Inflation is on the rise and the cost-of-living is starting to hit the hip pocket nerve. But there’s no need to sacrifice your golf game.
THE RIDGE
Sydney, NSW
Green fees: $40 (weekdays), $46 (weekends).
When The Ridge, located in the heart of the Sutherland Shire, opened its final holes for play in 2013 it ended nearly 10 years of construction through to completion on what was formerly a landfill used by the local council.
Designed by James Wilcher, the public layout immediately proved popular because of the interesting and fun design, combined with good playing surfaces you would be more likely to find at a private club.
$39-$35
MCLEOD CGC
Brisbane, Queensland
Green fees: $39 (weekdays), $45 (weekends).
Laid out across gently undulating land at Mt Ommaney, about 15 minutes’ drive south west of the centre of Brisbane, McLeod is a golfing oasis in the heart of suburbia.
It is a scenic 18-hole journey, with the Mt Ommaney Creek winding through the course to create a home for lots of birdlife and a hazard on several holes.
VIRGINIA GC
Brisbane, Queensland
Green fees: $39 (weekdays), $42 (weekends).
Virginia is a 27-hole championship golf course that combines undulating greens and sweeping fairways with snaking creeks across the property as well as 56 well-placed bunkers.
If you want to follow in the footsteps of champions in Brisbane, this is the place as Greg Norman and Wayne Grady both learned the game here.
WEMBLEY GC
Perth, Western Australia
Green fees: $39 (weekdays), $46 (weekends).
Wembley is the biggest public golf complex in Perth and with two very good layouts about 10 minutes’ drive from the CBD, it is also one of the busiest.
The Tuart, and the neighbouring Old Course, are laid out over 300 acres of undulating land and both layouts feature heavily tree-lined fairways, very good bentgrass greens and a minimal number of bunkers.
If your round goes sour, head to the Wembley driving range or short game area, which are among the best practice facilities in Australia.
MASSEY PARK GC
Sydney, NSW
Green fee: $39 (seven days).
Massey Park lies just minutes from Sydney Olympic Park on the edge of Exile Bay and affords players easterly views along the Parramatta River to the city skyline.
Given its waterside location, it should come as no surprise that its best holes – many of which have been remodelled in recent times – are nearest to the water and are exposed to some breeze.
www.golf.masseypark.com.au
BRIGHTON GC
Melbourne, Victoria
Green fees: $38 (seven days).
Brighton golf course offers players a taste of what it’s like to play Melbourne Sandbelt golf, without the price tag.
The shorter front nine is where you make your score here before holding on across the more challenging inward half, which features several narrow driving holes that will catch the player not quite on their game.
MEREWETHER GC
Newcastle, NSW
Green fee: $38 (seven days)
Merewether is beautifully presented year-round with strip-cut eucalyptus tree-lined fairways and receptive greens laid out on gently rolling terrain.
But it is the variety of the holes – in length, shape and change of elevation – that is the strength of the Merewether layout.
The club has launched plans for a multi-million-dollar redevelopment including seniors-living apartments, while course designer James Wilcher has undertaken a masterplan for a course redesign as part of the new development.
PORT KEMBLA GC
Wollongong, NSW
Green fees: $38 (Mon), $45 (Tues-Sun).
Port Kembla is one of the premier courses of the Illawarra, with lush, easy walking fairways bordered by a combination of gums, melaleucas and low-lying trees.
Former PGA Tour player turned course designer Craig Parry has overseen some redesign work to the course in recent times, including the reshaping of several fairways and the remodelling of some bunkering. All changes have been made to enhance the enjoyment of the layout.
OXLEY GC
Brisbane, Queensland
Green fees: $37 (weekdays), $44 (weekends).
Dating back some 94 years, Oxley is a well-established and beautifully presented par-71 in Brisbane’s south-western suburbs.
The easy-walking layout stretches to more than 6,200 metres from the tips and, interestingly, has three of the four par-3s – all of varying distances – on the outward nine. The inward half is renowned for its challenging finish of five consecutive par-4s.
SHORTLAND WATERS GC
Newcastle, NSW
Green fee: $37 (seven days).
Shortland Waters celebrated its centenary in 2021, with its newly configured par-71 layout at the heart of the milestone event.
The club underwent a multi-million-dollar redevelopment (which was completed in 2019) with eight new holes being built, including six links-style creations on new land adjoining what was the original course.
RINGWOOD GC
Melbourne, Victoria
Green fees: $36 (weekdays), $41 (weekends)
Ringwood is a superb public course lying in the heart of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, offering quality golf with nice views to the Dandenong Ranges.
There are plenty of holes to really test your game, with one of the toughest coming early in the round. The 400-metre par-4 2nd is a brute with a narrow fairway that turns gradually from right-to-left for the entire journey to the green. A drive placed in the left half of the fairway will give the best approach line into the slightly angled putting surface that lies just beyond a bunker short right.
BEVERLEY PARK GC
Sydney, NSW
Green fee: $35 (weekdays), $43 & $38 (am/pm, weekends).
Beverley Park underwent more than $1.3 million worth of upgrades nearly seven years ago and it has certainly improved the southern Sydney layout.
A creek and several ponds were added to five holes – the 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th holes – as part of a flood mitigation program carried out by the local council. These new water hazards have certainly provided some bite to the par-70, which is always in very good condition.
CAMPBELLTOWN GC
Sydney, NSW
Green fees: $35 (weekdays), $40 (weekends).
Campbelltown Golf Club has been in existence for more than 100 years but only settled into its current location in 1978 as part of one of the first golf residential estates in Australia.
It is also one of the first design works of course architect Bob Harrison, who later teamed with Greg Norman to create some of the country’s best known layouts like Brookwater, The Glades and the Moonah course at The National Golf Club.
www.campbelltowngolfclub.com.au
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