Black Bull - Victoria - Australia

Black Bull gets a thumbs down from me. While doing the same thing over and over again might make a good movie (Bill Murray aside), it’s a terrible theme for a golf course.

The Par 4’s are literally all the same. They are straight, mid length to a massive (or absolutely massive) fairway that narrows rapidly at around 110 metres. The green is then tiered with a bunker protecting one side (generally the right) and a front that appears false but is actually benign. The only Par 4 I can actually remember is the 6th because challenging the hazard off the tee gave real benefit. The rest of the par 4’s are the same hole. To be fair, it is a good, strategic hole, just not when you play it 11 times in a round.

The confusing thing is that this course is clearly manufactured. When creating a layout from nondescript swamp that needs significant earth moving, why not create variety and intrigue? Maybe a dogleg or two?

Brochures of the course speak of the ‘Bull Ring’; three holes marketed as being akin to other great 3 hole stretches around the world. It’s not. The most impressive thing about the‘Bull Ring’ is the life sized bull with junk intact. Jokes aside, the ‘Bull Ring’ does have two good holes and one decent hole (all straight and similar to the rest of the holes), but it’s in a different galaxy to world class. Let the marketing department have their fun I guess.

This is unashamedly a resort course designed to sell houses and attract punters. It would be a great course to play when you’re old and wobbly as the corridors are huge. It is the definition of playable. A test of golf it is not.

The signs of decay are starting to rear their head with weed issues on fairways, green surrounds and greens. On the day I played the greens ran true and at a reasonable pace, but were ridiculously soft.

Lastly, the aesthetics on this course are dystopian. Houses are ever present (and sometimes depressing) with clear plans for more. Walks between holes are long and generally bleak. This really is a poor example of golf on the Murray.

How Black Bull rates in the top 100 of Australian courses I do not know.

Black Bull GC is located on Lake Mulwala, 3 hours north of Melbourne. It is on the Victorian side of the border near Yarrawonga, which also has a terrific golfing facility.

Black Bull GC was conceived as part of the Silverwoods Golf & Lifestyle Resort. The former Black Angus Stud Farm is now a golf course surrounded by housing.

Renowned architects Thomson & Perrett designed the course which opened in 2015. I have always found Peter Thomson courses to be a little penal in places, but that is not the case at Black Bull.

Perhaps it is because it was designed for public access, or perhaps it was the influence of leading man, Justin Trott

For wahatever reason Black Bull is definitely a little more forgiving than some other Thomson courses.They got the balance just right on this one! Off the appropriate tee it is eminently playable, and fun.

The large greens and bunker complexes are a feature. Natural watercourses surround many of the holes, but rarely is the golfer forced to carry over the water (except on the par 3, 4th hole)

Black Bull promotes a trio of holes at 4, 5 & 6 as their equivalent of 'Amen Corner' Collectively these holes are known as 'The Bull Ring'. They are three good holes- all with water hazards very much in play.

Black Bull is just a lovely place to play golf.

It's an easy drive from Melbourne, and with the Sebel hotel on site it is a nice place to play and stay. It's a perfect weekend destination on it's own, or as a starter for more golf along the Murray..

Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review.

I just don't get the hype about this course. Maybe in 20 years I'll come back to see how it's grown in, but for now it still resembles the flat cow paddock it was 10 years ago, but with some nicely mown grass patches, some shallow scraped out water hazards, small trees and minor mounding and bunkering. It all feels a little too artificial, as though the adjacent and ongoing housing development mandated the square 'figure of eight' basic routing and the back and forth nature of many of the holes.

The upside: the course is still relatively new so conditioning was fine and green fees were good value, but I found nothing memorable above a by the numbers golf course / housing development.

If I was heading to Yarrawonga, I'd play the two main courses at Yarrawonga Mulwala GC, then I'd play them again, then I'd play Black Bull.

The final course played on Dad's 60th birthday trip was the recently (at time of playing) opened course right at Yarrawonga, along Lake Mulwala, Black Bull. The place to go for family holidays if you enjoy boating, fishing, jet sking and all things waters sports based. The course has been designed by Peter Thompson and has a tremendous routing that has now been completed to form a wonderful 18 hole championship course. Both excellent bunkers and great usage of water come into play here. Once the course develops more in the next 12-24 months this course will rise in the Australian rankings I feel. Enjoy the "bullring" holes 15 -17! The addition of a major brand hotel and clubhouse will definitely bring more people to this already thriving area a few hours north of Melbourne.