Course 41 for 2023 – Settler’s Run GC, Cranbourne, Vic
The 156m par3 2nd, with green tilting severely down to the right
Nomadic_golfer : November 2023 – Settler’s Run Golf Club, Cranbourne, Vic review
Par 72, 6022m slope 136 (White)
3 par3s 128-173m, 12 par4s 277-389m, 3 par5s 474-493m
Just south of the Victorian outer metro growth area of Cranbourne lies this Norman designed par 72 course with 3 par 3s and 3 par 5s. It is set on a triangle shaped site, surrounded by housing estates but the designers have done a great job in keeping that from front of mind.
There are some significant undulations and elevation changes across the property, especially on the front 9 and these have been used well in defining the character of a number of holes especially 7 and 9. More of the hazards are on the ground than in the air with large, well thought out bunkering, that encroaches on the eye-line off tees, with some water and small to medium trees out really wide. The gnarly, thick grass beyond the first cut, wide of the typically generous couch fairways, presents a far bigger hazard than the trees.
The large bent/ poa greens were in really good condition, of good pace and a touch soft following recent rain. There are many different parcels and plateaus in the greens, rather than a one-directional slope/ tilt across the greens, which makes you pay extra attention reading greens.
It was a little wet underfoot but the region has received quite a bit of rain in the lead up to my round and I believe initial drainage problems are well under control these days.
Most memorable holes on the hillier front 9 for me were 2 (160m par3 across a shallow gully to elevated green with narrow opening, deep bunkers right and heavily sloping green to the right), 7 (quirky 342m downhill 4 gentle left to right with some gnarly stuff down both sides, fairway bunkers on the line to the green on the right side where a bold tee shot will benefit from a kick down the hill) and 9 (490m par5 with a downhill tee shot between water left and bunkers right before an uphill 2nd turns gently left and requires one worked right to left to negotiate a narrow opening to a well-guarded green.
Locals like the finish and talk to the last 3 holes as its strength; I might extend that to the last 5, as 13 and 14 are both circa 400m par4s in opposing directions that have significant challenges; the former being uphill, into the prevailing breeze and with significant raised fairway bunkers eating into the left. The latter requires you to kick a goal with the blind tee shot over a saddle-shaped fairway before a somewhat steep downhill second to a tiered green that slopes away from you. The 480m par5 16th does require some plotting down the fairway with a large tree ~100m out, positioned right centre in the fairway requiring a definitive plan. The 280m par4 17th is a beauty; moves slightly left to right, water on the right up until about 50m short of the green and waste/ sand all the way down the left, to a narrow green with deep bunkers – a real risk/ reward hole. 18 is index 1, 400m uphill into the prevailing breeze, slightly right to left, gnarly stuff left, mounds right and an elevated, tiered green – a finishing 4 here is very well-earnt.
Overall, this is an enjoyable and challenging golf course that won’t overawe anyone off the tee but will challenge the best to shoot low scores with attacking attempts off the tee and into greens needing to be well executed as misses are penalised. The well-protected, subtlely changing sloped greens also represent a real test. This is a very good track!
