Blog 83 – Tamworth

Nomadic_golfer : October 2020

Par 70, 5957m, slope 120, green fee $37

5 par 3s from 144-191m, 10 par 4s from 309-402m, 3 par 5s from 504-534m

Still camped up in the country music capital of Australia, and this time I’m at the Tamworth GC, a parklands course in the middle of town which did surprise me on the upside.

The course is very well maintained with kikuyu fairways, tees, surrounds and bent greens. Fairways almost recovered from last year’s drought; really good cover where they don’t have large patches, ie either really good or non-existent, not “thin”. Greens were fantastic, best I’ve played on since Melbourne. Huge downpour 48 hours prior but greens still good, probably softer than normal. Gum trees lining course, medium sized not too thick in general and clear underneath, fairways quite generous means that scoring is not too difficult despite a bit of length for a par 70.

There is no real need to hit anything off par 4s and 5s other than driver, I didn’t. Well bunkered, plus a couple of water hazards. Layout construct is 5 par 3s and 3 par 5s. All the 5s are over 500m but there is still a bit of altitude at play here. Lots of interesting holes, not much repetitive stuff and a good solid golf course that’s well patronised by the locals.

Back 9 definitely the stronger of the 2 with my favourite holes all on it: 11 (390m with OB down right for length of the hole and a dam starting at 200m from tee on the left, with a lone tree in the middle of the fairway. Hole narrows in at about 100m out as trees creep in from left); 14 (510m ‘double-bender; right to left off tee then left to right for second means you want to draw your drive slightly around the corner for the best line in to a green almost completely surrounded by bunkers); 16 (157m uphill with tree hanging over short left side and bunker left calling for a draw); & 18 is a very strong finishing hole at 402m with the biggest trees on the course down the right meaning anything right gives you no chance of hitting this large green which has as large a slope as any on the course

Overall, a good golfing experience; strong layout with fantastic greens.