Blog 158 – Smithton

Nomadic_golfer : November 2021

Par 71, 5751m, slope 118, $15 green fee (9 hole course)

4 par3s 148-173m, 11 par4s 300-379m, 3 par5s 428-464m

This nine-holer in the far NW of Tassie was a little hidden gem for me. Seeing a $15 green fee and no people around, I had very low expectations on arrival here. The start didn’t change those thoughts with two flat, ‘up and back’ short par4s to start.

Things change as you wander through some trees after the 2nd green and you get in closer to “Duck River”. While the land here is still flat, the layout comes alive, with the routing through native trees and bushes, alongside the river, some water hazards, a few well placed, small bunkers and a number of large gums.

They’ve also done a great job of creating different looking holes through the use of the second set of tees. Through the routing of holes around some large gums, they have turned dog leg rights on the front 9 into dog leg lefts on the back etc and have been really clever in creating holes that play very different off the tee (8/17 is a great example; 150m par3 where you have to shape a left to right mid iron on 8 and a right to left shot on 17).

There’s plenty of lush grass throughout but in late Spring after much rain, it was pretty wet underfoot. Natural fairways were very soft and the greens were in pretty good shape, not quick but true.

The most memorable holes were those first 2 after the trees: 3rd/ 12th (170m over a little stream, with a couple of big gums left, pepper trees down the right, bunkers on each side of the green which runs diagonally from front right and drops off back and left) and 4/13 (par4 380m then par5 430m, blind tee shot over a gully with a gum forest all the way down the left, green tucked slightly right, behind some gums meaning you are best positioned by taking on the dangerous left side off the tee, approach slightly downhill over a crest to a small green with bunkers left).

While the condition was ok, it’s not impeccably manicured (bunkers have been left a la natural) but does have a natural feel about it. Overall, after those 1st 2 holes, this is a little ripper and great value for $15. It’s pretty, gives you many decisions to make and really benefits you if you can hit different shaped shots. The only caution is check how damp it is. Don’t be put off by 9 hole courses in Tassie, they make up the vast majority of courses and there is plenty of quality