TWIN CREEKS G&CC

GRAHAM MARSH’S LATEST SYDNEY CREATION HAS MATURED BEAUTIFULLY SINCE IT OPENED NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO. STRATEGIC GOLF IS CERTAINLY THE ORDER OF THE DAY TO AVOID THE NUMEROUS AND MASSIVE BUNKERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE LAYOUT.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: BRENDAN JAMES

The 17th is one of Marsh's best par-3s at Twin Creeks

Good strategy was one of the trump cards Graham Marsh
always held when he toured the world as a player. His ability
to strategically plot his way around a course was one of his
main weapons in compiling 65 worldwide career wins.

Now, as a designer, strategy is the foundation of his course creations that have been acclaimed around the world.

Marsh has been busy in Australia with three course projects
opening within the past four years. In Melbourne, two public access courses – Eynesbury and Growling Frog – are already proving successful, while his Sydney project, Twin Creeks Golf & Country Club, has, in just two years, matured into a wonderful layout.

The private course, which will be the showpiece jewel of a massive residential development at Luddenham about 60 minutes’ drive west of the Sydney CBD, is a superb challenge to all golfers with Marsh’s layout being more strategic than penal.

While the outlook from some tees has been crafted to intimidate
players, there is nothing too difficult about the Twin Creeks layout.
There are no massive water carries, claustrophobic driving lines or rollercoaster-like putting surfaces.

“There are as many people giving the game away as starting up the game in the United States,” Marsh said. “There were probably more golf courses closed in the US in 2006 than were actually opened. The reason for this is we are pitching golf at a level that is just too difficult. They’re not the kind of golf course the average guy can go out on because it is totally penal.”

Marsh’s design philosophy is to be less penal and to present a
layout all players, from pros to beginners, can enjoy, whether it’s a
public course or a private members’ layout.

“We are getting away from penal design,” Marsh said. “I am much
more in favour of strategic design, where a player has options, where he has got room, where he has got a sporting chance to get around the golf course, have an experience and come off the golf course without being absolutely distraught and destroyed for the day.”

During the past 20 years, Marsh has compiled an impressive portfolio of Australian courses. But Twin Creeks is a departure from his previous works (some created in partnership with Ross Watson) including the highly-ranked Terrey Hills (Sydney), North Lakes (Brisbane), Paradise Palms (Cairns), Secret Harbour and The Vines (Perth) layouts.

What makes Twin Creeks vastly different from all his other work is
the quantity and style of the bunkering.

Golfers who have played any of the courses mentioned above
will know that Marsh’s bunkering on those layouts is predominantly round flowing shapes with well-manicured edging that is usually accompanied by surrounding mounds and swales.

At Twin Creeks, the bunkering is more rugged and, visually, is
intimidating. The shape, varying size and depth of the bunkering is also memorable. The shaping, in particular, is intricate in its detail with each bunker, with small and large fingers of surrounding grassed areas encroaching into the hazards.

The final approach to the green of the par-5 9th hole is flanked by numerous sandy hazards.

When I first visited Twin Creeks in January 2006, a few months prior to the official opening of the course, I was immediately impressed by the bunkering but I was sceptical that these numerous and often massive sandy hazards could be successfully maintained over a long period of time.

I have been fortunate enough to play Twin Creeks several times
since and most recently for the compilation of this report. At no stage has the presentation of the bunkering dropped from a high level.

There are several holes at Twin Creeks that are memorable simply because of the vast sprawl of bunkering between tee and green. You are faced with a vast expanse of sand at the outset, with a huge scheme of bunkers down the left and a smaller bunker to the right of the driving zone. From the tee, it is 359 metres to the centre of the green and the look is intimidating with sand seemingly taking up more space than the fairway. A drive and a short iron is all that is required to find the generous green, which, not surprisingly features bunkers short and long of the putting surface.

The front nine finishes with one of the strongest par-5s to be found on any Sydney golf course. From the elevated tee, the
hole is well presented … nothing is hidden. Hence, you can see every square inch of the 13 bunkers that lie between tee and green. The staggered placement of the hazards gives the impression the 545-metre hole is a narrow corridor but there is far more room than it would seem to place your drive. Again, the strategy here is to plot your way to the green by choosing the
best hitting line to suit your game. Long hitters can take on the bunkers on the short line to the putting surface, while the conservative route is also lined with sand that can be avoided with solid hitting.

Twin Creeks also boasts some memorable par-3s. For mine, the two one-shotters on the back nine are Marsh’s best here. Both require a hybrid, long or midiron tee shot to find the putting surface. The 179-metre 14th is played across a gully to a green perched high on a ridge. The green is massive but narrow, so only accurate hitting will result in a birdie opportunity.

The same accuracy is needed on the 163-metre 17th hole with water flanking the left of the green and bunkers to be found short and long of the putting surface. There is a small ridge running through the green, from front to back, that also places a premium
on choosing the right club from the tee and making a good strike.

The long par-4 18th is a stern finish to a memorable round.

Twin Creeks is a private course managed by Troon Golf but is open to corporate days, guests of members as well as interstate and international visitors.

The club offers a ‘Play With A Pro’ golf package where you can receive pre-round and on-course tuition. Based on a group of two at a cost of $284 per person, players receive a one hour lesson on the practice range using Swinger Analysis computer software, which is followed by 18 holes (nine with the teaching professional), two course lunch and includes a $20 golf shop voucher.

Sydneysiders, who hold an official Golf Australia handicap, can play the course once a month in the Callaway Challenge.

For $110 per person (including cart hire and range balls), you can tackle the course on the last Friday each month. Any player who scores 37 Stableford points or better wins a dozen Callaway HX Tour 56 golf balls and qualifies to play in the Callaway Challenge
Cup in November.

FACT FILE
LENGTH: 6,444 metres (black tees), 6,147 (gold), 5,808 (silver).
PAR: 72. ACR/AWCR: 74 (black), 72 (gold), 70 (silver).
DESIGNER: Graham Marsh (2006).
CORPORATE DAYS?: Golf and menu packages can be tailored to suit company requirements.
MEMBERSHIP OPEN?: Various categories of membership are offered, including private, family, corporate and life membership.
GREEN FEE: $110 (Mon-Thur), $130 (Fri-Sun, public holidays) for interstate and international visitors. Callaway Challenge, $110.
ADDRESS: Twin Creeks Drive, Luddenham, NSW.
PHONE: (02) 9670 8877.
WEB: www.twincreeks.com.au
GETTING THERE: From Sydney and Parramatta, follow the M4 freeway west and take the Mamre Rd turn off. Turn left and then right into Luddenham Rd. Twin Creeks is two minutes’ drive from this
intersection.

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