| 
PACIFIC DUNES GOLF CLUB NSW
Words and Photography: brendan james
STRATEGY-INSPIRED DESIGN AND FIVE-STAR CONDITIONING MAKE PACIFIC DUNES A MUST-PLAY COURSE FOR 2010.
One by-product of the advancement in club and ball technology has been its effect on golf course architecture during the past 15 years.
 |
Tight lines: bunkers line the route to the green on the 372-metre par-4 2nd hole. |
The designers of most new golf courses since the mid-90s have been urged by the developer to come up with a layout that ts the ‘championship’ tag and, part of that criteria, means stretching the course in excess of 6,400 metres (7,000 yards) from the tips to combat the greater distances players hit the ball these days. While this may be true for pros and elite amateurs, most of us haven’t improved dramatically with all the new gear, which is a story for another day.
This push for longer courses, with some now getting closer to 7,000 metres, has almost seen the extinction of one of the most enjoyable and interesting holes for all golfers – the short par-4. It is a tough ask to be able to include these holes – any length between 250 and 330 metres – in any course design where the underlying motive is to create a lengthy course. One course designer who believes the short par-4 is making a comeback is James Wilcher who, in recent years, has created several highly acclaimed layouts including Paci c Dunes, near Port Stephens on NSW’s lower north coast.
 |
A wasteland bunker and pond have been added to the 7th hole |
“I would like to think the short par-4 isn’t dead and its possibly the case here in Australia but in places like China and other developing golf countries the brief is generally to build long championship courses where length seems to be all important and short par 4’s get left out,” Wilcher told Golf Australia. “I think, generally, golf architecture has lacked subtlety over the last two decades (particularly in America) but I think its making a comeback and short par-4s should be part of that movement. I certainly try and make sure there are a couple per course that I work on.”
Wilcher said short par-4s are enjoyed by all golfers.
“I think short par-4 holes should tempt the longer hitters to take driver in the belief that par or better is only one decent drive away,” he said. “Otherwise an iron to safety and short pitch is possible for all when conservatism takes over. “I love the idea of 3 or 6+ being scored on the same hole with the only difference being a slightly pushed or pulled drive. These short holes also give the shorter hitter a chance to score par on holes because they can actually reach the green in regulation.”
 |
Water flanks the approach to the short par-4 10th hole. |
Laid out on a gently rolling sandy landscape, Pacific Dunes has two distinct nines. The front nine is heavily bunkered and its fairways wind between tall timbers, several lakes and natural wetlands. The more open inward half also features several water hazards but is dominated by long strands of large Angophoras and Swamp Mahogany trees.
While Wilcher’s 6,411-metre layout is a lengthy excursion from the back markers, the course still manages to incorporate three very good short par-4 holes.
The first of these testing short par-4s greets you on the 1st tee. The 329-metre hole presents a generously wide driving zone that is punctuated by a creek that cuts through the middle of the fairway just a pitch shot short of the green. A fairway wood and short iron is good enough to reach the putting surface, which is a huge double green shared with the par-3 5th and is guarded by deep sand traps.
 |
the par-3 8th demands a well-struck tee shot to avoid sand |
In my opinion, the best of the short two-shotters at Pacific Dunes is the 297-metre par-4 3rd. In terms of risk-and-reward design, this hole is a gem and, for mere mortals, is even better from the blue tee, some 278 metres from the green.
The contouring of the slight dogleg right fairway and the placement of four huge bunkers down the right side create a visually daunting view from the tee. Long hitters can attack the hole by flying their tee shot over the bunkers, skirting thick scrub to the right, and finding a small landing zone just short of the putting surface.
During an exhibition match to mark the course’s opening in 2005, Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting, showing he is no slouch with a golf club, smashed his drive over the bunkers onto the green here.
The ideal short par-4 also offers a more prudent option than Ponting’s aggressive play. A lay-up tee shot to the left of the bunkers is a conservative play but it also leaves a difficult pitch to a raised green, which features a steep false front that spits any ill-judged approach back down a slope into a deep hollow.
A risk-and-reward short par-4 also comes into play as you head out for the back nine. The 291-metre par-4 10th calls for a drive to be hit over a winding creek that bisects the fairway about 160 metres from the tee. The creek opens up into a pond that hugs the left edge of the fairway before widening to guard the front edge of the putting surface. An attacking strategy could reap a birdie here with a drive
and short pitch but veer off line and the consequences could result in a bogey or worse. A lay-up from the tee, while eliminating the hazard as a concern, leaves a longer, more dif cult approach to the green.
While the short par-4s are deserving of plenty of praise, so too is the quality of Pacific Dunes’ longer holes. After the recent completion of some major redesign work, one of the best long par-4s at Pacific Dunes is the 408-metre par-4 7th.
THE COURSE
LOCATION: Championship Drive, Medowie, just off Medowie Rd. About 30 minutes’ drive north of Newcastle and just 10 minutes from the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace, just two hours’ drive north of Sydney.
CONTACT: (02) 4916 0500.
WEBSITE: www.pacificdunesgolf.com.au
DESIGNER: James Wilcher.
PLAYING SURFACES: Santa Ana Couch (tees, fairways, rough); A1 Bentgrass (greens).
BUNKERS: 55.
PGA PRO: David Lulham.
GREEN FEES: $59 (Mon-Thur); $70 (Fri-Sun).
THE CLUB
MEMBERSHIPS: Until recently, membership was restricted to property owners within the Pacific Dunes Residential estate. External memberships are now available offering unlimited golf, discounts on merchandise and entry into members only events. Members also receive up to $4,000 in value with access to the Troon Golf Advantage Program, providing members with complimentary vouchers to play Troon-managed courses Australia wide.
CORPORATE DAYS: Pacific Dunes can tailor a golf day to your needs with friendly professional staff able to assist in making your event a success. Catering for groups of 20 or more, Pacific Dunes offers an array of packages to suit all budgets.
FACILITIES: The yet-to-be-built clubhouse will overlook the 1st fairway and is due to open in 2012.The Pacific Dunes Golf Villa is adjacent to the 18th fairway and includes The Dunes Restaurant, with indoor and alfresco dining, pro shop, locker room and showers. Practice facilities include driving range, putting green, chipping green and practice bunkers.
AWARDS:
2009 – No.33 Best 60 Public Access Courses (Golf Australia).
2009 – Ranked No.18 Best 30 Residential Courses (Golf Australia).2008 – Mid North Coast Tourism awards finalist (NSW Tourism)
2005-09 – Australian Golf Environment member.
From the February 2010 issue of Golf Australia magazine |
