More Australians are playing golf today than at any other time in the game’s history in this country. The economic reality is, however, many of us now need to make our golfing dollar stretch a lot further than it did even five years ago.
WARATAH GC
Argenton, Newcastle
Green fees: $35 (Mon-Tue); $45 (Wed-Sun).
Waratah is the oldest club in the Newcastle region, having celebrated its 120th year in 2021. That same year also marked the centenary of the club on its current site playing a course originally designed by PGA professional Frank O’Brien.
There are plenty of highlights here, from the difficult 415-metre par-4 4th with its smallish but well-bunkered green, to the holes, like the dogleg right par-4 13th that run alongside Cockle Creek on the course’s boundary.
SHORTLAND WATERS GC
Shortland, Newcastle
Green fees: $30 (Mon); $45 (Tue-Fri, Sun).
A multi-million-dollar redevelopment was completed at Shortland Waters in 2019, with eight new holes being built, including six links-style creations on new land adjoining holes of the original course.
Of the new holes, the 334-metre par-4 6th is one you won’t forget easily. The sharp dogleg left is a risk-and-reward gem, where longer hitters will no doubt be tempted into blasting a tee shot left of the two fairway bunkers on the inside corner of the dogleg and, perhaps, getting a favourable bounce towards the green.
UNDER $45
FREEWAY GOLF COURSE
Balwyn North, Melbourne
Green fees: $41.50 (weekdays); $44.50 (weekends).
Freeway was closed for two years during the pandemic due to construction of the North East Link freeway tunnel.
Two of the course’s original holes were lost, so it proved to be an ideal time for Pacific Coast Design to move in and redesign the layout as well as converting all the fairways to Santa Ana couch and the greens to a bentgrass mix.
Freeway’s transformation has elevated what was a run-of-the-mill public course into a fun and challenging layout for all golfers.
RINGWOOD GOLF
Ringwood, Melbourne
Green fees: $41.50 (weekdays); $44.50 (weekends).
Widely regarded as one of Melbourne’s best public courses, Ringwood has an oasis-
like feel given its location alongside the Eastlink freeway.
The relatively wide fairways are heavily tree-lined in parts, and some areas of the course offer views through to the Dandenong Ranges, all of which add to the quality of a round here.
Ringwood boasts the turf quality of a course charging more than double its green fee, while there are plenty of memorable holes, with the long downhill par-3 16th being one its most scenic and challenging propositions.
THE PAT GC (Patawalonga Course)
West Beach, Adelaide
Green fees: $34 (weekdays); $44 (weekends).
The Patawalonga course covers easy-walking, sandy terrain, which is ideal for growing grass. So, it’s no wonder the kikuyu fairways and large bentgrass greens are beautifully manicured.
Acclaimed architect Neil Crafter redesigned the links-style course a few years ago, creating a layout of great variety. A round opens with Patawalonga’s hardest hole, a rolling 368-metre par-4, where pars can be hard to bank, and follows up with a diminutive par-3, where the short iron tee shot must avoid bunkers left and right to find the narrow two-tiered green.
CARRAMAR GOLF COURSE
Carramar, Perth
Green fees: $37 (weekdays); $43 (weekends).
Designed by former touring pro Bob Stanton, Carramar lays claim to be one of Perth’s toughest public access courses.
Carramar tests every shot you attempt to play from tee to green. The best example of this might be the 376-metre 17th hole, which is an uphill par-4 to a small green, which lies beyond some encroaching tall timbers and is protected by bunkers short and long. It is a daunting prospect to have a long iron or rescue club in your hand and be faced with an approach to such a small uphill target.
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