Kalgoorlie

The outback town of Kalgoorlie was founded during the Yilgarn-Goldfields Gold Rush in the early 1890s and it lies amidst harsh, somewhat inhospitable, desert terrain in the centre of Western Australia.

A primitive course was established by Goldfields Golf Club members in 1899 so golf has been played in these parts for well over a century. The club is still going strong, operating nowadays from the new Graham Marsh-designed Kalgoorlie Golf Course, which opened in 2010.

Today, the layout extends to 6,768 yards from the back tees, playing to a par of 72, and the nines have been reversed (apart from the closing hole on each circuit) since the course was first unveiled. Highlight holes include the left doglegging short par four 3rd (“Midas Touch”) and the longest of the par threes at the intriguingly-named 17th (“No place for a Lady”).

A number of holes are named after people who helped develop the area and bring prosperity to the town down the years through their work in the local mining industry. It’s rather fitting then for Kalgoorlie-born Graham Marsh to have the right doglegged 18th (”Swampy's Finish”) named in his honour as he helps the town towards a new era of economic success.