WORDS BY STEVE KEIPERT  PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDAN JAMES

Television brought The Vines Resort into the lounge rooms of golfers across Australia for so long that it’s easy to forget just how many grand events were staged across its Composite course. Likewise, the passage of time might have pushed memories of this 36-hole complex to the recesses of the mind now that the steady diet of tournament action is, at least for now, exhausted.

Fortunately it’s not difficult to drag this golf icon of the Swan Valley forward in the memory bank. The stunning location, a leisurely drive outside the West Australian capital in the state’s oldest wine region, combined with a pair of exceptional golf courses and complemented by a four-star resort make it impossible to forget once you’ve spent a day or longer enjoying everything The Vines has to offer. And, for those, who do remember the golf course used for the dozen professional tournaments the resort has hosted, the good news is there’s 18 more holes that are just as good yet never received a moment’s TV exposure.

The boomerang-shaped 5th green of the Lakes course. The boomerang-shaped 5th green of the Lakes course.

The Vines opened in 1989 and garnered its reputation just a year later thanks to hosting the first Vines Classic, which later morphed into the Heineken Classic. Every summer it became a fixture on not just the golf calendar but also the national sporting fixture as stars flocked to Perth on an annual basis. The tournament became one of the success stories in Australian golf and even when bigger sponsorship dollars and an east-coast home at regal Royal Melbourne became too appealing for tournament organisers to resist, The Vines continued to draw tournament attention. A pair of Johnnie Walker Classics came to the Swan Valley and even the LPGA’s short-lived Lexus Cup called in once. As tournament venues go, few Australian courses of the same age can match the pedigree of big events to descend on The Vines.

The golf course commanded high praise throughout the tournament era. It had the space to accommodate the necessary infrastructure in a setting to appeal to both a local, national and international audience. Kangaroos hopping down a fairway less than an hour’s drive from an urban centre? A marketer’s dream. And the players enjoyed it, too. With an honour roll that anointed names as diverse as Ian Woosnam, Thomas Bjorn, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Michael Campbell, Mike Clayton, Jeff Maggert, Kevin Stadler, Danny Lee, Robert Allenby and local favourite Jarrod Moseley, The Vines had a knack for unearthing a miscellaneous mix of champions with varying skill sets.

The course-architecture union of Graham Marsh and Ross Watson yielded countless fine layouts during their time in partnership and few rank better than The Vines. Split into the Lakes and Ellenbrook courses – the tournament, or Composite, course used the 1st and 2nd holes plus the 12th to 18th of Ellenbrook then the whole back nine of Lakes – the pair cleverly walk that fine line for 36-holers of reflecting one another without essentially feeling the same. If there is a common theme to the two courses, it’s the size of the greens. Often these gargantuan surfaces play like two or three greens in one, as their depth has the capacity to add (or subtract) hundreds of metres from the overall distance of each layout by switching cup locations. Play all 36 holes and it is unlikely you will get around without facing at least one putt of 60 feet or longer as two-putting becomes an enviable achievement.

Water and sand guard the inviting 18th green of the Lakes course. Water and sand guard the inviting 18th green of the Lakes course.

The scenic value of The Vines’ surroundings extends to the holes themselves as grass trees and the stunning flora (and, occasionally, the hopping variety of fauna) find a key place in the way many holes play. While a recent effort to eradicate some of the ground-level scrub has improved playability, the move hasn’t diminished the challenge for better players nor diluted the visual splendour of the quintessential bushland setting.

Traditionally, the 6,494-metre Lakes course ranks higher than its 6,561-metre sibling although the distance between the two for architectural merit is not broad at all. These days the Lakes is considered the members’ course, however visitors can still play it any time other than Tuesday mornings, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Lakes is arguably more eye-catching, particularly with its water-laden finishing holes, although many of its more enticing attributes don’t feature any water. The par-5 3rd hole, for example, tricks the eye on approach thanks to a raised, segmented green that is 43 metres long and features a swale on the left that should to be avoided. It is possible to bounce balls in from the right side of the green but that play isn’t always immediately obvious standing in the fairway below. It’s a similar story at the par-3 next, which plays anywhere from 158 to 203 metres from the tee to the green’s centre, but you can add up to 25 metres if the flag is located in the rear of the 51-metre-long green. From an elevated tee, the target is this time more defined, however the test becomes finding the portion of the green that won’t create an enormous putt.

The 5th hole caps a run of three intriguing green complexes. In fact, the shape of the entire hole is compelling. The 390-metre par-4 twists sharply right but contains a portion of fairway on the outside of the dogleg that appears safe yet tends to block many approach shots due to trees retained on the corner, while the boomerang-shaped green yields an array of interesting pitches and putts. Parring this hole is a key moment in the round.

The Lakes’ “TV holes” begin with a string of relatively open holes from 10 to 15 before the scene-stealers finish the examination. The 16th is a tremendous par-3 of 179 metres with a large, diagonal green. If the flag is cut on the left, the challenge is straightforward, but when it’s in the rear or right side, bunkers and an ominous lake come squarely into play. Fear not, as it is possible to feed balls into the back-right section with a curving tee shot. The 390-metre par-4 17th moves past a lake on its left side before climbing to raised green that pushes balls towards the back edge. The scene of many heroic acts and dashed chances, the par-5 18th offers hope for a closing birdie. Measuring 470 metres from the back markers, the Lakes’ home hole places three different water hazards in play but none is more intimidating than the lake in front of the green. The wide putting surface allows for several pin positions away from the water however bunkers lurk nearby so if the water doesn’t get you, chances are the sand will.

It's a gentle ride uphill to the 14th green of the Lakes course. It's a gentle ride uphill to the 14th green of the Lakes course.

Over on the Ellenbrook course, the water may be more absent but other challenges remain in frame. Bush and scrub are recurring features, as are the spacious greens and abundant bunkers. A neat run of holes begins from the 5th, a par-3 to a deep green with a rear hollow. The 6th fairway is wide but the ideal angle to approach the green is up the left side yet the camber of the land wants to send the ball right, complicating the second shot. The 7th is another strong two-shotter and the 8th is a tempting 161-metre par-3 with water lurking left of the green.

If there’s one hole that’s worth playing from the rear tees, it’s the 13th. The scorecard calls it a par-3 but it feels like more. Stretching 230 metres from the back markers, this behemoth will require a driver for almost every golfer – and quite possibly a pitch shot after that. The target is large but standing on a par-3 with a driver in hand is arguably the biggest obstacle to defeat; that and the litany of bunkers scattered against the right edge of the green. There is no disgrace in making a bogey here.

The giant 13th begins a run of holes demanding big shots to avoid big numbers. The 361-metre 14th invites a tee shot across a lone bunker hugging the inside corner of the dogleg-right par-4 yet the more prudent play is short or left of the trap. The 400-metre 15th asks for two solid shots to secure a par four and it’s more of the same at the uphill par-4 16th and strong par-3 17th. Ellenbrook’s 18th appears to offer some respite as a 480-metre par-5, although the dogleg-left, uphill climb and long, awkward putting surface often quash birdie hopes and make closing pars tough propositions.

Two courses, two choices and a multitude of ways to play many holes. Just as the pros kept returning come tournament time, regular golfers know that any trip to The Vines is an opportunity to experience a remarkable golf course in a setting that’s tough to top.

FACT FILE

THE COURSE

LOCATION: Verdelho Drive, The Vines, WA. The resort is about a 45-minute drive north-east of Perth via West Swan Rd, Millhouse Rd and Chateau Place.

CONTACT: (08) 9297 3000.

WEBSITE: www.vines.com.au

DESIGNERS: Graham Marsh and Ross Watson (1989).

SLOPE RATINGS: Lakes – men: 129/126/121; women: 128. Ellenbrook – men: 125/122/121; women: 125.

PLAYING SURFACES: Penncross bentgrass (greens), Greenlees Park couch (tees and fairways).

COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Dion Warr.

PGA PROFESSIONAL: Mark Tibbles.

GREEN FEES: Lakes $84; Ellenbrook $64 ($10 less for resort guests).

THE CLUB

MEMBERSHIPS: Several membership categories operate at The Vines. Individual membership costs $2,750 annually, while juniors pay $640 (ages 12 to 17) or $1,275 (18 to 20), transitional members (21 to 30) $1,530, with fly in/fly out members paying $1,099 and country members $765 per year. Corporate memberships are also available. Joining fees of $2,500 apply for individual memberships, $27,500 for corporate, $275 for junior and $3,300 for country. Fly in/fly out memberships do not currently attract a joining fee.

CORPORATE GOLF: Having two courses allows The Vines to run seamless corporate events, whether for an industry function, product launch, networking exercise or client entertainment. Corporate golf day packages start from $79.

ACCOMMODATION: Adjoining the two golf courses is the Novotel Vines Resort, replete with a variety of rooms, suites and apartments.

PACKAGES: The Novotel Vines Resort has always offered a wide selection of play and stay packages. The winter package begins from $109 per night. Among the more appealing options are the “Seven Deadly Sins” accommodation and restaurant packages, which range per night from $249 for “Envy” through to $589 for “Decadence”.