TOCUMWAL GOLF & BOWLS CLUB

Another of the Murray’s big 36-hole facilities, Tocumwal Golf & Bowls Club contains the older Presidents Course and Captains Course. The two layouts offer varying styles from one another like many of the other multi course facilities in the area.

Some locals and veteran Murray adventurers will tell you the longer Captains is the better of Tocumwal’s tracks, but the Presidents is my pick for its variety across the two nines.

Like the Captains course it sits closely to, the front nine on the Presidents features a large number of greens that sit slightly above the fairway from where the approach is played. Driving is of the upmost importance on the Captains and opening side of the Presidents layout, where there is a mixture of open holes and trees lining the Windsor green couch fairways, which were in immaculate condition during my recent visit.

Power does become an advantage on some of the tougher holes at Tocumwal, where ridges in the fairway will stop shorter hitters getting the benefits of a forward kick, making holes like the number-one rated 9th on the Presidents and 18th on the Captains tough for average players.

The back nine of the Presidents course at Tocumwal is where the property’s best holes are located.

The trio of par-4s starting at the 10th offer holes between 319 and 367 metres that can be played in a variety of ways and reward players capable of moving the ball either way.

Part of a tough four-hole closing stretch that one feels as if they have really earnt a good score upon completion of, the par-4 16th is one of the more enjoyable holes at Tocumwal.

The short par-4 bends left around a large tree that is best played well right of ... Before a significantly uphill approach is all about correct distance, with the extremely narrow green measuring 35 metres from front edge to back.

COBRAM BAROOGA GOLF CLUB

Yet another of the 36-hole facilities located on the Murray, Cobram Barooga Golf Club has long been established as one of the region’s ‘must play’ venues with its Old Course listed at No.87 in Golf Australia’s list of Top-100 Public Access Courses.

Now owned by the nearby Sporties club Barooga, Cobram Barooga’s best 18 is undoubtedly the Old.

Beginning with a very reachable par-4 that can get your round underway with a birdie, despite the green being almost completely surrounded by sand, the Old course is a shot-maker’s layout, but doesn’t force the driver out of the hands of the aggressive player by any means.

There aren’t two holes on the older of Cobram’s layouts that feel similar to one another, which means no one type of player is at a greater advantage than another. And the abundance and variation of trees around the property located on the Barooga side of the river among farm land and significant bush adds another element to a round on either course.

Part of the second paddock featuring all of the West’s holes, the par-3 6th is among the pick of the holes on Cobram Barooga’s more popular layout. Played uphill, the 192 metre hole provides a little more help than the distance and first impression suggest. A large hill right of the green will send balls back down onto the putting surface and provides a bail out of sorts for players not capable of a towering long iron shot.

Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort. PHOTO: Brendan James.

YARRAWONGA MULWALA GOLF CLUB RESORT

Of all the multiple course facilities with accommodation on site, none is bigger than Yarrawonga Mulwala. There are 45 holes spread out in front of the resort which features an enormous clubhouse, cinema, bowling greens, croquet courts, swimming pool and various accommodation types.

A true one-stop shop for visiting golfers, Yarrawonga offers much more than convenience – the two 18-hole courses, the Murray and the Lake, are outstanding and like all other venues with multiple courses, they challenge golfers in varied ways. Then there is the nine-hole Executive course, which was part of the original 18-hole layout. It provides a great place for beginners to find their feet or a change of pace for serious players.

Despite being the younger of the two 18-hole courses, the Murray feels as if it was carved out of the Red River gums long before the more resort-styled Lake Course. Both designed by Peter Thomson and then partner Mike Wolveridge, the Murray course – ranked No.51 in the Top-100 Public Access Courses in Australia – is a ‘must play’ for golfers moving along the river.

Tight driving areas are produced by ever-present gum trees, while rolling fairways and little to no rough in many parts, as well as the feeling of seclusion from one hole to the next, give the course a unique character on the river.

The par-5s are the standouts on the Murray course, and it is the first of the three shotters that stands above the rest.

Played along the banks of the Murray, the 470-metre 5th is one of the most enjoyable holes in the entire region. More than just starring off into the watercourse between shots, the reachable par-5 is challenging and rewarding of good shots. A large tree blocks approaches to the green from certain angles. And although that is not my favourite defence of a hole, it works very well in this case.

Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort. PHOTO: Brendan James.

Despite not having quite the acclaim of the Murray, the Lake is no slouch and is also ranked in the Top-100 Public Access Courses in the nation. In fact, I teed it up with a few members during my recent trip who had no issue with switching between the courses regularly, with one suggesting the back nine of the Lake was the hardest and maybe his favourite nine holes on the property.

A more typical Thomson design, the Lake requires strategy and execution to score well. A prime example comes at the short par-4 8th.

Most players will be in the fairway from the tee without too much left to the raised green approached over water after taking an iron of some description. But despite visually looking extremely tight from the tee, there is more room right of the green to take a longer club and leave even less distance in the hope of securing birdie or at worst a par.

On the Lake’s back nine, the par-5 15th is one of my favourites. Played along the fence line, a good drive will have longer hitters thinking of a green in two and an eagle chance. But the putting surface is cut into a hill, with water in front and a bunker as added defence, meaning a less than perfect strike can lead to a big number.

Black Bull Golf Club. PHOTO: Brendan James.

BLACK BULL GOLF CLUB

The youngest course on the Murray, Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett’s Black Bull is unique in many ways.

Opened in stages, the course itself does not resemble any of the region’s other layouts, while the evolution of the property as a whole is similarly developing its own style.

Set to open in early 2020 on the banks of Lake Mulwala, The Sebel will offer premium hotel accommodation alongside the existing Silverwoods golf course residential development, with a new all-encompassing entertainment area and apartments known as The Point set to cater to absolute any, and every, desire of guests and visiting golfers.

From a purely golf standpoint, Black Bull, named for the old angus bull farm that previously sat on the property, is good enough to stand on its own.

Characterised by large bunkers and putting surfaces, ‘The Bull’ features some of the best playing surfaces along the Murray. The Grand Prix couch fairways are faultless and firm, while the G2 bent greens are simply pure.

Depending on the tees you choose to play, pin placements and wind, Black Bull can offer plenty of birdie chances or make par a good score. The best of the holes exemplify this.

The ‘Bull Ring’, a stretch of three holes played after entering through a gate manned by one of two ‘Charlie the bull’ statues, provides great theatre to the round. But it is the par-5 18th that has me keen to get back to Black Bull as soon as possible.

Reachable after a good drive, the challenge from the tee is picking the best line, with water left and rough over a ridge right that will offer up a variety of lies.

A second shot played to a wide horizontal green with Lake Mulwala beyond requires the right club to set up a birdie or even an eagle to finish, while those plotting their way onto the green in three will also have a chance to make a four.

Corowa Golf Club. PHOTO: Brendan James.

COROWA GOLF CLUB

It’s not too farfetched to think that a golf club that played a major role in the development of a player like European Tour winner Marcus Fraser is usually going to be a good one. And that is exactly the case with Corowa Golf Club.

Sometimes left out of itineraries of golfers working their way along the river, Corowa is definitely worth a spot in plans in my opinion.

All designed by the late Al Howard, Corowa’s 27 holes offer three different 18-hole options, with what’s known as the East Course the pick for mine.

Comprising the ‘new’ holes built on the top of the property in the 1980s by Howard and holes 10-18 of the original holes sitting below the clubhouse alongside the river, the East is an example of contrasting nines combining well.

The front nine is more penal on poor shots than the back, with good driving typically leading to good scores over the early holes, which are more open than Corowa’s other 18 holes.

The par-5 8th, which bends around a large dam, is one of the better holes on the front that can be played in numerous ways. But the East’s most memorable moments will come on the back nine.

Played from next to the clubhouse, which now features the town’s only cinema, the short par-4 10th gives a window into what is to come, with towering gums lining the hole placing a premium on shot shaping.

Standing on the 12th tee, the Murray River sits a stone’s throw to your left and beyond the picturesque setting, the short par-3 is one of the most memorable at Corowa. A short iron or wedge will get you onto the well-bunkered putting surface without too much trouble but making putts on the sloping green is another matter.

The west nine, or holes 19-27, doesn’t let the rest of the course down by any means. Part of the Old Course designed by Howard in the 1950s, there are multiple holes that are short by today’s standards. But this nine-hole loop is certainly no pushover.