Magenta Shores Country Club

Ross Watson – with over a dozen Australian new designs and renovations in a growing portfolio – was the architect who laid out the links-like resort course at Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, just south of the Wyrrabalong National Park on the New South Wales central coastline.

Located within a narrow spit of land between Lake Tuggerah and the Pacific Ocean, the fairways first saw golfing action in 2006 but Magenta Shores has quickly been recognized as one of the top tracks in the country, reflected in its current high ranking position in the Australian golf course listings.

Holes 1 to 7 were actually built on land that was formerly used as a rubbish dump so a fair amount of sandy soil was shifted during construction to cap that portion of the site, raising the profile of the fairways by over twenty feet.

Featuring a number of enormous, intimidating fairway and greenside bunkers, Magenta Shores is routed in two returning loops of nine. The outward half heads south from the clubhouse, returning at the toughest hole on the card, the monster 479-yard, par four 9th.

The challenge on the back nine continues in unrelenting fashion until the signature 15th hole is reached – a 135-yard par three, played to a tightly bunkered green. The turn for home then begins, culminating in a long par five finishing hole beside the clubhouse.

As Magenta Shores is a private course, visiting golfers must stay at the resort in order to play here.