Course 32 for 2022 – The Coast GC, Sydney
The par5 3rd green, a spectacular backdrop
Super location, pity we only got 4 holes in
Nomadic_golfer : April 2022
Par 70, 5495m Slope 129 $50
5 par3s 146-158m, 10 par4s 256-386m, 3 par5s 446-475m
Situated adjacent to what was The Coast Hospital at Little Bay, and renamed The Price Henry Hospital in 1934, there has been a golf course of sorts on this land (abutting St Michaels and NSW Golf Clubs) since around 1922. The club was formed by former hospital and university employees in the early 1960s and progressed from a small parcel of land to this expansive tract of land on spectacular coastal cliffs after being granted the land by the Uni of NSW. It is a thin slither of land, and amazes you how far you travel up and down that coastline in 18 holes of less than 5500m.
Unfortunately for me, I was in Sydney on a 4 day reciprocal club tour with some mates from The National GC in Vic, when one of our planned courses was closed at late notice due to recent rain. After starting our round at The Coast in very heavy conditions, the skies opened up as we were coming down the 3rd, and the course became unplayable by the time we teed off on 4. What I did see was enough to assess that this track is on a spectacular bit of coastal land, and is a proud little sibling to the barrell-chested links-style neighbours in St Michaels and NSW GC. While it lacks the polish of those siblings, there looks like to be a fair bit of wow factor out there.
Playing the 3rd and 4th, and viewing the 5th, provided ample fodder to give this course a ‘play here if you get an opportunity’ rating. It starts with a 370m uphill par 4 with a stream guarding the left, moving away from the water, then comes back down-hill with a 450m par5 with the ocean as a backdrop. The next 3 are quite spectacular: the 465m par 5 3rd (played parallel to the water on your right, with the fairway pinching in at driving distance and the chance to lose one right before the hole narrows to a well-guarded green with the beach as your backdrop); the 150m par 3 4th (water carry from clifftop to clifftop, slightly uphill and into the prevailing breeze, a super little hole) and 355m par4 5th (with a little water carry to start, water down the left of the hole and a chilling warning sign with a death counter) and are strong golf holes to boot.
That front nine with 3 par 3s, 3 par4s and 3 par5s for a par of 36 and close enough to 3000m appears pretty strong. The back 9 consists of 7 par4s and 2 par 3s and is around 2500m. Its a pity we missed out on seeing any more as the course winds its way along the coast, both North & South of these opening holes. Seems pretty good value in the Sydney city area for $50
