side that catches pulled tee shots.  A missed tee shot short and right leaves virtually no chance at making the green in regulation.  Another vast green can leave some long, breaking putts based on pin placement.  Grass swales and a bunker surrounding the green will test your short game.

The seventh is the shortest of the par 5's topping out at 499 yards does not mean it is the easiest of them as the narrow landing area off the tee is protected by water to the left and trees lining the right side.  Additionally, fairway bunkers on both sides of the fairway make for an even narrower landing area off the tee that easily catches errant tee balls.  Another fairway bunker is in the way on approach shots leaving recovery shots exceeding 100 yards.  A bunker on the left protects this large 2-tiered green.  Depending on hole locations, this green can be a great challenge.

The eighth hole is a 160-yard par 3 to an elevated L-shaped green.  Water lines the left side and waste area to the right.  Bunkers protect pulled shots on the left and the back of the green to catch players that overshoot the green.  The slope of this green can lead to some nerve-racking pitches and putts depending on pin locations.

The final hole of the front nine is a short par 4 measuring only 356 yards from the tips.  This sharp dogleg right requires some carry off the tee as water lines the front and left side of the hole.  The tee shot is all about distance control.  Short, offline shots can find one of the three pot-bunkers on the right side, and church pew bunkers catch balls that carry too far.  Finding the short grass off the tee will help approach carry the bunker and hold this gently-sloping green.