I didn't "get" Royal Sydney at all. To be fair, I only played it after the latest renovations, so I'm in no position to comment about what it was like beforehand. There are some fine holes, but I can't see how it demands a place in Australia's top 25.
It has the best clubhouse I've ever seen, the "Royal" name, a fabulous location and a wonderful tournament history. I can't help but think that the course (in its present guise) wouldn't be noticed were it not for these four factors.