Blog 52 – Coraki

Nomadic_golfer : July 2020

Par 72, 6055m, slope 114, green fee $15

4 par 3s from 132 – 163m, 10 par 4s from 304 – 396, 4 par 5s from 442 – 492m

Late July and I travel about an hour from our Stoney Chute base to Coraki (pronounced “Corr-a-ky”), for the 2nd 9-holer in a row. Coraki is a small town of 1,300 people sitting on the Richmond & Wilson Rivers. It’s a local agricultural hub for cattle, sugar cane and tea tree oil and is situated 25 km north of Lismore. One interesting fact is they held a ”Dylanfest”, celebrating Bob Dylan, in the hotel in 2010!!

Another interesting 9 hole track where I suggest all work is by volunteers. Lots of mature trees, gums and pines but no scrubby stuff at ground level. Very wide fairways that were a mix of grasses and not the worst. I played after 3 days of heavy rainfall and considering the flatness of surrounding areas, it wasn’t too wet. The small greens were pretty average, very patchy and bumpy. The layout is over 6,000m and as such will test some for length, with 6 of the par 4s over 360m.

I actually loved the 1st/ 10th hole; a longish par 4 (366/382), with a very wide fairway that looks from the tee as you could hit it anywhere you like. However, there are 2 very strategic large gums; the first one on the left of the fairway 150m out and the 2nd on the right about 75m out. You have to split the centre to avoid some sort of shaped 2nd. Note the lack of a gap between the trees in the main photo.

Overall the course has some length to it, but a lack of penal hazard, soft conditions around the green and lack of bunkering make it not too challenging and it is unlikely to appear in any discussions on NSW top 50 courses. An enjoyable 9-holer none the less.