Course 6 for 2021, Cobar, NSW
My outback swing continues
Nomadic_golfer : February 2021
Par 71, 5804m, green fee $10, Slope 106
5 par 3s from 127-209m, 9 par 4s from 310-407m, 4 par 5s from 461-479m
Cobar is a mining town (metals & gold) of around 5k people in the central west of NSW, 700km from Sydney and 450km east of Broken Hill. We are in the outback here – full red dirt and flat as a biscuit.
The front 9 was closed when I was in town; as they were resurfacing the greens after recent heavy rain. Greens are plain sand – no oil or anything, makes it easy to chip to but they scuff up real bad if not scraped. Fairways and tees are hit and miss, some have a bit of kikuyu grass, some have none. The layout of the back 9 is excellent from a golf viewpoint and aesthetically, the positioning of the trees on most holes makes for pretty settings with typically circa 1/2 dozen gums framing the scrapes from 50-100 metres out, a lovely contrast to the red dirt.
A couple of holes along the side of the old reservoir (eg 12th) have a thicker covering of trees and there is the odd saltbush collection about. There are some serious metres to cover on the back (11 – 209m par 3, 18 – 416m par 4 with OB right near the green). Amongst this well designed 9, my favourites were: 12 (368m par 4, straight with OB 30m right, narrows in for approach shot , with a big gum short left meaning you must take on the dangerous right side); and 16 (469m par 5 left to right off the tee with the inside corner covered in saltbush which is carnage, steering you to the left bail out which prevents hitting the green in 2. Straightens after the tee shot)
They do have the best scrapers going around; simple and not too bulky. Overall, another bush track and a good example of outback golf. Don’t get too precious about nice lies and you will appreciate an interesting layout here.
