The Creek Course
The (Creek) Course is characterised by gently undulating couch fairways, huge, deep bunkers filled with yellow sand, and by firm true greens surrounded by interesting bumps, swales and hollows, all closely mown, as well as plenty of greenside bunkering that cuts into and helps mould the slopes of the putting surfaces in the best traditions of Melbourne's Sand Belt much admired by Faldo, who has spoken previously of his love affair with Mackenzie's work at Royal Melbourne.
The native couch fairways have been oversewn with fescues, and this should provide both an excellent, green playing surface yearround, and a quick transition back to couch dominance in spring. Beyond the fairways there is generally a wide zone of maintained short rough prior to either long pasture grasses or the residential areas under development.
There are some quirky elements too, like the 'square cut' tees, the creek itself, and the creative use of a few remaining pines in hole strategy.
HOLE ONE 342 metres Par 4
The opening hole, a gentle 342m dogleg, immediately introduces the visually striking bunkering, and offers heroic options off the tee depending on player ability.
HOLE TWO 504 metres Par 5
The par 5 second presents a sea of bunkers left of the green, with more sand on the right.
HOLE THREE 172 metres Par 3
Exposed to the elements, the third typically plays with a lefttoright cross southerly wind. A wide, shallow twotiered green demands accuracy from the tee shot to avoid a difficult putt. Going long here is not an option, and definitely should be avoided.
HOLE FOUR 419 metres Par 4
The fourth hole is a tough 419m par 4 from the championship tee (386m from the blue medal tee) that doglegs sharply left and uphill to a huge green surrounded by treacherous bumps and slopes. Under favourable conditions big hitters can fly the trap on the corner, but must still avoid a stand of pines that runs down the left side.
HOLE FIVE 431 metres Par 4
The fifth is the longest par 4 on course, however rarely plays its full length. The drive should be positioned right to avoid protruding fairway bunkers and out of bounds left. Greenside cypress trees create a difficult approach, often necessitating a shaped shot. When contemplating club selection, it’s better to have more club than end up short.
HOLE SIX 129 metres Par 3
The sixth, a 129m par 3 is already a sensational hole, with a delightful green tucked between mature tortured pines in a setting that was just too good for the designers to ignore. Faldo has predicted that the greenside bunker will rank amongst the world's best, and has retained the services of shaper Barry Hudsen (The Dunes and The Beach Course) for a Faldo project in Kansas, USA.
HOLE SEVEN 479 metres Par 5
The manmade rocky and sandy 'creek' first comes into play on the 479m par 5 seventh hold, cutting strategically across the fairway just 70m short of the green, and demanding a 'layup' or 'go for it' decision from many.
HOLE EIGHT 362 metres Par 4
On the 362m eighth the creek is a water hazard down the right of the fairway, before cutting across in front of a very tricky elevated green.
HOLE NINE 290 metres Par 4
The ninth hole, where Cashmore based his green on the 12th of the Old Course St Andrews, with a 40m long, narrow putting surface flanked by bunkers either side and three more beyond has turned out a much shorter hole than first envisaged, at just 290m. The sensible strategy is just to avoid the sea of bunkers that lurk a pitching iron from the green.
HOLE TEN 526 metres Par 5
The tenth typically plays like a true threeshot par 5 due to its length of over 500 metres. The creek that runs across the width of the fairway influences the second shot, and should be accounted for. Ensure you leave the ball below the hole on a long green that slopes from back to front.
HOLE ELEVEN 411 metres Par 4
The eleventh hold is a monstrous dogleg of 411m, but big hitters can currently cut the corner bunker with their drive and significantly shorten the approach. Faldo has suggested a nest of bunkers in the left rough and a bunker midfairway at around 250m, which would definitely provide a more strategic test.
HOLE TWELVE 219 metres Par 3
At 219 metres, this par 3 plays a lot harder than its rating. A long green with a narrow opening demands an accurate tee shot. A severe slope left will no doubt catch any slightly errant shot. Bail out left is an option, though presents a difficult chip to in order to salvage par.
HOLE THIRTEEN 341 metres Par 4
Two small pines either side of the fairway frame the beautiful setting for the thirteenth green, with more trees beyond.
HOLE FOURTEEN 316 metres Par 4
The theme is repeated from the thirteenth for the fourteenth where two giant 'goal posts' stand just 10m apart in direct line from tee to green. A safer route to the right presents a more challenging approach.
HOLE FIFTEEN 179 metres Par 3
The fifteenth hole is a par 3 of 179m over the course's water storage dam to a hillside green.
HOLE SIXTEEN 380 metres Par 4
A recent lengthening of the hole brings the large centre fairway trap into play, however shouldn’t affect the longer hitter. A tee shot positioned right of centre will benefit the second shot, due to an imposing left greenside trap. A relatively flat putting surface is difficult to hold; don’t carry the approach all the way to the flag.
HOLE SEVENTEENTH 478 metres Par 5
The seventeenth is a short par 5 of 478m, but the challenge is to negotiate the diagonal fairway bunkers and then the creek crossing.
HOLE EIGHTEEN 423 metres Par 3
The final hole is a strong 423m par to another superb large and sloping green with surrounds that demand great touch to save par from those who miss the putting surface with their approach.
This course review was done by Selwyn Berg for Ausgolf in May 2004.
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