Custom Google Search - Courtesy of The Caddy Space
Golf Course Reviews - Australia
Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West Course)
Name: Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West Course)
Location: Black Rock, VIC, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6023m
Holes: 18
Location: Black Rock, VIC, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6023m
Holes: 18
Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West Course) - Hole 5
The West Course at Royal Melbourne Golf club is has been the top rated golf course in Australia for the past 8 years. It is a course to rival the best in the world and it owes its position to three important factors. The land over which its wonderful holes are played is perfectly undulating and the sandy nature of the ground must have been a dream for those charged with the construction of greens and bunkers.
The clubs initial routing was altered by the great Scottish architect, Alister Mackenzie in 1926 and it, unquestionably, exploited the full potential of the land. It was Mackenzie who came up with the blind drive up over the hill at the par five fourth that was not, in itself, ideal but it opened up the chance to incorporate the best second shot on the course, down the hill to the green and he followed it with the world class par three, fifth and the brilliant sixth hole.
The third part of the equation is the under rated genius of Mick Morcom, the clubs curator and the man Mackenzie entrusted with the job of bringing his ideas and plans to life. "Morcom", said Mackenzie "was the best greenkeeper I have ever worked with".
Mackenzie's ideals were based upon the genius of The Old Course at St Andrews where the golfer had a multitude of options to consider before both club and shot could be correctly selected. He abhorred the use of long grass as a means of punishing the wayward and it seems he enjoyed confusing the golfer as he confronted them with the golfing equivalent of a multiple choice exam.
The finest examples of this aspect of the design come at two of the clubs most famous holes.
The dogleg sixth hole takes up a huge piece of land and demonstrates perfectly the advantages Mackenzie had at Royal Melbourne over the tighter courses he influenced during his extraordinary twelve week visit to Australia in 1926, including Kingston Heath, Yarra Yarra and Victoria.
The Verdict
The West Course may not be the most difficult course in the country and many will argue it is not the most "perfectly" conditioned. Nor does it have the spectacular views of courses like The National, Laguna Quays or New South Wales Golf Clubs. What it is, however, is our greatest feat of golfing architecture and it matters not how many times one plays it, there is always another layer of subtlety to be uncovered and another series of fascinating decisions to make.
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the Royal Melbourne Golf Club's website: Royal Melbourne Golf Club
The clubs initial routing was altered by the great Scottish architect, Alister Mackenzie in 1926 and it, unquestionably, exploited the full potential of the land. It was Mackenzie who came up with the blind drive up over the hill at the par five fourth that was not, in itself, ideal but it opened up the chance to incorporate the best second shot on the course, down the hill to the green and he followed it with the world class par three, fifth and the brilliant sixth hole.
The third part of the equation is the under rated genius of Mick Morcom, the clubs curator and the man Mackenzie entrusted with the job of bringing his ideas and plans to life. "Morcom", said Mackenzie "was the best greenkeeper I have ever worked with".
Mackenzie's ideals were based upon the genius of The Old Course at St Andrews where the golfer had a multitude of options to consider before both club and shot could be correctly selected. He abhorred the use of long grass as a means of punishing the wayward and it seems he enjoyed confusing the golfer as he confronted them with the golfing equivalent of a multiple choice exam.
The finest examples of this aspect of the design come at two of the clubs most famous holes.
The dogleg sixth hole takes up a huge piece of land and demonstrates perfectly the advantages Mackenzie had at Royal Melbourne over the tighter courses he influenced during his extraordinary twelve week visit to Australia in 1926, including Kingston Heath, Yarra Yarra and Victoria.
The Verdict
The West Course may not be the most difficult course in the country and many will argue it is not the most "perfectly" conditioned. Nor does it have the spectacular views of courses like The National, Laguna Quays or New South Wales Golf Clubs. What it is, however, is our greatest feat of golfing architecture and it matters not how many times one plays it, there is always another layer of subtlety to be uncovered and another series of fascinating decisions to make.
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the Royal Melbourne Golf Club's website: Royal Melbourne Golf Club
New South Wales Golf Club
Name: New South Wales Golf Club
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6227mm
Holes: 18
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6227mm
Holes: 18
New South Wales Golf Club - Hole 6
That it recovered its reputation was a matter of importance to golf in Australia because it is such a significant course and as conditions improved the club became the most sought after membership in Sydney. This course is ranked number 2 in Australia behind the prestigious Royal Melbourne West Course. It is the closest we have to the brand of golf made famous by the links at Pebble Beach and for those who love raw golf where the chances of fighting a battering wind are high, it is the greatest thrill in Australia.
Situated in Sydney, Australia, this pristine golf course overlooked the magnificent Pacific Ocean. For all its beauty, this course still offers a challenge to any golfer, regardless of their ability. Anything that isn't straight off the tee, will either end up in the Pacific Ocean or unplayable. So it is imperative that all shots off the tee are straight, so remember, you require accuracy not distance on this course. However with the when championship tees are played in competition, both accuracy and distance off the tee is required, as the course can play up to 6450m through 18 holes.
This magnificent golf course always amazes me when I play it. Every inch of this course is in immaculate condition, especially the greens. They are tricky to read, but very play very true and consistent. The feature hole of the course is hole 6. It runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean and provides breathtaking views. Don't be deceived by the beauty of the hole, otherwise you will end up scoring well over par.
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the New South Wales Golf Club's website: New South Wales Golf Club
Situated in Sydney, Australia, this pristine golf course overlooked the magnificent Pacific Ocean. For all its beauty, this course still offers a challenge to any golfer, regardless of their ability. Anything that isn't straight off the tee, will either end up in the Pacific Ocean or unplayable. So it is imperative that all shots off the tee are straight, so remember, you require accuracy not distance on this course. However with the when championship tees are played in competition, both accuracy and distance off the tee is required, as the course can play up to 6450m through 18 holes.
This magnificent golf course always amazes me when I play it. Every inch of this course is in immaculate condition, especially the greens. They are tricky to read, but very play very true and consistent. The feature hole of the course is hole 6. It runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean and provides breathtaking views. Don't be deceived by the beauty of the hole, otherwise you will end up scoring well over par.
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the New South Wales Golf Club's website: New South Wales Golf Club
Kingston Heath Golf Club
Name: Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club
Location: Moorabin, VIC, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6352m
Holes: 18
Location: Moorabin, VIC, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 6352m
Holes: 18
Kingston Heath Golf Club - Hole 11
Kingston Heath Golf Club is one of Australia's best golf courses. Ranked as the number two course in Australia and the 27th best course in the world, Kingston Heath enjoys an enviable reputation for its superb conditioning all year round.
The 18 holes were built on only 50 hectares (most courses in the modern era are built on over 100 hectares), it is perfectly manicured and its bunkering and clever use of dips and hollows visually fools the non observant golfer. If you wildly deviate from the fairway, the rough (comprising long grass, tea tree and sandy scrapes) will test your ability to get the ball back into play.
The 14th hole is a longish par 5 which, depending on the wind direction, can tempt the golfer into reaching the green for 2. One golfer, Roger Mackay, did better than that in a tournament at the Heath when he holed his second shot for an albatross.
The three par 3 holes are a feature of Kingston Heath and show off one fantastic feature of this great golf course - the classic, natural bunkering. The fifteenth hole, in particular, is a real test ( not necessarily needed towards the end of your round).
An uphill par 3 of moderate length, the path to the hole is surrounded by a myriad of bunkers (some of them very deep) all waiting to swallow the errant tee shot. If you reach the putting surface par is still not guaranteed as the undulating green gives up more 3 putts than 1 putts.
The remaining finishing holes are long par 4's and can ruin an otherwise good score. The 16th is known in golfing circles as the hole where Greg Norman took a 9 on his way to losing a tournament at Kingston Heath in the 1990's. Norman carved his tee shot into the right hand tea tree and it was all downhill from there.
Visit the Kingston Heath Golf Club's Website: Kingston Heath Golf Club
The 18 holes were built on only 50 hectares (most courses in the modern era are built on over 100 hectares), it is perfectly manicured and its bunkering and clever use of dips and hollows visually fools the non observant golfer. If you wildly deviate from the fairway, the rough (comprising long grass, tea tree and sandy scrapes) will test your ability to get the ball back into play.
The 14th hole is a longish par 5 which, depending on the wind direction, can tempt the golfer into reaching the green for 2. One golfer, Roger Mackay, did better than that in a tournament at the Heath when he holed his second shot for an albatross.
The three par 3 holes are a feature of Kingston Heath and show off one fantastic feature of this great golf course - the classic, natural bunkering. The fifteenth hole, in particular, is a real test ( not necessarily needed towards the end of your round).
An uphill par 3 of moderate length, the path to the hole is surrounded by a myriad of bunkers (some of them very deep) all waiting to swallow the errant tee shot. If you reach the putting surface par is still not guaranteed as the undulating green gives up more 3 putts than 1 putts.
The remaining finishing holes are long par 4's and can ruin an otherwise good score. The 16th is known in golfing circles as the hole where Greg Norman took a 9 on his way to losing a tournament at Kingston Heath in the 1990's. Norman carved his tee shot into the right hand tea tree and it was all downhill from there.
Visit the Kingston Heath Golf Club's Website: Kingston Heath Golf Club
Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club
Name: Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club
Location: Pokolbin, NSW, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 5815m
Holes: 18
Location: Pokolbin, NSW, Australia
Par: 72
Length: 5815m
Holes: 18
Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club - Hole 6
First impressions are everything aren't they? And after playing the first two or three holes at the new Hunter Valley Golf & Country Club, your first impressions would be of a pleasant enough course. Nice greens, tight tree lined fairways and plenty of water hazards to catch the wayward tee shot. Based on the first three holes, it's a course you might describe as nice in a golf resort kind of way.
But first impressions aren't actually everything. After a gentle start, the fourth hole here is as tough a par three as you'd want with a huge green offering anything upwards of 160 meters of carry over water. That's followed by a monster of a par four bordered by the main road, requiring both length and pinpoint accuracy just to make the fairway. And then you come to the sixth.
From the back markers, the sixth hole has one of those "you must be joking" tee shots. Whilst the carry over the vast lake is "only" some 170 metres, from the tee the fairway looks miles away. After one of the gentlest starts of any golf course I've ever played, five and six here are monsters.
Once known as Portofino Golf Club, the Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club re-opened last year after renovations, complete with a major new hotel development. The Crowne Plaza hotel features condominium style accommodation that borders a number of the early holes. This not one of those courses surrounded by properties however and once away from the clubhouse, the course is set in a beautiful green valley bordered with the vines that make the area famous and featuring views of the Brokenback Mountains. It's a green and well kept course with numerous lakes and water features that suggest that it will not ever be short of water.
Located just off the main wine trail road that meanders through the Hunter Valley, the course is virtually opposite the main tourist information office. Golf facilities are well signposted and first impressions are of a well run, modern course with a friendly pro-shop. Very much a resort, we didn't see anyone walking the course n the day we played and like most modern facilities, we were quickly shown to our waiting golf buggy and on the first tee within moments of taking the clubs from the car.
Having been fooled by the soft opening holes and the monsters that follow, the course takes another turn in character as you reach the seventh hole. Bordered on one side by the road and with bunkers waiting to catch a soft fade, this hole is rightly rated the toughest on the course. Should you manage to find the fairway, anything but your best struck drive will leave you in the twilight zone facing a long carry over a water hazard both wider and closer to the green than it looks. For reasons we won't go into, we played the hole twice and failed to get a single ball onto the green in regulation. Tough hole.
Coming as a gentle relief after another tough par three, the par five ninth is a chance to get a shot back, best played by playing safe. The double green shared with the 18th is a nice feature and most players would be disappointed not to finish the nine with a par.
Like many resort courses, if time is on your side, there's ample opportunity to stop and reflect on the first nine whilst enjoying a leisurely cold one before venturing out to the back nine.
Back Nine Flanked by an array of building plots, the tenth is a shortish par three protected by mature trees and a vast expanse of water that borders the hole in the right. Leading away from the clubhouse, the hole is a pretty start to the nine and you can't help but feel that this might have been a much better starting hole. The feeling is continued by the beguiling 11th which is guaranteed to stay in your memory long after you've fought your way home though the Sydney Sunday traffic.
Signposts remind you that the 11th is a blind dogleg right over the gully. Despite the signposts, it's almost impossible to judge the shape of the hole when playing for the first time. At only 262 meters, the temptation to hit a big high power fade is only tempered by the fact that you can't see where you are going. Five bunkers also confuse and visually foreshorten the tee shot. The common sense approach would have been to hit a simple four iron over the corner of the trees leaving a short pitch and two putt par. But then hindsight is a wonderful thing in golf.
Turning out away from the 11th, you come to a loop of four holes across a flatter piece of land that all require well struck and accurate tee shots due to the various well placed water hazards and cultivated rough. The fairways here are generally very good and boast a generous covering of grass, but some of the couch grass in the rough has been left to grow thick and dense, so much so that you almost have to tread on a ball before you'll find it. It's not quite "US Open" tough, but you're definitely better off keeping it straight.
The final three holes feature yet another change in character. The 16th, a meandering par five is lined with young pine trees and has the look and feel of a traditional Scottish layout like Rosemount or Gleneagles. Except for the warm sunshine of course. The green on the par three 17th sits on top of a treacherous shelf and is guarded by two huge welcoming bunkers, whilst the 18th plays all of its length with even a well placed tee shot still requiring a slight fade around the trees to make the green.
Based on the Sunday we played, getting a game on this course isn't difficult and whilst it's not as tough as its near neighbours the Vintage and Cypress Lakes, this course is no pushover and we couldn't fault the quality of the course and the evenly paced greens.
If I've got one criticism, it's that start. I'd definitely swap the nines around, not only because of the poor first impressions from the first few tame holes but also because that way round you'd have a course that features four or five of the toughest finishing holes anyone could want.
That having been said, it's a well set up and friendly operation and having enjoyed our day on the course, it was a treat to spend a little time afterwards enjoying a great choice of restaurant quality food and drink in the bar overlooking the swimming pool. With all that, and one of the best wine lists you'll see in any golf club, you've only yourself to blame if you don't have a great day here!
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club's website: Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club
But first impressions aren't actually everything. After a gentle start, the fourth hole here is as tough a par three as you'd want with a huge green offering anything upwards of 160 meters of carry over water. That's followed by a monster of a par four bordered by the main road, requiring both length and pinpoint accuracy just to make the fairway. And then you come to the sixth.
From the back markers, the sixth hole has one of those "you must be joking" tee shots. Whilst the carry over the vast lake is "only" some 170 metres, from the tee the fairway looks miles away. After one of the gentlest starts of any golf course I've ever played, five and six here are monsters.
Once known as Portofino Golf Club, the Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club re-opened last year after renovations, complete with a major new hotel development. The Crowne Plaza hotel features condominium style accommodation that borders a number of the early holes. This not one of those courses surrounded by properties however and once away from the clubhouse, the course is set in a beautiful green valley bordered with the vines that make the area famous and featuring views of the Brokenback Mountains. It's a green and well kept course with numerous lakes and water features that suggest that it will not ever be short of water.
Located just off the main wine trail road that meanders through the Hunter Valley, the course is virtually opposite the main tourist information office. Golf facilities are well signposted and first impressions are of a well run, modern course with a friendly pro-shop. Very much a resort, we didn't see anyone walking the course n the day we played and like most modern facilities, we were quickly shown to our waiting golf buggy and on the first tee within moments of taking the clubs from the car.
Having been fooled by the soft opening holes and the monsters that follow, the course takes another turn in character as you reach the seventh hole. Bordered on one side by the road and with bunkers waiting to catch a soft fade, this hole is rightly rated the toughest on the course. Should you manage to find the fairway, anything but your best struck drive will leave you in the twilight zone facing a long carry over a water hazard both wider and closer to the green than it looks. For reasons we won't go into, we played the hole twice and failed to get a single ball onto the green in regulation. Tough hole.
Coming as a gentle relief after another tough par three, the par five ninth is a chance to get a shot back, best played by playing safe. The double green shared with the 18th is a nice feature and most players would be disappointed not to finish the nine with a par.
Like many resort courses, if time is on your side, there's ample opportunity to stop and reflect on the first nine whilst enjoying a leisurely cold one before venturing out to the back nine.
Back Nine Flanked by an array of building plots, the tenth is a shortish par three protected by mature trees and a vast expanse of water that borders the hole in the right. Leading away from the clubhouse, the hole is a pretty start to the nine and you can't help but feel that this might have been a much better starting hole. The feeling is continued by the beguiling 11th which is guaranteed to stay in your memory long after you've fought your way home though the Sydney Sunday traffic.
Signposts remind you that the 11th is a blind dogleg right over the gully. Despite the signposts, it's almost impossible to judge the shape of the hole when playing for the first time. At only 262 meters, the temptation to hit a big high power fade is only tempered by the fact that you can't see where you are going. Five bunkers also confuse and visually foreshorten the tee shot. The common sense approach would have been to hit a simple four iron over the corner of the trees leaving a short pitch and two putt par. But then hindsight is a wonderful thing in golf.
Turning out away from the 11th, you come to a loop of four holes across a flatter piece of land that all require well struck and accurate tee shots due to the various well placed water hazards and cultivated rough. The fairways here are generally very good and boast a generous covering of grass, but some of the couch grass in the rough has been left to grow thick and dense, so much so that you almost have to tread on a ball before you'll find it. It's not quite "US Open" tough, but you're definitely better off keeping it straight.
The final three holes feature yet another change in character. The 16th, a meandering par five is lined with young pine trees and has the look and feel of a traditional Scottish layout like Rosemount or Gleneagles. Except for the warm sunshine of course. The green on the par three 17th sits on top of a treacherous shelf and is guarded by two huge welcoming bunkers, whilst the 18th plays all of its length with even a well placed tee shot still requiring a slight fade around the trees to make the green.
Based on the Sunday we played, getting a game on this course isn't difficult and whilst it's not as tough as its near neighbours the Vintage and Cypress Lakes, this course is no pushover and we couldn't fault the quality of the course and the evenly paced greens.
If I've got one criticism, it's that start. I'd definitely swap the nines around, not only because of the poor first impressions from the first few tame holes but also because that way round you'd have a course that features four or five of the toughest finishing holes anyone could want.
That having been said, it's a well set up and friendly operation and having enjoyed our day on the course, it was a treat to spend a little time afterwards enjoying a great choice of restaurant quality food and drink in the bar overlooking the swimming pool. With all that, and one of the best wine lists you'll see in any golf club, you've only yourself to blame if you don't have a great day here!
Source: www.iseekgolf.com
Visit the Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club's website: Hunter Valley Golf and Country Club
