Bowral

First opened for play in 1919, the 5406-metre course at Bowral Golf Club has undergone a number of modifications down the years but the one constant factor regarding this 18-hole layout is that it still retains its old-fashioned out-and-back routing.

The club dates back to 1901 but it was forced to move to its present location in 1915 when its previous land lease was about to expire. Dan Soutar laid out the original 9-hole course before Carnegie Clark extended the layout to eighteen holes after the club acquired an additional 49 acres. Carnegie’s son Hastings became the Bowral professional in 1934, aged 23, and he remained in post for a remarkable 48 years.

The course plays to a par of 69, with only one par five on both nines and back-to-back par threes on the inward half. Highlights include the first (and longest) of the par threes at the uphill 4th; the right doglegging par five 5th (rated stroke index 1); the short par four 15th (narrowing to a bunker-free green); and the 408-metre 18th which crosses a ditch before heading uphill to a home green that slopes from front to back.