Blog 159 – Wynyard

Nomadic_golfer : November 2021

Par 70, 5431m, slope 121, $25 green fee (9 hole course)

6 par3s 140-195m, 8 par4s 275-354m, 4 par5s 446-495m

Stunning beachside location at the foot of Fossil Bluff in the NW of Tassie, just west of Burnie, with a couple of the holes spilling out onto the beach and Bass Strait, while the Southern extremities are bordered by the Inglis River. The course is not long but is absolutely at the mercy of the elements, very exposed to winds from any direction. A smattering of large pines and gums add to this aesthetic but there aren’t enough to offer protection from the elements, with the majority of trees being <10m high.

The browntop fescue greens had recently been scarified so its hard for me to comment on them but cover was very good, while the fairways contain this fescue & kikuyu, and were in good shape. On a picture perfect Spring day, the views around the shoreline were indeed picture perfect.

It’s hard to go past the 2 par4’s that hug the beach (350m 2nd and 300m 3rd) as the highlights here. Both holes have OB if you miss right and end on the beach and while 2 has rough between the fairway and beach on a dogleg right, the third is even more in your face with the direct line to the green over a huge chunk of beach. Both holes do offer a bail-out left that doesn’t get heavily penalised however.

Two of the par 3’s in 4 (177m/ 195m) and 8 (163m/ 152m) probably offer the stiffest challenge and run in opposite directions, while the other 3 (150m 6th) is a really interesting design, over a clump of paperbarks.

Without wind, its not difficult around here (longest par4 is 354m), but I assume calm days don’t come around all that often. Apart from the OB’s and a closely bunched copse of paperbarks that run at driving distance down the left of the first and right of the fifth, there’s not too much wicked stuff but the small, well bunkered greens would be difficult to find in windy conditions.

Overall, this is a very pleasant place to play golf, neatly maintained by one greenkeeper and a very keen core team of volunteers. Its a simple design that would test when the wind is up and be vulnerable on the calm days. The coastal charm and beautiful aesthetic would always be present