Your ultimate 9 hole composite golf course.

[adlo]

Had this thought today as text messages came through thick and fast from Yossarian as he played Binningup golf course for the first time.

For those unaware, Binningup is a magic little 9 holer about 90 minutes south of Perth. So many who play it say they would be happy to play it twice a week, every week, for the rest of their lives. It has a great mix of holes with three par 3's, three par 4's and three par 5's.

So, if you could design a composite 9 hole golf course, using holes that you have played, that you had to play 2 loops of every week for the rest of your life, what holes would you include? And what markers?

I am going to include some pics, but please do not feel the need to.

Hole #1

Bunbury GC, Hole #10, par 3, 124m (Members tees)

Bunbury starts both 9's with a par 3 and I like it. This par 3, while short, has an elevated and exposed tee making club selection a lot of fun. A great chance to start your round with a score, but can easily humble you.
http://images.miclub.com.au/images/bunbury/http/images/course/hole10_tee.jpg

Hole #2

Binningup Golf Course, Hole #4, par 4, 330m (Back tees)

A great hole to test how your first drive of the day will go. A nice wide fairway and options. An aggressive option is there for the golfer fancying his first drive of the day by cutting the corner right of the 150m white stake. Or perhaps, for someone who perhaps struggled on the first, a shorter option down the left hand side is also available with a long iron.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Binningup/IMG_5210.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Binningup/IMG_5211.jpg

Hole #3

The Cut, Hole #12, par 4, 381m (Blue Tees)

Keeping in the sand dunes, another par 4 with sufficient width, but a much harder test of the golfer. A great testy par 4.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o64/kiteboymm/TheCut12.jpg

Hole #4

Kennedy Bay Links, Hole #7, par 4, 261m (Whites)

A much shorter par 4 giving an option of risk and reward. Having a good round so far? Take on the green. Had a bad start to the day? Take a shorter club off the tee and face a testy pitch into the elevated green.

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv48/adlo_2009/7left.jpg

Hole #5

Binningup Golf Course, Hole #5, Par 5, 445m (Back tees)

Keep winding through dunes. This time a very reachable par 5. Take on the dogleg, 2 solid strikes and a chance of an eagle awaits.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Binningup/IMG_5215.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Binningup/IMG_5264.jpg

Hole #6

Bunbury GC, Hole #14, Par 4, 390m (Members)

A strong par 4 from a lovely elevated tee box. No fairway bunkers and a wide fairway await as the challenge increases towards the green.

http://images.miclub.com.au/images/bunbury/http/images/course/hole14_tee.jpg

Hole #7

Kennedy Bay Links, Hole #16, Par 3 Wee Tap, 138m (Black Tees)

The best par 3 in Perth. Love this hole. Challenging but a real birdie chance if you hit the right club.

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv48/adlo_2009/16green.png

Hole #8

Kennedy Bay Links, Hole #13, Par 5 Naked Truth, 503m (Black Tees)

Great par 5 and a real chance to make a birdie with the wind firmly in your back.

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv48/adlo_2009/PA140054.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv48/adlo_2009/13_3rd.jpg

Hole #9

Secret Harbour, Hole #18, Par 4, 351m (Blue Tees)

What a great finishing hole. Often into the breeze, a nice wide fairway but a challenging final approach for the day with OOB scrub all down the left side. Really tests the final strike of the day.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Secret%20Harbour/IMG_5186.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c174/ttitheridge/WA%20tracks/Secret%20Harbour/IMG_5189.jpg

And there it is.

9 holes, 2925m and primarily coastal holes.

I thought about holes from Joondalup, Araluen and Hartfield but just could not give any the nod over the holes above.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Yep don't mind them. Whats the go with Binningyup? If you showed me those photos and asked what course it was, i would have said The Cut. Looks awesome.

[adlo]

Binningup is similar to the Cut but features much wider fairways and an overall better design. Lovely course, about 20kms short of Australind.

[LarryLong]

Great thread, and enjoying the pics of the WA golf courses. One day I'm going to organise a WA trip with my mates on the back of that 9 hole selection.

Don't think I could make a great list of my own though, I tend to forget most of the holes I play by the time I hit the car park. Maybe that's because most of my scores are forgettable.

[adlo]

Cheers LL. Perth is no Melbourne, but we have some great tracks. Unfortunately the majority of them are a fair distance from Perth.

When you get over here, let us know, and we will be happy to offer a heap of advice. Most visitors would never play Bunbury or Binningup, but they are real hidden gems.

[armygolf]

Nice courses over there adlo...i love links/dunes golf over parkland.

[markTHEblake]

Shame that they dont build any courses like that in my part of the world. i guess the land is probably too expensive to begin with.

[adlo]

Yeah, WA is spoilt for coast line.

Is anyone prepared to throw their own 9 hole composite out there for discussion?

[razaar]

Yours would be hard to beat Adlo...guess there is some advantages to living in the wilderness. Are the courses you have selected private, resort, public?

[adlo]

Bunbury is the only private course, but welcomes public most days outside comps. The rest are all public access.

I have yet to play the most exclusive track in Perth, Lake Karrinyup, it often rates in Australias top ten tracks. No doubt it would have a few nice holes.