Bonnie Doon Golf Club

The opening hole demands an accurate tee shot, with the left side guarded by fairway bunkers, dense foliage and out of bounds. Players should take their tee shot down the right hand side, leaving a short to mid iron to a well bunkered green.

Finding the fairway from the tee is the key to playing this short par 4. A long iron or fairway wood aimed towards the right side of the fairway will leave a 100 metre approach to slightly elevated narrow green.

The first of our three long par 4 holes will test even the best golfer’s skill. Driver from the tee avoiding the left hand fairway bunkers will allow players to attack a generous green. Take extra club to allow for the elevated green and deep front green bunker.

Driver from the tee will give players an open look at the green but the real test on this hole is the approach shot. Players need to find the right level on this 60 metre long well-bunkered green or even a two-putt will be a hard task.

This long par 4 requires players to lay up short of the rough and avoid the left side fairway bunkers, leaving a blind second shot using the hill hiding the green to feed the ball onto a generous putting surface. Avoid going long as two nasty bunkers make getting up and down a test for anyone.

The first par 3 on the course and a feature of the front 9 requires an accurate shot to very elevated green. Be sure to take enough club or you might find yourself rolling back off the false front and facing a tough 40 metre pitch back up the hill.

The tee shot on this par 5 fairway is well protected with out of bounds up the left and fairway bunkers on the right. The second and third shots are equally as demanding with a narrow entry to the green lined with bunkers, for those who can make it through, there is a large putting surface with a drop off on the right hand side.

The choice of two paths awaits on this tee with dangerous bunkers splitting the fairway. The left side is open and leaves a short, elevated shot up the hill onto the green, while the big hitter might choose to take on the right hand side of the fairway, hoping to catch the hill feeding towards the green and giving them a good chance at a birdie.

The elevated tee shot gives players a complete view of what lies in front of them, this par 5 doesn’t rely on length, but still has plenty of teeth. The approach shot to the green is where this hole gets really tough with a narrow entry guarded by deep green side bunkers on both sides.

Making the turn to the back nine you are confronted with the hardest hole on the golf course, a long par four where getting your drive in play will allow you to attack a large undulating green. Be careful of the two bunkers to the rear of the green, getting up and down from there will challenge any golfer.

This par 3 will require players to take on a very well bunkered two-tier green. The entrance at the front of the green is narrow with a high false front so be sure to take enough club.

The short par 4 12th should be played with great caution, the smart play is a long iron to the bottom of the hill and short of the fairway bunkers will leave you a shot approach shot to green sloping back to front.

This downhill, semi-blind par 3 gives players all sorts of challenges, with both sides sloping away from a very large green with multiple levels. Try and find the right level otherwise even getting away with a two putt will be a challenge.

Another well protected par 5 tee shot with out of bounds up the right and dense shrubs hugging the left. For the longer hitters looking at taking the green on in two they will need to carry it all the way with waste areas up the left spanning the entire hole. If you lay up and pick your spots the fairway can be quite generous

This short par 3 has plenty of teeth, it is very important to try and find the right level of this 3 tier green. Use the multiple backstops for each tier to your advantage and leave yourself below the hole.

From this elevated tee players can choose two paths, the longer hitter will want to take driver over the fairway bunker on the right and leave themselves with a flick to a small narrow and well protected green. While the shorter hitter should play to the belly of the fairway and attack the green from there

The penultimate hole is a unique par 4 where players will need to take a long iron or hybrid off the tee and keep it in play as the real challenge comes in trying to hit the small elevated green. Be below the hole and leave yourself an uphill putt. Long on 17 is not an option.

The finishing hole at Bonnie Doon is not easy task, but a generous fairway will allow players to get the ball in play and attack the green from there. A nasty bunker 70 meters short of the green should be avoided at all costs along with the left side of the green as it falls away and will leave you with a near impossible chip.