Aussie course no.16 for 2025 and 468 all-up: Black Bull, Yarrawonga, Vic
The 150m 16th, where mounds can bring that water into play
Nomadic_golfer : December 2025 – Black Bull, Yarrawonga Vic, review
Par 72 6256m Slope 133 $75 weekdays
4 par3s 150-201m, 10 par4s 329-393m, 4 par5s 464-509m
This track on the banks of Lake Mulwala in the Victorian Murray River town and water-ski mecca of Yarrawonga is a very interesting and well publicised variation to the standard golfing fare on the Murray. The Thomson-Perret design strives to capture links-like characteristics, with wide corridors, rolling fairways, hazards on the ground and firm surfaces, rather than the staple diet in these parts, of towering gums, red sand and obviously well-watered playing surfaces.
It does appear as though they moved a lot of dirt to create the rolling playing surfaces, and the complex routing includes a lot of metres between greens and the next tee. While it does sit as a contrast to its natural surrounds, it is not stark, and a consistent appearance in the back half of the Aussie Top 100 since opening in 2015, serves as some evidence that it has been quite well received.
For me, there is a certain sameness about the 2 and 3-shotters. Clever, varied fairway bunkering and contours provide variety in the playing characteristics and demand variation in shots, but with every hole straight, to slightly elevated greens, the aesthetic is somewhat one-dimensional. Multiple water-hazards (present on 14 holes) provide another point of difference to other courses in the region and while most of these hazards are well away from intended lines, they are at the forefront of a couple of the more memorable holes: 16 (the shortest of the par 3s, 150m with water all the way along the left, cutting in front of the large, lumpy green surrounded by mounds which could propel your miss anywhere, most notably kicking left misses toward the water); and 18 (480m par5, where a canal enters the property off Lake Mulwala and runs down the entire left side here. The hole starts off wide, has bunkers cut-in on both sides, a significant drop-down in the level of the fairway ~150m out, before that canal ‘snakes’ its way in to the front-left side of a large green with some severe movement. The hole plays out in front of a stunning background of Lake Mulwala and an impressive resort building). Combined with the challenging 385m 15th (you need to find a crowned fairway, before a mid-long iron to a shallow, 2-tiered green with drop-off at the front), they make for a strong finish.
Management has also brought some theatre to the layout by dubbing the stretch of holes from 4 through 6 as “The Bull Ring”, erecting a gate to walk through on your walk to the 4th tee and a statue of a bull behind the 6thgreen. They are 3 challenging holes; an uphill 180m par3, 350m par4 and long 390m par4, which test your form at a time in the round which can either set you up for a good day, or have you on the back foot early.
In summing up, there is some quality in this Thomson design as you would expect, and with wide-ish fairways and large greens it is quite playable for all levels of golfer. It does provide a challenge for the low-marker with length (6250m) and plenty of tricky pin position options, which bring more of a strategic element into play as best angles for approaches need to be considered before blazing away off the tee. As a variation to the gum-lined holes of the Murray blueprint, it certainly has a degree of novelty attached to it and serves as point of difference. But if I was a resident or regular visitor, I’d probably favour the staple diet more times than not. (Note the author is a previous resident of the Murray region and some bias may exist!!).
