Course 39 for 2023 – Yarra Yarra GC, Vic
The superb green complex on the 147m 15th. Pin 155 back left
Nomadic_golfer : November 2023 – Yarra Yarra Golf Club, Vic, review
Par 72, 6091m slope 124
4 par3s 120-202m, 10 par4s 296-419m, 4 par5s 447-504m
Tom Doak’s Renaissance team were handed the responsibility of restoring Alex Russell’s intentions to his 1927 design on Warrigal Rd, which sits across the road from Metro and Huntingdale, and a couple of k’s north of Kingston Heath. They decluttered the property immensely, getting rid of many trees and clearing undergrowth, leaving generous, wide fairways. Without the trees, the bunkering has taken centre stage. And with heaps of turf areas added around the greens (typically firm & fast), the tilt and slopes of the greens and surrounds, more and more run-offs from mis-struck irons end up in the sand.
The understanding, and then execution of where to best approach the greens from and where not to miss, presents the greatest challenge at Yarra Yarra. Just hitting the fairway, or getting ‘as far down as possible’ can bring you unstuck around here.
The waste areas with native vegetation look great (check pics), the poa greens were firm and quick, while the santa-anna fairways possess similar qualities! From what I had played 15 years earlier, those general characteristics point to a major improvement in aesthetics, in playability for the average member and in a fun challenge for the low-marker.
In terms of specific holes, the last 3 par3s are sensational. While the first of the one-shotters (202m 3rd) is a tough, long slog, it doesn’t quite possess the beauty and intrigue of 6, 11 & 15. 6 is a classic short-hole, only 120m long, but plays to a raised, rolling, bouncy, small green surrounded by deep bunkers. It is only a 9 or a wedge but don’t miss the green! 11 is a ripper, a tough ripper at that – 167m to a shallow green with a crazy ridge cutting left to right through the centre of a green surrounded by sand, and the short bunkers are deep. Its one where you need a lot of imagination in your short game if you miss the green. Aiming away from the hole to use surrounding slopes/ backstops etc, is on the cards here. 15 (147m pointing in the same direction as 11) looked the most intimidating on my visit though, with the pin cut on the left of the smaller back tier, and into a 2-club wind, it looked like you needed to land it on a 10-cent piece in between a sea of bunkers.
Other than the 3’s, most memorable holes for me are: the long par4 2nd (402m with a wide fairway that joins the first fairway, but hit the right side of the fairway and you are blocked out by a small copse of tall trees. Anything left-ish off the tee goes further left and any long second requires negotiation of some large bunkers 40 or 50m short of the green, smack in the middle of the fairway); and the 2 shortest par 4s in 5 (296m) and 10 305m) that are both driveable under certain conditions. The beauty of both 5 &10 is that they both look very innocent off the tee – there isn’t any thick ti-tree or soaring trees or water hazards. It is the clever slope of the land that renders you in a near hopeless position if you can reach the green but miss wide. The green shape, tilt, slope and small areas of strategically grown rough make both of these tempting 4s like ‘the wolf in sheep’s clothing’.
Overall, Yarra Yarra doesn’t seem to play as long as its 6.2km measure but in true sandbelt fashion, the key to playing this 6.2k on firm, bouncy couch fairways with quick, hard greens, is about keeping it in play, in the right spots and being able to execute when you do pull the trigger. There are plenty of decisions to make off the tee, and plenty of opportunities to pull that trigger and take on narrow lines for some reward. The extent of the penalty you pay for missing might not be obvious at first, and therein lies the cleverness of it’s design. It is the type of course where you will be more wary on the tee the next time you play it.
