Kingston Beach

Kingston Beach Golf Club was formed in November 1922, with members playing on a 9-hole course devised by landowner Robert Nettlefold and John Irving, the professional at Launceston Golf Club in King Meadows. Fairways were laid out on the river flats where Brown’s River flows into the River Derwent and soon afterwards another three holes were added.

Mick Morcom was called in for his opinion on the layout and he suggested elevating several of the riverside fairways and adding some contours to the greens. Credit for the completed 18-hole is given to Morcom and professional Jock Robertson, who oversaw developments into the 1930s.

Toby Cumming takes up the story in his book The Golf Courses of Vern Morcom:

“In 1956, more than thirty years after his father’s involvement, Vern remodelled the course. He felt it was most attractive, commenting on the magnificence of the views on entering the property, and interesting from a golfing point of view. His suggestions were minor alterations to improve individual holes rather than structural modifications.

The purchase of additional land south of the river extending west to the main road facilitated the extension of the 11th and 12th. Initially a one-shotter, the 11th was stretched first to a par four and ultimately to a par five, with the returning 12th also lengthened. The 13th and 14th were both extended too, using the previously swampy ground in the bend of the river.

In 1984, Kingston Beach hosted the Tasmanian Open, with Wayne Grady’s eagle two at the last clinching second place behind Michael Clayton.”