The Dunes

The Dunes, seen as possibly the 3rd best public access course behind Barnbougle and lost farm,  is located in the Mornington Peninsula roughly an hour form Melbourne. It's very decent stretch of land with a few other notable courses nearby. It was a toss up between playing Doak's St. Andrews beach and the Dunes though being the tight scotsman ( having reciprocal rights for the dunes) and more favourable tee times available prior to catching an evening flight back to sydney, it was off to the Dunes. 

If anything it exceeded my expectations and also provided some good material to play around with the camera. It's certainly in the links style with the rolling hills/dunes being fairly similar to what we see back home. It's set back from the sea and doesn't have the view of the tasmanian courses but as a golf course I'd rate it pretty close, only slightly behind the Lost farm.

It begins with a decent and testing dogleg par 4 that runs between a set of dunes. The second is an excellent par 4 with rolling farmland to the left and a great waste area before a tricky elevated green.

The 3rd below was a tricky mid short/range par 3 with a very tough cross wind to negotiate on that day,  there was a nice contrast with the dry rough compared to the lush green and surrounds.

This leads to the 4th that is an absolute cracker of a risk reward short par 4 though I struggled to get a decent shot of it at the time. just over 300 yards, downhill to sloping, sideways ( nicklaus esque) green. at the 230 mark are a set of bunkers that certainly came into play with the 3 club wind that was around at the time.

The 5th continues the fine run and is an initially blind par 5 leading to a  fairway with numerous waste style bunkers running up to the green.

The 9th completes the first loop and ends down at the clubhouse. An interesting dog leg of sorts, down hill with all the room to the right and a huge waste bunker out of site from the tee to the left. ( below)

Highlights on the back 9 would be the run of holes from 12-15.  A quote from Nick Faldo in the strokesaver reveals his appreciation of the par 5 12th that features a great option for the second to bite off as much of another huge waste area ( roughly 150 - 200 yards long) to maximise distance to the green,

Below the view looking back down to the 12th fairway.

13 is an excellent par 3 that really has a scottish feel to it with a green perched below a large dunes and well protected by a couple of bunkers at the front and one at the back. The 14th is very reminiscent of the 10th at Barnbougle with a generous fairway to the right of a huge bunker, although in this version there is a tricky fairway bunker on the driving line that improves the strategic nature of the hole ( and one that Barnbougle would benefit from too).

The 14th bunker to be avoided and green up the hill.

The course then has 2 new holes, developed after the owner purchased some extra land to prevent an apparent housing developement. Not sure what the old ones were like but the current run is very strong.

The 17th is interesting in that there is a plaque on the tee from Tom Watson who described it as 'exquisite' on his visit here. Its roughly 200 yards to an elevated green surrounded at the front by numerous bunkers. I didn't actually rate it that high but here is the green none the less.

after the relative let down of 17 ( for me anyway!) the course finishes with an excellent par 4 finish. lying between the most grand dunes on the course, the bunkerless fairway leads to a very tough elevated green that is not to be missed on the short side.

So overall this was a very good track, really struggling to find a weak hole out there and provided a lot of decent photo opportunities. Lost farm pips it only with the scenery and one or two more 'wow' moments. I'll have to return to Melbourne to sample the more fancied National as well as the sandbelt courses that I felt a bit let down by on a previous visit.

Kauri Cliffs

So its been a little while but I have been able to sample a few old favourites as well as a couple of new additions from the top 100.  Basically this trip ticked off my favourite courses in the southern hemisphere and probably 3 of them appear in my all time top 5 right now.  Kauri Cliffs ( ranked 53 ) was probably the most memorable experience of the lot. If you look at the course on it's own then yes there are better tracks out there but if you take the conditioning, scenery, 'number of memorable holes' and service then it becomes a place to be reckoned with.

After getting in passed the locked gate, a rural drive of a km or so leads you to this very well appointed club house where the pro was waiting to see us.

We arrived on a crisp bright morning and were the first ones there ( and only 1 group of a handful using the course all day). Immediatly you turn round to the front of the clubhouse and are greeted by probably the most scenic putting green and practice range on earth. ( below)

The greens were reading 12 on the stimp that day, with the 2 club wind providing a more than suitable test off the tips! The Pyramids of balls were lined up and untouched on our arrival to what initially, and for most of the day felt like our private golf course.

Dare I say it, not even Castle Stuart could live up to this scenery and Kauri is probably the most photogenic course I have been to thus far.

So after this whets the apetite, the opening few holes are actually pretty conservative. The first is only a mid length straight par 4 but the adrenaline is pumping because you know that a real treat is in store. walking down the fairway you know it certainly isn't overplayed, there is barely a divot and the definition is fantastic. 1st green below.

From here follow the second that plays downhill to a well contoured green and the 3rd that initially seems non-descript but the second shot is an interesting approach with some lone trees ( maybe almost pebble beach/ cypress point like i'm guessing). The 4th is the first world class hole and if a decent drive gets far enough, offers a tempting risk reward strategy to hit the green in 2.

The Stretch of holes from 4-7 in my view is outstanding. The 5th is an excellent par 3 roughly 190 yards demanding a controlled fade to end near the hole, and yes it crosses over an 400 foot gorge which is a bit of a recurring theme here!
Below the 5th green and 6th fairways. The undulations are marked throughout the course and its possibly the toughest walk around a course that I've had, especially that last holes on both 9s but I'm glad we opted against the buggies.Walking I feel is necessary to appreciate a course fully in my opinion though if you have a dodgy knee here you could be in trouble.

The 7th is probably the most memorable par 3 on the course for me, being 220-230 yards from the tips and all carry over the cliff and 2 bunkers. The green is pretty generous to account for this and it is certainly better being long than short..

The 8th is a monster par 5 that leads to a tough uphill par 4 9th that involves a huge carry if taking it from the backs as we did. You then finish at the clubhouse, exhausted after a big climb and ready for a break before hitting the back 9.

10-13 are very different beasts to the rest of the course, playing without the views but each are great holes in their own right. Above is the island green on the 11th.

After this brief reprieve from the awesome views onto the bay of islands it's on to the last 5 holes.. 4 of which run along the edge of the cliffs which purists may argue lessons the 'routing' quality of the course but when you see the views, there is no way on earth you just couldn't build golf holes on them.

I think this is the tee on 15, a par 5 with cliff all the way down the left, and the more you cut off with the drive the better rewarded you are for your second. The green is actually a bit too severe here, one of the few little flaws that do actually exist on the course.

16 and 17 are excellent par 4s that again tempt you to bite off more than you can chew from the cliff edges. 18 is similar to 9, involving a mamouth carry over a gorge to the fairway that then plays all uphill ( very very uphill)

By the end we were absolutely knackered but equally impressed as to call it the most memorable experience of the 6 top 100 venues we got to. Its still not the perfect course, in particular the first couple      of holes are only good, if not great. Similarities do exist between a few holes and the scale of the hills does make walking a struggle at times.

Comparing it to Cape Kidnappers, its very different. Much more manicured and visually spectacular here compared to Doak's minimalist philosophy that appears more rough around the edges, but obviously there were two designers with different philosophies. I would actually rate Kinloch as the best course of the 3 we got to on the North island so I suppose it depends on what you are after. Anyway,  who cares about rankings they are all very special places!

Sunningdale New

Out with the old and onto the new. Those well heeled members are pretty lucky to have 2 great courses to choose from and currently ranked at 57 in the world, the new is an elegant course that put into the shade only slightly by its neighbour. Played here as the first group of the day and barely saw a soul the whole way round, really gave a great sense of isolation.

I found the course slightly more tight than the old with a few more heather lined fairways particularly on the front nine that severely punish any wayward drives. The highlights for my being the holes from 3-8. All very interesting and thought provoking holes with a good mix of risk and reward.

Above, the par 3 5th possibly the signature hole but next, a great dogleg par 5 may contest the honour.

The 10th in addition is an excellent par 3 that leads to the great wee dormie house where the famed sausage sandwiches await.  The back 9 is again full of quality holes that all require careful thought. my favourites would probably be 15 that begs you to bite of a small pond to reduce your length to the green.

Above - the excellent surrounds of the 18th green, a short par 5 but hitting the green is very tricky..

All in all its a great heathland course, and the first of England's non links courses that I've played.  The weather wasn't too conducive for decent photographs but never mind, I may well return at another stage to try again. As for the best course,  I would say the old has the edge but it's not a bad combo.

Sunningdale old

The two courses at Sunningdale my well represent the best 36 hole experience in the UK, and it's the old that will steal the show for most people. The experience certainly does not come cheaply but for most, this is a one off experience and for any keen golfer it's one not to miss. We managed to fortunately catch a dry day in the middle of summer and started as the first group on the new before moving to the old after lunch.

The reception was very warm with the starter and staff very willing to help, a courtesy that is not always evident at some of these prestigious clubs. The clubhouse is an old school classic and sipping a pint after the round, looking back onto the famous 18th green was the icing on the cake.

The course begins with a good par 5 that like the rest of the course, demands accuracy an introduces you to some heathery hazards that can easily eat into your score. The 2nd is a decent par 4 but for me the course really began to show its quality on the 3rd which is a great driveable par 4 that requires a carefully thought strategy to avoid a sandy grave.

The 4th is strong uphill par 3 with a huge green that could lead to some lengthy testing putts and the 5th is a great and thought provoking par 4. Not too long but with two well positioned bunkers and a small pond to contend with for the larger hitters.

I think that many great courses offer a sense of isolation and the old at Sunningdale is great in that respect. You could really be going for a walk in the woods, and many people do as there seem to be a number of well worn tracks around. Each hole is also played with a degree of separation and isolation from the next and there are not many areas that you stumble across other players.

Below, the 7th. A great initially blind par 4 that opens up to a well protected green and typifies the scenery of Sunningdale Old.

The 9th to 11th are probably my favourite runs of holes on he course. I'm a sucker for a great short par 4 and 9th is certainly that, at only 250 yards or so, but with 3 or 4 expertly placed bunkers that ensure a greedy drive not hit to perfection is suitably punished and will make for a testing par. The 10th, below is the signature hole and a lovely downhill par 4 that leads to the famous dormie house.

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The Dormie house sits between the 10th greens of both courses and was fully stocked with bacon and sausages on our visit.

The 11th is great wee par 4 or only 240 or so yards from the mens that is shaped with a row of tall trees that encourage a high fade to a small green and continues the run of strong holes. 

The 13th if I remember is maybe the most benign of the holes on the course, a straight forward par three that I managed to hit the pin on... and then contrive to make bogey.

The finishing 3 holes are all par 4s but there are no gimmies on route to the old oak tree. 16 requires a straight tee shot to avoid some cavernous bunkers and long grass and the green is beautifully framed with great symmetrical bunkers extending along the width of the fairway. 17 finally shows the clubhouse in the distance and is very picturesque.

18 finishes the course on a high and although a fairly flat and in theory straightforward hole, it's a great one to end on for the view of that famous oak and the clubhouse. I even managed a par which is an unusual experience for me on the last holes of these great top 100 courses.

All in all, its well worthy of its lofty position and certainly the best inland course I have played so far. to have the new course side by side makes it a 36 hole gem that would take some beating.. Its a truly great experience.

Royal Dornoch

Well having just returned from a trip back to the UK with 3 new courses ticked off, it was actually a return to the magnificent Dornoch that stole the show. Having last played there in competition and without much appreciation for golf course design etc it was fantastic to catch it on a sunny day in late afternoon. Currently sandwiched between pebble beach and Portrush in the rankings at 13, it has catapulted into my personal top 3 and may well be the best I've played in Scotland along with Kingsbarns and Turnberry.

Below the view as we walk down to the 3rd with the 17th green to the right.

I think its important to start the course with a playable hole and this is absolutely the case here.. only 300 yards and straight away eases you into the round before the second comes in to bite. A 160 yard par 3 that showcases the famous donald ross greens. Miss either side at your peril as a steep 15 foot slope awaits on either side of the narrow green.

3 and 4  are great par 4's though quite similar on the eye. The 5th to me is an excellent short  par 4 and one of the best on the course. starting high on the dunes it plays down to another elevated green with multiple bunkers down the right side of the fairway and guarding the green.

The The 6th carries on the theme of tricky par 3s with penal run offs down the right and back and then its up to the top of the hill to the long par 4 7th ( with the view below)

The 8th is downhill dogleg left with a drive over a post and is a very good hole though again very similar in design to 17, and the front 9 is finished by a glorious par 5 along the coast that really emphasises the beauty of the place.

The back 9 all play closer to the sea and amongst the dunes that are not as pronounced as Turnberry for instance but allow the holes to snake around with a sense of isolation. 13 'foxy' as it is known is the signature hole of the course. A lengthy par 4 without a single bunker but with an enormous green in the typically 'upturned bowl' shape that Ross went wild with here.

14th, the most straight forward ( but still excellent) of the par 3s.

being a fan of short par 4s with a bit of risk/reward, the 15th is another of my favourites, despite getting a double from 30 yards short of the green. Certainly driveable but with a large grassy mound in the fairway that can play havoc and a green that certainly got the better of me with a tight front pin.

Above the driving pole on the 17th, yet another excellent par 4..

Maybe it was the weather, the scenery, the greens, the isolation.. or the fact the opposition was routed 6/5 but Royal Dornoch left a lasting impression. It's far north of course but its an absolute must when playing in scotland and with so many quality courses within an hours drive or so its the jewel in the highland crown.

Barnbougle Lost Farm

The Lost Farm is the second course created on the Barnbougle estate. Created by Coore/Crenshaw of Sand Hills lore it sits partly amongst some towering dunes but also spreads onto less undulating land away from the sea. Only a few minutes drive from it's older brother, Its entered at 85 in the world and may well be on the rise.

The drive up seems to take forever, through a dusty road that ends at a facility that is immediately a lot more tourist or visitor orientated than the 'simply golf' approach at Barnbougle. Anyway, don't like to dwell on those things so on to the course...

The first gives an idea of whats to come with a generous fairway dotted with huge waste bunkers leading to a small green ( that In my opinion could have done with a bit more design), though still a strong par 5. The next is a short par 4 with a fairway thats impossible to miss but with two large strategic bunkers to capture some poor strikes. Note this is a bit similar to Barnbougle that starts with a fairly gentle opening before springing to life.

As such, the 3rd is a fantastic short risk/reward hole that is easily drivable but onto a very narrow green full of undulations...a great hole that is followed by one of the signature holes of the course. The 4th is 140 yards with gorgeous views off the headland and looking back over at Barnbougle ( below)
















The 5th continues what is in my opinion the best stretch on the course. A Unique left to right dog leg around a huge dune still leaves a long approach to a St.Andrews size green. Without prior knowledge of where to go or a strokesaver, the line off the tee is a total mystery!

The 6th is a nice par 3 with another undulating green that can leave a few interesting putts but its the 7th that gets the interest up again. A testing par 4 with a fairway literally 100 yards wide, it could almost be the first at the old course were it not for a huge hill of rough at driving length. Left of it is narrower but offers a superior line to the pin. Right is safe but leads to a more difficult approach over a greenside bunker.

The 8th ( left)  is a massive par 5 that for me anway would be impossible to get anywhere near in two whilst the 9th is a decent par 4 that takes us back towards the clubhouse.

I've often thought that if I had to create a composite course what holes would I have. For me, 3-5 would definitely get in though Barnbougle is so strong throughout that I don't think the rest would. Not saying that any of the holes are poor but they are just up against world class opposition.

From here the course heads out onto the 'lost farm' away from the dunescape. the 10th is another long par 5 that starts off well but I just feel the uninspiring approach could do with a few more bunkers or undulations. The 11-12 are decent holes but don't really get the pulse racing.

13 is an interesting one that is played in a gully between two rows of dunes though I was again left with the feeling that a bit more bunkering on the right could improve it. Next is one of the extra holes ( for there are 20 here) and its a lovely little par 3 at the top of the dunes that would grace many a course.

The 14th raises the bar a few notches and is again a hole that would make my composite course. From high up you have a stunning view of the coast and down to the green is only 300 yards or so but the approach is guarded by bushes and sand making the driver sheer folly. The 15th pictured above looks up to the spa with some great ocean views.

A flat but strong par 4 16th is followed by a great uphill par 3 but the finishing hole (above) is a real masterpiece and one of my favourite holes on the course. teeing up high on the dunes we hit down to the fairway and to a relatively narrow and softly undulating green.

The course finishes with the second 'betting' hole which is a nice little par 3 under the clubhouse. Overall I would say it is a very good course with some world class holes. It's problem for my is that it will always be compared to it's neighbour and in my opinion it has a few holes that are not quite in the same league. It does however help make this small region of Tasmania a little piece of golfing heaven.

New South Wales Golf Club

New South Wales is without doubt one of the best courses in Australia and currently sits at 33 in the world. It's one of Dr Alistair Mackenzie's great works and he was quoted to say the land on which it stands is about a stunning as what he saw with Cypress Point on the monterey peninsula.. High praise indeed. In my opinion it's about as close to links golf as mainland Australia can give you. It has the look of an Open Championship venue with some great undulations and cavernous pot bunkers. It also has the constant wind that is so associated with the great links of the UK. It has a very different feel to its neighbour, St Michaels golf club that is much more tree lined and a lot less 'links-like' in character.

Some describe it as a clifftop course akin to those on the monterey peninsula. I have not had the pleasure of getting there yet but to my eyes this course resembles the likes of  Dornoch a great deal more than Pebble beach. Regardless of how you would describe the nature of the place however, its just a great course.


Below - the 7th fairway and Botany bay that acts as  a passageway for huge ships docking in Sydney.

 

Above,  The 13th proves that Mackenzie was even a fan of the infinity green.

The first is, probably one of my favourite opening holes of any course that I've played so far. It's a short par 4 around 300 yards but pull out the driver at your peril with bushes left and 3 or 4 huge bunkers to the right. The conservative play just requires a mid iron and a wedge to an elevated green that is easier said than done. After that it's a tough par 3 that is certainly a bit reminiscent of Dornoch with anything right or long ending up a long way down a hill.

After this it is the unique 3rd that is the most blind of blind tee shots that you will ever come across. Some people probably love this hole but for me this downhill blind dogleg asks a bit too much.. Or maybe thats because I've probably never done better than a double at it.

Looking up to the 3rd green from the fairway bunker.

The 4th is certainly less memorable but has been improved by some recent waste bunkering and green remodelling. Next however come the 5th and 6th, without doubt the highlights of the course. The par 5 offers a great driving opportunity with those finding the middle, and the distance to clear the crest of a hill being rewarded by another hundred yards of so downhill and a short iron to a green that hovers on the edge of the bay.

The Signature 6th is around 190 yards from its back island tee that requires a carry over the ocean to a green protected by two bunkers. I'm sure the good doc had Cypress point on his mind when trying to come up with this one.

Below, the view from the 6th tee on a glorious day.

I have to say that absolutely none of these holes could ever be described as easy and with what seems like a standard two club wind here, the course is a brute.

The 7th is a nice par 4 up the hill to an undulating green and the 8th is a par 5 that features a blind second shot over the crest of a hill to a green that I imagine would hardly ever be hit in two. The 9th again has a mixture of waste and pot bunkering and finishes below the clubhouse.

The back 9 is equally strong though it starts with a degree of light relief in the form of a short par 4 and lovely par 3 downhill . The par 5 12th may also be a birdie chance depending on the wind but from then on the course starts to show its teeth again.

The finishing stretch from 13 is very strong. The 14th is a great short par 4 to an elevated green with its rollercoaster fairway the highlight. This is followed by one of the toughest holes in the land, a dogleg right that can't be made if into any sort of wind and flanked by deep bushes either side. 16 sweeps around in the opposite direction and is again characterised by great sloping mounds of scrub that lead to an intimidating approach, often of around 200 yards.

The penultimate hole is ( hopefully) only a short iron but the 18th is a monster of a par 5 that reminded me a lot of Muirfield with some expertly positioned pot bunkers off the tee. In the few times I have played here I have been absolutely nowhere near that green in two. It's a great closing hole that would grace any course, check it out below.

In terms of the aussie tracks played so far, I would place NSW only below Barnbougle. Cant say whether I prefer it to the Lost Farm as they are very different seaside courses.  I certainly found it more enjoyable than Royal Melbourne (poor conditioning) and Kingston Heath that seem to always come out at the top of the rankings.