Golfing – The Murray
Forming the border between Victoria and New South Wales, the Murray River is home to paddle steamers, classic Australian country and a host of spectacular resort courses.
A favourable climate and conditions allow year-round golf in the region, and many of the Murray’s courses are as famous for the food and entertainment of their large clubhouses as they are for their challenging golf on offer. Many also have on-course accommodation, so you can roll straight out of bed and onto the first tee.
British Open champion and well-known course architect Peter Thompson designed several courses in the region. Some are on the banks of the beautiful river and have fairways lined with signature river red gum trees. This is a truly Australian setting for golf.
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Twelfth Street, Mildura
Course length: par 72; 6,011 metres
Kikuyu fairways are lined by pines, date palms and native scrub. The relatively flat course is well-maintained with good lies all-year round. A tough set of finishing holes culminate in the 205-metre par-three 18th. The elevated green is protected by bunkers and mounding. This is a definite swing hole with a few dollars riding on the outcome.
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Park Street, Nichols Point, Victoria
Course length: par 72; 5,814 metres
The Riverside Golf Club winds its way along the Murray River six kilometres from the Mildura CBD. The sounds and sights of paddle boats and water birds surround the picturesque fairways and verdant greens set amongst the ancient River Red Gums. The old style country clubhouse overlooks the course.
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Kookaburra Drive, Dareton, New South Wales
Course length: par 72; 6,250 metres
Anyone trying shortcuts at Coomealla will rack up big numbers. Fairways are lined with box gums that severely punish off-line shots. Locals call it the Coomealla clatter, as ball after ball cannons into the timber. Its a course that rewards straight hitting like few others. This is the one and only layout of Ross Putland, who went out of his way to incorporate the usually dry creek bed, as a natural hazard fronting about five greens.
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Beverly Street, Wentworth, New South Wales
Men's course length: par 71; 5,700 metres
Ladies course length: par 74; 5,700 metres
This golf course boasts lush santa anna couch undulating tree-lined fairways that wind their way around eight lakes, which come into play on nine of the course's holes. Tackle tricky bent grass greens, subtle contours and a true surface that will always reward a good putt.
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Site 1 Murray Downs Drive, Murray Downs, Victoria
Par 72; 6,197 metres
Murray Downs Golf & Country Club is a resort style course renowned as the best course on the Murray and rated with the best resort courses in Australia. The large greens and wide fairways mixed with lakes and contoured bunkers of red river sand provide a challenge to the experienced golfer and an enjoyable experience for the beginner. The fifth hole is a challenging par 3 featuring a water carry to a large undulating green surrounded by three strategic bunkers.
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6 Niemur Street, Barham, New South Wales
Par 73;
The Barham Golf and Country Club has a superb 18 hole, par 73, well established Championship course, that features, water hazards, bunkers, driving range magnificent grass greens. With the recent addition of new 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 9th holes plus new 4th and 6th Greens and driving range, designed by Ross C Watson and constructed by Turnpoint Constructions, this course now compares with some of the best courses along the Murray.
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Yarrawonga-Mulwala and surrounds:
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Gulai Road, Mulwala, New South Wales
Lakes course: par 72; 5,957 metres
Murray course: par 72; 6,085 metres
Executive course: (9 holes) par 33; 2,246 metres
Yarrawonga and Border is a large 45 hole resort course carved through natural bushland, lagoons and large river gum trees, with the fifth hole running along the banks of the river. The Lakes Course is more open, with wide fairways and large greens that are protected by strategic bunkering and, as the name suggests, a number of lakes. The Executive course is an easier nine hole layout in undulating parkland, perfect for the beginner or a quick round at the end of the day.
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Golf Course Road, Barooga, New South Wales
Old course: par 72; 6,186 metres
West course: par 72; 6,287 metres
Cobram-Barooga features two championship layouts, the Old and the West. The Old is a traditional layout featuring large established trees lining the fairways, slick greens and is well bunkered - none more so than the twelfth green, which is surrounded by sand. The West course is more open than the Old and features more water hazards, sculptured approaches and large greens.
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Barooga Road,Tocumwal, New South Wales
Presidents course: par 72; 6,066 metres
Captains Course: par 72; 6,272 metres
Tocumwal Golf Club features two championship courses - the more established Presidents course set amongst tall river gum trees and typified by deep bunkering, and the Captains course, which is a more open links style course with strategic bunkers and water hazards.
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Albury Wodonga and surrounds:
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North Street, Albury, New South Wales
Course length: par 70; 5,774 metres
Ideally set on the Hume Highway, the major transit route between Sydney and Melbourne. The clubhouse overlooks an 18-hole course that occupies rolling land on Alburys north-west outskirts. A number of blind drives over fairway elevations feature, while a small stream dominates play on the flatter holes. The 11th hole is a cracker, with a concrete drain threatening shots swinging right from the tee and on approach to the green.
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Clubhouse Place, Wodonga, Victoria
Course length: par 73; 6,289 metres
Associate's course length: par 73; 5,326 metres
Championship 18 hole golf course located to the west of Wodonga's CBD. Clubhouse has been completely refurbished and is a contemporary, modern facility that will please even the most fastidious of golfers. Golf Carts, lessons and accessories available at Pro Shop. Home of the Murray Masters.
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Thurgoona Drvive, Thurgoona, New South Wales
Men's course length: par 72; 6,372 metres
Women's course length: par 74; 5,480 metres
Thurgoona Country Club offers the complete resort experience with comfortable accommodation, 18 championship golf course, 16 tennis courts, driving range, pool, spa, gymnasium and sauna along with bar, bistro, tab and keno. Only eight minutes from the centre of Albury this is the ideal place to relax and unwind.
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Hume Street, Corowa, New South Wales
Old course: par 72; 6,037 metres
East course: par 73; 6504 metres
West course: par 73; 6327 metres
A 27-hole complex of three nines, with holes numbered 1 to 27. The original course along the river has feel-good charm. Watch out for the par five featuring long-leaf pines and striking river gums. Its a true three-shot hole. Al Howard added another nine in the early 80s, giving even more variety to the course. A series of doglegs on the early holes makes it difficult to pick the preferred line on tee shots, without some help from locals.
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