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jimandr
17th February 2006, 06:06 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.

Jarro
17th February 2006, 06:08 PM
sounds like a great trip Jim 8)

.. take any pics ???

AndyP
17th February 2006, 06:40 PM
Are you a closet arkitekcha guru, Jim? Just noticed the Peter Thomson comments.

Shame you didn't get to Narooma. I really loved it. And that was despite the fact, I played a lot of the round in pouring rain, then drove 3.5 hrs soaking wet afterwards.

I've also played Catalina, but don't really recall much about it, except one shot. I nailed a fairway wood from the fairway only to see it disappear into an unseen creek that crossed the fairway closer to the green.

Have you played Mollymook before? Or was that too much of a drive?

Bruce
17th February 2006, 07:45 PM
Mum and Dad have a timeshare place 20mins south of Batemans Bay.

I've played Catalina 10-27 which was pleasant enough. Good nick but there are some really dull holes. There's a memorable par 3 which curls around a lake but I'd struggle to pick the rest out of a line-up.

I rate Narooma in the top 5 courses I've played. That probably says more about where I've played than it does about Narooma. It was my 'road to damascus' course and so will always have a soft spot in my heart. The only crap hole is the 7th but I wouldn't get caught out again by it.

I'll bookmark that list for next time we go up though. Thanks for the info.

drunken
19th February 2006, 08:00 AM
Brother in laws family is from about 20 minutes south of Batemans Bay. I've played Narooma and a few of the others mentioned above. Loved Narooma and can't wait to go back and play it again one day.

jimandr
19th February 2006, 08:16 PM
Are you a closet arkitekcha guru, Jim? Just noticed the Peter Thomson comments.

Shame you didn't get to Narooma. I really loved it. And that was despite the fact, I played a lot of the round in pouring rain, then drove 3.5 hrs soaking wet afterwards.

I've also played Catalina, but don't really recall much about it, except one shot. I nailed a fairway wood from the fairway only to see it disappear into an unseen creek that crossed the fairway closer to the green.

Have you played Mollymook before? Or was that too much of a drive?

Andy, I read course design discussions, but I wouldn't call myself a guru by any means. I don't have the strong opinions of the so-called amateur experts. My comment was a hint to those who think anything Peter Thomson touches is worthless that it wasn't always that way. Most people who think Thomson is evil don't read this forum anyway.

I'm a Wollongong boy, so I've played Narooma and other most south coast courses a number of times over the years. I've played Mollymook many times, and I love the course. I think it is underrated.

I didn't play it this time or include it, as I feel it is too far north of the area I visited this time. If I was staying at Bateman's Bay, or even Jervis Bay, I'd include it in a 'mid South Coast' overview. That may be an option for another holiday in a few years time.

I didn't take any photos. Despite sharing a surname with Tezza, I have little interest in photography. I don't even own a camera.

Andrew
19th February 2006, 09:28 PM
Most people who think Thomson is evil don't read this forum anyway.


Well, I think Thomson is evil, but I don't mind Tura Beach.

BrisVegas
20th February 2006, 07:32 AM
I've also played Catalina, but don't really recall much about it, except one shot. I nailed a fairway wood from the fairway only to see it disappear into an unseen creek that crossed the fairway closer to the green.

Was this an attempted layup Andy??

AndyP
20th February 2006, 08:41 AM
Was this an attempted layup Andy??
Thought about commenting on something like that, and was wondering if you would pop you head in. No, it wasn't. Didn't know the creek was there.
BTW how do you practice for layups?

Unfortunately, I don't know when I will ever have the opportunity to play golf on the NSW South Coast again. Only played there before, because my parents lived in Bateman's Bay, and made a bit effort to drive from Canberra, where I was working, to Narooma, one other time.
I would really like to play Mollymook again, as I played it when I was just a social golfer, so I would probably appreciate it more now.