markTHEblake
28th August 2008, 11:12 PM
Aussiewood Golf Complex is a privately built golf course in Helidon - just 20 mins east of Toowoomba (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Helidon,+QLD&ie=UTF8&ll=-27.553662,152.114693&spn=0.012499,0.018582&t=h&z=16) (you cannot miss it from the highway) and it has the toughest par 3 I have ever played.
The 3rd hole is, 165m of sheer terror, it is surrounded by water on all sides with only a land bridge a fee metres wide. The green is absolutely flat so only the perfect shot will hold, and as the terrain is very unprotected the prevailing wind blows into you and across (right to left). And the photo doesnt do the hole justice, there is really no layup, no maintained fairway anywhere
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8089/img6077ry6.jpg
The course is a personal project of Canadian :oops: American Pat Murphy, and he doesnt play golf, and I suspect he likes tormenting golfers. This 3rd tee actually is right in front of the licensed clubhouse where he sits all day and watches golfers hit ball after ball into the drink (when he is not in his shed working on his helicopters, jets and planes) Many people come just to play this one hole.
The rest of the course has about 3 more holes that are just as evil, including a great little par three with water short, OB long and a green only about 5 metres deep.
There is also a full length driving range here, first class golf balls. The range is usually pretty quiet so its a good spot if you want to work on some distances etc.
If you are driving through, its a great place to stop, have a beer, donate a few balls to the lake, and spin a yarn with Pat. He has some good tales to tell. I am gunna have another go on Saturday, 7 is my best.
Its not going to make Australia's greatest golf holes but If you can appreciate the golf hole (and the course) for what its meant to be, you can have some fun. The locals certainly do.
* most of the course rerouted since the google maps photo. This new par 3 green is inside the 'brown' lake you can see.
The 3rd hole is, 165m of sheer terror, it is surrounded by water on all sides with only a land bridge a fee metres wide. The green is absolutely flat so only the perfect shot will hold, and as the terrain is very unprotected the prevailing wind blows into you and across (right to left). And the photo doesnt do the hole justice, there is really no layup, no maintained fairway anywhere
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8089/img6077ry6.jpg
The course is a personal project of Canadian :oops: American Pat Murphy, and he doesnt play golf, and I suspect he likes tormenting golfers. This 3rd tee actually is right in front of the licensed clubhouse where he sits all day and watches golfers hit ball after ball into the drink (when he is not in his shed working on his helicopters, jets and planes) Many people come just to play this one hole.
The rest of the course has about 3 more holes that are just as evil, including a great little par three with water short, OB long and a green only about 5 metres deep.
There is also a full length driving range here, first class golf balls. The range is usually pretty quiet so its a good spot if you want to work on some distances etc.
If you are driving through, its a great place to stop, have a beer, donate a few balls to the lake, and spin a yarn with Pat. He has some good tales to tell. I am gunna have another go on Saturday, 7 is my best.
Its not going to make Australia's greatest golf holes but If you can appreciate the golf hole (and the course) for what its meant to be, you can have some fun. The locals certainly do.
* most of the course rerouted since the google maps photo. This new par 3 green is inside the 'brown' lake you can see.