The Royal Melbourne Golf Club is home to the world-class West and East Courses. The West is considered by many to be one of the finest in the world, currently 6th in the World Top 100 Rankings. As with most 36-hole venues, there is always the second course, in this case, the East Course. Not unlike the New at Sunningdale or the East Course at Winged Foot, it lives in the shadow of its sibling.
Although it is not uncommon to create a composite course for major tournaments, the Royal Melbourne Composite Course or the Tournament Course does something different, it transcends the greatness of the West and becomes something greater than the sum of its parts.
The challenge of a composite course is unique. It's not so much picking and choosing the best holes from each but rather finding a way for the composite parts to make a whole. It needs to flow, ebb and crescendo and do so to elevate the experience rather than make it look like a tricked-up sideshow.
Routing is an art that few have mastered, and the ability to make a composite course work, to the degree that it transcends the elemental parts, is exceedingly difficult. In fact, on most properties, it wouldn't even bear attempting - it's either not possible nor worth contemplating.
The West Course was famously routed by Dr Alister MacKenzie in 1926. Alex Russell, laid out and opened the East Course six years later in 1932. The Composite Course was first played in 1959 when Royal Melbourne hosted the World Cup (then known as the Canada Cup). For modern-day enthusiasts, it is better known as the course played for the President's Cup where Tiger Woods dominated. Used for tournaments and member play, it is a legitimate third course that is in play and considered a viable option by the club. Let's delve into what may be the best golf course in the world.
Image Courtesy Gary Lisbon West 5
The Royal Melbourne Composite Course takes 12 holes from the West and 6 from the East.
Hole 1 - West Hole 1
Hole 2 - West Hole 2
Hole 3 - East Hole 1
Hole 4 - East Hole 2
Hole 5 - West Hole 5 - One of the world's best par 3's.
Hole 6 - West Hole 6 - One of the world's great par 4's.
Hole 7 - West Hole 7
Hole 8 - West Hole 10 - One of the world's best short 4's.
Hole 9 - West Hole 11
Back Nine
Hole 10 - West Hole 12
Hole 11 - West Hole 17
Hole 12 - West Hole 18
Hole 13 - West Hole 3
Hole 14 - West Hole 4
Hole 15 - East Hole 3
Hole 16 - East Hole 4 (a slight variation is to include East Hole 16)
Hole 17 - East Hole 17
Hole 18 - East Hole 18
There are a few takeaways and observations to note. The Composite Course uses the West Course's 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th as the same holes in rotation on both courses. It also makes use of the three-hole run from 10 to 12 and the two finishing holes, 17 and 18, mid-round. The holes across Cheltenham Road to the North are left out of rotation.
The East Course lends two holes to the front nine and four holes to the back nine. The first four holes and the last two finishing holes are used from the East with the 17th and 18th used from the East to close out the round. The holes excluded from the routing are the 12 holes across Reserve Road.
The two golf courses at Royal Melbourne effectively sit on three parcels of land. None of the holes on either course that are accessed by crossing the roads are used on the Composite Course. The added benefit of this is logistics for tournament play.
Three holes from the East and West courses are not included on the Composite Course that don't lie on the island parcels. They are the 8th and 9th on the West. The 8th on the West has one the most iconic bunkers at Royal Melbourne on it, but it is encountered when playing the 1st on the East or what is the 3rd on the composite. The bigger question is to include the 4th on the East as the 15th or the 16th on the East that plays as the 16th.
Image Courtesy Gary Lisbon East 1 & West 8
The 4th is one of the best uphill par 3's in the game. Played to a left pin, it's over 200 yards and is as pretty as can be. The 16th is an original Alex Russell that Ben Crenshaw describes as one the most beautiful he's ever seen. Deciding which hole to include or leave out is as difficult as deciding which child you love the most. Two par 3's that both work well as part of the Composite.
If it is a big tournament, the 4th of the East (played as the 16th) is left out due to grandstands being an issue in the corner where it would cause congestion. For the big tournaments, therefore, the 16th on the East is used as the 16th on the Composite.
Photo Credit: Gary Lisbon - Royal Melbourne East 16
In my opinion, the 16th works better if spectators are not an issue. It is shorter but the walk up the hill to the 16th from the 4th (15) isn't hard work. As well, from the 4th green (15) you walk back to the corner to tee off. If you walk up the hill from the front of the green on 4th (15) you are always walking forward.
Playing the 4th as the 15th isn't a bad option. However, walking past the 16th to the 17th tee feels odd and it's very obvious you're missing a great hole.
Photo Credit: Gary Lisbon - Royal Melbourne East 4
Is the Composite or Tournament Course at Royal Melbourne the best in the world? It certainly elevates it but does it raise it about penal perfections at Pine Valley or links perfection at Cypress Point Club?
Some of the other courses we will explore are the Old Course in Reverse and the original Lundin Links. Are there any more composite courses that will challenge one of the best or where it is greater than those that contribute towards it?
