“The Ridge has been very popular, which is great,” Wilcher says. “And we haven’t really seen the course at its absolute best yet. The course is still maturing and will take some time to reach its potential but it is still a great course and is getting better and better all the time. It still hasn’t had a full summer growing season so there are even better playing surfaces to come.”

Wilcher added that The Ridge, on top of presenting a golfing challenge to players of all standards, is also an attractive place to play.

“One feature that makes this course stand out is its environmentally friendly credentials,” he said. “It features a state-of-the-art watering system, which is supplied by a 46-megalitre dam constructed on site. The dam also supplies the water hazards.

“The mix of native trees and plants in the landscaping right across the layout also makes it an attractive and environmentally friendly place to play.”

I really liked The Ridge. The bentgrass greens, even the much younger surfaces of the greens on the back nine holes, are simply superb. As Wilcher has suggested, the Windsor green fairways will certainly benefit from growth during this upcoming summer but overall they remain quite good. The rough here is kept relatively short, making it less penal for the casual golfer, and it presents a different colour and look to the fairways as it is couch oversown with rye grass.

The course opens gently with three short par-4s. The fairways of this trio are generously wide and for the accomplished player there is a real opportunity to set the platform for a good round.