The Great Golf Weekend Guide Part II

MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VICTORIA

Golfers are really spoiled for choice on the Mornington Peninsula. Here is one weekend getaway where you can experience a rejuvenated 36-hole layout and a peninsula favourite just a short drive away.

The Dunes Golf Links has become one of the most popular courses on the mega golf-rich Mornington since it opened for play in 1997. It has attracted plenty of acclaim across the past 26 years, including the blessing of five-time Open Champion Tom Watson, who played the course in its early days and left suitably impressed. He even singled out the par-3 17th as a “truly beautiful golf hole.”

The Tony Cashmore-designed layout is wonderfully undulating and offers a dry playing surface year-round thanks to the deep sandy base found beneath its Santa Ana couch fairways and bentgrass greens Cashmore is humble when talking about the design saying that he just chose the spots for the greens and tees and God did the rest. “We just had to mow everything in between,” he added. Native grasses have been allowed to grow and cover the untouched topography between the fairways, which wind through valleys and over large dunes and lead to the large greens that either sit down in a natural amphitheatre or are left exposed to the elements.

The overwhelming feature of a round at The Dunes is Cashmore’s beautiful natural bunkering, which is a combination of wild rugged expanses of sand with well-placed intimidating pot bunkers.

Cashmore has a real flair for creating great short par-4s and one of the best in his design portfolio is the 310-metre 4th hole. The fairway splits left and right around several mounds. The right fairway is punctuated by three deep bunkers and longer hitters need only carry their drive 225 metres to fly their ball over the sand and set up a short pitch onto the green. The more conservative left fairway route leaves a difficult-to-judge short iron approach into the green, which is guarded by five bunkers.

An easy 10-minute drive north will have you in the Port Philip Bay side village of Rosebud, which derives its name from a cargo ship that ran aground on the beach there in 1855.

By the 1960s, Rosebud was the biggest town on the southern end of the peninsula, and it wasn’t long before it boasted a 36-hole golf course.

The expansive grounds of Rosebud Country Club lie on what was once a pine plantation. In 1962, the club purchased 184 acres and 18 holes, of what is now known as the North Course, were built over the next two years. More land was bought by the close of the decade and construction of the South Course was completed in 1972. Four years later, the club hosted the Australian PGA Championship across its North Course.

While both layouts were widely regarded as fine courses for decades, it wasn’t until the design team at Ogilvy, Cocking and Mead (OCM) revealed a masterplan for the complex in 2019 that Rosebud started to realise more of its enormous potential.

Subtle changes – like altering mowing lines and clearing scrub, along with some extensive bunker rebuilds – were made to both layouts during 2020 and had an immediate positive impact on the quality of the golf.

The clearing of vegetation – particularly on the North Course around the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th holes – exposed vast tracts of sandy wasteland that has added not only to the challenge of these holes but also to their visual appeal.

Of the aforementioned holes, the par-3 13th is a solid test at 169 metres from the back pegs. There is seemingly sand everywhere on this hole, not the least around the edge of the putting surface which is bigger than it appears as you stand on the tee.

Not surprisingly, both the North and South Courses have improved dramatically in the national ranking lists during the past two years and that trajectory is expected to continue.

“Rosebud’s North Course has always been highly regarded but has sometimes been lost in the conversation about the Mornington Peninsula’s best courses simply because there are just so many good layouts in the area. But there have been significant improvements across the layout and is an absolute joy to play,” Top-100 judge Paul Wilson said.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

HOW TO GET THERE: Rosebud and The Cups region are about 40 minutes’ drive south of Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs via the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.

GREEN FEES: The Dunes GL – $95 (18 holes, midweek), $105 (weekends). Rosebud CC – North Course $110 (18 holes, seven days), South Course $90.

WHERE TO STAY: The Links Lodge at The Dunes (pictured behind the clubhouse below) opened in November 2021 and has been purpose built for the travelling golfer, with a choice of two-bedroom suites inclusive of separate living area and kitchenette, or king size bedrooms with ensuite.

The four-star Fairways Resort is next to the Rosebud Country Club course and just a pitch away from the clubhouse café, bar, sports bar and bistro. There are 39 generously sized guest rooms, featuring king size beds, contemporary décor, ensuite, flat screen televisions, tea and coffee making facilities, toaster, bar fridge, heating/cooling and private courtyards. There are also Family Rooms and refurbished Spa suites available.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: Bistro 62 at Rosebud Country Club offers breakfast and lunch (seven days) and dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. All the menus are based around fresh seasonal produce and if you are partial to a steak, the Cape Grim porterhouse comes highly recommended.

Rosebud is home to some pretty good cafes and Hobson is one of the best of the lot. The all-day menu is a beauty … get there for a late breakfast of eggs on toast and come back later for a Bloody Mary and a burger.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Finding any spot with a view across Port Phillip Bay, especially late in the day, is a treat. It can be even better with a beverage in hand. Check out the award-winning Rocky Jones distillery, which specialises in a wide range of delicious grape-based gins, and the view is pretty good too.

WEBSITES: www.thedunes.com.au ; www.rosebudcountryclub.com.au

 

KING ISLAND, TASMANIA

King Island had an enviable reputation for a long time as the origin of incredible produce that was making its way into the kitchens of some of the world’s best chefs right around the world.

That hasn’t changed.

But the opening of world class golf courses Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes in 2015 thrust King Island onto the global golfing stage and suddenly people from around the world were lining up to visit the Bass Strait Island.

Any golfer who has ever experienced hot golf destinations like California’s Monterrey Peninsula, Bandon Dunes on the Oregon coast, the south-west of Ireland or the great Scottish links, will be impressed by these wonder courses.

Cape Wickham Links debuted at No.5 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 ranking less than three months after opening and has been entrenched in the top-four ever since. It is also ranked the No.1 Public Access Course in Australia.

Designed by American Mike De Vries and Melbourne-based Darius Oliver, Cape Wickham easily realises the great expectations of what was anticipated from such a wonderful piece of golfing land on the island’s north-west tip.

It is an outstanding routing, which features eight holes set right alongside the jagged coastline and another two where any approach shot is played toward an ocean backdrop. You can see Bass Strait from every hole. Some holes sit high above the sea, on others you can almost feel the sea spray as you peg your ball on the tee. There are holes built across rocky promontories and others, like the soon-to-become-iconic par-4 18th hole, where a beach lies at the edge of the fairway and is in play for the wayward hitter.

Cape Wickham certainly has golfing substance. There’s no doubt its seaside holes will be the ‘money’ shots to sell Cape Wickham to the world, but this easy-walking routing loses nothing when it heads inland. The wide fairways and dramatic green complexes are playable for golfers of all standards and one of the most enjoyable rounds you will have without getting your passport stamped.

Located just north of Currie and less than five minutes’ drive from King Island airport, Ocean Dunes covers idyllic golfing terrain with fairways that rollover and weave between huge sand dunes, with several holes laid alongside on its two-kilometre stretch of ocean frontage.

Ocean Dunes is the brainchild of Graeme Grant, a talented course designer and superintendent with more than 40 years’ experience.

The spectacular layout opens with a 500-metre par-5 that rises over the crest of a hill as it veers right – around a massive bunker cut out of a dune – between some tall dunes and plunges down to the green set against the edge of the rocky shore. It’s a terrific opener where there are several options from the tee in terms of line and length of your drive, to set up your approach to the green. Once you have reached the putting surface, which is sloped from front to back, take in the views up and down the King Island coast.

The shortest of Ocean Dunes’ holes will be some of the most talked about by players post-round. The 130-metre par-3 4th hole is played across an ocean inlet with rocky edges on both sides of the water. The tee is perched just above the waves, while the expansive putting surface is very wide and features a bunker cut into the middle of the front edge. This pinches the target to its narrowest and has the effect of almost creating two greens, left and right of the bunker.

Another ocean crossing opens the back nine, with the long par-3 10th hole. From the back pegs, the hole stretches to 210 metres and is slightly uphill. Thankfully there are several tees on each hole, making this course playable for all golfers. In the case of the 10th hole, the prevailing wind coming from behind will help on most days, but it will challenge your ability to choose the right club.

And don’t forget the island’s original layout at the King Island Golf and Bowling Club, a superb seaside course just south of the Currie main street that many believe is one of, if not, the best nine-hole layout in the country. In fact, there are actually 12 green complexes with six holes (5th, 6th, 9th, 14th, 15th and 18th) not being played to a shared green, while there are alternate tees for almost every hole.

It is a wonderful course played right down to the edge of the Great Southern Ocean and, as you can imagine, is always played under the influence of the wind, which simply adds to the challenge and the fun.

The King Island Open, played on the first weekend in November, is a 36-hole stroke play event which attracts plenty of visiting golfers from the mainland. The 53rd Open will be played in 2023 and will open on Friday November 3 with a nine-hole ‘Chook’ run, 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday and there will be a four-ball event at Cape Wickham on the Monday. What a weekend!

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: King Island, Tasmania.

HOW TO GET THERE: Regional Express, Sharp Airlines and King Island Airlines offer regular flights from Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston and Burnie/Wynyard.

GREEN FEES: Cape Wickham – $225 (18 holes), $275 (all day rate). Low season rates apply. Ocean Dunes – $205 (18 holes), $250 (all day rate). Low season rates apply. King Island Golf & Bowling Club – $50 (18 holes).

WHERE TO STAY: Staying onsite at Cape Wickham is a great experience and allows golfers to make the most of early morning course access, or you may prefer to have an early morning dip in the waters of Victoria Cove alongside the 18th hole.

Cape Wickham has 16 villas with each room boasting unparalleled views across the course towards the Cape Wickham lighthouse. Next to the villas you will find a half-acre putting green known as the ‘Lighthouse Loop’ – a 12-hole putting course where you can roll some putts and share an ale with your friends.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: The Parers King Island Hotel not only has affordable and very comfortable rooms and suites right in the middle of Currie’s main street, but the bistro (open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner) is also outstanding.

And you don’t have to venture too far from the hotel to discover one of the great treats of the island … the King Island Bakery. The pies here are magnificent. Be adventurous and sample some of the gourmet pie offerings, including the legendary King Island crayfish pie. But leave some room as any of the freshly baked sweet treats, made with real cream, are a must.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: You can’t go to King Island and not visit the King Island Dairy and its incredible cheese store. This is a ‘cheesies’ paradise with award-winning cheeses available to taste and buy. The dairy’s cheese platters, with matching wine and beer, are memorable.

WEBSITES: www.capewickham.com.au ; www.oceandunes.com.au ; www.golfkingisland.com.au

MELBOURNE SANDBELT, VICTORIA

Some might vigorously argue that the Melbourne Sandbelt is the finest destination in the world to play golf.

It’s hard to argue with the fact there are world class golf courses seemingly around every corner across Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs. And planning a golf weekend in the Sandbelt is one full of tough choices … what courses do you leave out?

Here’s two tips for you – get on where you can, you won’t be disappointed, and book well in advance.

If you have never played in the Sandbelt before, you may as well aim high and play the best of the best for your maiden experience. Playing a round at Royal Melbourne (on either its West or East Course), Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs – which are all within close proximity of each other – on consecutive days might just prove to be the best three days of your golfing life.

The finest arena we have in Australia is Royal Melbourne’s West Course. It set the benchmark for golf course design in this country when it opened for play in 1931 and, to this day, it still inspires the modern course designers to try and emulate the strength of its simple strategies and bold bunkering into their own creations.

The West course was created by the best design team ever assembled in this country. The Royal Melbourne club paid Scottish architect Dr Alister MacKenzie 1,000 guineas to travel to Australia in 1926 and suggest major changes to their existing course at Black Rock.

MacKenzie was joined on site at Royal Melbourne by Alex Russell – a member of the club and a former Australian Open champion, who was well read on MacKenzie’s design principles. Completing the team was Mick Morcom, Royal Melbourne’s head greenkeeper. Morcom, who was also well read on course architecture, was described by MacKenzie as the best greenkeeper he had ever encountered.

Having finished his design work on paper, MacKenzie left Melbourne having only seen the par-3 5th hole completed. The Scot had the utmost confidence that Russell and Morcom would be

able to correctly interpret his  notes and sketches. The fact that Royal Melbourne’s West course remains entrenched among the top-10 courses in the world suggests Russell and Morcom did a brilliant job.

Kingston Heath is well-established among the best courses in Australia and is Melbourne’s second highest ranked course in the World’s Top-100.

The ‘Heath’, which will host the Presidents Cup in 2028, has been squeezed into a small area and across relatively flat terrain, yet its design is so impressive despite covering almost half the amount of land of most modern layouts.

Sydney-based professional and course designer Dan Soutar routed the original layout in 1925 and created the entire course starting from the outstanding 130-metre par-3 10th hole that lies right at the heart of the property. The genius of Soutar’s routing is that seven other holes surround this diminutive offering, a factor which has undoubtedly led Kingston Heath to become a popular tournament venue for spectators.

The creativity and strength of Soutar’s routing in such a confined space is only outdone by the bunkering, which was added to the layout by Dr Alister MacKenzie and masterfully constructed by Mick Morcom, the course superintendent who brought MacKenzie’s Royal Melbourne sketches and masterplan to life.

MacKenzie thought Soutar’s layout, although long for the time at 6,200 metres, was excellent but suggested one important change – that the then blind par-4 15th be turned into an uphill par-3 with bunkers covering 75 percent of the route to the green. MacKenzie’s addition is today regarded as one of the finest, if not the finest, one-shot holes in Australia.

Victoria Golf Club is acclaimed worldwide as a fantastic shot-makers course where strategy always wins out over brute strength.

Club members William Meader and Oscar Damman created the course back in 1927 but the bunkering plan was undertaken by a third party – one Dr Alister MacKenzie, who was working on the design of Royal Melbourne’s West course across the road when he was asked to cast his eyes over the Victoria layout. Impressed by what he saw he recommended a few hole changes and drafted a plan for the bunkering.

An aerial photograph of the layout taken in 1934 shows the magnificence of MacKenzie’s bunkering work, which sadly became obscured or lost over the decades because of overplanting, the extensive spread of ti-tree and growth of huge Cypress pines.

Two redesigns later, and guided by that aerial photograph, Victoria is gaining wide acclaim for its visual appeal, strategic design, and impeccable conditioning.

The latest redesign a handful of years ago also saw the greens converted to Pure Distinction bentgrass, which have thrived and Victoria’s putting surfaces are now some of the country’s best.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Melbourne south-eastern suburbs, Victoria.

HOW TO GET THERE: Cheltenham, which lies in the heart of these three courses, is a 40-minute drive from the Melbourne CBD via the Nepean Highway or Monash Freeway

GREEN FEES: On application. Interstate members of golf clubs are welcome to play depending on availability.

WHERE TO STAY: Did you know you can stay on the course at Victoria Golf Club in the heritage-listed clubhouse? Each of the elegant, well-appointed rooms has ensuite facilities, while house guests enjoy the same playing rights, during their stay, as members.

The clubhouse has 12 comfortably appointed rooms, each with views of the grounds and the course. Stay and play packages are available.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: Good coffee can sometimes be hard to find but there is no shortage of excellent cafes in Melbourne, even spread throughout the suburbs. Bayside suburbs like Sandringham and Black Rock, which are just a short drive from the likes of Royal Melbourne and Victoria, have a host of quality cafes.

In Sandringham, try the Black Squirrel café on Bay Rd for great coffee and the ‘Big Squirrel’ breakfast, or around the corner in Station St there is Limoncello, which has become a Sandringham favourite over the past two decades. The coffee is always great here, as is the porridge.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: You’re in the world-famous Melbourne Sandbelt…the best things to do are all golf related. If you manage to secure a tee time at Kingston Heath, be sure to allow two hours to play the club’s new Furrows short course.

The Furrows is a nine-hole par-3 layout designed by OCM Golf (Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking and Ashley Mead) on land that was used as market garden for nearly 100 years. The course has been widely acclaimed for its simple but visually striking design and for how much fun it is to play.

WEBSITES: www.royalmelbourne.com.au ; www.kingstonheath.melbourne ; www.victoriagolf.com.au

RELATED: THE GREAT GOLF WEEKEND GUIDE PART I

BELLARINE PENINSULA, VICTORIA

After featuring courses from the northern part of the Peninsula last month, it’s time to look at what the oceanside of the Bellarine has to offer … and surprise, surprise, it oozes class.

The incredible popularity of the VicOpen since it made its home at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links a decade ago has elevated the Bellarine as a ‘must visit’ golfing destination for golfers across the country.

Today, there is such a wealth of courses on the Bellarine that hard choices must be made when planning your golf weekend. On the other hand, it’s always good to have choices.

The choice we’re recommending here for a single weekend visit is to play the three highest ranked courses in the area – Thirteenth Beach’s Beach Course, the neighbouring Barwon Heads Golf Club and the relatively new, Lonsdale Links.

Thirteenth Beach was the vision of entrepreneur Duncan Andrews, who fell in love with the coastal strip of sand dunes at first glance. Having already developed The Dunes Links –on the Mornington Peninsula – Andrews commissioned the design craftsman behind that layout, Tony Cashmore, to create a course that would incorporate as much of the rugged dune landscape as possible.

While the opening four holes cover relatively flat land, the excitement builds on the 5th tee as the layout begins its journey across some of the best natural terrain for golf in Victoria.

Cashmore, following a minimalist philosophy in creating the Beach course, located some fabulous tee and green sites among the dunes, which have, in turn, produced some memorable holes. The trio of holes, starting from the par-4 5th, is the highlight of the front nine while the back nine includes two world-class par-3s in the 12th and 16th holes.

The Beach Course is a terrific layout, perhaps only surpassed in the region by one other course, the neighbouring Barwon Heads layout.

Firm fairways and greens often made harder with their exposure to plenty of wind, the presence of the ocean within earshot and holes seemingly laid randomly across a relatively treeless but corrugated dunescape – Barwon Heads’ opening holes offer this genuine links experience.

But that’s where it ends as many would Barwon Heads is more reminiscent of courses found in the Melbourne Sandbelt. In truth it really is only the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th holes that really fit the links course billing. These holes, across a narrow road from the historical clubhouse, are brilliant, while the holes from the 7th (alongside the clubhouse) to the 18th are flanked by sometimes dense clumps of ti-tree and the occasional Cypress Pine.

Barwon Heads was designed in 1920 by Victor East, the then professional at Royal Melbourne. The link to Melbourne’s famous golfing Sandbelt doesn’t stop there. When it came time to grass the fairways during construction, East believed the native grasses would be unsuitable, so it was arranged for couch to be brought from Sandringham, in the heart of the Sandbelt.

Architects Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford have overseen subtle changes to the design in recent times as part of an ongoing development plan for the course. This has included bunker renovation and scrub clearing to further enhance the playability and visual appeal of the layout.

Barwon Heads is the kind of course you enjoy more and more with every round you play as you begin to understand its nuances and realise how good the strategy of the design really is.

Lonsdale Links is the latest addition to the list of ‘must-play’ layouts in the area and boy, does it hold its own against the heavy hitters of the Bellarine.

Lonsdale Golf Club reopened as Lonsdale Links in late 2019 following an extensive redevelopment by the OCM Golf design team (Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead). Within months it was ranked No.20 in the nation and debuted at No.8 in Golf Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses list in 2021.

The most intriguing aspect of the massive redesign was the incorporation of template holes, having drawn inspiration from their use by famed American course architects Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor, during the Golden Age of Course Design in the 1920s.

Lonsdale Links and its template holes have been dictated to by the land and are merely inspired by Macdonald’s work.

The opening hole, for instance, has been dubbed “Alps” and pays homage to the 3rd at the National Golf Links of America, which, in turn, was crafted from the 17th at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Measuring 305 metres from the tips and offering sweeping views over Lake Victoria, players are encouraged to take on the dune off the tee to create an easier approach into the first of the layout’s massive, square-cut greens.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to play the Old Course at St Andrews – or even if you have for that matter – you’re bound to enjoy the final template hole at Lonsdale Links. The 240-metre 16th has taken aspects of the famous “Road Hole” to become, in my opinion, one of the better short par-4s on the Bellarine Peninsula. The green is certainly reachable for most players, provided your tee shot is accurate and has safely carried the salt marsh. But anything left is likely to find the Moonahs or the wrong side of the post-and-rail out-of-bounds fence, which brackets the putting surface. The main attraction, however, is the deep bunker at the front of the green that emulates one of the world’s most recognisable sandy hazards.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria.

HOW TO GET THERE: Geelong, at the western edge of the Bellarine Peninsula, is a 70-minute drive southwest of Melbourne’s CBD.

GREEN FEES: Thirteenth Beach – $115 (18 holes, weekday), $135 (weekend); Barwon Heads GC – $175 (18 holes, weekday), $225 (weekend); Lonsdale Links – $85 (18 holes, weekday, shoulder season), $95 (weekend), $110 (18 holes, weekday, peak season), $120 (weekend).

WHERE TO STAY: You can stay and play at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links while staying at 13th Beach Golf Lodges. All stay and play packages include breakfast in the clubhouse restaurant along with your 18-hole round. Single and twin share options are available.

If you want to experience one of the great clubhouses in Australia, try to book a night or two at Barwon Heads Golf Club (pictured below). Golfers have been staying in the iconic clubhouse since 1924.

There are 19 ensuite rooms available in single, twin or double bedding configuration and a variety of packages available that incorporate your stay with golf, meetings, dining and entertainment. Rooms are classified either ‘Standard’ or ‘Balcony’, the latter sharing access to a balcony that overlooks the course and the Barwon Coast.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: When in Barwon Heads with an appetite for good seafood, you have two really good options. For those seeking a five-star experience there is At The Heads on Barwon Heads Pier, where there is great seafood (try the linguine) and a superb view to match. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, grab some fish and chips, and perhaps some calamari rings, from the old school Barwon Heads fish and chips shop and grab a spot overlooking the Barwon River.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Take a scenic flight along The Great Ocean Rd and view the 12 Apostles. Adventure Flight Co. operates flights to and from Barwon Heads Airport.

WEBSITES: www.13thbeachgolf.com ; www.barwonheads.golf ; www.lonsdalelinks.com.au   

GOLD COAST, QUEENSLAND

The Gold Coast has been one of Australia’s favourite golf holiday destinations for nearly 40 years.

The golf is obviously the primary attraction but there are so many things to do when you’re not on course, which has wide appeal for golfing couples, golf club groups, mate’s weekends or even the lone golfer away with their family.

The north end of the Gold Coast puts you in the neighbourhood of three of the highest ranked layouts in the region – The Links Hope Island and Sanctuary Cove’s Pines and Palms Courses.

The Links Hope Island, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, has always been a Gold Coast favourite because its links-like features offer a distinct point of difference with all the other courses on the Coast.

Designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, Hope Island is a strategist’s course, with the design team influenced by some of the game’s best designers including Dr Alister MacKenzie, in presenting a series of routes on each hole. But to reap the rewards of good ball-striking, precise angles of attack are required into the greens.

Consequently, and especially on some of the short par-4s, the length of a hole doesn’t really matter. What does matter at Hope Island is making the correct club selection on the tee, selecting the right line, and executing accordingly.

Some holes have been redesigned in recent times.

The par-4 9th hole was taken out of play to make way for a new practice range and was replaced by a challenging medium-length par-3 demanding a full water carry from the tee to find a semi-island green, well protected around its edges by a slew of bunkers.

This reduced the par of the course to 71 and led to the redesign of the par-3 3rd hole to become a classic risk-and-reward short par-4.

While these changes have created two memorable additions to the front nine, the best hole at Hope Island remains the strong par-4 13th, which is known as ‘’Wetlands’. Measuring 369 metres from the tips, the fairway doglegs left around a lake to a green featuring a ridge running through the middle of it. The real features of this hole, though, are the fairway bunkers – circular, crater-like pits – and the many greenside bumps, mounds and hollows that have become synonymous with Thomson and Wolveridge designs.

And if the condition of the Hope Island course was to be described like a golf shot it too would be somewhere between sweet and spectacular. Since new owners took over the course nearly a decade ago, the conditioning and overall presentation has been consistently first class.

The same can be said for Hope Island’s nearest golfing neighbour, Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club and its two layouts – The Pines and The Palms Courses – which have both had extensive work carried out on them in recent times.

Of course, the Palms was extensively rebuilt with new holes created alongside holes redesigned by Ross Watson. But it was no simple course redesign.

While 15 of the 18 holes covered existing course land, these holes bear little resemblance to the original course designed by the late Fred Bolton in the late 1980s. Watson’s incarnation extracted the best possible holes from the land and saw the Palms gain a place in Australia’s Top-100 Courses ranking for the first time.

At 6,004 metres from the tips, the Palms is not taxing in terms of length. But that does not make it any less challenging as you will find the undulating green complexes fun to negotiate, while getting the strategy right from the tee is a must.

Putting on the Palms is a real test of nerve and skill. If your approach shots come to rest on the wrong level or section of a green, relative the pin position, on any of the 18 greens, you face the likelihood of a three-putt. The undulations across many of the putting surfaces are dramatic but the greens are large enough to accommodate these slopes.

Despite dramatic improvements made to the Palms layout during the past decade, the star of the show at Sanctuary Cove is the Pines course.

The Arnold Palmer signature design, which is the only one in Australia, has been a mainstay of Gold Coast golf since the late 1980s and is generally regarded as one of the most challenging courses in Queensland.

The lion’s share of pine trees on the property flank the doglegging fairways over the opening seven holes, and the setting feels like you have been dropped onto an American parkland course. Three holes into the back nine, you emerge from the pine trees to an open section of the layout and are confronted by one of the most talked about holes at the Pines.

There are four different tee positions on the 154-metre (201 from the tips) par-3 13th so choose wisely before teeing off. The green lies on the far side of a lake and demands a tee shot carries all the way over water. Boulders wedged into the bank of the lake are not only cosmetically appealing but are capable of deflecting balls back into the water … or onto the green if you’re lucky.

A $5 million dollar facelift of the Pines course, which included rebuilding all 18 greens and converting the putting surfaces to Bermuda TifEagle ultradwarf (the same grass used on the Palms). The renovation has the Pines looking in outstanding shape.

These days, to play both courses, you need to be a member, a member’s guest or a guest staying in the neighbouring Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Gold Coast, Queensland.

HOW TO GET THERE: Hope Island and Sanctuary Cove are at the northern end of the Gold Coast, about 45km north of Gold Coast Airport via the M1 motorway

GREEN FEES: Links Hope Island – $140 (18 holes, Monday to Thursday inc. cart), $150 (18 holes, Friday to Sunday inc. cart); Sanctuary Cove – Palms Course, $100 (18 holes, Intercontinental resort guest inc. golf cart), Pines Course, $180 (18 holes, Intercontinental resort guest inc. golf cart).

WHERE TO STAY: The InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort (pictured below) has 251 recently refurbished rooms and premium suites, spread across three accommodation wings and surrounded by 4.2 hectares of tropical gardens. When you’re not on course you can lounge beneath swaying palm trees and take a dip in the resort’s iconic one-acre Lagoon Beach Pool.

As a guest of the resort, you have the unique opportunity to play on The Pines and Palms. Simply book your game in with their concierge team.

The resort has a stay-three and play-three package, which includes three nights’ accommodation for two, rounds at Hope Island and on both Sanctuary Cove layouts, daily breakfast and carts on all courses. Visit www.sanctuarycove.intercontinental.com more details.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: If you’re staying at the Intercontinental, you can’t miss the experience of wood-fire dining at The Fireplace, which offers locally sourced produce seasoned with herbs from the restaurant’s own garden. For the foodies, the degustation menu is highly recommended.

Sanctuary Cove’s marina village is home to the iconic Sanctuary Cove Tavern, where you can get high quality classic pub meals and, of course, a fantastic selection of beverages, right in the heart of the village.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Depending on your personal preference – and accompanying guests – hit the theme parks or sip cocktails by the pool … it’s your call.

WEBSITES: www.linkshopeisland.com.au ; www.sanctuarycovegolf.com.au.

RELATED: THE GREAT GOLF WEEKEND GUIDE PART I

YARRAWONGA, NSW/VICTORIA

Yarrawonga – on the southern side of the NSW-Victorian border beside the mighty Murray River and Lake Mulwala – with its ideal climate and big river views has long been a haven for tourists, especially visiting golfers.

A narrow two-lane bridge links Yarrawonga with Mulwala, on the northern shore in NSW, which is home to the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort.

In the 96 years since moving to Mulwala, the club has grown to become the largest public access golf resort in Australia. It is widely recognised as the pick of the resorts along the Murray, just three hours’ drive north of Melbourne.

At the heart of the complex is a first class-clubhouse – boasting a health and fitness centre, bistro, bar, movie theatre and massage facilities – which now stands where the dairy farm homestead once presided over the surrounding paddocks.

Over the past 65 years, those paddocks have been developed into 45 holes of fun and challenging golf.

There’s the Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge-designed Murray Course, and the neighbouring Lake Course as well as a shorter nine-hole layout, known as the Executive Course. Both the Murray and Lake layouts are well entrenched in Golf Australia magazine’s ranking of the Top-100 Public Access Courses in the country.

The par-72 Murray Course has been highly acclaimed for many years and ranks among the best courses along the golf rich Murray River. The opening four holes are among its finest and lead you to the north bank of the river, which a round highlight awaits.

Standing on the 5th tee, there is no missing the flowing waters of the Murray off to your left. The 470-metre par-5 runs along the riverbank with only a row of river gums and wattles as well as a deep gully separating the left of the fairway from the water. The fairway ebbs and flows like a raging torrent, toward a slightly elevated green guarded by an enormous gum tree and a small bunker front left. By the time you reach the 6th green you will have good feel for the course as it continues to wind its way through huge river gums.

The Lake course is very different in design to the Murray course. It is more open but still features some big gums, lakes, and plenty of bunkers. This course incorporates some older-style holes – crafted by designer Sam Berriman (who designed Horsham and Keysborough on the Melbourne Sandbelt) – with newer holes created by Thomson and Wolveridge.

It is one of the old Berriman-designed holes that you will get your heart racing as you near the turn. The 283-metre par-4 8th is a picturesque hole dominated by a lake, which is easily reachable from the elevated tee. This pretty hazard also must be cleared with your pitch shot approach to the small green.

Water is also in play on two of the best holes on the back nine – the 531-metre par-5 13th and the 156-metre par-3 14th. The par-5 twists and turns right and then left with out-of-bounds not far from the left of the fairway. A lake then looms up on the right as the fairway rises to the elevated green.

The following par-3 plays alongside the other side of the lake and if you keep your tee shot out of the hazard, you’ll still need to negotiate the bunkers right and left of the putting surface.

While water dominates at 13 and 14, it is sand that will be your curse at the 322-metre par-4 15th. This is a trademark Thomson and Wolveridge hole with the strategic use of bunkers, on the fairway and around the green, as well as mounding.

This hole provides a nice snapshot of some of the hazards you will face across the river at Black Bull golf course, which was designed by Thomson and Ross Perrett, and is part of the Silverwoods residential development that also now includes a luxury boutique Sebel hotel next to Lake Mulwala.

Black Bull is a fine course that offers relatively wide fairways, big greens, expansive bunkering, and subtle mounding.

One of the appeals of a round here is the open space. The spacious fairways, punctuated by bunkers of varying shapes and sizes, expose players to breezes coming off Lake Mulwala. These winds add to the challenge of avoiding several man-made lakes and streams that come into play on nearly a dozen holes.

It is water and sand that combine to really ramp up the challenge when you enter the ‘Bull Ring’ – a stretch of three difficult holes starting at the 4th hole that pays homage to Black Bull’s Angus cattle farm origins. The Bull Ring is Black Bull at its toughest and if you can get through here relatively unscathed you can aspire to making a good score for the day.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Yarrawonga and Mulwala, on the NSW Victorian border.

HOW TO GET THERE: Yarrawonga is three hours’ drive north of Melbourne.

GREEN FEES: Yarrawonga Mulwala – $64 (18 holes), $245 (Monday to Friday pass); Black Bull – $65 (18 holes, weekdays), $75 (weekends).

WHERE TO STAY: Yarrawonga Mulwala GC Resort has nine styles of accommodation to suit the budget conscious as well as those looking for a taste of luxury. From suites to villas to apartments, all are set in beautiful surrounds.

There are several stay and play packages available with the best for weekend escapes being their Golf Weekender package, which includes two nights’ accommodation (Friday and Saturday), two breakfast vouchers, two evening meal vouchers and two rounds of golf. Check out the club’s website for rates and booking details.

Black Bull also has accommodation readily available at the adjoining Sebel Yarrawonga – a 4.5-star boutique hotel, which offers studio and luxury apartments as well as three dining and bar venues … right on the edge of Lake Mulwala.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: If you’re staying at Yarrawonga Mulwala GC Resort, the Border Bistro in the clubhouse has an extensive menu and for lovers of steak you can’t miss with the scotch fillet. There are also theme nights like the pot and parma special on Friday nights or Mexican Mondays, if your weekend getaway extends beyond Sunday.

The Naked Tree is a must when in Yarrawonga, whether it’s pancakes for breakfast, an Outback burger and chips for lunch, coffee during the day or high-end cuisine at night … you will love it.

A short walk along Belmore St and you will find the best Indian restaurant in Yarrawonga – Lakeside Indian. No need to look at the menu, just get the seafood curry.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: There are some excellent wineries and cellar doors to explore a short drive away in Rutherglen, including All Saints, Stanton & Killeen, Campbell Wines and De Bortolis.

WEBSITES: www.yarragolf.com.au ; www.silverwoodsyarrawonga.com.au   

SOUTH WEST COAST, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

In just under two hours’ drive from Perth, via the Kwinana Freeway and Forrest Highway, you’ll reach Bunbury – the northern gateway to WA’s incredible South West.

The South West is home to world renowned beaches and equally famous vineyards. The salty spray of waves and towering ancient forests awaken the senses, while premium wines and exquisite local produce provide a memorable appreciation of the region that lies between Bunbury and Margaret River.

Bunbury Golf Club is home to the South West Open, which boasts an impressive list of past winners including Craig Parry, Mike Harwood, Greg Chalmers, Terry Gale and Nick O’Hern, so following in their footsteps adds to the appeal of a round here.

The course, which dates back to the late 1940s, is laid out on good golfing land between the Collie River and the Leschenault Estuary. It rolls across a 180-acre bushland setting, with mature native trees lining every hole. Length is not the course’s primary defence, but the tight driving lines from most tees to the tree-lined fairways demands accuracy to score well.

Bunbury is unique in that par-3s open both nines. The shorter of the two is also the best. The 124-metre par-3 10th is the signature hole at Bunbury. From the tee near the clubhouse, the view from the elevated tee extends well beyond the green to Samphire Bay. The tee sits nearly 40 metres above the level of the green, exposing it to sea breezes. The angled green, guarded by large bunkers left and right, demands good club selection and the hint of any breeze can really complicate hitting a successful tee shot. A par here is well-earned.

Heading into the back nine, many of the fairways are quite narrow with the exception being the 390-metre par-4 14th hole where the rolling fairway is relatively wide and offers a little more room for error. The fairway slopes gently from right to left, which makes the long approach to the small green a tough one.

Lying 45 minutes away, and roughly halfway between Bunbury and Margaret River, Busselton is a popular beachside town where golf has been played for nearly 120 years.

Busselton Golf Club, which lies six kilometres inland from the town’s famous jetty, dates back to 1907 and much of the course winds between beautiful redgums and peppermint trees.

Extensively redesigned by Murray Dawson in 1979, Busselton is widely regarded as having some of the best playing surfaces in regional WA. In 2022, it was awarded the Golf WA Regional Course and Regional Facility of the year.

A feature of many holes is Dawson’s green complexes, where the putting surface is protected by sand and is angled to your approach.

One of the best examples of this is on the 169-metre par-3 6th hole where the green, sitting beyond two bunkers, lies at almost a 45-degree angle to your tee shot. The right-hander who can fade the ball has a distinct advantage here but it’s still a precise shot to leave yourself a putt for birdie.

Play a round here and you will be following in the footsteps of the club’s favourite son Stephen Leaney, who won tournaments on the European and Australasian Tours and was runner-up in the 2003 U.S Open, nearly 20 years after he won the Busselton Junior Championship.

Another 45-minute drive south will have you in the middle of Margaret River wine country.

And one of the area’s increasingly popular attractions is the highly regarded layout at Margaret River Golf Club.

The par-72 course officially opened for play in 1955 and over the ensuing 35 years, passionate member volunteers developed the course from clearing the fairways, digging bores for water, planting grasses and maintaining the sand scrapes. In 1992, the club employed its first greenkeeper, which coincided with the conversion of the sand scrapes to grass greens – a program that two years to complete.

Today, Margaret River is considered one of the finest courses in the region.

Set on 65 hectares of beautiful natural bushland near the mouth of the Margaret River, the layout winds its way up and down the slopes of the coastal ridge. This gorgeous setting is complemented by an abundance of indigenous bush and trees.

Although not heavily bunkered, the course features several water hazards on the front nine holes, which is relatively flat and easy to walk. The more undulating back nine requires careful shot consideration and execution to negotiate the sloping fairways and large trees that line most holes.

Two of Margaret River’s most memorable holes are deep in the front nine. The 454-metre 7th is a wonderful par-5 with a straight, wide fairway dissected by a creek about 80 metres from the green and features a pond short right of the putting surface. Laying up short of the creek is always an option here but the length of the hole makes the green reachable for some solid hitters. But water and tree trouble await if the second shot flies wide. While the temptation of a birdie is clearly there, the 7th should be treated with respect.

The creek cutting through the 7th fairway, also plays a major role on the next. The water hazard almost creates a semi-island green on the 142-metre par-3 8th, as the creek winds from the right of the green, across the front and away to the left (and across the 7th fairway). This is a hole that offers as many birdies as it does bogeys … and worse. It all depends on the tee shot. Stay out of the water and you should make par or better as the green is pretty flat

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Bunbury to Margaret River, South West region, Western Australia.

HOW TO GET THERE: Bunbury is about two hours’ drive south of Perth’s CBD.

GREEN FEES: Bunbury GC – $55 (18 holes); Busselton GC – $65 (18 holes); Margaret River GC – $55 (18 holes).

WHERE TO STAY: The Sebel Busselton offers a scenic and relaxed getaway. Positioned midway between Bunbury and Margaret River, the hotel is ideally located for guests wishing to enjoy the renowned wineries, restaurants, and golf courses of the region as well as the swimming, snorkelling and diving opportunities in Geographe Bay. Along with modern self-contained apartments, the hotel features a wide range of leisure facilities, from tennis courts to swimming pools.

The Grand Mercure Basildene Manor is set amongst manicured gardens about five minutes’ drive from Margaret River GC. The manor offers visitors luxury and a taste of old world charm. Featuring 19 rooms and suites close to wineries, restaurants and cafes, the manor features spacious rooms and suites, a fireside reading room, conservatory, pool, sun deck, tennis court, lakeside pergola and BBQ facilities.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: If you’re in Bunbury and desperate for some quality Italian, Nicola’s Ristorante is the place to go. The family-owned restaurant is renowned for its seafood, but you will also love the veal saltimbocca with garlic and chill spaghetti.

In Busselton, the Deck Marina Bar and Bistro, with its incredible sunset views, can’t be missed.

Morries in Margaret River specialises in tapas and cocktails. It’s a good fun place to sit, eat and listen to some music for a few hours. The pork belly is highly recommended.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: With world famous wineries spread across the region, it’s almost certain you will have a list of cellar doors earmarked for a visit.

WEBSITES: www.bunburygolfclub.com.au ; www.busseltongolfclub.com.au ; www.margaretrivergolfclub.com.au   

CENTRAL COAST, NEW SOUTH WALES

From Broken Bay at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, the Central Coast stretches north towards Newcastle and includes a mix of bays and inlets, pristine beaches, lakes and lush hinterland.

If you are looking for the highest ranked courses in the region, you can easily fill three days of golf playing Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, Shelly Beach Golf Club and Kooindah Waters Golf Club, which are all within close proximity to one another.

Kooindah Waters was designed by Ross Watson in collaboration with Craig Parry. It is a short, tight and rustic layout with its unkempt swamps and orange-hued bunkers with railway-sleeper faces.

Ranked No.62 in Golf Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses in the nation, Kooindah Waters might lack distance for a modern course, but it is tight and trouble-strewn. Yet, the designers ensured there are multiple opportunities to take on ambitious carries and daring playing lines.

Precision is of the utmost importance on the 6,083-metre layout, as is certainty over club selection. Several approach shots require water carries with little leeway offered as a bail-out. In many instances the looming water is obvious, as you will see on the all-carry par-3 2nd and 17th holes, but on other occasions the trouble is more subtle, with a hidden bunker or other hazard lurking partially out of view.

While Kooindah Waters is not a links course, Watson and Parry’s links golf knowledge has saw them incorporate elements of that seaside game into their creation here. Many of the greens feature a wide opening where you can bounce your approach onto the putting surface. The deep greenside bunkering is also a feature of the layout, as are the railway sleeper retaining walls on selected bunkers.

The toughest challenge of the round is left until last at the 397-metre dogleg left 18th hole. The par-4 is flanked by wetlands to the left, while water cuts the fairway in two about 80 metres short of the putting surface. Bunkers and more water surround the green, ensuring a par made here will be remembered and a birdie treasured until next time.

Shelly Beach Golf Club was designed by Al Howard in the early 1950s when it was known as Tuggerah Lakes Golf Club.

Howard’s design remained largely unchanged for decades but several holes have been redesigned or modernised in recent times, which has markedly improved the course and seen it become entrenched in Golf Australia’s list of Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses.

Shelly Beach is a wonderful place to play golf. It is an easy-walking 6,007 metres from the back markers and is a prime example of the coastal course conundrum – the holes closer to the water are so good they can often overshadow the quality of the holes away from it.

The layout is divided by Shelly Beach Road, with the 1st to the 6th, 9th, 10th and 16th to 18th holes grouped on the north side of the road and sharing an open, windswept feel that takes in the vast ocean views. The remaining holes – the 7th and 8th as well as the 11th to 15th holes – lie on the other side of the road and are characterised by more heavily tree-lined fairways that run predominantly north and south.

The two most memorable holes also offer the best ocean views. The 361-metre par-4 5th is a devilish hole where a blind drive needs to be followed up with a precise mid or short iron to the green, depending on the strength and direction of the breeze.

The following hole measures just 333 metres from the tips but it plays much tougher than the scorecard suggests. It is a tight driving hole, especially into the wind, and club selection for the approach is always challenging in the windy conditions that often prevail.

Wind is also a major factor when you head north from Shelly Beach, across The Entrance Bridge (which spans the inlet linking Lake Macquarie and the ocean) to Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club.

From the Pacific Ocean vistas of the front nine to the sheltered dunes of the inward half, Magenta Shores is as visually stunning as it is challenging.

Much of the course was formerly a sand mine and rubbish tip – featureless land necessitating the man-made mounds and dunes that were formed during construction and the raising of the land profile by several metres. This, however, takes little away from the calibre of Ross Watson’s design and its inherent scenic beauty. The rolling fairways and ever-present sea breezes make for perennial difficulty even at times when the wind is at your back.

The layout is not outrageously long, measuring slightly more than 6,000 metres from the blue tees and 6,322 from the tips. Instead, the strength and direction of the wind is a major factor in the difficulty of almost every hole, giving Magenta Shores a volatility that seduces golfers into thinking they have the game to tame it.

Take, for instance, the closing hole. At 550 metres from the back tees, a summer nor’easter makes this seemingly long par-5 play far shorter than the scorecard distance indicates, however in a strong southerly, it requires three almighty blows to carry the nest of huge bunkers set 30 metres or so short of the putting surface. Likewise, the opening holes are susceptible to the conditions, dictating whether caution or aggression is called for.

Magenta Shores is a private club. However, guests of the adjoining Pullman resort can access the course while there are some limited visitors tee times.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Central Coast, New South Wales.

HOW TO GET THERE: Wyong (and Kooindah Waters) is about 45 minutes’ drive from the M1 freeway entrance at Wahroonga, on Sydney’s northern outskirts..

GREEN FEES: Kooindah Waters GC – $75 (18 holes, weekdays), $95 (weekends); Shelly Beach GC – $50 (18 holes, weekdays), $55 (weekends); Magenta Shores G&CC – Available upon request of a tee time.

WHERE TO STAY: Mercure Kooindah Waters has some great stay and play packages including 18 holes with cart hire, four-and-a-half-star resort accommodation, and a full buffet breakfast for two people. The resort has standard king golf view rooms as well as one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

The Pullman Magenta Shores is one of Australia’s premier golf resorts, overlooking the course of the same name. The resort has apartment style accommodation set amongst landscaped gardens and just a short stroll from all facilities and the beach. All villas include open plan living areas and private furnished courtyards or balconies.

The Shelly Beach Holiday Park, next door to the golf course, has a range of cabins with most offering beautiful ocean views. Each cabin and studio sleeps between two and six people, depending on the style and are self-contained.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: The Watersedge seafood restaurant in The Entrance is more than just a high-quality seafood eatery. You can also do breakfast here, while soaking up the views. If you head back for dinner, try the Sri Lankan fish curry, made with barramundi. Yum!

If you stay at Kooindah Waters you won’t have far to travel to experience great food. Karinyas Restaurant overlooks the course and offers an extensive menu of dishes created from local produce as well as a huge wine list, dominated by nearby Hunter Valley wineries.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: In the warmer months, any of the 40-odd beaches on the Central Coast is well worth a visit.

WEBSITES: www.kooindahwatersgolf.com.au ; www.shellybeachgolfclub.com.au ; www.magentagolf.com.au.