Your club

[Scottt]

Please forgive me if this has been done prior to my arrival.

Where are you a member?
Why did you join there?
How long have you been there?
What do you like about it?
What do you dislike about it?
Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?


Where are you a member? Bardwell Valley (www.thevalley.org.au)

Why did you join there? I was planning to move overseas and went searching for the cheapest country membership I could find. Bardwell Valley's was $145pa.

How long have you been there? Since February 2007.

What do you like about it? There are a few nice holes, but mostly it was close to my home in Sydney and cheap. And easy to score on.

What do you dislike about it? The members generally aren't "golfers", if you know what I mean. Par 62. Regular foursomes, ambrose and fourball events on Saturdays. Balls go missing a lot on adjacent fairways.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts? It's the home club of Lester Peterson, who has represented Australia in teams events a fair few times and has won club champs across either three or four decades (can't remember which). Also, the M5 Motorway runs under 11 of the holes.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)? 18. A par three of 165 or so from the plates (bordered left by OOB) that can be accessed a multitude of ways (cutting it in off the bank on the left, running it up the front, flying it on) and a sneaky breaking green that is 50% hidden by a front right trap, so right hand pins take balls to attack, or guile to access off the slope on the left. A tough finishing hole when you've got a good round going, but a shot on offer for most (rating 5 I think) so you can also cash in.

Pic below (running top right to bottom left).

[sms316]

Where are you a member? Albury GC (otherwise known as Commercial Golf Resort - hahaha), and also Yowani GC.

Why did you join there? I was a junior there (Albury). Mates are members at Yowani - and it is not far from home.

How long have you been there? Albury - 22 years. Yowani - 1 year.

What do you like about it? Albury - the greens as good as anywhere in the country. Yowani - it isn't overrun by green fee golfers.

What do you dislike about it? Bunkers at both courses are horrible. I dislike the current ownership of Albury (hence why I refuse to refer to it as Commercial Golf Resort - how do they get away with calling it a resort anyway?). If I say any more about Albury I'll probably get suspended, again. As for Yowani, I dislike that they cater for all the old coots, and then wonder why they are struggling to attract new members.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts? Jack Nicklaus once held the course record at Albury (he played an exhibition match there against Billy Dunk).

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)? I'd say the 6th at Albury. Not an especially great hole, but a big sloping green from back to front, and coupled with the usual green speed it shows up the guys who can't putt (which is the way I like it).

I'd say probably 14th at Yowani. About 350m dead straight, but really narrow and penal either side if you miss. You just need to back yourself off the tee to make a good swing.

[Moe Norman]

Where are you a member?

Brisbane Golf Club www.brisbangolfclub.com.au

Why did you join there?

It's one of only 2 private courses in Brisbane, and its very close to from my house. But the real reason is because 2 weeks before I got accepted into RQ, they put the nom up to $10k and I couldn't afford it at the time.

How long have you been there?

bit over 2 years I think

What do you like about it?

It's a good private club with a good bunch of blokes as members, can get a game any time I like and it a < 1 minute drive from my house.

Saturday morning groups can often include blokes like Allan Border and Andrew Slack who are great for a chat and hit it pretty well too!

Edit: oh and we have 21 holes and good practice facilties, but I never use them!

What do you dislike about it?

They allow too many people to use carts, especially on a Saturday - it's like Pit Lane!
Also, the actual golf course itself isn't all that good.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?

It's the oldest club in QLD and is the only club with the course record held jointly by Arnold Palmer & Gary Player.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?

The 10th - 400m Par 4, Index 8

Overhead view



Approach (if you hit a 300m drive down the perfect line!)



BGC Location (nice and close to home!)

[BrisVegas]

Where are you a member?
Brookwater GC.
Why did you join there?
We bought land there in Jan 2003 to build our first home. At that time, land prices in Brisbane were going crazy and Brookwater was good value compared to the other areas we looked, ie. North Lakes, Redland Bay, Manly West etc etc..
I played the golf course and that sealed the deal for me.
How long have you been there?
Living there since 2005, had an 18month stint as a corporate partner and then joined as a resident member in July 2008.
What do you like about it?
It's challenging, has a good variety of holes, it's always in good condition and is a visually enjoyable course to play. I can always get a tee time and it's a short stroll to the clubhouse from my house.
What do you dislike about it?
It's expensive to be a member there, which limits my golf at other courses. Most of the members ride in carts and I prefer to walk.
Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
It was voted Australias hardest course recently.
What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
The 1st. Tough opening tee shot (from the plates especially), but if you hit a good one it can leave you with only a short iron in.
http://www.brookwater.com.au/golf/holes/1.php

[sms316]

What do you dislike about it?
It's expensive to be a member there, which limits my golf at other courses. Most of the members ride in carts and I prefer to walk.

And they core the greens in January?

[mikezone13]

Where are you a member? Eastlake GC (www.eastlakegolfclub.com.au)

Why did you join there? Good value for an inner Sydney city course, a lot friendlier than Wakeurst (nearest GC to home) and also is close to work for the odd afternoon practice session.

How long have you been there? Nearly 4 years I think now.. wow time flies

What do you like about it? Condition of the fairways are always great and there is constant improvement always going on. Two new holes and two redeisgned holes since I have joined (the plan is 2 per year so they're on schedule which is amazing for a golf club). Also like that we have 21 holes available, so during reno's etc we don't have temp greens or only play 17 holes etc (all 3 spares are par 3's though). Members are all friendly as well whether they're 9 or 90 years old.

What do you dislike about it? The clubhouse is pretty old and scungy, although the beer is cold (most important aspect really). The old bunkers need some improvement/maintenance. The comp fees are a touch steep for poor value voucher prizes. Some members play gimmees in comps (used to be a big issue, then stopped and seems to have reared it's head again).

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts? Not really, does having Peter Garrett as one of the Patrons count? Or perhaps the 20+ year battle with the council to build the bridge over Wentworth Ave (finally completed last year). It also sits between The Lakes and Bonnie Doon and is often referred to as 'The East Course' (it's east of The Lakes).

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)? I beleive it has to be hole 7 (the old number 8.) Par 5 of 520m, it's just be redone and had the green mvoed about 20m to the right of where it used to be. Off the tee it doglegs slightly to the right (becoems a 480m hole if you take the right line) but with bunkers in the inside of the dogleg as well as a pot on the left side of the fairway to catch short drives, left is safe but is harder to get home in 2, from the right or middle of fairway you have a bail out area left of the green (lots of swails) but the fairway gvies extreme run so you can attack the front portion fo the green from distance (not uncommon to hit a 240m 3 wood to the front edge). The layup play is also an option, the green is large with lots of interesting 'rooms' in it with bunkers from front all the way aroudn the right side of the green - any score from 4 to 10 is possible.

[3oneday]

Where are you a member? Dunheved Golf Club (In Sydneys West)

Why did you join there? I knew a few of the guys and was frustrated with the drive to Windsor.

How long have you been there? Only 6 months, I tried it a couple of years ago, went back to Windsor, got frustrated and went back to Dunheved.

What do you like about it? It's a tough and relatively long golf course. Generally I only hit less then 4 iron on one of the 5 par 3's. It's a good challenge and I reckon if you can play to your handicap here you can play to it on most tracks (Subsequently, my handicap has blown a full point since joining). Oh, and the guys I play with are all pissheads.

What do you dislike about it? Limited tee times as they need to have social golfers to survive. One tee in the morning on Saturdays and no comp until 11.30am on a Sunday. This was the initial reason I went back to Windsor last year !

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?Not that I am aware of.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?None really stand out as outstanding holes.

[Scottt]

I quite like the 2nd and 17th, Pete.

[moree golfer]

Where are you a member?
Moree GC in Northwest NSW.
Why did you join there?
Simply because unless I like driving an hour for golf it is the closest course to me.
How long have you been there?
I joined as a playing member about 10mths after moving to Moree, moved there in Jan 2003, so about five years.
What do you like about it?
Nicely kept course with plenty of watering. During the drought the only green you could see when flying into Moree was the golf course. The clubhouse has been recently renovated and is well air-conditioned which helps cooling down after playing Sat pm in 40C+ heat. Also no bunkers (except a practice bunker put in for juniors benefit) as the ground swallows up the sand when it gets dry.
What do you dislike about it?
Some older members are a PITA. The greens staff don't mow the fringe to meet the putting surface and it leaves a collar which can be hard to putt if your ball is hard against it.
Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
None to my knowledge.
What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
Best hole imho is the par 5 18th, need to carry water off an elevated tee then cross water for second with a wedge in. It's a real risk/reward hole and I more often make birdie or double it than par. I am not clever enough to attach a Google Earth pic.

[3oneday]

When I saw you post I thought I wonder if he chose the 18th as his fav !

I think Mick Girard has done the double water carry there !

[schanop]

Where are you a member?
Yowani CC (www.yowani.com.au)

Why did you join there?
I wanted to get back to golf after many years of absence. I like it the best overall for North Canberra courses and it is very close to home. Wallet is not fat enough to join either Royal or Federal.

How long have you been there?
About six months now.

What do you like about it?
It's a tough tight course from the back back tip. There are a few really tight fairways, but on the other hands, there are a few that are quite forgiving. Usually it is about half a stoke or more for missing a tee short into the trees. Greens are usually very nice, particularly when they are rolled.

What do you dislike about it?
On weekends, it is very slow.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
None that I know about.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
No. 2 par 4 from the back tip is pretty fun. Tee shot is fairly demanding for both placement and distance. The spot for a good approach is not that large.

[Dazza]

Where are you a member? Bowen

Why did you join there? Close to home. Suits quite well.

How long have you been there? 2 weeks, playing socially for 12 months

What do you like about it? Close to home, beach-side location.

What do you dislike about it? The clubhouse is run-down & the old members treat new up & comers like shit. They wonder why they can't pull new members....

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts? Corinne Dibnah had something to do with the club (Played as a junior? Will have to confirm) & Karrie Webb has her name on a few honour boards from her junior days at Ayr (100klm up the road)

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)? 8. Long winding par 5- Dogleg left, then straightens up to the green.
You tee off right in front of a dam to a fairway you can't really see, the drive is blind over trees. Second shot has you thinking about going for the green, but one can't forget about the creek 50mt from the pin. Wind can play a major factor on this hole.

[markTHEblake]

Dazza, and extra bit for you, is some old fart called Don Fardon Snr (over 50) from Bown smashed it in the Qld Amatuer circa 1982, setting course records and competition records and winning by streets.

[WBennett]

Where are you a member?
Gungahlin Lakes

Why did you join there?
Walking distance from home - and a more enjoyable course than Gold Creek

How long have you been there?
About six years

What do you like about it?
Walking distance to home - helpful after a quick 3 or 4 schooners post round. Variation off the tee - if you drive more than 200m, you can't hit driver off every hole. Good short holes, and its in a rare situation where the club is investing $500k to $1m per annum on course improvements.

What do you dislike about it?
Tough to get an early tee time, a couple of holes on the way out can be long slogs. The poorly compromised holes on 10 and 17 that were changed for safety reasons.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
The management are optimistically talking about hosting the 2012 Australian Womens Open.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
16. 500m from the tips and IMHO, close on the best par 5 in Canberra for risk/reward. Water the whole way down the left, and wind blows left to right. Get a big drive away and hit the downslope, you have 230m in including a 200m water carry. Lay up and a 110m pitch is the bail out option. 4 is a good score, but you see plenty of wipes.

Other good holes - 2 and 14 - both short par 4's requiring accurate tee and approach shots.

[senecio]

Where are you a member? Carbrook GC

Why did you join there? Father was a member and I played a lot of social/junior golf there.

How long have you been there? 8 years as a member, 12 years socially.

What do you like about it? Close to home. Challenging course in generally well kept condition. Owned by the members.

What do you dislike about it? The bunkers are crap, the greens are grainy. The clubhouse and ammeneties need to be improved.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts? Shark Lake!! The course was in a constant state of change for 20 years as the river sand mining operation consumed land and built new holes. One of the large lakes left from mining that borders holes 12-15 is home to a population of bull sharks.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
15. "The shark hole". A short risk/reward par 4 that can be anywhere between 6-iron and driver off the tee depending on wind and the level of risk you want to take. The reward for taking on the hazards is a short pitch to a long narrow green that plays 4 clubs longer front to back. Index 7, so a good chance for a 4 pointer (or a wipe).

[Bruce Dickinson]

Where are you a member?
Joondalup Country Club

Why did you join there?
Dad was first manager there

How long have you been there?
Joined in 1985 and left in 1991, rejoined in 2007

What do you like about it?
Three great nines, great conditioning, great facilities and good members

What do you dislike about it?
Need to mow down ridiculous fescue roughs which in some spots are only 5-10 metres from the fairway edge and unplayable. Look at original course photos and remove trees that have grown over twenty years in areas which affect the strategy of design

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
David Graham didn't like it because it was designed by a 12 handicapper

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
Interesting question, couple of holes that get the most exposure are not necessarily the best (Quarry 3 and 4). Best is probably Dune six, tough par 4 that can be played a number of ways

[Grunt]

Where are you a member?
Bathurst GC

Why did you join there?
Needed a Country membership due to my shift work and the fact that weekend comps. played were minimal. The Reciprocal memberships are great.

How long have you been there?
Joined in Early 2006

What do you like about it?
Great country golf course, Reciprocal Clubs

What do you dislike about it?
Distance from home.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
The 11th hole, you can hit the ball over Bathurst gaol if you want to cut the dogleg.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
Hole 5 190m par3

[sms316]

Grunt,

Next time you actually make an appearance at Bathurst, take your driver and half a dozen balls, and jump the fence just before the entry into Conrod Straight.Hitting balls straight out from Mt Panorama is pretty bloody funny to watch.

sms

[chappy1970]

Where are you a member?
Southern Golf Club

Why did you join there?
Dad was a member and we used to play together a bit.

How long have you been there?
I think it's been around 13 years

What do you like about it?
New club house is great, course is usually in great condition all year round

What do you dislike about it?
The f%^king bunkers never, ever, ever, ever, ever have enough sand in them!

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
Not that I know of, but my wife's grand father was a founding member

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
For me personally, it's probably the 5th. You can get yourself in a whole lot of P00 if you stray a little off the tee. But will reward you for a well positioned drive

[burger]

Where are you a member?
Riverside Oaks

Why did you join there?
Played there on a Bucks day and REALLY enjoyed the layout. Also you can have an AGU hcp for $115 and cost of 3 rounds.

How long have you been there?
A few years now . . .

What do you like about it?
Nice clubhouse and outlook for a post round beer and lots or nature: kangaroos, goanna's, birds etc.

What do you dislike about it?
Condition has fallen away very badly over the last year or so, esp the greens.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
Used to hold the Aust PGA years ago and will do so this year as well.
Mark Byslma drove the green on the 12th (a 456m par 5) mind you he took the short cut but it's still about a 350m drive.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
I like the 5th, downhill dogleg left to a green with bunker left and Right and dropping away past the right side green.
http://www.riversideoaks.com.au/inde...se_hole_05.php

stu.

[swanny]

Where are you a member?

Sanctuary Lakes Vic

Why did you join there?

I thought Membership was value for money and there was no joining fee.

How long have you been there?

18 months

What do you like about it?

It plays different every time you play it because of the weather conditions and the fairways they are always in top condition.

What do you dislike about it?

This time of year the course hosts the VIC PGA so the rough is thicker and the greens are starting to get quicker making the course even harder. The bunkers are never groomed.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?

Described as being built on the worst piece of dirt ever seen it used to be a salt marsh where they mined Salt.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)? Everyone talks about the 16th, 17th and 18th as a really tough finishing stretch and nominates the 18th. However I am a fan of the 4th a Par 5 where you tee off over the water and have water down the left hand side big hitters can take on the water and have a shorter shot to the green. In the middle of the fairway there is a fairway bunker that balls just seem to find i thinks its about 250 - 260 meters from the Black. On the right hand side the rough is thick and you will be laying up once you get in there. The second shot if laying up must be precise as you have bunkers left and right. The Green slopes back to front and has 6 zones where the pin can be placed and each zone has some spots you don't want to be putting from. There are bunkers guarding the front rhs and if you miss left or long you must play a good shot to get up and down as the shot will be blind. Pics to Follow

[Courty]

Where are you a member?
Cairns Golf Club

Cairns Golf Club is a 6,159 metre par 72 for men and 5,582 metre par 73 for women.
The course layout was re-designed by Ross Watson and is a testing golf course for players and yet at the same time very enjoyable with natures' best fauna & flora.
Visitors will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere that typifies the tropical environment that Cairns has to offer. The lush fairways, demanding greens & varieties of waterways that make up our course combine to create a memorable golfing experience - whether you are a visitor from Australia or oversees.

Why did you join there?
My dad has been (and still is) a member there for 30+ years. I was a junior member there, and it is the only decent member course within decent range IMO.

How long have you been there?
As above, I was a junior member there in the late 80's/ early 90's (can't remember exact years), and then re-joined about 7 years ago after re-discovering golf.

What do you like about it?
It's less than 10 mins from my house, and on the route home from work . It also has a shiny new day/ night driving range. I feel a sense of belonging there as I've had an association with the club since I was a kid. There is no snobbishness stereotypically associated with golf clubs. The course can play very different depending on the tee/ pin placements, and the wind strength/ direction.

What do you dislike about it?
The conditioning can often leave a bit to be desired, but I guess I need to accept that it will always be that way due to the climate. Some of the committee have formed their own little clique who seem to have a different set if rules to the rest of us.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
Nothing comes to mind immediately. In the 2 years the Von Nida Tour played at Cairns GC, the course record was broken 3 times. Peter Senior shot a 63 one day, which was bettered the following day with a 62 by the eventual winner, Kim Felton. The following year, Tony Christie (a Kiwi who is the spitting image of Dave Hughes) shot a 61 on his way to winning the whole shebang.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
This is a subjective question, and one I don't really have an answer to. However, the 'signature' hole would have to be the par 3 11th. It's a 151m hole (a slightly longer tee box is reserved for Monthly Medal days only) of which 145m would be water carry. It can be anything from a smooth 8-iron to a full-blooded 5 iron depending on tee/ flag/ wind strength/ wind direction. The green is very wide, but very shallow. Over the green falls away sharply at the back which makes for a terrifying flop shot back towards the water. The only 'safe' miss is short of the bunker on the right side. If you are lucky enough to cross the peninsula before dropping into the drink, the next shot is a tricky 60-80m pitch from a stance below the ball. The worst score I've witnessed on this hole was a 13, but I've heard of worse.

1. Image from the website showing the green (post-renovation) and the Pandanus backdrop.


2. Google Maps view (taken during the renovation).

[Bruce]

Where are you a member?

Mirboo North Golf Club

Why did you join there?

It's cheap and the in-laws live just around the corner. I can look like a good guy by going to visit the in-laws for the weekend. We go up Friday night and I dissappear to play the comp Saturday morning and get home about 5PM with a few beers in me. Ready to deal with the worst that extended family has to offer.

How long have you been there?

I think it's about 3 years now.

What do you like about it?

Very easy going. No time sheets, just find 3 other blokes who are ready to hit off and get going. There are times you can go out and be the only human being within earshot - that's some real serenity. For a course with 3 bunkers (2 of which are actually in play) the stretch of 7,8,9 is pretty tough and a good test.

What do you dislike about it?

I think the greens are converted sand-scrapes. They are essentially 20m diameter saucers. Winter is always preferred lies as it gets a bit boggy.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?

It hosts the VGA Junior Camp every year.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?

The 16th is the prettiest but the 8th is the toughest. The fairway drops down a hill at about 220m and the fairway gets narrower the further you go. Then it's up about 30 feet from the bottom of the hill to green which is cut into the side of the hill and one of the slickest on the course.

[Dennis]

Where are you a member?
Southern

Why did you join there?
It was the only club that would let me in....

Actually, I live over the road, so it made sense

How long have you been there?
This is my 3rd year

What do you like about it?
I enjoy the fact that when i bring guests to play it for the first time, they are really impressed with the quality of course, conditioning and clubhouse. I also like the fact that I can walk home after a Sat session after a round.

No snobbery at all

What do you dislike about it?
To many ladies and old people slowing down play. I now know what it must be like to play golf in QLD.

Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
Once talked about as the best maintained course in the sandbelt, now it it has is Bob Shearer as a long time member to hang its hat on.

What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
I think it's the 13th. Others will argue differently, but here is my reasoning:

1) Its a long par 4 (over 400m from the tombstones) that requires an accurate and long drive over a big hill to have any chance of reaching the green in 2
2) The approach is tough as the green is above your feet. This means that judging the depth of pin placement is difficult
3) Miss the green left and you have to play out of one of Melbourne's deepest bunkers (probably a 2.2m high lip at least)
4) I make par here least than on any other hole (I play off 12)

http://www.southerngolfclub.com.au/m...ursetour.mhtml

[silly_bugger1]

Where are you a member?
Gympie Pines GC
Why did you join there?
Moved here and it's the only course in town
How long have you been there?
A bit over a year now
What do you like about it?
You can shoot a gun off in it during the week so it is great for practice and you can play whenever you want. Mum likes it because it's cheap. Most members are nice and most of all the course is always in good condition.
What do you dislike about it?
Some members are PITA. Management problems. Construction of villas going on over the course so not that appealing.
Does it have any strange claims to fame/interesting facts?
Ian Baker-Finch did part of his traineeship there
What's the best hole (and include a pic if you can)?
Hole 4. Short par 4, a good drive makes for a easy birdie oppourtunity but water on left and garden + trees on right can make your stroke quickly add up.