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Address: Columba Street, North Balwyn
Number of holes: 18
19th Hole: No
Motorized Carts: Yes (but only one)
Cost: 18 — $18 (midweek)

Cary, Stuart, Billy & Mick went & played Freeway on a gorgeous Melbourne autumn day. When we were there the club was in the process of changing a couple of holes. The first which is normally a a long 193 metre par 3, at the moment there is a temporary tee which cuts the hole nearly in half. The 3rd has a temporary green at the moment, but this is supposed to rectified in the next couple of weeks. Another thing about the third is the South Eastern Freeway runs along the left hand side of the fairway (hence the name of the course). There is a lot of trees & rough between the freeway & the course so there is no real worry of putting a ball into traffic.

From the 4th hole onwards the course returns to normal.

A couple of holes on the front 9 that stand out to me are the par 4 5th & the par 4 9th.

The par 4 5th is is up hill & it looks a lot longer than it’s 359 meters. The fairway is a bit tight for the drive & the second shot up the hill is a tough one. The other stand out hole is the par 4 9th. The tee is slightly elevated with a dogleg right up toward the green. The approach to the green is fractionally uphill with a bunker on the left front side of the green. The bunker looks like a meteor crashed.

The back 9 is the more scenic of the 2. The 10th tee has a creek running about 50 metres in front, so if your golf balls are like mine & attracted to water no matter where it is, close your eyes & pretend it’s not there.

The 11th is a 377 metre par 4 with a very tight fairway off the tee. There is water to the left & the right so it’s a hole where you have to keep it straight.

The 13th is a dogleg left with the fairway sloping off to both the left & the right so if you’re shot doesn’t hit the middle of the fairway you could be in a bit of strife.

The fairways here are in fantastic condition with great coverage. The grass is nice & lush which makes is easy to get under the ball.

The greens are a great part of the course. There a few greens that are raised in a mound. This means your approach shots have to be spot on or you aren’t going to get value for your shots.

All in all a nice course, if you are only going to play 9 hole here I would suggest the back nine.

For the record, Cary & Mick were severely between by Stuart & Bill. In a game of 4 ball best ball the Scots got up by 7 holes.

Address: Bundoora Park, Plenty Road, Bundoora
Number of holes: 18
Carts available: Yes
19th Hole: No

A nice public course. Very straight & flat with tree lined fair ways. Bird life in abundance with cockatoos & Rosellas flying around through out the 18 holes.

The front nine is very straight with with just the 2 holes with doglegs. The 7th is a long par 5 with a dogleg approximately 150 meters from the front of the green, & the 9th is medium length par 4 with a small dogleg approximately 90 metres from the front of the green.

If you are a straight & long hitter there are a couple of holes that will make your eyes light up. The 3rd is a par 5 with a crest of a hill about 220 meters from the tee. A nice drive will see you looking down the hill to the green about 200 metres away, a good 3 wood & you can be on for 2. The other is the short par 4 6th. At 245 meters the green is drivable when the tees are playing forward. With a wide & open fairway it certainly allows you to open the shoulders & give it crack.

The back nine is more of a challenge with the majority of holes having a dogleg . Most of the doglegs are to the right so the best position to play from is left of centre of the fairway.

The two standout holes on the back nine would be the par 3 10th & the par 5 18th.

The par 3 10th is not a difficulty hole, at 170 metres it’s not a long par 3 but it could either build or break your confidence going into the back nine. With the lake as a back drop it’s a pleasant looking hole.

The par 5 18th is hard way to come home especially if your day hasn’t been the best. With a dogleg right at about the 280 meter mark you may not be able see the green for your second shot. The green is well guarded at the front right corner with a deep bunker. Best to approach the left side of the green & take the bunker out of play.

Not a bad course to play, but in the summer the fairways become a bit dry & in the winter the fairways can become a little boggy. Spring & Autumn are the optimal times to play this course but it is playable all year round.

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Address: Yan Yean Road, Yarrambat
Number of holes: 18
Motorized carts: Yes
19th Hole: Yes
Cost:
9 — $15 / 18 — $20 (weekdays); 9 — $16 / 18 — $23 (weekends)

One of the best public course I’ve played. You can’t say too much more than that but I’ll try & do the course justice.

One of the best things about this course is the variety it offers from hole to hole. That & the wild life. Yarrambat Golf Course is home to a large population of Kangaroos which makes it perfect for overseas visitors. The are a number of mobs of kangaroos scattered around the course.

But the main reason we are here is the golf, so lets begin with the front 9.

The par 5 2nd is a tough hole.464 meters from the back makers you can’t see the green from the tee. The hole has a slight dogleg to the right. You need to play straight from about 160 out as the fairway narrows with water on both the left & the right. With about 100 meters to the front of the green the fairway rises in a hill. The green is protected at the front right corner by a small bunker. Once on the green the putts become tough with the green sloping from the back right to the front left.

The par 3 5th is a long par 3 from the back markers. One thing you don’t want to do here is go left. There is quite a steep inbackment down to a group of trees which would tough going to get out of.

The par 4 6th is one of the best holes on the course. The hole offers you two options for your drive. The safer of the two is down the right hand side of the fairway, the problem being your approach from the here has a group of trees at the front right of the green. If you choose to go down the middle you have to contend with a fairway bunker & a group of mogels which would make your approach difficult.

The par 3 8th appears to be a simple little par 3, & it can be if you keep you ball above the hole. The green slopes down to the water at the front left edge, so even if you are above the hole be careful of your putt.

On the back 9 one of my favourite holes is the par 3 16th. It is 170 meters from the back markers. From the tee you look down the hill to the green. The green is protected by bunkers to the left, right, & at the back with a pond with it’s tributaries 10 meters in front. It’s a hole that you have to be accurate with or pay the price.

The 18th is a great hole to finish on. There is water on the left hand side of the fairway which is very much in play. Take in on at your peril, the smart play would be to lay it up for a long second shot, but then who normally plays the smart way.

As I mentioned earlier this is one of my favourite course & would recommend it to anyone no matter your skill level.

Address: Normanby Ave, Thornbury
Number of Holes: 9
19th Hole: Members only
Motorized Carts: No
Cost: 9 — $10.50 / 18 — $14.50

Northcote golf course is a small course in the middle of inner city Melbourne. Most of the fairways are in reasonable condition, a couple of them have cracks starting to appear, but at the end of a dry summer under water restrictions this is to be expected on a small public course. The greens appear to be challenging with a number of them having multiple levels. The day we played the greens had been recently cored so it’s a little difficult to give an accurate assessment

The first tee is a little strange here at Northcote. The have a matt tee in place that has to be used. The reason for this is explained as trying to minimize stray tee shots. The first fairway runs parrel with Normanby Ave, but how a matt tee can reduce the number of tee shots that miss the screen & hit the road I’m not sure.

The two best holes in my opinion at the course are the par 4 5th & the par 3 6th. The 5th is a 289 metre par 4 with the last 70 to 80 metres being up hill. The hill makes the second shot quite interesting as it is difficult to judge where the pin is located.

The 6th is a short 128 metre par 3. The hole is located below the tee which always makes for a difficult club selection.

All in all, Northcote does has something to offer as long as you don’t expect too much. During the week there is no need to make a booking so you can play at a moment notice, but as with most 9 hole courses, the resources to maintain the course in peak condition just aren’t available. The course has a great layout with two par threes & a par five & if you are looking to play somewhere different give it a go. There are only the one set of tees so if you play 18 holes you will be playing the same holes twice.

Address: Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield
Number of Holes: 18
19th Hole: You can buy beer at the Kiosk but you have to drink it there.
Motorized Carts: Yes
Cost: 18 — $21 (weekday)

It’s been at least 12 months since I had played here at Yarra Bend, & it was as good as I remember it. The fairways were well maintained & the greens were in excellent condition. When we were there, there was a little bit of work being done down the right hand side of the first fairway. There was digging equipment but it really wasn’t in play all that much. Once you got past the first, everything was back to normal. Something else of interest is there is now a colony of Flying Foxes living behind the second green. I was quite surprised by the numbers that were there & the noise that they made. I always assumed that bats were quite animals. Also the smell is quite pungent, nothing to lose your lunch over, but noticeable all the same.

Yarra Bend isn’t one of the longest course around, there is only 2 par 5s,(1 on the front & 1 on the back) & one of the par 3s is only 112 metres. It is a very challenging course all the same. On the front 9 there is a couple of holes that are worth a mention.

The first is the par 3 3rd. This hole is 160 metres but plays about 10 metres more than that. From the tee the fairway dips down & rises again to the green. The distance is quite deceiving. Even after you hit the ball it doesn’t go as far as you first think. In our group all 4 of us left the ball short of the putting surface.

The second is par 5 6th. 486 metres is pretty standard for a par 5 but half of this hole is down hill. This brings the green within reach of a good second shot. One thing that did fool me is the bunker down toward the green. It appears to be a greenside bunker from a distance. I played my third to land just over the bunker, only to discover that my ball was still a good 10 metres short of the green.

On the back 9 there is again 2 holes of note. The first of which is the par 4 12th. This par 4 has a dogleg left with a group of trees at the start of the dogleg. The temptation is to drive over the trees but be careful. The dogleg is not as server as it seems, if your drive goes too far left you could find your self in gully. When you approach the green, the easiest way is from the right hand side of the fairway. There is bunker protecting the front left side of the green & the back right.

The other holes is my favourite hole on the course. The 16th is a brilliant hole. A 341 meter par with a slight dogleg left. You need to play this hole from the right hand side of the fairway as you don’t have an approach shot if you go too far left. To complicate things a little more, the fairway slopes to the left. The approach from the right isn’t much better. The front of the green is protected by a large bunker & to the left of the green is the Yarra River. It’s a hole where you need to be on your game to make par.

In the past Yarra Bend has been rated the number 1 Public Golf Course in Victoria & it is a fantastic course. With it’s proximity to the city it does carry a lot of traffic, especially on the weekends, so you do need to be patient some times when you play here. I hope not to leave it so long until I play here again.

Address: Cheltenham Road, Cheltenham
Number of holes: 18
19th Hole: Yes
Motorized carts: Yes
Cost: 18 — $23 (weekday)

Cary, Stuart & Billy went out to play Sandringham on another perfect Melbourne winters day. The sun was shining & the wind was negligible. This was my first time out at one of Melbourne’s famed Sand belt courses, I must admit it was worth the trip. Sandringham is right next door to Royal Melbourne & I was told the the back 9 at Sandringham used to be part of Melbourne most famous courses (Please don’t sue me if this information is not correct). From the first tee you can see why this area is considered the best Golf course region in the state. The fairways look fantastic & the greens look superb. The bunkers are filled with good quality sand, which is a good thing because nearly every green is protected by bunkers. I found myself in a number of greenside bunkers during the course of the round & with the condition they are kept it was pleasure to play out of them. (For the record I played one of the shots of the day out of a bunker to within a meter of the hole).

One part of the course that I felt was a little dangerous was the 4th tee. It is located right behind the Par 3 3rd green. There is only a small path separating the two. At 156 meters it would be very easy to over cook your tee shot on the 3rd & put your ball in the middle of the group teeing off on the 4th.

The fairways are boarded on most holes by small trees( I believe they are Tea Trees but again please don’t sue if I’m incorrect) & shrubs. As Stuart commented after trying to retrieve an errant ball ” There is some thick shit in there”. If you stray from the fairways on a lot of holes you have Buckley’s chance of finding your ball.

One of my favourite holes on the front 9 was the par 3 7th. There is a bunker which appears to be at the front of the green but is in fact a good 10-15 meters short of the putting surface. There are also bunkers protecting the right hand side of the green.

It’s not until the 9th hole that encounter a par 5 here at Sandringham. It is a beautiful hole with the Clubhouse straight ahead of the tee.

If you thought the front 9 was good you are in for a treat on the back 9. It starts off with a short 135 meter par 3 with bunkers protecting the left side of the green. This is followed by the 11th which is a slight dogleg right with a wide open fairway.

The par 3 15th is a fantastic hole. At 153 meters it is an average length par 3, but the left side of the green is protected by bunkers & the green slopes away to the right. So to get the ball close to the hole you have to play over the bunkers otherwise your ball will roll off the front right edge of the green.

The 16th hole is rated as the toughest on the course. At 387 meters for a par 4, it is not it’s length that makes this hole tough. The fairways are wide so your tee shot & second shot are regulation. It’s when you get to the green that you may find yourself in trouble. This green is brilliant. It has more undulations on it than any other green I have seen. A 5 meter putt could quite easily turn into a 3 putter if the pin placement is unkind.

To sum up, this was a fantastic golf course. We had a ball playing here. If the rest of Melbourne’s Sand Belt course are anything like this, I will be going out of my way to play on more of them.

Address: Blackhill Road, Kyneton
Number of holes: 18
19th hole: Not sure if it’s for members only
Motorised carts: Yes but limited
Cost: 18 — $20 (weekend)

In June when we lasted played here the greens were very thin. It made stopping your approach shots very difficult & putts very fast. The fairways were in good condition, again a little thin in places but over all not too bad.

It is a tough course. The fairways are mostly pretty narrow with doglegs restricting the long hitters. It is a course that you have to play straight & accurate to get value for your shots.

There aren’t many bunkers on the front 9 but those that are there have some steep lips on them. The quality of the sand is first rate which makes playing out of them that much easier.

There a couple of holes that have water in play on them, the par 3 11th & the par 5 14th. Both have water in front of the tee which makes things interesting for your nervous golfer.

Kyneton is a very nice course, friendly staff, especially if your buy a new driver like Bill did. Also one of the few courses that sell beer in the pro shop. One of the things I like best about Kyneton is that it is nowhere near as busy as most course that are closer to the city. We hardly saw other group all day which is a nice change on a Saturday morning.

Address:
Number of holes: 18
19th Hole : Yes
Motorised carts : Yes
Costs : 18 — $35

My first round on a links style course & not a bad way to start. A beautiful course nicely laid out. The fairways were in great condition as were the greens. As you would expect with a links style course there weren’t a great deal of trees lining the fairways.

There wasn’t any real standout holes at this course, nothing to grab your attention & stick in you mind as a signature hole. On the other hand there weren’t any terrible holes either. One hole I would remark on is the par 4 6th. It is a short 250 meter but the green isn’t visible from the tee. There is a hill or large mound in direct line of sight between the two. My first choice was to try & drive the green (make sure the green is clear before you would attempt this though) but be weary of the bunker which protects the front left hand side of the green.

A couple of things to note about this course is the extreme amount of water present. There are only about 2 or 3 holes were the water isn’t visible. Now the water may not be in play on all of the other holes, but if you are any thing like me, just the sight of water brings it into play. There was at least one occasion were I teed off with water a mere 15 meters in front of me, no way known that it should be in play, but I topped the shot & put it straight in the water. So if you are like me & find your balls are attracted to water make sure you bring plenty along.

The fairways, as I mentioned earlier & in great nick. Unlike a lot of other course I have played they are not always flat. A great number of them have undulations which makes for some interesting iron shots with the ball sometimes below your feet sometimes above. Also the are a lot of bunkers throughout the course, both fairway & greenside. The quality of the sand in the bunkers in fantastic making it a pleasure to play out of them if you are unlucky enough to find your self in one.

One thing that spoils the course just a little bit is the high tension power lines which run down the left hand side of the 9th fairway. The don’t interfere with the any of the holes but they do spoil the aesthetics of the a few on the front nine.

One of the things I liked the most about the this course was the greens. Like the fairways the greens were in fantastic condition. They appeared a little slower than other that I have played recently, maybe it was due to rain. The best thing about the greens though is they aren’t all flat like billiard tables. They have humps bumps & dips which makes for some difficult putts from long range.