Avondale Golf Club

Avondale Golf Club can be found in the leafy suburb of Pymble, close to Sydney city centre. The 18-hole layout sits within one of the most densely populated metropolitan districts in the country but, after passing through its under stated entrance, you are transported to another world where the secluded fairways offer a welcome respite from the outside world.

Architect Eric Apperly – perhaps better known for his work at New South Wales and Newcastle – designed the course here and it opened in 1927, one year after the club was formed. Storms and bushfires in the 1990s destroyed much of the vegetation on the property but, thankfully, the course fully recovered and fairways are once again flanked by stands of trees and thick bushland.

Ross Watson has been involved recently in redesigning some of the holes. A 19th hole has been built – played as the 15th – which allows the club the option of taking a hole out for maintenance if the need arises. New tees have been incorporated – adding distance to a relatively short layout – and these bring several fairway bunkers into play, especially at the left doglegged 9th hole.

The 377-yard, par four, 10th is a feature hole at this vastly underrated course and it doglegs left (with out of bounds pressurizing the tee shot) before an approach is played downhill to the green. The round ends with three strong par fours: the 465-yard 16th plays to a narrowing fairway, the risk/reward 17th offers the more cautious golfer a lay-up option and the 18th hole ends with a two-tiered green protected by intimidating bunkers.