Tocumwal Golf Club

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDAN JAMES

The great American author Mark Twain didn’t have much time for golf. Of course, he is famously quoted as saying “Golf is a good walk spoiled.”

During a recent visit to Tocumwal Golf Club, which lies a short distance from the majestic Murray River, I couldn’t help but think of Twain when I learned the golfer’s grapevine had been suggesting not so very long ago that the club was in dire straits. Whispers had spread as far as Melbourne that Tocumwal might well close its doors and concerned golfers, planning their golf holidays, were calling the club to check their bookings would be honoured.

This made me think of Twain and his other famous quote: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.”

Like Twain, the scurrilous reports of Tocumwal’s demise were exaggerated, so much so that when I unpacked the clubs and took to the course I had a chuckle to myself. I’ve been visiting Tocumwal and its 36-hole layout since 1991 and never have I seen the Presidents and Captains courses looking better.

It is rare for such a small town – Tocumwal boasts approximately 1,900 people – to be home to a 36-hole complex of such high quality like you’ll find at ‘Toc’ (pronounced ‘toke’).

Situated on the northern bank of the Murray amid the flatlands of the Riverina, Tocumwal is about 700 kilometres south-west of Sydney and nearly 260km north of Melbourne. Its riverside location and beautiful natural surrounds have made it popular with tourists in the past few decades. Golfers, too, have in ever-increasing numbers found Tocumwal to their liking.

I have been among those golf visitors for nearly 25 years and Tocumwal’s golfing landscape has changed markedly in that time. It grew to 36 holes in the late 1990s and quickly established a spot alongside the best of the Murray golf resort courses, including its neighbour Cobram-Barooga, and others including Rich River, Murray Downs and Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Clubs.

Tocumwal’s 36 holes offer a combination of old and new design work, which created diversity from one nine to another. The majority of the Presidents course is made up of holes that were first created in the 1950s after land was purchased from the RAAF.

During World War II, a 60-square-kilometre area, including the site of both courses today, was commissioned by the US Army Air Corps as part of its top secret aerodrome. It was a heavy bomber base, prepared for an attempted Japanese invasion. At the height of the war, the complex was the largest of its kind in the Commonwealth, with 450 buildings and four runways.

Those first nine holes were played with sand greens until they were converted to grass in 1970. Another nine holes were added four years later, while the second 18-hole layout, known as the Captains course, was completed in 1993. All the new holes were created by Melbourne-based course designer and former Australian representative amateur, Kevin Hartley.

Hartley transformed what was grazing land next to the original 18 holes in to a fine selection of Wintergreen couch fairways and 1020 Bentgrass greens. Hartley’s bunkering, while not especially deep, is more dynamic and he has utilised the native river gums and pine trees to create some truly memorable holes.

This isn’t to say some of Tocumwal’s more established holes, particularly on the Presidents course, are not noteworthy.

The Presidents course opens with a very good short par-4. The 330-metre 1st hole is a tight right-to-left dogleg that will intimidate those of us right-handers with a penchant for slicing their driver. The green, which can be reached with a mid- or short iron, is narrow and deep. An enormous bunker flanks the right side of the green and will snare even the slightest mis-hit.

The opening hole sets the tone as you will discover there are few straight holes and the doglegs make Tocumwal highly enjoyable for the shot-maker. Even deep into the back nine of the Presidents course there are doglegs to contend with.

The 383-metre par-4 16th calls for a blind tee shot over a hill past a large river gum to the left of the fairway. The short grass doglegs almost 90 degrees left and long hitters trying to shorten the hole have to flirt with a small sand trap at the turn. The lengthy approach must be threaded between large gums with long branches hanging well over the fairway.

The next hole is a superb short par-4. At 330 metres, the 17th is a thinking man’s hole. The urge to hit a wood from the tee should be avoided as there is trouble everywhere from the tee. An enormous 45-metre long bunker and a tall river gum make the left side of the fairway and rough a no-go zone. But driving down the right side needs to be precise – too long through the slight dogleg and pine trees will gobble up your ball. The elevated green is a narrow target and there is at least four clubs difference from front to back.

One of the best driving holes on both course is the 389-metre par-4 9th on the Presidents course. The narrow undulating fairway is lined by low-slung pine trees. Most players will find themselves playing their long approach from deep between two hills to a green guarded by two bunkers. No wonder this hole is rated the hardest of this 18.

The greatest improvements to the Tocumwal courses during the past decade have occured on the Captains layout. Trees planted during contruction in the early ’90s have fully matured and now frame many of the holes, which were once sparse and almost barren.

Arguably the prettiest hole of all 36 is the 482-metre par-5 3rd hole on the Captains course. Water flanks the entire left side of the fairway while a huge red sandy bunker is strategically positioned to the right to make the first shot perhaps the most challenging on the hole. Long hitters going for the green in two must overcome the dangers of four bunkers and the ever-present water to reach the green safely. Playing short with a wedge to the green is the smart play.

The Captains layout also ends with a tight driving par-4. The drive must be directed to the right half of the fairway as going left will inevitably find the trees lining this dogleg-right fairway. Bogey or double-bogey is usually the best score you can make from left of the fairway. Although the fairway drops slightly before rising again to the green, take one extra club to reach the green as this dip creates an illusion of closeness.

Tocumwal Golf Club is far from dead. It’s actually flourishing and the highlight for me was the outstanding presentation of the greens. Those in the know reckon they are among the best putting surfaces to be found anywhere along the Murray River, and they won’t get any argument from me.

If you have experienced Tocumwal’s delights in the past but haven’t been back in a while, do yourself a favour and pay the little river town a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

THE COURSE

LOCATION: Barooga Rd, Tocumwal, about three hours’ drive north of Melbourne.

CONTACT: (03) 5874 9111; (03) 5874 9172.

WEBSITE: www.tocumwalgolf.com.au

DESIGNER: Various and Kevin Hartley (Captains and some of the Presidents course).

PLAYING SURFACES: Wintergreen couch (fairways, tees) and bentgrass (greens).

COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Matt McLeod.

PGA PROFESSIONAL: Michael McGregor.

GREEN FEES: $40 (18 holes, seven days).

THE CLUB

MEMBERSHIPS: The club has a wide range of memberships. Full membership is available for $630 a year with a joining fee of $25. The club also has golf passes at different rates depending on your address relative to the club. Applications are available on the club’s website.

ACCOMMODATION: Tocumwal Golf Club offers fantastic package deals with four on-course motels.

PACKAGES: Packages are available all year round and can be tailored to suit your needs. Basic packages from $100 per person per day are available.

Other packages include the Midweek special (Sunday to Thursday). From $190 per person, you get two days’ unlimited golf, two nights’ accommodation, a $15 meal credit at the club’s bistro and continental breakfast at the motel.

Weekend packages start from $230 per person and include two days’ unlimited golf, Friday and Saturday night accommodation, a $20 meal credit and continental breakfast at the motel.

The club also offers a buffet breakfast (for groups of 12 or more) and this can be included in your package. There are family packages and golf specials also available.

For bookings or more details, contact the club’s golf development officer on 1800 631 197.