Spring Valley Golf Club

The opening hole is a fine medium length par four turning from left to right. The tee shot should, ideally be shaped the same way to avoid running through the left side of the fairway. Vern Morcom was both the architect at Spring Valley and the greenkeeper at nearby Kingston Heath and his father, Mick was the great constructor of most of Alister Mackenzies work in Australia.The sophistication of the Morcom family bunkering is immediately apparent at the first hole with a large and dramatic bunker guarding the left of the green.

The second is a fine dogleg hole bending to the left. There is a line of fairway bunkers down the left which catches any errant drives. The green and greenside bunkering is superb and is a real classic example of Morcom's design style.

The first of the short holes is played across a flat piece of ground with a middle to short iron to a target that is the easiest to hit of the four short holes. The green is big and not surrounded by the particularly intimidating Melbourne bunkers that characterize the best par threes in the city. Certainly the more difficult par threes are left for later in the round.

A first class short par 4 which bends gently to the right. The main course reservoir borders the hole to the left and it's banks offer a pleasing backdrop to the drive. The green is very small and beautifully bunkered, both left and right.

A classic sand belt par 3 and one the Club Members are extremely proud of. The hole is played uphill to a green guarded by a nest of bunkers on the left and a single bunker on the right. The small green is elevated from the natural surrounding ground.

The hole turns from right to left and plays downhill from the tee with the principle driving hazard being a bunker built at the top of the hill. Longer hitters who carry the fairway bunker will have a pitch to the green with only a short iron. Shorter hitters should play wide of the fairway bunker but be aware that in being too far right off the tee that the green is undulating and protected by a bunker from the right side.

The first of three par fives plays as a straight hole but the bunker placement here demands players are wary of sand with both tee shot and the long second up to the green. Bunkers await those who drive left from the tee and two bunkers short and right of the green make for a difficult shot because that intermediate bunker shot of between 25 and 40 meters is one of the most difficult in the game. The green gives the appearance of being raised, simply by a swale cut across the front of the green and continuing around the right side of the putting surface.

Ideally the drive should be hit to the right side of the fairway but be wary! Too far right off the tee and the player may not find the ball. The shot to the elevated green must be precise as bunkers guard the left side and the slope of the green makes any chip shot a real challenge.

This hole is the most difficult on the course and it's quality is underrated simply because it plays across a gentle piece of ground. On a more undulating fairway this would be recognized as one of the finest holes in Melbourne simply because the architectural principle around which it is based were perfectly executed by Morcom. The drive off the tee is preferably to the left side of the fairway avoiding the fairway bunker. A perfectly struck drive will open the green up from the left as coming in from the right hand side of the hole demands the second shot being played over a greenside bunker and swale.

A short, but without question, very attractive hole which to it's credit places the emphasis on accuracy rather than length. The hole is played downhill to a small, well bunkered green. Keep the ball low on this hole as the wind can play havoc.

A short par 4 hole which is played turning left around the side of a sandy ridge. The drive is to the top of the hill and beyond. The second shot is downhill to a small green guarded by bunkers on both sides.

This par 5 is just short enough to tempt the player to hit the green for two. A slightly pushed shot will be caught by the water which comes into play about 30 metres short right. An undulating green makes club selection difficult.

A dogleg hole that demands an accurate tee shot being played. For the shorter hitter water presents a challenge before fairway bunkers also come into play.

long par three and one of the best in Melbourne . The green is small and beautifully bunkered and only the finest of long irons will find the green here.

Another fine par 4 which meanders gently downhill. The second shot is to a green which is set on a low level with a greenside bunker on the right hand side. A fairway bunker is located short of the green on the left hand side but shouldn't come into play.

A dogleg hole which bends sharply to the right. There is a series of three fairway bunkers along the right hand side. The shot to the green requires an accurate mid iron to a small green which is guarded by bunkers on both the left and the right.

Fairways bunkers taunt the player throughout this hole. It is not a long Par 5 but it does demand strategic play. Being a Par 5 it rewards great shot playing with a reachable green in two. The green evolves from the fairway and is well guarded by bunkers.

A beautifully bunkered, attractive finishing hole, played uphill to the Clubhouse. The hole is undulating and it's features two fairway bunkers to the right.. The green is gently sloping, and when quick offers some treacherous putting.