Fresh off its fourth consecutive stint landing on Australian Golf Digest’s biennial Top 100 Golf Courses ranking, the wonderful Cypress Lakes is enjoying the limelight at No.88 after undergoing a course renovation several years ago. That facelift accentuated the clever shaping that is a feature of Cypress Lakes, as is the dynamic changes in scenery and landscapes in the Hunter Valley. 

The entire 120-hectare resort has something for everyone, whether that be the golf course and country club, two restaurants, two bars, three pools and two tennis courts. At the heart of the Oaks Cypress Lakes experience is the onsite spa, the Elysia Wellness Retreat. Regarded as one of Australia’s best wellness retreats, Elysia is a five-minute walk from the resort. There are more than 50 spa treatments and therapies on offer. To top it off, the Hunter’s renowned wineries and attractions are at the doorstep of Cypress Lakes, so don’t hesitate to indulge in a little wine tasting, hot air ballooning or the region’s thriving gastronomy scene.

Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort
Previous 5 rankings: 90, 88, 85, NR, NR  
Address: Cnr McDonalds and Thompsons Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Phone: (02) 4993 1555
E-mail: focypresslakes@theoaksgroup.com.au
Web: oakshotels.com  |  cypresslakes.com.au

The post Where We Play: Cypress Lakes Resort appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

There’s nothing better than a few days away with your golfing ‘besties’. Here’s where to take the girls on your next golf adventure. 

Hunter Valley, NSW

The Hunter Valley, a two-hour drive north of Sydney, is one of Australia’s premier wine-growing districts and the region is also spoilt for top-quality golf courses. Visit as many of the 80 wineries as you can, sample some of the finest cuisine in New South Wales outside Sydney, stay in beautiful country hotels and guesthouses or even go aloft in a hot air balloon at dawn. And for some golf? Our pick of the best layouts includes two favourites.

The Vintage Golf Club is a Top 100-ranked, Greg Norman-designed course that’s challenging, engaging and welcoming in equal parts. Playing here can be as leisurely or competitive as you like, and you’ll appreciate the meticulously manicured fairways, strategically placed bunkers and undulating greens. At the Legends Restaurant and Spike Bar in the smart clubhouse, fine cuisine is served throughout the day and into the evening where guests can surround themselves with breathtaking views over the golf course. Located on-site and overlooking the course, the award-winning Château Élan – one of our finest resorts – offers luxury accommodation along with a full-service spa. Visit thevintage.com.au

Another Top 100-ranked, must-play course is Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club, a picturesque layout where each tee and green offers stunning panoramic views of the Hunter Valley’s famous vineyards and the surrounding Broken Back Range. Significant golf-course infrastructure investment by Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites is quickly catapulting Cypress Lakes to the top of must-play resort destinations in Australia. With its premium facilities and great dining options, including Oak & Vine Restaurant (inspired by Sri Lankan cuisine), Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort is the place to stay. Attached to the resort is Elysia Wellness Retreat, which offers spa, gym and wellness programs – perfect for unwinding from the stresses of the world. Visit cypresslakes.com.au

Gold Coast, QLD

The Gold Coast is famous for more than its Glitter Strip, theme parks and sandy white beaches. There’s also an endless supply of quality golf courses on offer all year round, making this the perfect getaway destination. You can play the Jack Nicklaus-designed Lakelands Golf Club, the Arnold Palmer-designed Pines course at Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club, the Greg Norman-designed Glades and many more.

At Links Hope Island, enjoy playing a meticulously planned, links-style resort course that’s the product of many disciplines – the locals say nature is generally pleased with the result! You can imagine yourself in Scotland or Ireland except that it is a whole lot warmer. While the course is there for serious play, it’s also everyone’s course. Dine in the Venetian Fountain Court or on the terrace at SOL Café and Bar. SOL is open daily for a la carte breakfast, lunch and light snacks plus open late every Friday for dinner – and live music too! Golf game over? Kick back and relax at the Champions Hair and Beauty Day Spa or indulge in tranquility at the in-house Yoga Now studio. Just across the road is the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, which features 251 newly refurbished rooms and suites. Visit linkshopeisland.com.au

Far North Coast, NSW

Known for its sensational beaches, World Heritage areas, quaint and quirky towns, and beautiful rural hinterlands, the Far North Coast of NSW is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Courses encompass everything from coastal links to parkland settings and cater to all levels of player.

Ocean Shores Country Club is a peaceful oasis away from the hustle and bustle of many coastal towns. The layout is carved through native flora, tidal lakes and rivers, with the Koonyum Ranges as a backdrop to the west and Pacific Ocean views to the east. It features a combination of large greens protected by extensive bunkering, the turf making them some of the purest and quickest around. When looking for dining options, Pacific Breeze Restaurant offers a wonderful range of Asian-inspired dishes supplemented with all the club classics. The clubhouse offers full bar facilities and welcomes functions to suit most sizes. There’s ample choice of accommodation too: Reflections Holiday Parks and Ocean Shores Motel are recommended options nearby. The club’s courtesy bus is also available (subject to operating times). Visit oceanshorescc.com.au

Riverina, NSW

From national parks to lakes and rivers, the Riverina’s natural assets are some of its most popular attractions. But the golf isn’t too shabby, either. From Wagga Wagga, Narrandera and Hay golf clubs to further south in Jerilderie and Deniliquin, picturesque courses populated with wildlife and great hospitality are sandwiched in between endless accommodation and restaurants, all awaiting the unsuspecting visitor.

Our tip for the golf? Head to CluBarham, a layout penned by renowned course architect Ross Watson. It’s a beautiful course, in great condition 365 days a year, that golfers of all levels of ability can enjoy. Key holes? The 14th, which is nicknamed “Gallipoli” and has a huge bunker in front of the green, and the 10th, which features two bunkers and a water hazard for players to negotiate left of the green. The club boasts two practice ranges and a practice putting green along with extras like 14 grass tennis courts, a bar with a TAB and beautiful resort-style accommodation with two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments plus a swimming pool. RV sites accommodate those with a caravan. And, especially for the girls, the pro shop specialises in women’s golf clothing. In fact, CluBarham’s general manager takes a great deal of pride in the array. Visit clubarham.com.au

Port Stephens, NSW

The “Incredible by nature” tourism slogan says it all about this stunning region. Port Stephens, a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of Sydney, is home to the biggest sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, idyllic beaches, pristine waterways, national parks, a vast blue bay, and dolphin and whale watching. Best of all there are great golf experiences at Pacific Dunes, Nelson Bay and Horizons golf clubs.

With natural bushland and manicured greens, Pacific Dunes Golf Club is a beautiful Top 100-ranked course set among a stunning residential community. The course meanders its way around lakes and along treelined fairways to keep players interested throughout. Surprises lurk at every corner, whether they be water hazards cutting into fairways or greens that hide super-subtle breaks. Grab a bite to eat at Pacific Dunes Greenhouse before, during or after your game and, afterwards, relax in the alfresco area in the afternoon warmth or catch the sun going down over a glass of wine. Stay at the four-star Mercure Airport Hotel, located five minutes’ drive from the course and just 300 metres from Newcastle Airport. Visit pacificdunes.com.au

Bellarine Peninsula, VIC

Boasting three of Australia’s finest golf courses right near the Great Ocean Road, the Bellarine Peninsula, south-west of Melbourne, is an amazing region to visit for the ultimate golf weekend away. With plenty of accommodation, restaurants and amazing beaches, you’ll need to mark this one on your calendar.

Curlewis Golf Club’s tag line is “Hip green fun!” Good reason for golf buddies to getaway to this renowned, incredibly dynamic club. Curlewis really has the lot. The course recently catapulted up seven places in our Top 100 Courses ranking to No.62 (one of the highest leaps of any course). A fleet of deluxe Club Car GPS carts will have you cruising the fairways in style. Aprés golf, award-winning Claribeaux Restaurant will delight with its French fusion menu and extensive beverage list. Relaxing in the Spike Bar is also a favourite pastime for guests and locals alike. When it’s time for bed, enjoy all the creature comforts in the contemporary, luxe eco-suites. Next-level thrills are on tap at The Range @ Curlewis – 18 indoor/outdoor driving bays, Toptracer range, auto tees, X Golf plus a very cool two-tier mini golf course. Great food (the best burgers in the region), cocktails and coffee are also on offer. Visit curlewisgolf.com.au

Mid-North Coast, NSW

Stretching north of the Hunter and Port Stephens regions towards Grafton, the Mid-North Coast provides a unique beachside holiday and lifestyle experience. Aside from having a hit, pristine beaches, lush national parks, beautiful waterways and plenty of leisure activities are on offer, including winery tours, deep sea and estuary fishing, dolphin and whale watching, cycling, bushwalking and more.

Golf clubs with 36 holes are rarities in Australia, and rarer still are clubs with multiple courses in different locations. One such setup is Forster Tuncurry Golf Club – a twin-course entity where the two courses are about seven kilometres apart by road (and connected via a courtesy bus). With its newly regained Top 100 Courses rating, Tuncurry is clearly the superior layout, yet the 18 holes at Forster, set in the heart of town, see roughly equal golfer traffic. The beauty lies in the difference. While the Tuncurry course is a strong test of a good golfer’s game (wayward shots are penalised), its layout means it is a good and fair challenge for female golfers. It is a preferred location of the two for many women, not just because of its beautiful, natural setting, but because a round can be enjoyed by female golfers of all ages and abilities. The Forster course, on the other hand, is short, largely open and more user-friendly. For fab food, check out Bukos Bistro and Sinny’s Café @ The 19th Hole. Stay and play packages are available for everything from cabins and motel rooms to five-star luxury. Visit forstertuncurrygolf.com.au

Further along the coast is Tallwoods Country Club, the only Australian course designed by the award-winning Dr Michael Hurdzan. Tallwoods is an arborist’s delight, featuring a mixture of majestic, high-canopy eucalypts with prolific native vegetation and extensive water features. Once you scale the side of a mountain on a meandering path, you are gifted with spectacular views above the treetops to the ocean. You can stay right onsite in one of the 15 beautifully furnished bungalows, all situated with great views across the course. In addition, Tallwoods is home to The Bunker Bar. With a relaxed, informal atmosphere and peaceful alfresco dining areas overlooking the course, make the most of the delicious food. Visit tallwoods.com.au

One of the most picturesque public courses in Australia, Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club is uniquely situated on Stuart Island and surrounded by the Nambucca River, making for a magnificent setting for a game of golf. The women’s layout is a challenge for the experienced player but enjoyable for an average golfer – and it’s a flat, easy walk. Boasting a delicious menu with lots of choices, The Island Restaurant at the clubhouse is open daily for lunch and dinner, Monday to Saturday. Don’t miss relaxing in the main bar, lounge area or outside deck. The views across the Nambucca River are sensational. Where to stay? The club’s recommendations include Cubana Resort with its spacious rooms dotted around the lily pond and gardens, the peaceful Motel Miramar sitting above the Nambucca River, the luxurious Beach Rooms, also perched overlooking the Nambucca waterways, Ingenia White Albatross, a caravan park at the river’s entrance, and Marcel Towers, with outstanding views. Visit namgolf.com

Just 10 minutes south of Coffs Harbour and sitting halfway between Sydney and Brisbane lies one of the great play-and-stay destinations in Australian golf: Bonville Golf Resort. In fact, this idyllic, championship course has been referred to as Australia’s answer to Augusta National almost from the day it opened in 1992. And the Top 100-ranked layout has it all: exceptional, award-winning food and wine, and super-comfortable accommodation. Cabins flank the first fairway, providing sensational views and easy access to play, the restaurant, swimming pool and other facilities. Available to in-house guests every day and social golfers on Mondays. Visit bonvillegolf.com.au

Sunshine Coast, QLD

Highlighted by Noosa Springs, Maroochy River, Pelican Waters and Pacific Harbour, here is a destination that well and truly fits the bill for anyone chasing sunshine, waves and birdies. With endless beaches, spa and health retreats, markets, restaurants and nightlife, it’s easy to see why the Sunshine Coast is one of the country’s leading holiday destinations.

Situated between Noosa National Park and picturesque Lake Weyba, Noosa Springs is just three kilometres from cosmopolitan Hastings St and Noosa’s famous beaches. With a spectacular golf course, renowned day spa, superb dining, fitness centre, tennis courts, heated lap pool, driving range and spacious self-contained accommodation, Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort is the perfect place for a golf getaway with the girls. The layout is set among tropical bushland and water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, making it an enjoyable yet challenging round. Afterwards, relax in the beautiful day spa, which features unique hydro-massage and flotation pools, infrared sauna, steam room, blitz shower, thermal capsule and treatment suites, as well as relaxation lounges. The self-contained luxury apartments overlook the first fairway and are spacious, well-appointed and just a short stroll to the resort’s clubhouse, golf shop and restaurant. Visit noosasprings.com.au/accommodation/packages-and-specials

Central Coast, NSW

Only a 90-minute drive from Sydney and an hour from Newcastle, the Central Coast is fringed by 40 beautiful beaches, and features a lush hinterland and extensive lagoons and waterways. It’s a haven for camping, boating, fishing, picnicking and swimming, along with being a foodie heaven with top-class restaurants and bars. There is also a vibrant art scene along with fascinating art trails. For golfers, Magenta Shores and Kooindah Waters are essential to play.

Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, a Top 100-ranked, Ross Watson-designed links-style course, is set among some of the most inspiring and unspoilt surroundings, on a pristine peninsula between Tuggerah Lake and the Pacific Ocean. Playable under all conditions, the sand-based course provides a unique golf and lifestyle experience. For a quick bite, try Shallows Bar, a casual, family-friendly bar that features an indoor fireplace and alfresco dining. Barretts Restaurant, on the other hand, is the perfect place to relax and enjoy fine food and the stunning vistas of the course. All restaurant areas ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy. And then there’s the stunning, on-site accommodation at Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. Located on the beachfront, the resort features direct beach access, outdoor pools, spa facilities and much more. Visit magentagolf.com.au

South Coast, NSW

The coastline south of Sydney and Wollongong, and down as far as Eden, is lined on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by the striking Illawarra Escarpment and, further south, by multiple national parks plus the Snowy Mountains. The region offers a plethora of golf courses in gorgeous settings, including Mollymook, Callala, Narooma, Club Catalina, Shell Cove, Bermagui, Moruya, Tura Beach, Bega, Kiama, Nowra… the list goes on!

Mollymook Golf Club is situated at one of Australia’s iconic tourist destinations on the South Coast. The club features two courses with the 18-hole Hilltop course set in a natural bushland environment, with each hole providing its own amphitheatre with heavily treelined fairways. The nine-hole Beachside course cut along the ocean provides breathtaking views and interesting challenges. Another unique feature of Mollymook Golf Club is that it has two separate clubhouses, with the Beachside clubhouse open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, featuring magnificent views overlooking Mollymook Beach. You can enjoy a quality meal in luxurious surroundings with full TAB and gaming facilities available. Both courses are available for the public to play every day with bookings essential for the Hilltop course. Mollymook is the perfect destination for couples or large groups, beginners to the accomplished player, with the choice of different courses and multiple tee options. Visit mollymookgolf.com.au

Bermagui Country Club is a beguiling golf experience that delivers postcard-worthy scenery while applying the squeeze to whatever golf game you happen to bring on the day. With views of the seaside town, Horseshoe Bay and Gulaga Mountain rising beyond the course’s western fringe, the setting for golf could hardly be more idyllic – yet the challenge it poses is compelling. Scoring opportunities are on offer at the par 5s, and the par-4 14th and 17th holes are gettable if your long game stands up to the test. The food is delicious at the Terrace Restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, while stay-and-play packages are available at either Seaview Beach Houses or Harbourview House. Brochures can be downloaded from bermaguicountryclub.com

Our picks for accommodation are Albacore Apartments and Bannisters Mollymook. Nestled in the picturesque coastal town of Merimbula and close to Pambula Merimbula Golf Club, Albacore Apartments offer an idyllic retreat for golfers seeking a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Boasting a stunning lakeside location, the property presents breathtaking views from private balconies, where guests can savour the tranquil atmosphere. Each of the 20 well-appointed apartments and two studios are thoughtfully designed to provide modern comfort and convenience, making it an ideal choice for golf groups as large as 50. After golf, visitors can explore the pristine beaches, indulge in water sports or discover the vibrant local shops and restaurants nearby. Visit albacore.com.au

Another top pick is Bannisters, a luxurious coastal oasis in Mollymook. This exquisite boutique hotel offers a quintessential beachside retreat with ocean views and sophisticated ambience. The property boasts a range of elegantly designed rooms and suites, each providing a perfect blend of comfort and style. Guests can indulge in delectable culinary experiences at the award-winning Rick Stein at Bannisters restaurant, renowned for its sumptuous seafood. Relaxation takes centre stage at Bannisters, with a serene day spa, sparkling infinity pool and access to beautiful Mollymook Beach. Visit bannisters.com.au/mollymook  

The post Best Weekends Away For The Girls appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

Of the eight courses to earn their way back into our biennial Top 100 Golf Courses ranking on merit (as opposed to returning after previous omission due to renovation work), none jumped higher than the
77th-ranked Henley course at The Heritage. It also surpassed its sister course, the St John, for the first time since the Henley opened in 2006.

From day one, the Tony Cashmore-designed Henley established a striking point of difference to the Jack Nicklaus-penned St John, venturing high into the hills of The Heritage site compared to the almost-flat St John layout. Wilder contours led to wilder golf holes, especially on the inward nine where the Henley climbs and descends some seriously undulating property – especially at the par-4 16th hole, which plummets down one of the steepest fairways in Australian golf.

THE DETAILS

The Heritage Golf & Country Club (Henley course)
Ranking for 2024-2025: 77thPrior rankings: 94th (2014), 71st (2012), 72nd (2010), 76th (2008)
Where: Heritage Ave, Chirnside Park, VIC
Phone: (03) 9760 3200;
Web: heritagegolfclub.com.au

 Photo by: Gary lLisbon

The post Top 100 Spotlight: The Heritage G&CC (Henley) appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

In its 125th year, a new-look Killara Golf Club is making good on its promise to remain a focal point for sport, congregation and community on Sydney’s Upper North Shore.

The year is 1899 and there’s a little bit happening. The Australian Premiers’ Conference decides to locate Australia’s capital (Canberra) between Sydney and Melbourne, Victor Trumper bludgeons his first Test century (135*) against England at the fabled Lord’s, and a Boston dentist by the name of George Bryant introduces the very first wooden golf tee. Game-changer. But a year of landmark events wasn’t over yet. Tucked away on Sydney’s Upper North Shore, a sprawling property would be developed that would fundamentally change the life and times of thousands of residents. Starting out as a nine-hole golf course carved out of dusty land known as Archbold’s Paddock, Killara Golf Club was born. Some 150 locals managed its upkeep, aided by 175 sheep penned to its greens at night to keep the vegetation under control. Further land purchases over the ensuring three decades and Killara would eventually be transformed into an impressive 18-hole offering that came with an impressive slice of history: it was the first golf club in Australia to own its own land. But from the very outset, the vision here was never just about golf. As glorious as its art-deco style clubhouse would become, it had a greater purpose than merely housing weary golfers. It was a meeting point for all forms of community congregation – and congregate they did. Expanded in 1937, 1954 and 1966 with the addition of a billiard room, card room, squash courts, buggy shed and lower bar, the club would construct its own bowling greens and add two tennis courts. It was a tell-tale sign that this was a club not afraid to pivot and move with the times, all in the name of its people.

Fast-forward to 2024 and the transformation of Killara continues. To mark its 125th anniversary, the club is in the process of signing off on a major redevelopment of that storied clubhouse and aging off-course facilities. 

Already reaping the benefits of a multi-million-dollar makeover of its course in 2018/19 by renowned designer Harley Kruse, the club is now ready to initiate Stage 2 of its masterplan: lifting all those tired, old, dark nooks and crannies with more light and ambience, and finding more practical ways of utilising the abundance of space that was designed very much with the early 1900s in mind.

Led by new general manager Josh Madden, along with incoming president Stephen Healy and vice-president Karen Wood, Killara is on a mission to once again “move with the times” without forgetting its past, and what better time than in another milestone year.

“To get to 125, we’ve proven you’ve got to be adaptable and move with the times,” says Madden, who knows a thing or two about adaptability, having managed the country’s largest public golf facility – Wembley Golf Course in Perth – prior to arriving at Killara.

“We want to have another 100-year birthday so we’ll continue to look internally at what we can do to evolve, innovate and adapt. Our members are incredibly proud of the club’s rich history and incredible journey, as they should be, but we can’t rest on our laurels. The best clubs we see are the ones that are robust, adaptable and embrace change. Like everyone, I’m excited by that challenge.”

Bringing in the big guns

Madden was a shrewd appointment by the Killara board, who had big shoes to fill when David Gazzoli vacated the top chair. A pro golfer by trade, Madden spent eight years at the PGA of Australia overseeing its International Golf Institute and WA/SA Division and remains a member director of the PGA of Australia’s board. Madden also spent 18 months as the general manager of Toowoomba Golf Club in Queensland before opportunity came knocking in WA. While in the west, Madden took on a management role with Town of Cambridge, gaining valuable insight into the inner-sanctum and workings of local government. It’s experience he will surely lean on when it comes to overseeing Killara’s redevelopment plans.

“We had a terrific general manager in David Gazzoli, who the members just loved,” says Healy, who joined Killara in 1994. “He was a very personable guy and did a great job at the club. We wanted to replace that sort of personality and warmth, which I believe we got with Josh. But we also got a full range of skills. He’s been a golf pro, he’s been a teaching pro, he’s been a GM of a private club, a GM of a public facility. He’s young and energetic and excited to be with the club. The quality of the candidates we got was incredible and there were a number that we’d have been very happy with. But Josh stood out from the rest and the committee was unanimous in saying ‘he’s our man’.”

Healy’s appointment as club president wasn’t the worst decision, either. A property development lawyer in a large firm, Healy was president of Tennis Australia for seven years, overseeing the Australian Open and other significant administrative duties. 

“I’ve had a lot of involvement in sports administration and a lot to do with property development, so that’s really why I joined the board, to assist with things like the clubhouse project,” Healy says. “It’s old and it desperately needs some money spent on it. The reality is we would have to spend some money just on upgrading compliance because it’s so old. With that reality looming, our thinking was: Aren’t we better to do that work as part of an upgrade that increases the amenity of the clubhouse and improves it and actually modernises it?”

Part of the club’s vision will include providing more expansive views of the course and a complete overhaul of its spacious but very outdated locker room facilities. Gone are the days of members coming off the course, showering and getting changed into their jacket and tie for a drink at the bar. A health and wellbeing facility is among the many concepts being put forward to the membership.

Elsewhere, a new state-of-the-art driving range facility on the property’s northern perimeter remains a top priority. No more hitting warm-up shots off worn rubber matting into deteriorating wire nets. Think more of a closed-in facility like Swing Factory or Swing City, fully equipped with bays, lighting, TV screens and ball-tracing technology, even additional food and beverage options for members, who can arrive in style straight from the carpark. 

“We’re going to do some really smart upgrades to complement the golf course,” Madden adds. “We’re coming into a time when we’re going to steer some big change. The members are so proud of their golf course, and they want to be proud of the overall experience when they bring guests to the club. When we’re done, that overall experience will have everyone talking.”

Justifying the expense

As far as identity changes go, altering the playability and maintenance of the golf course was a big one. 

Prior to the club’s course renovations, the consensus was Killara had begun to resemble a botanical garden more than a golf course. Fairway widths on some holes had crept in to as little as 12 metres. Not only did tree canopies affect lines of play, they also reduced sunlight, absorbed moisture and made turf maintenance problematical. It led to a full overhaul of the putting surfaces and fringes by Kruse and his team, who took a punt on Pure Distinction greens and Zoysia surrounds in a bid to eradicate many of the issues.

“The choice of Zoysia for the green surrounds meant tight surfaces could be achieved in full sun and partial shade of this treed course,” Kruse says. “Short, fine-turfed green surrounds have added defence of par and brought fun short-game shot-making back to Killara that couldn’t be achieved with the Kikuyu fairways grass. I’m looking forward to getting the Zoysia even firmer and faster.”

That combination of Pure Distinction and Zoysia – a first for a Sydney golf club – won over Australian Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses ranking panellists. In May, Killara came in at No.73 on the list, a significant rise of 10 spots from its 2022 ranking, putting an exclamation mark on those many years prior when it failed to make the cut at all. It’s also a doff of the cap to the $1.2 million the club recently spent on upgrading its irrigation and drainage system that has seen it fare much better than many other Sydney courses during what can only be described as an unseasonal deluge of rain over the past 12 months.

“[Our latest ranking] is a huge coup for the club and something extra to celebrate in what is a year dedicated to commemorating our rich history,” says Madden. “It further justifies what we’re doing as a club and the people we’re bringing in to do it.”

Something that can never be replaced

Golf clubs around the world are benefitting from the sport’s post-covid surge in popularity. Participation rates are at an all-time high, member waiting lists are overflowing and getting a tee-time when you want it can be an impossible task. Yet Killara didn’t need a global pandemic to change its fortunes. Member retention has never been a problem for one simple fact: its members never want to leave.

“Our head professional, Greg Hohnen, has been with us for 51 years,” says a gobsmacked Madden. “Why? Because of the culture we have here, from the moment you enter the front gates. Our membership is full but when we get approached by those interested in joining, it’s never about me putting forward a sales pitch to them. I simply get them to play a round of golf with our members and take in the whole Killara experience… the camaraderie and true sense of community – that’s what sells this place.”  

Having a great course and state-of-the-art facilities is costly. Having a great culture and camaraderie is priceless. It’s a bond Killara shares with fellow 125-year club Concord and Newcastle Golf Club up the M1 motorway. First played in 1907, the annual Killara versus Newcastle showdown – the Rankin Cup – is the oldest continuously held golf interclub event in the world. The world! 

While there are too many planned celebratory activities to mention, it’s the little things that matter when you’re commemorating 125 years. Killara offers many ways for members to enjoy the club. They have been running women’s introductory golf clinics since 2008, resulting in a large intake of enthusiastic women golfers, many of whom now play in pennants teams and are leaders in the club. Junior scholarship and cadet programs have a long history and are well supported. The children’s Christmas party and the Easter egg hunt as well as the family sports day are important dates on the calendar. The bowlers and bridge playing groups offer extra alternatives to mix with friends in the club. For season 125, the creation of specially labelled Killara Golf Club beverages will add a personalised touch for those out on course or at the bar. The process to select these commemorative tipples involved recruiting a conga line of members to form the ‘beer selection committee’ – tough gig! Such measures go a long way to explain why, when you join Killara, you really do join for life.

“The best clubs have a really strong identity of what they are,” Madden says. “We don’t pretend we’re going to host the Australian Open anytime soon, but what you get when you drive through those gates is a really enjoyable members club.”

Adds Healy: “It’s an extraordinary thing, 125 years. We’re here because it’s just a great club full of great people that create a terrific culture based around having fun. That alone is something that should be celebrated and we’ve got a fantastic committee working on that with some great events planned for later in the year. 

“It’s truly a privilege to be the new president in the middle of the club’s 125-year celebrations.” 

THE DETAILS

Killara Golf Club
Where: 556 Pacific Hwy, Killara NSW
Who: Josh Madden (general manager)
Phone: (02) 9498 2700
Web: kgc.com.au

The post Course Review: Killara Golf Club, Sydney appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

A guide to some of America’s best golf in a US Open year

If it has been a decade since you’ve been to Pinehurst, it’s time to go – much has changed. There are several additions to the scene, and most of the major courses have undergone serious transformations. Although Pinehurst (and neighbouring Southern Pines) is still Pinehurst, a quaint, historic village that’s not like anywhere else in golf – or even like anything outside its small geographic radius – the overall environment of the golf, resorts, lodging and restaurants is more evolved than it was 10 years ago, the last time the resort hosted the US Open. 

What hasn’t changed is the difficulty of selecting where to play. Choosing how to divide your rounds in such a target-rich environment can tie visitors in knots. These are my top choices to help guide where you should be playing. 

ONE (Featured image)

Pinehurst No.2
No.29 America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses
No.6 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses
No.1 Best in State

No.2, host of this year’s US Open, would be the top selection on nearly any list, no matter where it was located. Already one of the four or five most original designs in the United States, the re-establishment of the original sand and wiregrass borders in 2010 by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw has given the course the aesthetic punch it previously lacked. Playing here is, in equal proportions, a deeply cerebral and emotional experience. Everything else in Pinehurst plays off the No.2 course in one way or another. 

TWO

Tobacco Road Golf Club SANFORD
No.45 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 
No.12 Best in State

Tobacco Road might not be the clear second-best course in the Pinehurst region, but it’s one that should not be missed when anywhere near it. The design was the apotheosis of late architect Mike Strantz’s unique take on risk-reward golf and visual agitation. Beautiful and bewildering, this is funhouse golf full of greens stretched into silly putty shapes, vast chasms of sand to play over and around and numerous blind shots that ask you to hit and hope and hold your breath. 

THREE

Pinehurst No.10

Several holes of this Tom Doak design, which opened in April 2024, plunge through old sand quarries, including the turbulent eighth where players will want to pop Dramamine before tackling fairway swells you could surf across. No.10 feels like a world apart from the resort’s tight cluster of primary courses and symbiotic surrounding village. The grandeur of the isolated holes roller coasting through quiet sand barrens five kilometres to the south creates tension between the sublimity of the environment and the heroism of the architecture, demonstrated most intensely in the uninhibited green shapes, many of which are bowl-shaped and heavily segmented. 

FOUR

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club SOUTHERN PINES
No.86 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses
No.24 Best in State

Located in Southern Pines, Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross in 1921, is pure elegance and beauty. The routing is spellbinding, with holes that stretch into corners at the property’s high points, then fall back down to intersect at junctions across the calmer interior. Kyle Franz’s 2013 work expanding greens and restoring the perimeter sandscapes has greatly enhanced one of Pinehurst’s most refined golf presentations. 

FIVE

Pinehurst No.4
No.171 America’s Second 100 Greatest Golf Courses 
No.28 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses
No.9 Best in State

Like a football team searching for the right coach, the resort could never settle on the right identity for the No.4 course despite a series of major alterations by different architects. It found its match when it hired Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner to carry out a full-scale blow-up and rebuild in 2018 that brought back the sweeping sand and pine character we identify with Pinehurst while initiating a style of shaping in the greens and bunkers that’s confident and distinctly its own. 

SIX

Pinehurst No.3

Don’t overlook little No.3, which many Pinehurst guests probably do once they note the course plays to a maximum distance of less than 4,750 metres. You’d never know it. This is serious golf, pound for pound the toughest course on property and a scaled-down version of No.2. The greens are dazzling with the same crowned edges as big brother, and recently revived bunkers and perimeter barrens that match. It’s also the resort’s best walk. 

SEVEN

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club SOUTHERN PINES
No.63 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 
No.15 Best in State 

Pine Needles used to lurk quietly in the Pinehurst background before the USGA chose to put it in their regular women’s championship rotation. It got another big boost in 2017 after Kyle Franz reworked portions of the course, putting the Pinehurst touch on the borders, cross hazards and bunkers. Although it lacks the intimacy and connectivity of its sister course, Mid Pines, with holes that wander further afield because of being part of a 1920s residential development, it has grown into a big, championship-worthy course with arguably the most sublime set of greens after No.2. 

The Cradle

You wouldn’t want to skip any of these other courses just to play the Cradle, mainly because you shouldn’t have to – you can fit it in at twilight or between resort rounds (though that can be a challenge based on high demand). But it’s hard to beat the little one-shot, nine-hole course on the thrills-per-minute meter. Located just off the Pinehurst clubhouse, it’s a golf-and-social scene as all age groups play with a handful of clubs across a field of wild tees and greens as music pumps through speakers. It even has a halfway house, so you’re never more than a few dozen steps from provisions. 

NINE

Pinehurst No.8
No.100 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 
No.26 Best in State

Cut from a nature preserve with no surrounding development, No.8, designed by Tom Fazio in 1994, is one of the most serene experiences in the area. Fittingly, there’s a wild element to the course as the holes move in unexpected directions towards racy greens that change style from scene to scene. The modernness of the design cuts against the genteel Pinehurst aesthetic, and there’s not a lot of routing cohesion, but it’s a fast-moving train that’s worth the ride. Fazio’s team returned in 2022 for touch-ups and to restore the fast and firm playing surfaces. 

TEN

Southern Pines Golf Club 
No.72 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 
No.17 Best in State 

Southern Pines used to be a course that only locals and architectural bookworms played. Designed in the early 1900s by Donald Ross, the affordable public course occupied a wonderful, bucolic piece of land that seemed to have buried treasure underneath. After a change in ownership and a major 2021 renovation by Kyle Franz that added plenty of razzle-dazzle to the design in the form of new greens and plenty of attractive sand barrens, the secret is out, and Southern Pines has now become a Pinehurst darling and one of North Carolina’s better courses.

ELEVEN

Pinehurst No.6

Many would put the sexier Jack Nicklaus-designed No.9 in this spot, but No.6’s simple logic is more appealing to me. It was designed and built in the dark ages of the 1970s by George and Tom Fazio and is one of the sleepier courses in the area. But don’t be too judgmental – with all the sandy pyrotechnics happening around the neighbourhood, No.6 chugs along with quiet grace, presenting traditional hole after traditional hole of smart, effective bunkering through a property that rolls high and low through lovely stands of pines. There’s a lot to be said for this kind of maturity.  

The post 2024 US Open Preview: My favourite Pinehurst-area courses, ranked appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

In the ongoing search for sand, we find the ancestral spirit of the game. These are must-play links courses on both sides of the Tasman. 

Debate surrounding the best golf courses in Australia tends to favour those layouts with links-like qualities. Hard, fast, bouncy and true. Certainly, Australia’s fascination with links golf stems partly from the fact the Open Championship accounts for 10 of the nation’s 18 men’s major triumphs.

Five of those belong to Peter Thomson who subdued the Americans on what he called neutral ground – the bouncy links courses of Britain. Local folklore has it that Thomson would prepare at Flinders Golf Club on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula prior to departing for what was dubbed by
Mike Wolveridge as ‘The annual slaying of the lambs’.

Kel Nagle pipped Arnold Palmer to win the centenary Open in 1960. Greg Norman produced two of the finest rounds in major-championship history during his triumphs at Turnberry (1986) and Royal St George’s (1993). Ian Baker-Finch tore apart Royal Birkdale over the weekend to claim the 1991 title. And who can forget Cam Smith’s sublime back-nine finish to thwart Rory McIlroy at the 2022 Open?

For a comprehensive insight into our record, Aussies At The Open details our tales and triumphs. The book’s authors, Tony Webeck and Steve Keipert, have listed every Australian who competed in the first 150 years of the world’s oldest major championship.

Yet for the majority of last century, the local trend in golf-course architecture had steered towards treelined parkland layouts. Club presidents, captains and committees became preoccupied with beautifying golf courses with the planting of trees and lush vegetation.

It was in stark contrast to Australia’s golden age of course architecture from the 1920s during which Alister MacKenzie influenced the design of clubs in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and New Zealand’s North Island.

Three significant developments could be attributed to ushering in an exciting new era of golf-course design about the turn of the century: the renaissance of links golf.

Firstly, Norman’s assaults on The Open captured the imagination of Australian golfers. His flamboyant style and daring shot-making on the links of Britain were vividly brought to life on television screens across Australia.

The second of Norman’s Open conquests in 1993 coincided with the opening of Links Hope Island. Rarely has an Australian golf venue attracted the hype achieved by Hope Island [feature image]. Boasting the imprimatur of five-time Open champion Thomson, Hope Island featured the rounded, pot-shaped bunkers synonymous with the great links courses of Britain. Thomson even paid homage to the idiosyncrasies of links golf: a pot bunker or two in the middle of a fairway.

The concept was a fascinating dichotomy: a links-style layout in a humid subtropical climate amid the waterfront canal living of the northern Gold Coast, the home to the white-shoe brigade of flamboyant property developers.

Links Hope Island had a magnetic appeal with golfers, especially those from southern Australia during the winter months when mean daily maximum temperatures on the Gold Coast hovered near 21-22 degrees.

Now ranked No.51 on Australia’s Top 100 Golf Courses, the Hope Island resort has since been rebranded Links Golf & Wellbeing to acknowledge how it is much more than a golf destination. Facilities include a contemporary day spa, fine dining, conference facilities and tranquil lakeside settings for hosting weddings.

The third and most influential factor in the links golf renaissance was Tony Cashmore’s redesign of The Dunes Golf Links on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula in 1997. It spawned a plethora of links courses on the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas during the next quarter of a century. Meanwhile, leading clubs on the Melbourne Sandbelt embarked upon renovation work, seeking architects who were capable of restoring the linksy elements of the original design (Yarra Yarra Golf Club, Woodlands Golf Club, Commonwealth Golf Club).

EMBRACING LINKS GOLF

Elsewhere, the links-inspired layout at Pullman Magenta Shores Resort on the NSW Central Coast is a remarkable achievement, partially transformed from a former rubbish tip into a superb golf experience rated 35th on the Top 100.

On a relatively flat site, course architect Ross Watson threaded playing corridors through artificial sand dunes on a narrow isthmus of land north of The Entrance, just 90 minutes from Sydney’s CBD and 45 minutes from the Hunter Valley. Fast-running couch fairways, deep bunkers and fescue rough enhance its linksy character.

With 2.3 kilometres of beach frontage, tropical outdoor lagoon pools and the luxurious Vie Spa, the 5-star Pullman resort is NSW’s most lavish seaside golf resort. Hotel guests and residents at Magenta Shore have access to all the resort’s facilities.

The Tuncurry course at Forster Tuncurry Golf Club on NSW’s Mid North Coast fits the classic description of a links – a strip of sandy terrain from which the sea has receded to form a rolling piece of land conducive to the game. While native bushland obscures the immediate foreshore, most holes at Tuncurry are in such proximity to the water that the sound of crashing waves are a constant reminder of the vast Tasman Sea.

Professional-turned-course architect Craig Parry is responsible for ongoing work on the original layout designed by Kel Nagle and Mike Cooper and shaped by volunteer members (1984). Much attention has focused upon reducing the amount of overgrown vegetation (banksia and tee tree), which had been allowed to flourish and restrict the width of playing corridors. It’s a vast improvement to the 6,209-metre, par-72 layout, reflected by the fact it has re-entered Australia’s Top 100 at No.97.

REMOTE LINKS COURSES

Making the 290-kilometre trek west from Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road is a small inconvenience in order to play Port Fairy Golf Links on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. This hidden gem has achieved somewhat of a cult following after a 2007 renovation that now sees it ranked at a career-best No.50 on Australia’s Top 100.

Originally laid out by club members in the early 1960s, Port Fairy had the foresight to engage the team of Michael Clayton, Bruce Grant and John Sloan to enhance the links experience. It’s a terrific blend of holes through unspoilt sand dunes that Mother Nature gifted this enchanting part of the world. Although relatively short in length at 5,887 metres for a par 72, Port Fairy’s challenge is compounded by exposure to ever-present winds off the ocean.

The most remote golf course you’ve never been to is surely Albany Golf Club in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It’s a 405-kilometre journey south-east of Perth – the world’s most remote capital city – however a longer scenic route affords an opportunity to discover red tingle forests, ancient Karri trees and the ‘Valley Of The Giants Tree Top Walk’ near Walpole.

Albany is thoroughly quirky with several raised ‘hogs-back’ kikuyu fairways and the squarish, flat greens with steep runoffs. William Henry Angove is credited with designing WA’s oldest course located on its original site (1898). The routing of the 6,068-metre, par-72 layout changed in 2001 after the opening of a contemporary clubhouse.

Now ranked No.99 on Australia’s Top 100, the panoramic views from Albany’s highest vantage points are breathtaking – especially so if you’re lucky enough to catch Southern Right whales breaching as close as 100 metres offshore in the waters of King George Sound.

ACROSS THE DITCH

The magnificent Tara Iti at Mangawhai on New Zealand’s North Island became an instant bucket-list course when it opened in 2015. The windswept links on a former pine plantation, about 100 kilometres north of Auckland, might just be the greatest accomplishment by revered American architect Tom Doak, who took advantage of the mesmerising scenery of Hauraki Gulf. While the exclusive Tara Iti is members-only and their guests, visitors can experience the Doak layout by applying for a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ pass on the club’s website to play and stay at the property.

The success of Tara Iti was the catalyst for Te Arai Links, which boasts two pure-links courses on the beach just beyond its neighbour. Bill Coore constructed the first 18 in natural sand dunes where 16 holes feature ocean views, while eight holes have direct ocean frontage.

Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design added a second course at Te Arai, which opened last October. The North course is routed inland with seven of the 18 holes featuring ocean views. The green fee for Australians to play either course ranges between $NZ300 and $NZ425, depending on the season. One of the two courses is open to the public each day on an alternating basis.

For a fraction of the price, Muriwai Golf Links on the Auckland region’s rugged west coast offers superb value with a green fee of $NZ150 (for non-New Zealand affiliated golfers). Known for its black-sand surf beach emanating from the rich volcanic soil, Muriwai features the humps, swales and pot bunkers synonymous with links golf.

While not a classic links in the purist sense because of its kikuyu fairways, the turf maintenance is such that it plays with the hard, bouncy feel of a true links. Just 42 kilometres north-west of the Auckland city centre, Muriwai’s greatest virtue is an all-year playability due to the fast-draining nature of the sandy property. Away from the course, the local gannet colony draws visitors from afar. Piha Beach, horse riding and zip-lining are alternative tourist attractions. 

The post In Pursuit Of Links Golf appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

In our latest installment of “Ask an Architect”, in which we bring a topic in the world of course design to an architect, Drew Rogers fields our questions on the value of bunker liners.

Rogers worked with the late Arthur Hills for 18 years, and since 2010 has consulted with dozens of clubs across the United States on their renovations. Various makes of bunker liners have also become prevalent on Australia courses.

Ask A Super: Why are you coring our greens when they’re in perfect shape?

Question: Drew, bunker liners – barriers made of polymers, concrete or other materials that protectively seal bunker sand from the underlying soils – have become widely used during the past decade but can add major cost to construction budgets, perhaps $250,000 to $1 million depending on the product and course’s overall size of bunkers. What do you tell clubs about the value of bunker liners?

Rogers: The short answer is that bunker liners are just another tool in our arsenal. At best, they can potentially solve a variety of maintenance and architectural issues. The first liners were developed several decades ago to help manage bunker drainage and to prevent contamination when underlying soils leech into the sand, which is going to happen at some point. When this happens, you eventually need to replace the bunker sand.

I try to explain to clubs what liners do and how they can be helpful. First, many clubs spend an enormous amount of money on specialty bunker sand that needs to be transported in, often from long distances. Liners can protect this investment by keeping the underlying soils from infiltrating the sand. Second, they help with erosion and irrigation. The premium liners we use now allow water to pass through the sand without destabilising it, and this can save countless hours of labour that would otherwise be spent pushing and raking the sand back up into faces after heavy rains. Third, because of their unique properties, they allow architects to do more with our bunker shapes. We can design bunkers with the sand flashed high on the face for added visibility and aesthetics. We can get a little more creative without worrying about washouts or collapsing faces, which in the past would have been a concern on certain sites.

I really fought bunker liners for a long time. The old versions weren’t as effective and had shorter lifespans, and I didn’t feel like I could trust them. But they’ve come a long way in the past 10 or 15 years, and now they’re just damn effective.

For clubs that are willing to invest in these expensive products, will they see a return on their investment?

In most cases I believe so, but it also depends on the existing conditions and other factors like the number of bunkers a course has, the type of soils, the style of the bunkers and the amount of precipitation the course typically receives.

They’re not right for every site. If a course has sandy or free draining soils, liners are probably not worth it. A dry climate without a lot of rain isn’t going to be committing major hours of labour repairing bunkers after weather events, and courses with flat-bottomed bunkers with grass faces probably won’t benefit from them either, though they will help with contamination.

In other places, the benefit of keeping sand stabilised on the bunker face after downpours can save a course a tremendous amount of money. Bunkers have become probably the most expensive and most labour-intensive part of golf-course maintenance. Superintendents do the cost-benefit analysis: some estimate they can save up to 70 percent of their budget by eliminating the need to devote significant labour to bunker repair. I’ve got to think after four or five years the bunker liner investment is paid off in those situations.

One downside, other than the initial investment, is the cost to tear them out and replace the liners when that time comes, which will happen at some point. [Note: Most liner warranties are for 10 years.] What is the cost and scope of the deconstruction process? We haven’t gotten far enough in their lifecycles yet to know what that looks like, but overall I’ve come around to believing liners are a welcome tool that gives architects and clubs options they didn’t previously have.

The post Why some courses invest up to $1 million in this sneaky genius bunker feature appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

[PHOTO: Glyn Kirk]

It might approaching winter in Australia, but it’s a question that lingers for many golfers during all parts of the year – because it seems to happen each year: just as they reach their peak and the greens are starting to roll well, they get cored.

The ensuing days and weeks are the most frustrating of the year. Surely there must be a reason why our golf course superintendents wait until the greens are in good shape to aerate, right?

Coring greens, as explained by a top course superintendent

That’s the question I asked Mike Dachowski, the superintendent at Shelter Harbor Golf Club, an exclusive private club in Charlestown, Rhode Island, ranked on our latest America’s Second 100 Greatest Courses list. Under Dachowski’s leadership, the course is among the top-conditioned courses in the New England region of the USA, according the Golf Digest ranking panel.

Golf Digest: Mike, many of the courses I play start to roll really well by mid to late spring, but then all of a sudden they are aerated. Is that timing intentional?

Mike Dachowski: Yes, the timing of aeration is very important. If you aerate before the grass wakes up and reaches an appropriate growth potential, then the grass isn’t going to heal. It might take weeks for aeration holes to fill in because the grass just isn’t growing.

That’s why we aerate a few weeks into the [spring] and not right at the beginning. We have to wait for the grass to wake up and start growing in. That’s frustrating for a lot of golfers, to have us aerate the greens just as they get nice, but trust me, they are going to heal way faster than if we aerated earlier.

You mention an interesting term: growth potential. What’s that all about?

Growth potential is how quickly the grass is able to grow given the temperature. In the middle of the summer, our growth potential in coastal Rhode Island is nearly 100 percent, but in the winter months, that number is far lower. For example, in December through February, our growth potential at Shelter Harbor is zero. The grass is completely dormant.

Should you repair pitch marks on cored greens? We asked a superintendent

What growth potential are you looking for to be able to aerate greens?

We like to have the growth potential reach 50 percent. That’s when we feel comfortable that the grass will recover after aeration. Where we are in Rhode Island, it takes a few months to reach that threshold – usually about mid-May. In April, the growth potential is only about 10 percent, so if we were to aerate then, then the grass wouldn’t grow back in very well.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that growth potential varies across grass types and location. For courses south of us, they might hit that 50 percent growth potential in April. It’s all about knowing your climate and adjusting your schedules accordingly.

When do you core again after that?

We aerate again on the day after Labour Day (early September in the US). Just like in the spring, it’s essential to time it right. If you aerate too late in the [autumn], when the grass has stopped growing and the growth potential is low, then the greens won’t recover before the winter. That’s a disaster. On the coast in Rhode Island, our growth potential nosedives in October, so it’s key for us to aerify and have the greens grow back in before October hits.

For any golfers frustrated about aeration, I get it, but if we don’t do it, the greens will really suffer. For us to get the greens in the best shape for the longest time, we need to do it a few times a year.

Ask A Super: We all want fast greens, why can’t you just cut them shorter?

The post Ask A Super: Why are you coring our greens when they’re in perfect shape? appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

What’s the value of a brand? That’s an interesting question when it comes to Greg Norman – who has mixed an undeniably successful business career with a more controversial turn as the in-your-face face of LIV.

Norman has designed more than 100 golf courses around the world, from The National’s Moonah course and Brookwater here in Australia to Tiburon and ChampionsGate in Florida and the Fire course at Jumeirah in the United Arab Emirates. Less famous (and less successful) is his signature course outside Los Angeles, the former Golf Club of Vellano.

Designed as a part of a luxury condo and villa development, it struggled financially since its inception in 2006 and finally shut down in 2018. Now, the ghostly remnants of the 6,300-metre (6,900-yard) course and the 109 hectares (269 acres) it occupies are up for sale.

Fancy yourself a turnaround specialist? You’re going to need some serious cash and a lot of mowers to get the course back in shape for play. The property is offered at $US17.5 million for the course and 4,180-square-metre (45,000-square-foot) clubhouse – which has a wedding-venue tenant in place. Or, if the Tuscan-meets-Vegas-style architecture isn’t to your taste, the course and maintenance buildings are being offered alone for $US10 million. The question? Do you buff up the Norman design and wear the shark badge proudly or retool the layout within the constraints of a routing dictated by existing home sites?

Whatever a new buyer decides, the owners of the 175 homes surrounding the overgrown property will undoubtedly be thrilled. A 930-square-metre home within the course’s gated community is currently for sale for $US5.5 million, and empty lots are being offered for $US1 million.

Chino Hills is located about 80 kilometres east of LAX, on the border of Orange and San Bernardino counties. The population is 75,000 – and notably doesn’t include inmates at the California Institution for Men, the medium-security state prison located in neighbouring Chino.

The post This abandoned Greg Norman-designed course can be yours, but you’d better bring a mower appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.

The owners of The Vines have unveiled the next phase of major plans to take the leading West Australian golf resort into the future.

Initially, the plan sees the opening of an upgraded 18-hole championship course this month, with plans for a 14-hole short course and state-of-the-art driving range.

The new-look Vines reflects the global trends driving golf course sustainability and design. The revamp and upgrade of the Championship course has included an $11 million sophisticated reticulation system and other works that will eventually bring the course up to championship standard. The more efficient irrigation system will result in a 25 percent reduction in water usage.

The renovated Championship course is the former home to the Heineken and Johnnie Walker Classics, using nine holes from each of the Lakes and Ellenbrook layouts.

The proposed 14-hole short course will use nine of the holes on the Lakes course, transforming them with creative new designs.

A new two-storey, $4 million driving range will rival existing driving ranges in WA by offering more bays, better amenities, and a sheltered, more comfortable setting.

Planning applications to utilise the existing driving range area for single-storey housing options catering to local ‘over 55’ residents, as well as premium townhouse-style homes are being developed for consideration by the City of Swan and final approval by the WA Planning Commission.

Both options will provide future residents with easy walking access to upgraded community facilities within the resort.

Vines WA director Mark Hohnen said the changes reflected a commitment to offering an attractive and sustainable golf and recreational experience.

“We are securing the future of golf at The Vines for decades to come,” Hohnen said.

Hohnen said the resort’s owners had also listened to golf members and residents as part of the planning process and would keep the Ellenbrook holes (the third to 11th) as a stand-alone nine-hole layout. Previously, those nine holes were slated to be lost to the new development.

“These changes confirm The Vines as a complete golfing experience by offering 27 traditional holes, a short course, and a modern driving range, in addition to the mini-golf already offered,” he said.

Hohnen said experience in Australia and overseas confirmed the rise in popularity of short courses – either stand-alone or linked to an existing 18-hole course.

“Golf facilities are reinventing themselves to remain viable. The reality is that for golf courses to remain viable they have to have a whole of community context and be a broader recreational destination where families want to go.”

Golf legend Gary Player said in Golf’s 2020 Vision Report that, “For golf to grow there will have to be ways to play that will not take nearly as long to complete a round. Time is of the essence to everyone.” Champion players such as Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Australia’s own Geoff Ogilvy are now involved in designing short courses.

“The inaugural Australian Golf Strategy sums it up perfectly – all golf is golf and all of us can be golfers. This is an exciting and essential upgrade which will continue to make The Vines an attractive and modern destination of choice,” Hohnen said.

The post The Vines Resort to downsize from 36 to 27 holes, plus add a short course and driving range appeared first on Australian Golf Digest.