Ballarat Golf Club

This 369 metre straight par 4 hole (342 from the Members tee and 304 from the Ladies tee), with a generous landing area makes an ideal starting hole. A fairway bunker on the LHS, at 240 metres from the Championship tee, creates a risk for the longer hitters, as they have to try and thread their shots between it and the RHS rough. The design is for percentage play, where players should lay up short with their tee shots, on the RHS of the fairway to give a better angle into the green. A large bunker on the RHS, positioned some 25 metres short of the green, gives a false sense of distance, and a deep greenside bunker on LHS protects the elevated green. Second shots that finish short will find a swale left and short of the greenside bunker. A variety of pin positions are available, with the more difficult on the LHS of the green behind the bunker. The more conservative play would be to aim for the centre of the green, to get off to a good start to the round.

A 502 metre par 5 (478 from the Members and 437 from the Ladies tee), is a tight driving hole slightly uphill and out of a chute between the mature pines. The two fairway bunkers on the LHS at 280 metres act as a sighter and to frame the hole rather than being located for strategic reasons. It is the second shot where the difficulty begins, players have to decide to take a gamble and go for the green in two or to lay up short of the two fairway carry bunkers on the LHS and a well established Eucalyptus tree on the right. Even laying up, players can get caught behind this tree and will have to decide to go over the top or try and run the ball under the branches , over an undulating fairway. Mounds at the back and right, with large swales front right and left, protect the green. There are no greenside bunkers, as players will have a variety of shots to play if they miss the green.

This short, well bunkered, 319 metre par 4 (283 from the Members and 248 from the Ladies tee) is slightly downhill with an O.O.B. full length of the LHS, a bunker at 240 metres centre right and tongue of rough extending almost full width of fairway. Although short the defence of the hole is it?s small and elevated green of only 14 metres front to back. There are two ways to play the tee shot, either by trying to drive the green and taking the risk of the bunkering, or by laying up with an iron for the tee shot, to give a full shot into the green. If you get too close to the putting surface the best shot is a pitch and run, as it will be too difficult to hold the green any other way. There is also plenty of trouble over the green with a large swale and bushes to catch the over played shot. Many a good stroke round could be ruined, if the right shot isn?t played. A variety of pin positions are available, with the more difficult on the LHS of the green behind the bunker and generally close to the front edge.

This par 4 hole at 358 metres (315 from the Members tee and 282 from the Ladies tee) is a slight dogleg left to a relatively narrow fairway. Lake St Andrews on the LHS starts at the beginning of the fairway runs the full length to the back of the green, therefore demanding a straight drive from the tee. A fairway bunker has been placed 260 metres from the back tee on the RHS, to give a target to aim at, but be careful not to over play your shot. The right side of the fairway offers the best line into the green, as players will have a good view of the long and narrow green. The fairway has many mounds and hollows, making it very rare to get a flat lie to play your second shot. There are no greenside bunkers, as the green is slightly elevated, with water left and swales right, giving the player plenty to think about.

At 417 metres (389 from the Members tee and 346 from the Ladies tee), this par 4 dogleg right is the second longest par 4 on the course. A fairway bunker at 235 metres on the left and a narrowing of the fairway on the right provides a very narrow opening to play through. Players need to ?flirt? with the deep fairway bunker with the drive, and positioning of the tee shot should be on the LHS to have clear access to the green, as there has been placed another fairway bunker some 50 metres short of the green on the RHS, giving the allusion that the green is closer than it is. There are large swales left and right of the green and mounding at the back, giving this the look of an Irish Links course, with the putting surface nestling in a ?Dell?. A really good hole to make a par on, as both shots will have to be accurate and long, especially into a ?south westerly?.

The first and longest par 3 on the course is 195 metres from the championship tee (180 from the Members tee and 153 from the Ladies tee) . This hole is beautifully silhouetted by the mature pines at the back right and has a meandering water hazard in play down the left hand side. The large elevated green (approximately 2.5 metres above the tee) slopes right to left, making putting challenging. The green is protected on the right by two deep bunkers, with mounding and a hollow on the left. It is essential that players select the right club, so that they will finish flag high. This is a difficult hole, par is a good score and a hole that the course will be remembered for.

This is a 493 metre par 5 (465 from the Members tee and 428 from the Ladies tee), playing slightly downhill, almost due west and perhaps offering a little relief after the challenging fifth and sixth. The water on the LHS should not affect play to any great degree, but two fairway bunkers on the LHS may come into plat as the double row of mature pine trees that runs down the RHS between this and the neighbouring second fairway. A good tee shot to the left of centre can set up play to attack the green in two, but players have to negotiate two LHS fairway bunkers, located at 260 metres from the tee. The second shot has to be played through a narrow opening with the two bunkers on the LHS and a further greenside bunker on the right. The green slopes from back right to front left with a large swale on the front LHS, which is approximately 1.5 metres below the level of the green.

This 141metre par 3 (124 from the Members tee and 101 from the Ladies tee) is the shortest on the course and plays slightly uphill from a tee surrounded by landscaping. The tee shot is played over rough ground, with the large central bunker some 15 metres short of the putting surface creating a false sense of distance. The green area is a healthy size of 554 sq metres, with a variety of subtle pin positions. The green is guarded by a greenside bunker on the left and a swale on the right. Players have to be careful not to miss the green short right, as their balls could end up running some 15 metres from the intended target.

This ?straight away? 387 metre par 4 (360 from the Members tee and 326 from the Ladies tee) heads south, back to the clubhouse with wetlands on the left, which are not in play to any significant degree. The practice fairway on the right which will be visually separated by mounding and landscaping, gives a wide open feeling, until players have to play their seconds through a ?chute? of mature Pines. The fairway bunker here is on the right at 270 metres and the fairway landing area is a generous 45 metres wide, offering some respite for the long hitters. The large ?ceremonial? green (560 square metres) has a gentle slope from mounding back right to a greenside bunker front left so expect more long putts.

This relatively short Par 5, at 471 metres (456 from the Members tee and 411 from the Ladies tee), is played along the western boundary from the clubhouse with O.O.B. on the LHS. This hole presents many choices and challenges. The first of two creek or ?burn? crossings is at around 240 metres (260 metre carry), which means players wanting to reach the green in two have to be as close to this water as possible. The best approach to the green if you cannot reach it in two, is to lay up left and short of the second water crossing to enable a full wedge to the green. A combination of a fairway bunker some 20 metres short of the green, and a deep and difficult greenside bunker front right protects this green, which slopes to the back left.

A 164 metre par 3 (151 from the Members tee and 127 from the Ladies tee) has an intimidating water carry (50 - 60 metres from the Ladies tee). A large ?bail out? apron exists on the RHS of the green. The tee shot will be played into the wintery SSW wind, causing many players to come up short. There are no bunkers to this two-tiered green, which is big by the course standards at 610 square metres. Players will have to be accurate with their tee shots, as there could be many three putts on the undulating green.

The North West corner of the course is occupied by this short 301 metre par 4 (282 from the Members tee and 265 from the Ladies tee) with O.O.B. on the left and the landscaped bank of the turkey?s nest irrigation storage lake on the right of the green. A straight tee shot is needed as the fairway runs diagonally towards the large pine trees that frame the fairway on the RHS. Just short of the green a tongue of semi-rough protects the green. Longer hitters can go for the green, but have to negotiate the large pines on the LHS and a small pot bunker on the right of the green, which is there to catch shots bouncing off the mounds back onto the green. The elevated green is ridged at the front then falls back left. A conservative way to play this hole is to hit a tee shot to the right of centre of 190 metres, short of all the trouble, then play a full wedge into this small green. Although short this hole is likely to be remembered, a little gem.

This par 5 plays at 536 metres, the longest on the course (497 from the Members tee and 460 from the Ladies tee) runs uphill along the northern boundary with the prevailing south westerly wind over the right shoulder. The tee shot is framed both right and left by mature pines and by fairway bunkers at 260 metres on the right. Just short of these bunkers there is a large landing area, which will set up the next shot, where players can attack the green in two or play to the right of the fairway to avoid the two bunkers on the left, one short and the other greenside. The right side of the fairway will give the best angle to approach this elevated green. A very strong par 5.

The longest par 4 at 420 metres (387 from the Members tee and 344 from the Ladies tee) is played slightly downhill. A large bunker at 230-240 metres on RHS of fairway may discourage longer hitters from taking a driver. Another fairway bunker short of the green on the right side will trap the short fading second shot. There is a ridge running from the bunker to the green, which has no greenside bunkers but is long and narrow and is surrounded by mounds on the left and large swale at back. This will place a premium on club selection. A really tough hole.

Slightly uphill 364 metre par 4, (338 from the Members tee and 308 from the Ladies tee), which has fairway bunkering at 220 metres on the right. On the right of the fairway there are existing Pine trees, which were kept to discourage tee shots fading towards the 14th fairway. The fairway ?necks in? beyond the fairway bunkers and gently rises to the green, which slopes, slightly from the back right with mounds at the back and a deep cavernous bunker on the right. It is very important to position your tee shot on the fairway, so you get a clear shot to the green. Making sure you take a club extra to reach the pin.

A short par 4, playing 320 metres (290 from the Members tee and 266 from the Ladies tee), runs slightly downhill with a dogleg to the left. Bunkers left and right will catch anything but the straight drive. A fairway bunker some 25 metres short of the green and a series of swales guard the LHS of the fairway and a greenside bunker short and just right of centre defends the green. Unless played with a draw, longer hitters will have to lay up as the fairway runs out on the right at the landscaped bank of the irrigation dam. A gentle ridge extends from the dam wall across the centre of the green, which has a greenside bunker front right and a deep swale back right. Conservative play is the best option, laying up short of the fairway bunkers leaving a full shot into the green, making sure you get your second shot close to the hole, as the green has many undulations.

A short 142 metre par 3 (127 from the Members tee and 104 from the Ladies tee), played to a small 480 square metre elevated two-tiered green, that slopes left to right with bunkers front left and to the right. There is a large grassy swale on the RHS, which make it very difficult to get up and down in two if players miss the green. This little beauty is likely rated as one of the easier holes, but because of its exposed green position, it is imperative players select the right club in windy conditions in order to land on the full.

This 380, metre par 4 (352 from the Members tee and 329 from the Ladies tee) heads due south to the sanctuary of the clubhouse. The tee shot becomes very tight at the landing area, with bunkers on each side of the fairway, providing a relatively narrow opening, with the right bunker requiring a 240 metre carry that will provide a challenge to long hitters. The second shot is played past mature pines on the LHS to a large and slightly elevated green of approximately 520 square metres, with bunkering front right and left. If players choose to lay up short of the fairway bunkers it will require a long and accurate second shot to a well guarded green, a good finishing hole.