Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club

Inspired by owner David Evans’ affinity for Augusta National, Cathedral Lodge sits two hours north-east of Melbourne on the banks of the Goulburn River, near Alexandra in the Murrindindi Shire, and leaves nothing to the imagination. Carved out of natural canyon land and intersected with flowing creeks and an endless array of colours, it’s a course tipped to rival Norman’s famous Kerry Packer project, Ellerston.

But any comparisons to the country’s No.6-ranked course should stop there, says Norman. “The Cathedral Lodge property is unique in that it’s a canyon shape with a ridge running through the middle of it, where you go up the ridge on one side of the valley and back down it on the other side of the valley,” says Norman. “Ellerston, meanwhile, was so spread out, so vast, so big and a totally different story.”