There was a time, not too long ago, when you could just rock up at Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club and be confident you’d manage a hit, maybe even cheekily slot into a midweek comp.
Those days are gone – and with good reason.
It’s not that head pro Evan Droop and his team don’t want you there; it’s that the word is out about what the club itself – not so modestly – labels the Mecca of Murray River golf.
And demand is so strong for every chunk of this 45-hole treasure chest that it’s now compulsory to book to play.
But don’t let that put you off – it’s not crowded and even when it’s busy, there’s so much space in this golfing wonderland that you’ll scarcely realise that you are party to one of Australia’s most popular golfing locales.
You might stand on the pinnacle of the 12th green on the Lake Course and peer down over fascinating Lake Mulwala.
Or you could straddle the far-flung 5th tee on the Murray Course and gaze across the power and beauty of the river for which the course takes its name and which caused some serious havoc for it back in late 2022.
Either way, you’ll almost certainly have a moment of extreme serenity in uniquely Australian settings – as vastly different as they are to each other, only a couple of kilometres apart.
Yet for first timers to the resort, you might even wonder what all the fuss is about until you’re actually out on the courses themselves.
If you come directly across from Victoria (a little over three hours from the Melbourne CBD) via Weir Road and its causeways, you won’t even see the fairways until after you’ve parked and moved through the clubhouse area.
If you’ve come via Mulwala, you’ll probably have caught a glimpse of the Lake Course’s par-5 13th, but it would have been fleeting and probably not have done it justice.
This is the beauty of the complex. It’s enormous yet still feels almost boutique. It’s got that warm country feel, yet has a touch of city panache. It can be special, yet it will be fun.
More on the resort’s other amenities later, because by now you’re probably itching to get out and play.
As you’ve no doubt realised with the 45 holes on offer, this in itself presents you with choices. But unlike some multi-course venues, these three are separate and distinct, for several reasons.
The “Executive Course” is absolutely ideal for those who have limited time, but also for those who fancy a 2.5km walk rather than an epic hike.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a little pitch and putt. On the contrary, it’s a mix of short and intermediate length holes that will exercise most clubs in your bag. Topographically, although wedged between the two “main” courses, it plays more like the Lake with a little more forgiveness off the tees.
Each of the even-numbered holes on the Executive Course is a par-3, but there’s even a par-5 for those itching to give the big dog a run.
The highlight of the course, at least strategically, is the par-4 3rd which, with a dogleg left and measuring 349m, is long enough to ask a couple of questions – ideal for the advanced beginner about to take the next steps up to the longer courses.
But you’ve probably driven here to play the Lake or Murray tracks, remarkably disparate in both appearance and the approach required to play them given they both terminate within 150m of each other.
The Lake Course, named for nearby Lake Mulwala to its east, looks like a regulation country layout from the first and tenth tees, with fairways lined by trees and demanding accuracy.
But almost as soon as you lose sight of the clubhouse, both nines open up appreciably and permit more flexibility off the tee, or at least a better chance to play your way out of trouble. Features that saw the Lake Course ranked No.66 in Golf Australia magazines Top-100 Public Access Courses earlier this year.
The dogleg left 4th hole, while short, gives reward for an accurate drive and demands a well-weighted approach shot to score despite its seeming simplicity.
The 8th, also a short downhill par-4, is another beauty. Someone in your group will likely fancy their chances of reaching it with a driver, or possibly even a 3-wood. But beware a very ball-hungry lake that guards the green’s left side. And even if you lay back from it on the ample fairway, the green’s steep run-offs will bring the lake back into play for any lazy approach shots.
A modest central hill features in the routing of the back nine. It’s first properly approached on the par-3 12th hole which demands extra attention to club selection for not only its open nature and therefore exposure to the lake’s breezes, but also because of the giant green. If you play to the wrong plateau here and the greens are slippery, be very afraid.
Perhaps the course’s signature hole, though, is the next par-3, the 156m 14th flanked by water up the right and rear of the green, that is also protected by sand both left and right. It’s the hole of which you might take a picture, but it can also force a big number onto your card in a heartbeat.
The hill features to various degrees on each of the remaining four holes, but all are wide enough to encourage aggression, particularly with downhill drives on the 16th and home holes, both of which represent good scoring chances.
Half-baked personal research has determined that most visitors find they’re either a Lake or Murray person, so if you’ve not found the Lake to your liking, fear not – something entirely different is on tap for your next round.
The Murray came after the Lake and was designed by Australia’s greatest male golfer Peter Thomson and design partner Mike Wolveridge. Completed in 1986, the Murray, given its location next to the river of the same name, unsurprisingly bore the brunt of the most recent bout of flooding.
In parts of the region the levels went past the historical markers of 1993, and those historical levels were approached at Yarrawonga Mulwala, where they are signposted on trees across the Murray River.
According to superintendent Chris Burgess, 75 percent of the course was underwater, including a handful of greens, while course staff made it out to those above water via boat with a mower as the river receded.
With that in mind, and the images splashed across newspapers and on television during the time, it is amazing to see the return of the course, that is in fantastic condition, with a couple of missing trees damaged by the water about the only standout differences that only the most frequent of visitors could perhaps notice.
The Murray Course – funnily enough not named for late SBS soccer commentator Les as someone in my golf trip once mused – begins with a par-4 visually similar to the other courses.
But as soon as you turn left and meander down in the direction of the river to the 2nd tee, the game changes completely.
You wander among stands of river gum trees, routinely walk past little rivulets and lagoons and, even though you instantly feel transported into a vast wilderness, your golf game can suddenly feel constricted by the rugged beauty surrounding you.
The 3rd hole is one of the Murray’s best. The fairway broadens substantially after driving off a narrow tee, but a shot to the centre right is the best way to remove trouble on your approach, especially if the pin is cut in its “Sunday position” in the back left. While not lapping at its fringes, the green has water ringing it front, left and back, so it’s always a nice par to have under your belt.
The 5th is almost a rite of passage – albeit a long passage! It’s essentially a straight hole alongside the mighty Murray River and even if you’re in the heat of competition, you’ll marvel at its beauty and contemplate where you’re actually standing; trust me!
The approach to the green is often altered by a massive gum tree about 50m short in the right-centre of the fairway, and there’s also a large false front to the putting surface to consider once you’ve got your mind back on the golf.
The 6th and 7th play through the area of a rivulet that becomes a far greater feature on the 9th, another par-5 that typifies the demands of this layout. A bombed drive can have you dreaming of getting home in two, but beware that the further your tee shot goes, the tighter the chute between the timber.
Errant shots here tend to be severely penalized, either directly by water or the need to play diminished bail-out shots because of the narrow band of land available.
From the 10th through the 16th holes, you’ll find yourself doing a mixture of the following: admiring the giant gums, cooling down in the ample shade, wildlife spotting (particularly around the lagoons) and pitching sideways if you make mistakes.
The sensational 12th hole ideally asks you to drive down the right to best access an elevated green that runs diagonally to the back left and guarded by a huge bunker left and a steep bank behind. But again, beware how far right you go off the tee, with balls having a tendency to go further right on landing and into heavily wooded trouble.
This side also – uncommonly - features three par-3s and three par-5s, so there always seems a chance to score if you’re going well. The par-4 15th is one such opportunity and the drive on the next is a welcome relief into acreage after the white knuckles you’ve probably had with your driver in previous holes.
The walk to the short but strongly uphill 17th is almost a return from the land of the towering river gums and instantly requires you find the right length or face a treacherous second. The home hole, similarly, requires the right approach number to another elevated green with great sand protection.
Both courses are magnificent, but it’s this one that will probably live longer in your memory, even if only for the unique landscape through which it’s played.
If you’re defining the differences in a sentence … the Lake is more open and forgiving; the Murray demands accuracy, particularly off the tee, yet is strangely addictive.
Unlike many resorts, though, the choices don’t stop out on the fairways.
As hinted above, there is an incredible range of activities on offer once you’ve finished your round.
A boutique cinema, tennis courts, walking tracks, resort pool, fitness centre, lawn bowls, billiards tables, croquet, massage treatments and even a kids’ play area will mean everyone is entertained.
Add to that the nine different types of on-site accommodation available and the always popular Border Bistro, and you stand a good chance of not even leaving the property for the duration of your stay.
But should you do so, the club’s courtesy bus will help you on your way into Mulwala, or across the river and into Yarrawonga to one of several great pubs or eateries in a region known for its sunshine and year-round attractions.
And one last thing – the staff at Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Resort are experts in packages. Give them a call and they’ll help you tailor a getaway specific to your needs. They’re seriously good at it, even if it means going to other golf clubs up and down the Murray River as part of your adventure.
Trust me, there’s a reason this place claims to be Australia’s No.1 golfing destination. And as it bounces back strongly from those recent floods, there are plenty of reasons to linger a little longer at Yarrawonga.
FACT FILE
LOCATION: Golf Club Road, Mulwala, NSW, 2647.
CONTACT: (03) 5744 1911.
WEBSITE: www.yarragolf.com.au
DESIGNERS: Sam Berriman (1957); Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge (1982 &1986).
PLAYING SURFACES: Santa Ana Couch (fairways and tees), bentgrass/Poa annua (greens).
COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Chris Burgess.
PGA PROFESSIONALS:
Evan Droop (Head Professional)
Rob Rowe (Assistant Professional)
Brad Forrester (Assistant Professional)
Dale Crothers (Associate Professional)
Baxter Droop (Associate Professional)
GREEN FEES: $62 (18 Holes), $35 (9 holes), $88 (daily access), $235 (five day Mon-Fri access).
MEMBERSHIP: There are a range of membership options offered at Yarrawonga Mulwala. Check out the club’s website for more details.
ACCOLADES: The Lake Course is ranked 66th in Golf Australia magazine's Top-100 Public Access Courses for 2023. The Murray Course rose in the ranking to reach No.46.
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