Blog 186 – Geeveston

Nomadic_golfer : January 2022

Par 71, 5243m, slope 117, $15 green fee

4 par3s 123-181m, 11 par4s 277-392m, 3 par5s 440-448m

This 9 hole course lies in a beautiful forest-like setting in an old logging town in the Huon Valley, an hour south of Hobart. Surrounded by forests and sitting on some gently undulating terrain in the valley, the fairways do have an unusual mogul-like continuous bump and roll surface. A forest-worker planted a number of plantation-gums some years ago in rows between the fairways; quick growing, tall, not wide-reaching and they dominate the landscape across the course, along with a few other tree-types, including Blackwoods.

The first and last fairways are tight between closely-planted rows of these gums, while elsewhere they are mostly dotted in strategic, or uncomfortable locations! Fairways are a natural, native mix of rye and some broader leaf types and although not meticulously manicured, were in good condition and a nice blend of green and some summer-drying light browns. The rough, though not long, is gnarly and tough to make good contact out of.

The smallish greens could be the highlight here; quite firm, a number of interesting shapes, and a real variety of surrounds, with differing degrees of banks, drop-offs and mounds. They were in really good condition, a credit to the local volunteers who look after the course.

The course is short and the layout is a mixture. There is only 1 par4 over 305m and that is the 392m 9th (18th plays as a 440m par5), with 5 par4’s between 280 and 305m in a row from 3 through 7. There are a couple of good risk/ reward tee shots with a driver here and a couple where those big gums occupy very annoying lines! There is also a little stream that winds its way around 3,4&5 – it’s dry currently but still a penal hazard.

The green on the 125/ 135m par3 2nd absolutely intrigued me and is superbly shaped for a short par3. It is a narrow, rectangular shape that looks at you diagonally from short right to long left (redan style), with a bank extending upwards on the right, and a steep drop-off left, down to firm ‘run&bounce further away’ type ground. I love it – but do not miss left!

Overall, this is fun. There is some tight stuff, there are some peculiar tree placements and an odd sequencing of holes, but there are some creatively designed quirks (2 piles of large rocks serve as hazards right of the par5 1st, for example), lots of opportunities to be aggressive and condition will surprise on the up-side.