Mark,
Come to think of it, it was the AD, Mr. Dodds (?, sp), who was pointed out to me during my visit to the UoTGC, and not Mr. Royal. The development surrounding the course is becoming an enclave for UoT alumni and high profile folks. The course is very good, though not one of my favorites.
BTW, I think I remember seeing something on TV about Royal and Barton Creek. I think he actually lives there, though could very well have a place at HSB as well. I am sure that he plays pretty much wherever he wants to.
Matt,
An acquaintance who was once the best junior player in Texas, a Hogan Tour winner, and a contestant in the final stage of the PGA Tour qualifier has played Ram Rock on several occasions. He typically shot right at par there, and had to play away from his strength (prodigious length, and pretty straight). While the course may not look like it, it is target golf which punishes misses very severely. Get the wind blowing with firm ground, and the boundaries just aren't sufficient.
Unfortunately, due to the platting of lots, a good number which may never be built on, there is little that can be done to remove the OB stakes and provide a bit more room. Some of the native areas have been cleaned up somewhat, though for some reason, the owner doesn't want to remove the ornamental rock used as ground cover in the proximity of play throughout parts of the course.
From my standpoint, both Ram and Applerock suffer from being too hard just for the sake of being hard. Ram Rock in particular is shunned by many of the members. The whole resort is quite good and, in my opinion, would be much better if they toned down the rough edges and brought in someone who could add strategy and options at the expense of just plain mean, hard.