FROM Phillip Island Golf Club at Cowes, and Lang Lang Golf Club near Nyora in the west to the small Welshpool Golf Club and Yarram in the east; there’s a week-and-a-half of golf to be had on the courses of South Gippsland and Bass Coast.
Cowes, Lang Lang. Wonthaggi and Leongatha are rated highly by visitors, but it’s well worth getting off the beaten track to enjoy the green rolling hills of the excellent Korumburra Course, Mirboo North and Meeniyan amongst the trees, or the town courses at Foster and Woorayl (in Leongatha).
An outlier for this area, but still well worth the trip is the spectacular Yarram Golf Course.
Situated on a sand belt just east of the town, the course handles the wet weather with ease but looks an absolute picture at the moment, thanks to Mother Nature’s support of the fairway irrigation system.
“It always looks good and plays well, right through the year, but it’s an absolute picture at the moment,” said Yarram Golf Club Treasurer Gayl Summers.
Competition days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a ‘Chicken Run’ event on Thursday afternoon but there’s plenty of opportunity around those times for greens fees players, and other club members are welcome to join in on the competitions as well.
There are some truly fine holes at Yarram, one of the best volunteer-run courses in Australia.
Here are the local golf courses:
- Foster Golf Club is an attractive, undulating, tight course of 5725 metres, par 72, ACR 69. The course has only nine sand bunkers but small greens add to the challenge. The club boasts a fine new licensed clubhouse. Phone: (03) 5682 2272.
- Korumburra Golf Club is a picturesque 18 hole course in the heart of the rolling South Gippsland hills. Grass greens always maintained to the highest standard. Excellent licensed clubhouse with magnificent views and a friendly atmosphere. Phone: (03) 5655 1886. This course has the most magnificent array of trees seen anywhere.
- Leongatha Golf Club is located on Inverloch-Koonwarra Road. An 18 hole, 5795 m. par 70 course, which features santa annua fairways, undulating tree-lined fairways, excellent coastal and rural views. Licensed clubhouse, Friday night meals, Golf equipment available. Phone: (03) 5664 3314.
- Meeniyan Golf Club is situated three kilometres from Meeniyan on the road to Wilsons Promontory and Waratah Bay, Meeniyan has 18 watered grass greens on gently undulating country. The club is fully licensed and has a small but very friendly membership with a relaxed country atmosphere. Phone: (03) 5664 7490.
- Mirboo North Golf Club is an 18 hole course, watered fairways, situated on the northern perimeter of Mirboo North township. The course has been developed from natural bushland. The undulating fairways offer panoramic views of the surrounding hills and bushland. Phone: (03) 5668 1515.
- Phillip Island Golf Club is located on Victoria’s premier tourist resort, one kilometre from the township. Eighteen level tree-lined watered fairways. Par 72. Phone: (03) 5952 2141. Pro shop (03) 5952 1121.
- Welshpool Golf Club is a level nine-hole course, just out of town. All grass greens with spectacular views back over Corner Inlet to Wilsons Promontory. Phone: (03) 5688 1556. The course in all its years has recently conceded to a sub-par round for the first time.
- Wonthaggi Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course, centrally located right in the middle of town. Established in 1925, the picturesque and challenging, 5863-metre course, is set on 103 acres of undulating land and has undergone extensive improvements in recent times, with more to come. Phone: 03 5672 3697. The clubhouse facilities are operated by the Wonthaggi Club offering lunch seven days and dinner Wednesday-Saturday. Phone: 03 5672 1437.
- Woorayl Golf Club is a nine-hole course, located within the town, at Leongatha’s renowned sporting reserve. It offers a challenging round of golf with a warm social atmosphere. Phone: (03) 5662 4187.
- Yarram Golf Club is a challenging 18-hole course featuring top class greens. Clubhouse fully licensed and visitors always made most welcome. A small colony of kangaroos occupy the course and graze contently while golf is played around them. Par for the course is 72. Phone: (03) 5182 5596.