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  1. #1
    Victorious Confederate Captain Order of Merit winner
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    Default NSW - Shoalhaven Golf

    Just returned from a magic 3 days at Wollongong and the Shoalhaven, playing for the former occasional Ozgolfer BlueScooter Cup, who left us a few years ago after a battle with MND.

    My group had played most of the Wollongong courses before, but Port Kembla had always been on 'want to do' list. We linked it up with The Heads at Shoalhaven Heads, and the insane Gerringong GC.

    Port Kembla - Port Kembla, Wollongong. Friday, $28 walking - slope 137
    Played Friday before the club champs, and I suspect the Saturday pins were out, as they were tough and tucked away!
    Course had excellent land movement, and was quite reminiscent in style to Melbourne sandbelt, albeit with a number of water hazards at low points on the beachside course. Highlights include the 2nd, a 220m drive to a ridgeline, water and trees left, and trouble right, leaving a shortish iron into a challenging green. The 332m 6th was a layup to a raised green with a ton of internal movement and excellent bunkering. 7 and 8 were also excellent short holes, with the 8th green bringing up my 1st 4 putt of the weekend. The back 9 felt more cramped at times and had less movement in the land, but the run of mid/long 3 15th, shortish par 4 16th with water right was very visually deceptive, and the 17th was a very much rewarded by taking on the water carry to a difficult green complex was a good way to finish.

    Overall - immaculate presentation, friendly staff. Highlights were the complex greens with a ton of movement, rewarding staying under the hole. Not quite as good as say Woodlands, but better than Vic Yarra mudbelt.

    The Heads - Saturday, Shoalhaven Heads - $27 including comp fee
    Absolute bargain... The course went from 14 to 18 holes about 4 years ago, and is maintained by 1.5 staff and a big band of volunteers. It recently hosted the NSW Mid Amateur, so I assumed it would be decent, and it surpassed ALL expectations with perfect putting surfaces and massive greens. The first of around 320m drops down a hill, with a slightly hidden green. The visual deception was quickly apparent as a theme. A 250m walk from the 2nd to the 3rd through a protected forest saw you arrive at the back paddock, where 4 long holes and a short 3 were located. The 3rd and 4th green complexes were outstanding, and made accuracy on the approach extremely valuable, otherwise balls would roll off the putting surfaces and requiring a delicate touch. The short 10/11/12 were old school - cross over holes, hidden bunkers, and a 3 tier green on 12 where a front pin was very drivable for eagle, and a back pin made for a challenging 4. The Index 1 13th was 500+m into the wind, where anything missing right OOB into the protected duneland. 14 gave respite, a cool 240m par 4 with a funky green and another chance at eagle. The round finished off with shortish back to back par 5s, the 17th requiring a blind approach over a dune to a sunken green, and 18 running across 2 dunes to a 60m long green.

    Overall - again, great presentation and friendly volunteer staff. Very very linksy - reminded me of Portsea with the rolling fairways and feel but without the dramatic elevation changes. Better than Bermagui, not as good as Narooma, maybe because of the lack of views.

    Gerringong GC - 2k south of Gerringong - $40 on a Sunday.
    You walk to the proshop and wonder what the hell is going on. A dramatic bit of land which has only been a course since the 80s when local farmers mowed in a course - it is a genuine paddock with flags, and remarkable little long grass. From the first tee, you see a ridge of fairway, then the ocean. Anything over about 240 hits the downslope, and probably reaches the green 340m away as the fairway drops 50m! There greens are small, slopey, and cut into the sides of hills and with false fronts everywhere so precision is imperative. I had both a 4 putt and putted off the greens on two other occasions. Yay. A miss 3 foot left of the green on the 2nd would see the ball shoot well off the right side of the green and up to 30 foot down the hill to the longer rough. The long 4th plays over the beach - a bomb of 250 into the prevailing wind clears the beach and a lake, but the penalty for a miss is a reload. The second is played over the first lake and short of the second, to an approach into a green with backstop. The 10th is an insane 200m par 4 that is shaped like a reverse 7 - a 200m drive to the corner, before playing backwards!?! to the green 15m below with a steep drop for anything missing long and left to OOB. The 11th was a 440m 5 - down the 50m hill again. A blind tee shot avoiding OOB, and an approach from a downhill or sidehill lie over a lake to a green cut inches over the hazard with no real bail out area.

    Overall - it was cool, windy and felt like Scotland. Condition was far less than the other 2 without being poor. Landwise, its like Narooma, condition wise, like Queenscliff - vary reliant on local rainfall.


    Anyone else played these three SC tracks?
    Last edited by WBennett; 28th May 2019 at 05:44 AM.

    Chopperlink

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  2. #2
    Junior Member Fairweather club-member
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    Yes. Played Port heaps and Gerringong. Gerringong is so quirky and fun. Views unreal. The Crows were crazy last time there, I mean a dozen pills per player crazy. Port is okay. I just don't enjoy it as much as Wollongong and The Links for some reason. Have called in at SH but never played. Used to have the rep of best greens in NSW south of Sydney. Will have to get there for a game.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Major Winner
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    We do a similar 'event' with 3 days at Kangaroo Valley (less driving, more drinking).

    Views are spectacular and a variety of hole designs, with the double gully carry on the 8th being the standout. Easy to play, as all trouble is obvious, re. risk-reward strategy for all handicaps. Definitely need a cart, and not much traffic, especially mid-week.

    Maintained by minimum staff, which is mainly mowing and some filling in of bunkers. Unfortunately, the greens in March were cored with 2cm holes, so check the condition before booking. (Played in June 2017, when they were slick, so hopefully they come back.)

    Not your average country NSW track.
    Last edited by Dotty; 28th May 2019 at 06:54 AM.
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  4. #4
    Member Club member who plays rain, hail, shine
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    Thanks for the writeup - planning something similar later this year.

    Re Gerringong it's a fantastic bit of land (block next door just sold for $13M I believe) and a great walk but the course itself isn't much. Sure it's fun but holes like 10 take the edge off especially for first timers.

  5. #5
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    Yeah great feedback Bennet. I am heading down that way in October fora similar trip and looking for come courses that will suit a range of skill levels we have.
    I really enjoy Gerringong. I think its a great track and really interesting and challenging holes on a piece of land like that. Have seen in develop over the past 10 years.

    Has anyone played Worrigee? Looks short, which is fine for us as long as the condition of the fairways and greens is decent. Its one we are conisdering along with Kangaroo Valley and Gerringong if anyone has any input would love to hear it.

  6. #6
    Victorious Confederate Captain Order of Merit winner
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    Never played Worrigee. Played Nowra and wouldn't hurry back to it.

    Kiama also gets decent reviews for a very short course. Again, never played it. Another option is Jamberoo but again I've never been there.

    Chopperlink

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  7. #7
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    Yeah agreed, Nowra isn't as good as Geringong and Shellharbour, just not as interesting.
    I have locked in Gerringong and Worrigee for our weekend, a third TBC.
    Will throw up my thoughts on Worrigee when we get around to playing it.


 

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