Yarra Yarra is an impressive property!

As you turn off Warrigal Rd, through the gates and along the entrance road it becomes clear that you have entered a world class facility. The presentation resembles the old classics around the world. The Spanish style clubhouse adds to the drama.

Yarra Yarra is a 'sandbelt course' and is built on rolling sandy terrain ideal for golf. It does not have the elevation changes of Royal Melbourne or Victoria but the quieter movement enabled Alex Russell to build a different style of sandbelt course.

Over the years inevitably changes were made by well meaning officials, and more recently the club appointed Martin Hawtree to oversee changes to the course but it didn't work out, and Tom Doak's Renaissance men were asked to assist instead. One of Doak's most experienced men- Brian Slawnik- became the man on the ground- and the changes were welcomed. The recent work by Brian Slawnik has returned the course to the look and feel Russell espoused.

The course had become a little overgrown, so trees and undergrowth have been cut back, allowing the spectacular bunkering to dominate. The green complexes are the key to the course, and they have once again become the focus. The greens themselves are pure poa annua, but have always played firm and true. The bunkering is clean and crisp, and now Slawnik has added more turf around the greens as run offs and to provide a turf connection to the next tee. The combination is impressive.

Yarra Yarra was a torchbearer when it introduced equality for women members from the outset. The course has always appealed as a venue for womens golf because it is a relatively easy walk, is not overly long, and is challenging but quite playable for players of different abilities.

Brian Slawnik's restoration work has met with the club's focus on improving the quality of the course for member play rather than tournament set ups. Integrating tees with greens has helped with the flow of play, and with reduced carry off the tees, and a new set of forward tees Yarra Yarra will cater for children, elders, those with slow swing speeds- as well as the stronger golfers.

Yarra Yarra is one of 8 clubs in The Melbourne Sandbelt- one of the great golfing destinations in the world. It is not a long course, but it is a championship course, and is a nice complement to Royal Melbourne & Kingston Heath… As such it should be on every golfers wish list!

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