The Murray course, designed by Thomson and Wolveridge, is, in my opinion, one of the best layouts you will find anywhere along the Murray. Huge river gums dominate the flood basin landscape and natural lagoons border many of the fairways.

This par-72 has been highly acclaimed for many years but the management and course maintenance teams at Yarrawonga have not rested on their laurels and are always looking for ways to improve the layout. During the past five years, several greens have been modernised, bunkers have been redone and the overall presentation – post-drought – of the layout has dramatically improved.

More recently, the 352-metre par-4 3rd has undergone some major changes. What was a relatively straight hole between tall stands of trees left and right has been altered with the introduction of a wetland cutting into the left side of the fairway, creating a slight dogleg left around the water. The green and bunkering here has also been upgraded with a larger, angled putting surface now in play.

This is a terrific redesign and in time I reckon it will be regarded in the top four or five holes on the Murray course.

The new 3rd has really added to the challenge of the opening four holes that lead you to the north bank of the river and an excellent sequence of holes. Coming hot on the heels of the 3rd is the 347-metre 4th. It is a good short par-4 with the narrow and slight dogleg right lined either side by very large river gums. The further you hit your drive here the tighter the fairway becomes. The correct mid- or short iron has to be selected for the second shot to find the kidney-shaped green, which is raised slightly above the fairway.  The next hole is also a highlight of the Murray course. On the 5th tee there is no missing the flowing waters of the Murray 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, towards a slightly elevated green guarded by an enormous gum tree and a small bunker at the 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.