Course 23 for 2024 & 391 all-up: Centenary Park GC, Frankston, Vic
Green complex on the par3 2nd
Nomadic_golfer : May 2024 – Centenary Park GC, Frankston, Vic review
Par72, 5998m, Slope 113 $41
4 par3s 147-207m, 10 par4s 287-405m, 4 par5s 459-507m
Centenary Park is a very busy public course with really good bones, just out of Frankston in golf rich surrounds at the top of the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne. You can actually see it from the relatively new Peninsula Link freeway. Designed by then pro Bill Clifford, the current course which occupies a mildly undulating site with multiple small elevation changes, opened in 1974.
For late autumn, the couch fairways were in really good nick, with some degree of firmness. The tees were ok, while the greens were showing some signs of wear. Fairways are of standard width, treelined but generally not overly tight or penal, with a couple of exceptions. Other than those trees, the course’s defences include a moderate level of bunkering which is well designed, matching flow of the land and flow of the game, and smallish greens with surrounding mounds & swails. There is the odd body of water but it doesn’t really come into play.
The front 9 lacked any length in its par 4s but did have a number of interesting strategic decisions to make, with the 330m 4th my favourite hole on the course. It turns right around a set of bunkers on the inside corner amidst some rolling undulations, with a couple of large gums down the left blocking the approach for any one bailing out. The rolling terrain continues to a very pretty setting, with a 2-tiered green surrounded by swails and a large gum on the left. I also liked the opening par5, with a generous fairway that bends left and presents a smaller target the longer you progress, finishing at a bunkerless, elevated green with some subtle mounds and drop-offs. The back 9 evens up the par4 length equation with 16 and 17 both around the 400m mark.
This is a pretty solid golfing experience for $40 and a great example of quality affordable golf in this golfing mecca. I have read of major council plans to improve the course over the next few years, with some minor hole redesign, green complex tweaks and returfing of fairways with santa-anna. I watch this with interest, as the bones are there and this could be another jewel in the Peninsula’s rich collection.
