Golf Australia's Murray River Travel Feature

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The sun sets over Murray Downs’ par-5 16th hole.

FROM SWAN HILL TO ALBURY, THE MURRAY RIVER OFFERS A COMPLETE MENU TO SATISFY EVEN THE HEARTIEST APPETITE FOR GOLF. WORDS: STEVE KEIPERT PHOTOGRAPHY: BRENDAN JAMES

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laying golf along the Murray River is like going to your favourite neighbourhood pizza place; you keep gravitating there because the value is good and you know exactly what you’re going to get.

The Murray is Australian golf’s smorgasbord, an extensive menu of golf options where it is possible to gorge oneself on a multi-course feast. But key to the region’s continued success is its ability to draw golfers back, year after year. Why? Golfers know what to expect – and they like it.

Several terms surface repeatedly when you describe the courses of the Murray River. Towering gums, thick treelines, red bunkers, generous greens and excellent condition of the playing surfaces epitomise most layouts, yet the experience goes beyond merely the course characteristics. Value for money, a dearth of lost balls, courses that are challenging but not infuriating and club facilities offering absolutely everything can be added to the Murray précis.

At Rich River, I played a few holes with Bob and his wife Sylvia from the

western districts of Victoria. They’ve been coming to the Murray biannually for longer than they care to remember. “It’s hard not to like the place,” Bob tells me.

“The courses are pleasant and each one has its own little point of difference.

We tend to stay for only a few days and pick different courses each time, but every time we leave we regret not staying longer and so start planning the next trip on the car ride home.”

Alan, a retired accountant from Sydney who I met at Yarrawonga-Mulwala, is part of a dozen-strong group of 60-something golfers that make the six-hour journey south each March and have done so for 25 years. “Yarrawonga always makes our itinerary but frankly we’re not fussed where we play,” he says. “The golf, accommodation and service is outstanding right along the river. We’ve never been disappointed anywhere we’ve been.”

One suspects they’re not the only golfers who feel the same way.

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DID YOU clockwise from above: The

bunkering on the redesigned holes at Barham is first class; The tree-lined 2nd hole at Cohuna; The impressive 10th of Rich River’s West course; The ominous water carry on the par-3 5th at Murray Downs.

BEST WESTERN The club with the reputation for having the premier golf course along the Murray is also its most remote. Murray Downs Golf and Country Club on the New South Wales side of the river outside Swan Hill is an oasis in the Mallee. The arid, scrubby land of the region borders several fairways across a boundary fence, serving as a reminder of the transformation required when Ted and Geoff Parslow designed the layout in 1990. That it is the only Murray River golf course still listed in Golf Australia’s Top-100 Courses ranking indicates the esteem in which Murray Downs is held.

The course is routinely in excellent condition with ample water supply to quench the couch fairways, which are hardy but immaculate. The design is short and mostly spacious. Other than the iconic 5th, the few holes with water use it more as eye-candy than a legitimate obstacle.

The 5th hole is a gem and has long been the most photographed and daunting hole at Murray Downs. Between the tee and green of the 194-metre par-3 is a large lake that also wraps around the right side, yet the real feature is the multi-sectioned green. The rear-right portion of the putting surface is largely hidden from the tee, as is the part of the lake gathered in next to it.

The 5th is indicative of many of Murray Downs’ greens in that the huge surfaces play like three greens in one as most feature lobes tucked to the side or back, often behind one of the huge ochre-coloured bunkers. Flags placed

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in these sections can turn straightforward holes into more complex tests.

Many holes are framed from the tee by vast traps that are mostly easy to escape due to their size, flat nature and lack of high lips. The par-5 4th is a fine example, with bunkers up the left edge for those steering clear of the trees and bushes on the right. The hole turns gently right around a water hazard by the green that will rinse second or third shots that are well short or badly sliced, as the lake curls around the front and right edges of the putting surface before creating havoc at the aforementioned 5th.

On the inward nine, the long par-3 15th requires a long, high shot to carry a phalanx of bunkers in front of a large, two-tiered green, while the 17th is a stern par-4 with sand and water in play in a manner that reflects the par-5 4th.

One of the quirks to the layout is that, strangely, on some holes the blue tee markers are behind the championship black markers.

Large greens, large bunkers, large fairways. About the only thing that isn’t large at Murray Downs is the total distance on the scorecard. This is a top ‘resort’ course that serves its market brilliantly by being generous and accommodating from tee to green but could use a few new tees to add some modern length.

One of the sleeper courses along the mighty watercourse is cluBarham Golf and Sports, a revamped name for an old golf course with a strong plan to improve an already captivating layout. The two nines are significantly different,

The size and shape of the bunkering is a over feature The sun sets theof2nd and 3rd Rich River’s WestLanding layout.course with holes of The Lake Oconee in the background.

thanks largely to redesign input by prolific course architect Ross Watson 14 years ago. Watson’s work added finesse to the first three holes and the 9th, bolstering a front nine already rich in design traits.

What was once a sandscrapes course until the 1960s is now enjoying a period of positive transformation that will eventually make it a must-play stop along the Murray River – if it isn’t already. In addition to Watson’s work are plans to replace and redesign four more greens on the back nine to complement the more appealing front side.

A tributary of the Murray winds through the outward nine and is frequently in view and in play. The bunkering is more penal and visually pleasing than at many rural courses. With greater depth and more contours, these are no ‘pancake’ traps without lips. Such features, along with stand after stand of stunning gum trees, highlights a stretch to match any set of nine holes along the river.

All visitors gape in awe at “Gallipoli”, a yawning bunker short of the par-4 5th green. These days the pit is not so huge by resort standards but back in the day it was a vast expanse of sand. This sandy chasm of hell is benched into a slope below the raised green and is impossible not to notice and problematic to carry. In fact, such is the depth of the pot and steepness of the false front of the putting surface, balls escaping will often trickle helplessly back into its clutches. No wonder the 392-metre par-4 is rated the toughest hole.

Driving into Cohuna Golf Club, there is no escaping the pride with which the club views its favourite son. Plastered across the sign at the entrance is a tribute to Stuart Appleby and his connection to the club where the nine-time US PGA Tour winner honed his game during his formative years.

This quintessential country layout journeys between stands of towering red gums on a course that is decent rather than excellent. There is an honesty box for green fees and a sign on the clubhouse exterior that reads “No free golf!” to warn any would-be freeloaders. The course is no pushover, however. Pushup greens are commonplace as the targets are defended by terrain rather than a vast number of bunkers and lakes.

There is not the reliance on bunkers at Cohuna that there is at other courses along the Murray. Instead, the danger is in the air. Trees, some as high as office buildings, need to be avoided or shots shaped around them. Hitting a drive on the incorrect side of a dogleg fairway, for instance, might leave a shot blocked by one or more century-old gums. Often, narrow chutes between the treelines constrict the driving lines. It’s no wonder Appleby’s straight, penetrating ball flight with the driver was for so long a potent weapon of his on Tour; he had the perfect corridors down which to ingrain that shot.

know?

• A t 2,508 kilometres, Murray is the 15th longest river in the world (when its tributaries are calculated). It is the world’s third-longest navigable river, after the Nile and Amazon rivers.

• For the portion of the Murray that forms the border between New South Wales and Victoria, the river itself is entirely within NSW. The border is the southern bank of the river, so should your golf ball splash into it, you’ll have made NSW minutely larger.

• The river provides domestic water supply for more than 1.5 million households.

• The Murray is home to the world’s largest flat-water canoe race each December.

• A total of 37 golf courses are located along the total length of the Murray.

STRIKING IT RICH Rich River Golf Club Resort is plentiful with golf and resort facilities.

Located at Moama, the sister town to Echuca across the border, Rich River is a 36-hole layout on a mostly flat site with pockets of heavily treed areas coupled with open holes. The East course is marginally superior to the West course, although either layout would provide a solid challenge amid scenic surroundings.

The bunkering isn’t overdone on either course, while the West features more treed holes, particularly from the 2nd to 7th holes. The holes doglegging amid the trees are arguably the most difficult as the contrasting spacious holes thereafter provide the best birdie opportunities. The West also has fewer water hazards than the East.

The closing four holes are among the West’s best. The 400-metre 15th carries the No.1 index and justifiably so. It is another hole to twist right with water on that side but also a hidden hazard just off the left side of the fairway, which includes a large bunker for good measure. The second shot is far simpler as the green is entirely open in front. Despite its length, it’s a good hole to play for safety off the tee and fire towards the green from long range.

Back-to-back par-5s at 16 and 17 offer late birdie chances, especially at the 16th, which at 452 metres is 30 metres shorter than the 17th, before a precision iron shot is called for to the last green.

The pick of the East’s holes include the long par-5s to open and close the round, the short par-4 4th, with a series of bunkers dotting the rippled fairway, and the 15th. This 362-metre par-4 features a daunting rear tee to ensure the trio of bunkers set into the left side of the fairway can always remain in play, regardless of wind direction. Miss further left than that and your tee shot might well be wet. This water extends towards the left side of a green also protected in front by a lone bunker.

Both courses are highly playable with clearly evident passages between

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Winter stay & play specials Jun-Aug, t�in share midweek (Mon-Thurs) from $84.50pp per night or weekends (Fri-Sun) from $89.50pp (2 night minimum)

above: Rich red sand bunkering can be found throughout the 36 holes on offer at Tocumwal Golf Club. right: The approach to the par-4 18th hole on Tocumwal’s Presidents Course.

the various hazards. There are few tough decisions required as the two layouts test execution over strategy. The uncomplicated design coupled with the topclass couch fairways make it clear why Rich River is an entrenched destination for any Murray golf trip. Add the vast clubhouse and attached accommodation and it is one of several one-stop-shops for travelling golfers.

Blessed with two differing layouts, Tocumwal Golf Club remains something of a secret to many Murray travellers thanks to its location, wedged between the Albury to Yarrawonga golf scene and the Swan Hill to Echuca courses. Still, more than 5,000 golfers annually take up the attractive play-andstay packages on offer, which combine the Presidents and Captains courses.

The club prides itself on the condition of the greens and fairways, calling them the best along the Murray. It’s a claim you’ll hear often along the mighty watercourse, yet in all honesty each club could be correct. The respective maintenance schedules aside, there is little separating the quality of the greens from Albury to Swan Hill so you’re unlikely to come across even mediocre turf conditions.

The Captains course at Tocumwal is newer, longer and more open; the Presidents is 200 metres shorter, more heavily treed and contains the original part of the golf course. The Captains is full of moderately difficult, mostly straightforward holes with spacious landing areas and putting surfaces. The Presidents definitely has more personality, with more doglegs, more mature treelines plus canopies that encroach playing lines and the odd tree retained in a place that creates a strategic headache. Which course to play should come down to each golfer’s penchant for length with width over a shorter layout with

a greater arsenal of shots required. Based on visitor feedback and requests, the Presidents course sees marginally more action yet the continued growth and maturity of the Captains is levelling that popularity contest.

Cobram-Barooga has been a staple of Murray golf for decades. Now known as Sporties Cobram Barooga Golf Club, what hasn’t changed is the high calibre of the 36 holes on offer. The Old course here carries the greater traffic yet the West is a mere breath behind its sister layout for quality.

Birdies are on offer immediately at the Old course. Driving the green from 239 metres at the 1st might not be an option due to the bunkers fronting the elevated green but a drive and pitch or blast from the sand can start the round in red figures. Later on, ignore the rows of carefully planted conifer trees near the 14th tee as they aren’t in play. What will be in play is the large pine on the inside corner of the dogleg-right par-4. This hole is made for left-to-right players as the gentle camber of the land sends balls towards the left side and away from the preferred angle to the green.

Thurgoona Count�� Club Resor� offers golfers a mat�re Championship golf course located only 10 minutes from Albur� NSW, an easy 3 hour drive from Melbour�e and a brief 60-minute flight from Sydney. Desig�ed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, Thurgoona presents a fair challenge to golfers of all abilities. Beautif�lly covered couch fair�ays invite your approach to large bent g�ass g�eens with subtle slopes, st�ategically placed bunkers and enough water to make even the most ex�erienced golfer think t�ice. The 18-hole championship course plays to 6372m, par 72 for the men and 5480m, par 74 for the ladies. Thurgoona is a semi-private facilit� offering g�eat membership packages as well as lots of availabilit� for visitors and stay and play g�oups.

Our on-course accommodation feat�res a 26 room motel bordering the 18th fair�ay, a shor� st�oll from the clubhouse. Stay and play packages are available for any sized g�oup and include one round of 18-holes for each night’s accommodation, continental breakfast (hot breakfast option available) and a dinner voucher for your evening meals. With a swimming pool, tennis cour�s, hot t�b, sauna, g�� and a f�ll ser�ice Club with Bist�o, TAB, and several televisions to watch the game(s), there’s really no need to get back in the car once you’ve ar�ived. For any non-golfers in your g�oup, our close proximit� to Albur� and its g�eat selection of shops, restaurants and cafes means that there is something for ever�one to enjoy during your stay at Thurgoona Count�� Club Resor�. We look for�ard to seeing you!

from left: The

paddle steamer Emmylou chugs along on the Murray River at Echuca; Bridge over the Murray linking Cobram and Barooga; Kangaroos emerge from the shadows in the late afternoon to have a graze on the West course at Sporties Cobram Barooga Golf Club.

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above: The beautiful par-3 13th on Yarrawonga Mulwala’s Murray Course, which was designed

by Peter Thomson and MIke Wolveridge. right: Water flanks the right edge of the fairway on the par-5 13th hole of Yarrawonga Mulwala’s Lake course.

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(02)4476 2522 the 5th. It’s a hilltop-toThe West assembles aNSW, nice run of holes from

hilltop par-3 with cheeky alternate teeing ground left of the main tee that 02a4476 0500 accentuates the angle over the front bunker. The 6th is an undulating par-4 set on a ridge across which the hole doglegs to the left towards a green tucked over the rise. A white signpost set high above the green points the way for those unable to get a clear view of the flag. The 7th begins next to the river before turning 45 degrees right around a pair of fairway bunkers with imposing high lips.

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18/03/2015 9:25:43 AM

Port Fairy Perfection ONE BIG, BEATING HEART

a pond that encroaches on the left side of the fairway and fronts the small The hub of Murray golf – for proximity to the other courses, for volume of green on the same side. A long iron or fairway wood down the right side takes golf on offer, for off-course facilities and geographically – is Yarrawongathe water out of play but there’s no avoiding the aqua on the approach shot.

Mulwala Golf Club Resort. The 45-hole complex includes the only hole in Let the clubhouse be your 19th, 37th or 46th hole – or your second home. the entire region where the river is legitimately in play, left of the 5th fairway With a new cinema as part of the complex, the Yarrawonga-Mulwala clubhouse on the Murray course, and adds the popular par-33 Executive nine between is much more than a place to rest, eat, drink and socialise. You can build your the Murray and Lake layouts. non-golf itinerary around the facilities and activities on offer inside.

Like the region’s other multi-course clubs, Yarrawonga-Mulwala’s two 18s A short drive away is the newest addition to the chain of Murray golf are significantly different yet complementary. Murray is tight and tree-lined; courses, Black Bull Golf Club on the shores of Lake Mulwala and part of Lake is more open. Most visitors want to tour the Murray course, although Silverwoods Golf and Lifestyle Resort. Designed by Peter Thomson and Ross improvements to the Lake via a $2 million irrigation project are bringing it Perrett, Black Bull has opened gradually – first nine holes then 13 and now closer to its big sister. the full 18 from this month. Once the permanent infrastructure side of the A sea of gums litters the Murray course and provides distinct corridors development is complete, the clubhouse and beginning and end of the course down which to fire tee and approach shots. The odd small billabong is in play, will sit right on the edge of the lake, which is characterised by an assortment most notably at the long par-5 9th where the fairway narrows for the second Par 3 15th of dead gums sticking out of the water like bony fingers. shot, which must either fly or skip along a narrow passage separating two of The US PGA Tour has a Bear Trap, a Snake Pit and famed Amen Corner; these hazards.

Black Bull will introduce golfers to the “Bull Ring” on holes 4 to 6, a waterThe picturesque 5th that rides the shores of the Murray is one hole all Rated Australia’s 30th Public Access Course and carry par-3 and two meaty par-4s that were among the final five holes to be want to score well on. It’s a short par-5 at 470 metres and the terrain situatedgolfers along the scenic Victorian Great Ocean Road developed. Complete with red flags (compared to the yellow pins on the collects balls to the left. In truth, it takes a fierce hook to hit one in the river Port Fairy Golf Links is simply a must visit and play! other 15 holes), director of golf operations James McCully plans to bring in yet all balls seem to want to gather in its vicinity. Subsequent strikes are a life-size bull statue to complete the arena setting. For those wondering, complicated by a lone river gum on the right side crowding the second and Visitors and Corporate events welcome. the course’s name is not marketing shtick as the site was an Angus farm in a third shots to a fairly open green.

Memberships available from $340.00 previous life – and there is plenty of ‘beef’ to the course.

The Lake course lacks the river and is shorter but packs a punch in other McCully is, ahem, bullish about the course’s prospects, openly saying his • Bar, Hot and Cold available ways.

The namefood suggests an abundance of water yet hazards are in play on ambition is for Black Bull to be viewed as the best course on the Murray. It • Room only Hirethree andholes.

Catering for functions Severalavailable distinct elevation changes make it difficult to have the Woodbine Road, Port Fairy certainly has that potential. Early play has golfers comparing it to Thomson ball finish close to the flag, plus there are decisions to be made throughout.

• Friendly and Relaxed Environment E: info@portfairygolf.com.au and Perrett’s work (along with Mike Wolveridge) at Links Hope Island, and OnePlay of thepackages best comes at the short par-4 8th, which trundles downhill towards • Stay and

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116 MAY 2015 golf australia Club, Buggy and Cart Hire Available.

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IT’S A HOLE NEW BALL GAME AT COROWA GOLF CLUB At Corowa Golf Club we go out of our way to ensure your visit with us is a success.

Accessible to members and the public all year round, Corowa Golf Club boasts 27 beautifully manicured holes.

above: The picturesque par-3 3rd hole of the Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett-designed Black Bull layout. below: Eventually this will be the scene that greets players ending their rounds at Black Bull. Until then, it is the beautiful par-5 5th hole.

‘Mid-week play & stay packages available from $173, terms and conditions apply’

Divided into 3 championship courses, Corowa Golf Club provides a challenging yet fair golfing experience next to the spectacular Murray River.

45Holes to Explore

Organise your next round at www.corowagolf.com.au or phone 02 6033 1466

above: Big gum trees are a majestic feature of most Murray courses but the well established stands of trees at Corowa provide shade and line most of the fairways of the 27-hole layout.

you can see why. The fairway topography, bunker shapes and even some of the surrounds are reminiscent of the popular Gold Coast destination.

Several familiar TP design traits reveal themselves throughout, while the greens are subtly undulated with enough shape to be perplexing to read rather than obscene.

From the new to the old, Corowa Golf Club remains a charming ingredient in Murray golf with 27 holes that combine new with old in its own way. The original 18 holes is condensed in a mostly flat site close to the river with a newer, longer and more expansive nine on the other side of the property that complements the first 18 perfectly.

While shorter, the original course is tight with more trees in play as well as flanking the fairways in what are essentially 18 hallways through the timber.

The third nine provides contrast with ponds in a setting where everything just feels bigger. And big is an understatement at the 4th hole, which has a green I paced at 62 metres from front to back. Two tiers segment the huge surface into three distinct regions and the fact it plays uphill so you can’t see the base of the flag from the tee only adds to the task of selecting the right club.

On the river side of the course, the par-3 12th is perhaps the one place where the Murray might be in play with a wild hook from the tee, but at 133 metres it would take an errant shot of the highest magnitude to get wet. sandbound 12th green at Corowa is one of few holes along the Murray where you can see the great river; Dropping a fishing line on Lake Mulwala after a round; Several bunkers have been redesigned in recent years at the wellmaintained Howlong golf course..

Later, the 23rd is one hole that gives golfers cause to think and decide on an appropriate strategy. At 251 metres from the back markers, this par-4 is driveable for many golfers but anything straying even slightly left will hop the fence and finish out-of-bounds.

NATIONAL INTEREST Not too many towns can boast a population of 2,500 and a club membership of 5,000 yet Howlong Country Golf Club can. The golf club with the largest membership in Australia isn’t in one of the capital cities, nor is it even close to one. It’s not a Top-100-ranked track, either, so why the appeal?

Howlong offers what it terms a ‘remote membership’, whereby anyone living more than 50 kilometres away can pay $99 annually and join with no restrictions on playing a minimum number of rounds or similar. Heck, the club even throws in a free night’s accommodation at its adjoining motel to sweeten the deal, effectively paying its long-distance members to join if they take up the offer. The remote membership has stirred isolated instances of controversy among some clubs when Howlong members show up for open competitions, but in reality the club has cottoned on to an idea and executed it in a way few other clubs have.

Local and remote members alike enjoy a sneaky-good layout with many

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from left: The

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For new bookings only, package based on twin share in Grevillea, Wattle or Waratah suites, 1 night $120pp, 2 nights $230pp & 3 nights $335pp

Valid Sunday – Thursday nights June 1st – August 31st subject to availability.

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4/10/15 4:54 PM

Time Out FOR

a top drop

Taking a drop is inevitable while playing golf along the Murray River yet not every drop needs to be cause for disappointment. Three places to sample the best the Murray River wine region has to offer include Morrisons Winery The Commercial Golf Resort Albury at Moama, plus All Saints Estate and Campbells Wines outside Corowa. course covers some good rolling land giving rise to some interesting holes.

After tapping in on the 18th green at Rich River, venture towards the river to Morrisons Riverview Winery and Restaurant for a sample of the first-timers astounded at how impressive the facilities are. The club is also in area’s leading wines and a meal to savour. With a range encompassing the process of replacing six greens, having recently upgraded the bunkers Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Shiraz and Muscat, Morrisons adds and spent $1 million on irrigation and drainage. Course superintendent substantially to its wine selections through the restaurant’s a la carte Paul Irvine, a Murray River local whose résumé includes five years working (pictured top) and platter menus. at Royal Melbourne, brought many of the practices he learned at RM to Why not let a few hours slide Howlong. Unsurprisingly, Howlong has a reputation for fast greens but it’s by in this stunning setting with more than that. There’s an attention to detail across the course that screams a Gippsland lamb rack, which passion and care – neat bunker edging, tidy tee gardens; little things done is currently on the autumn really well. menu? Morrisons Wharf to Overall, the 5,646-metre par-70 layout defends its lack of length well Winery package, formed in by slotting in the odd longer hole or shrewdly tightening others, such as the double-dogleg 14th where the 455-metre par-5 turns left for the tee conjunction with Murray River shot and back to the right near the green, making it extremely difficult Paddlesteamers, includes to accurately shape a pair of shots in opposite directions to find the green return shuttle transfer from in two. your accommodation (for The Albury-Wodonga region is home to three courses that add a degree groups of six or more), a return of variety from their cousins further up the river. Commercial Golf Resort paddlesteamer cruise from the Albury is far hillier than the predominantly flat courses to the west and port of Echuca, a two-course its kikuyu fairways present a further point of difference. Several fairways lunch at Morrisons, a glass feature contours so steep that faster couch surfaces could render them of beer, wine or soft drink on unplayable, yet these slopes and dips give the layout an alluring versatility. arrival plus a wine tasting, for Commercial is a good driver’s course, especially for players who can $75 each (www.morrisons.net.au). work the ball both ways with the driver, while the smallish greens can feel even tinier thanks to the protruding high lips of some front bunkers. Visitors All Saints Estate was appreciate these points of distinction, says club pro John Van Der Veen. established in 1864 in Wahgunyah “When you think of golf on the Murray, a lot of the time it’s Yarrawonga (part of the famed Rutherglen and going the other way, so when we get people here they really enjoy this wine region near Corowa) and is course,” he says. “There’s a different style and our greens are usually really one of Australia’s original wineries. true and quick. We’re getting a lot of good feedback.”

Siblings Eliza, Angela and Nicholas Most visitors like the par-4 3rd hole, which bends right before traversing Brown form the fourth-generation a canal, but the 17th raised my eyebrows. The 138-metre par-3 climbs to a wine family that owns and runs All Saints Estate and St Leonards Vineyard.

Winter Stay green set into a hillside in what is a death or glory hole. Tee shots failing to All Saints Estate produces award-winning, distinctive, handcrafted table Play carry the& sharp hillPackages fronting the putting surface will bounce and roll far from wines, including Marsanne, Durif (pictured middle) and exciting blends Stay 1, 2 or 3 nights version of the shot just misfired. the target, leaving a miniature from $120pp such as Sangiovese Cabernet. These sit alongside world-renowned Muscat Across the twin towns, Wodonga Golf Club is an honest, solid layout Includes: Accommodation, and Tokay up to 100 years old. As well as an outstanding cellar door facility, Daily Golf, Daily Breakfast, the sprawling estate hosts the ‘one hat’ Terrace Restaurant and Indigo Wodonga is one of the more underrated Movie Tickets, Bottle of courses along the Murray River.

Cheese Company, all set amid historical buildings classified by the Historic Wine & Access Buildings Council and formal gardens (www.allsaintswine.com.au) to Gym With five generations and more than 140 years of family winemaking, Campbells Wines (pictured bottom) has forged a reputation as a benchmark Rutherglen winery.

Today, fourth generation winemaker Colin Campbell and his brother, viticulturist Malcolm Campbell, are the custodians of the family tradition, along with their children who are now adding their ideas and skills.

For new bookings only, package based on twin The Campbells’ winemaking philosophy is to capture the full flavour of share in Grevillea, Wattle or Waratah suites, 1 night $120pp, 2 nights $230pp & 3 nights $335pp Rutherglen into wines of complexity and elegance.

Valid Sunday – Thursday nights June 1st – August 31st subject to availability.

Campbells is renowned for crisp, aromatic whites and flavoursome mouth-filling reds, including the legendary Bobbie Burns Shiraz and the Barkly Durif. The jewels in their crown are the luscious Rutherglen Topaques and Muscats which are consideredwww.yarragolf.com.au to be the world’s richest Ph: (03) 5744 1911 wines (www.campbellswines.com.au).

• 45 Holes • Stylish Accommodation • Quality Dining • Movie Theatre • Conference & Function Centre

45Holes to Explore

• Bowls & Croquet • Driving Range • Swimming Pool • Tennis court • Fitness & Well-Being Centre 120 MAY 2015 | golf australia

GAmay15 Yarrawonga GC HPH.indd 1

stay& play

in sunny y Echuca-Moama on a 36 Hole Championship Golf Course

at Rich River Golf Club Resort

AVAILABLE JUNE-AUGUST 2015* 1 x night on-site accommodation 1 x day unlimited golf 1 x club voucher 1 x cooked breakfast

PRICES

Single $160pp Double $120pp Triple $110pp

Please quote

“GOLF AUSTRALIA”

when booking this golf package.

03 5481 3333 RICH RIVER GOLF CLUB RESORT TWENTY FOUR LANE, MOAMA NSW www.richriver.com.au

E: stayandplay@yarragolf.com.au

www.richriver.com.au 4/10/15 4:54 PM

MID-YEAR PACKAGE

*Available 1st June - 31st August 2015. Subject to availability. Excludes Queen's birthday long weekend. Minimum two-night stay on weekends.

Prices subject to change without notice.

Tailor made packages also available upon request. golf australia

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&

Come

enjoy

the best conditioned golf course on the Murray River, Tocumwal Golf Club.

With its immaculately presented 36 hole Golf Course it is sure to please golfers of all levels.

Each of the two courses offer their unique challenges, with reward for good shot making evident. With its blend of Native Trees and Wildlife, not only will you enjoy your golfing experience, your senses will also be treated.

Whether it’s a true golfing challenge or a stroll with your clubs, you will enjoy everything Tocumwal Golf Club has to offer.

Take Advantage of our

above: Thurgoona’s signature hole is the long par-3 16th hole. The angled green demands a precise tee shot that moves slightly from left-to-right. right: Bunkers line the left edge of the par4 9th hole at Thurgoona, adding to the challenge of the tee shot.

in fine condition that becomes most interesting towards the climax of a round.

The par-3 16th hole, called Deadman’s Carry, requires a 152-metre shot across Felltimber Creek in the corner of the golf course. The hazard is more a visual than strategic obstacle, as the real trouble lurks nearer the green in the shape of an elongated bunker that hugs the front-right part of the wide green. Rightside hole locations are particularly influenced by this trap.

The last two holes run alongside the same creek, which can come into play on the right side of both fairways. What the waterway does is frame the 17th green nicely. Approach shots to the 342-metre par-4 fly downhill and need to avoid a pair of bunkers with the creek and adjoining assembly of trees creating a picturesque backdrop. Likewise at the par-5 last, the creek accompanies golfers for all 535 metres along the lower right side of the tilting fairway and will swallow shots missing far to that side.

On the eastern side of Albury, Thurgoona Country Club Resort is enjoying a new lease of life. An irrigation project completed at the start of 2014 and conversion to Santa Ana couch late last year has seen the course recover from a period of average conditioning.

What has never been in question is the calibre of the layout. A testing 6,372 metres from the tips and still a substantial 6,176 from the whites, holes wrap around stands of trees and cleverly exploit the site’s moderate undulations.

Course superintendent Dean Lewis has allowed the first cut of rough to grow, which for Thurgoona’s wide playing corridors is entirely appropriate and also gives the landing areas far better definition.

Two more things stand out from playing 18 holes here: the crowned greens and the size of the bunkers. Many putting surfaces are domed and raised just

Stay ‘n’ Play Winter Special – Stay three nights, pay for two.

The Clubhouse boasts a full Bistro Menu 7 days a week, Bar Facilities, Function rooms for hire, tailor made Stay ‘n’ Play Packages available, Keno, TAB and so much more!

Contact us on 03 5874 9111 or email admin@tocumwalgolf.com.au

10 Clubhouse Place Wodonga, Victoria, 3690 Phone: (02) 6059 1552 Email: pro@wodonga-golf.com

enough to repel balls landing near the edges, leading to some complicated short-game recoveries. The large bunkers, many with multiple chambers, are visually intimidating but also deceiving in places. For instance, the pot short of the 9th green appears to front the green’s edge when standing in the fairway but is actually 15 metres or so short of the deep green.

The two nines build to dual crescendos with the tougher holes found late on both sides, yet early tests remain. The 3rd and 4th holes pair a long, wide par4 that turns right around fairway bunkers with a par-5 scaling a ridge for two excellent examinations. The finishing holes get pulses racing, most rapidly at the 16th. This 173-metre par-3 from a sheltered tee opens as it crosses a lake towards a raised green also guarded by sand. It’s your white-knuckle moment for the round. The two closing par-4s move up and then down a gentle rise, with the 18th green set beyond an entrance narrowed by trees and a lurking creek.

It’s another example of the variety, quality and sheer quantity on offer whichever part of the Murray you choose to visit. I know my next order will be one with the lot.

www.wodonga-golf.com

from left: The

panoramic view of Lake Hume from Table Top, Albury; The facade of the historic Albury Railway Station; Sculptures lit up at night at Woodland Grove, Wodonga.

MENTION THIS ADVERT & RECEIVE

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Wodonga Golf Club is a hidden gem in the Albury-Wodonga Murray River region. The 18 hole championship layout is set in a natural bush environment, with outstanding greens & fantastic views.

Why not make Wodonga Golf Club part of your Murray River Holiday.

20% OFF

GREEN FEES

golf australia | MAY 2015 123 *Terms & Conditions Apply, Offer Valid to August 31st 2015.

S LE N O O H SO 18 G LL NIN FU PE O

Swan Hill 1

2 Barham 3 Cohuna

4 Echuca

VICTORIA

TO SYDNEY Tocumwal

5 6 Cobram Howlong 7 11 12 14 8 9 10 ALBURY Corowa Yarrawonga 13 Wodonga Shepparton

TO MELBOURNE

WHERE TO PLAY & STAY 1. MURRAY DOWNS GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB Location: Murray Downs Drive, Murray Downs.

Green fee: $45.

Contact: (03) 5033 1427; www.murraydownsgolf.com.au Accommodation: 1800 807 574; www. murraydownsresort.com.au 2. cluBARHAM GOLF AND SPORTS Location: Moulamein Rd, Barham.

Green fee: $38.

Contact: (03) 5453 2971; www.clubarham.com.au Accommodation: (03) 5453 2159; www.clubarham.com.au/accommodation 3. COHUNA GOLF CLUB Location: Weymouths Rd, Cohuna.

Green fee: $35.

Contact: (03) 5456 2188; www.cohunagolfclub.com.au

5. TOCUMWAL GOLF CLUB Location: Barooga Rd,Tocumwal.

Green fee: $40.

Contact: (03) 5874 9172; www.tocumwalgolf.com.au Accommodation: 1800 631 197; www.tocumwalgolf. com.au/tocumwal/Accommodation 6. SPORTIES COBRAM-BAROOGA GOLF CLUB Location: Golf Course Rd, Barooga.

Green fee: $33 (weekdays), $38 (weekends).

Contact: (03) 5873 4372; www.cbgc.com.au 7. YARRAWONGA-MULWALA GOLF CLUB RESORT Location: Golf Club Rd, Mulwala.

Green fee: $45, or $68 for a full-day pass.

Contact: (03) 5744 3983; www.yarragolf.com.au Accommodation: (03) 5744 1911; www.yarragolf.com.au 8. CENTRAL YARRAWONGA MOTOR INN Location: Belmore St,Yarrawonga.

Contact: (03) 5744 3817; www.yarrawongamotel.com.au 9. BLACK BULL GOLF CLUB Location: Phillip Hyland Drive,Yarrawonga.

Green fee: $40.

Contact: (03) 5744 0044; www.blackbullgc.com.au

4. RICH RIVER GOLF CLUB RESORT Location: Twenty Four Lane, Moama.

Green fee: $44 (Sun-Fri), $50 (Sat).

Contact: (03) 5481 3372; www.richriver.com.au Accommodation: (03) 5481 3333.

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10. COROWA GOLF CLUB Location: Hume St, Corowa.

Green fee: $35.

Contact: (02) 6033 2162; www.corowagolf.com.au Accommodation: (02) 6033 1466; www.corowagolf.com.au/motel

11. HOWLONG COUNTRY GOLF CLUB Location: Golf Club Drive, Howlong.

Green fee: $29 (weekdays), $34 (weekends).

Contact: (02) 6026 5321; www.howlonggolf.com.au Accommodation: (02) 6026 5588.

12. COMMERCIAL GOLF RESORT ALBURY Location: North St, Albury.

Green fee: $32 (weekdays), $36 (weekends).

Contact: (02) 6057 2801; www.commercialclubalbury.com.au/Golf Accommodation: (02) 6057 2850; www.commercialclubalbury.com.au/Golf/ Accommodation 13. WODONGA GOLF CLUB Location: Clubhouse Place, Wodonga.

Green fee: $30.

Contact: (02) 6059 1552; www.wodonga-golf.com 14. THURGOONA COUNTRY CLUB RESORT Location: Evesham Place,Thurgoona.

Green fee: $32 (weekdays), $36 (weekends).

Contact: (02) 6043 1666; www.thurgoonaresort.com.au Accommodation: (02) 6043 1666; www.thurgoonaresort.com.au/albury-accommodation

PREMIUM GOLF FRONTED LOTS WITH WATER VIEWS FROM ONLY

$199,900

*

OFFER EXTENDED UNTIL 31ST MAY Black Bull Pro Shop Call 03 5744 0044 blackbullgc.com.au PROUDLY DEVELOPED BY

Land Sales Enquiries Call 03 5743 3744 silverwoodsyarrawonga.com.au PROUDLY MARKETED BY

*Terms & conditions apply. Offer subject to 10% deposit, unconditional contract or enter into legally binding contract, settle 30 days and building within 12 months of settlement. Offer ends 31/5/15.

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Morrisons Winery & Restaurant is nestled amongst the gum tress on the banks of the mighty Murray River.

From each seat in the restaurant you have a view of the river and the vineyard. For something unique you can arrive from Echuca via paddlesteamer. Morrisons restaurant has won numerous awards including best restaurant in Southern NSW. The cellar door offers 10 wines to taste, many of them have won numerous awards. Open 7 days for coffee, lunch, drinks and functions at night by prior arrangement, Morrisons is an essential visit when you are in the region.

CELLAR DOOR Meet our knowledgeable staff and enjoy a guided tasting of our premium table wines and fortifieds. Become our newest Wine Club Member of Australia’s finest wine club.

Open Mon - Sat 9am - 5.30pm and Sun 10am - 5.30pm.

INDIGO CHEESE CO. Sample artisan cheeses and local produce at our thriving boutique provedore or settle at one of the tables by the duck pond for a cheese board with delicious savoury treats and fresh bread. Open 7 days 10am - 4pm.

TERRACE RESTAURANT Discover divine local produce on our seasonal menu awarded 2014 & 2015 Good Food Guide Hats. Open for lunch Wednesday - Sunday from 12pm and dinner Saturday.

Private dining/events available. Complimentary local car service on Saturday nights. Bookings essential.

2 Merool Rd, Moama NSW 2731 (03) 5480 0126 www.morrisons.net.au

www.allsaintswine.com.au | 1800 021 621

Looking for a fantastic place to stay as well as a wonderful course to play? Look no further!

We can cater to any size group, our packages prices are designed to give you the absolute best value in the region.

• Discover 140 years of family winemaking • The home of Bobbie Burns Shiraz • Taste distinct wines of Rutherglen • Be treated to luscious, world renowned muscats & topaques of Rutherglen • Relax & enjoy a Campbells Hamper Box - available all day everyday!

n this Mentio visiting n e h ad w njoy oor & e cellar d ry ta limen a comp hed tc a m plate tasting n o cti to a sele s. ine of our w

4603 murray valley highway, rutherglen, victoria www.campbellswines.com.au | 02 6033 6000 126 MAY 2015 | golf australia

Resort facilities: tennis court, swimming pool, spa, sauna, kids outdoor playground, Murray river at our doorstep take full advantage of our Package complimentary kayak & paddle boat hire!

We insist on over delivering in value and customer service so call today to discuss your group options. Call (02) 6026 5321

Inclusions: Accommodation, unlimited golf, dinner voucher & breakfast.

Howlong Country Golf Club PO Box 5 Howlong NSW 2643 www.howlonggolf.com.au

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