jimandr
17th February 2006, 07:06 PM
I've just spent a week on holiday. Naturally I took the clubs and did some exploring.
For various reasons I didn't get to play Narooma, but most who have played it rank it in the top 100. It looked in good condition.
I played Catalina (Bateman's Bay) for the first time. Its got 27 holes. I played 1 to 18. Everything was good, but nothing was great. Nice layout, fairways good, greens good. Cost was $35 for 18. Tree-lined fairways on virtually every hole. Almost every hole seemed to dogleg to the right. Maybe the locals all hit fades. An enjoyable course, but not really worth a special trip just to play it.
Next up was Tura Beach. An early P Thomson design, from the days before he fell in love with randomly placed pot bunkers. Very good design, using the steep hills well. Very hilly course. On a hot day a cart is strongly recommended. Greens were good, but fairways ordinary. Typical of courses where the course was part of a housing development. Once all the houses are sold, the maintenance money dries up. Cost was $25. Well worth a visit.
I couldn't get on at Narooma, so I went up the coast to the uncharted territory of Tuross Heads. I'd never played it before, and maybe won't ever do so again. Looks like a mountain goat track from the road, and this proved to be an accurate assessment. 9 holes only, going across and back and up and down the side of a hill. Very small greens. Cost was $15 for nine holes. Only for those (like me) who need to play every course they ever see.
Again the next day I couldn't get on at Narooma, so I travelled south to Pambula-Merimbula. 27 holes. I played 10 to 27, cost of $30. I really like this course. Not too long or difficult, but not easy either. Lots of dogleg holes where the conservative line is the best line (as I learned to my cost a few times). Course was in excellent condition. Hundreds of kangaroos, but they seem to know which parts of the course are safe.
I've played Bermagui before, and it is good. I had a look at Bega. It looks Ok. Tathra is one of the better 9 hole courses I've ever played.
As a golfing destination, if you made Narooma or Merimbula your base you are not far from golfing heaven. Half a dozen courses within an hour's drive. Most of them are good, and some are very good to excellent.
Grunt was planning to visit some of these courses later this year. If he still goes, hopefully he can provide second opinions or course condition updates.
For various reasons I didn't get to play Narooma, but most who have played it rank it in the top 100. It looked in good condition.
I played Catalina (Bateman's Bay) for the first time. Its got 27 holes. I played 1 to 18. Everything was good, but nothing was great. Nice layout, fairways good, greens good. Cost was $35 for 18. Tree-lined fairways on virtually every hole. Almost every hole seemed to dogleg to the right. Maybe the locals all hit fades. An enjoyable course, but not really worth a special trip just to play it.
Next up was Tura Beach. An early P Thomson design, from the days before he fell in love with randomly placed pot bunkers. Very good design, using the steep hills well. Very hilly course. On a hot day a cart is strongly recommended. Greens were good, but fairways ordinary. Typical of courses where the course was part of a housing development. Once all the houses are sold, the maintenance money dries up. Cost was $25. Well worth a visit.
I couldn't get on at Narooma, so I went up the coast to the uncharted territory of Tuross Heads. I'd never played it before, and maybe won't ever do so again. Looks like a mountain goat track from the road, and this proved to be an accurate assessment. 9 holes only, going across and back and up and down the side of a hill. Very small greens. Cost was $15 for nine holes. Only for those (like me) who need to play every course they ever see.
Again the next day I couldn't get on at Narooma, so I travelled south to Pambula-Merimbula. 27 holes. I played 10 to 27, cost of $30. I really like this course. Not too long or difficult, but not easy either. Lots of dogleg holes where the conservative line is the best line (as I learned to my cost a few times). Course was in excellent condition. Hundreds of kangaroos, but they seem to know which parts of the course are safe.
I've played Bermagui before, and it is good. I had a look at Bega. It looks Ok. Tathra is one of the better 9 hole courses I've ever played.
As a golfing destination, if you made Narooma or Merimbula your base you are not far from golfing heaven. Half a dozen courses within an hour's drive. Most of them are good, and some are very good to excellent.
Grunt was planning to visit some of these courses later this year. If he still goes, hopefully he can provide second opinions or course condition updates.