Barwon Heads,VIC

The Barwon Heads Golf Club is another beautiful links style golf course of Victoria with a wonderful ‘on-site accommodation' experience.

History of the Course:

The Barwon Heads Golf Club is located on Victoria's beautiful Bellarine Peninsula. Although not a true links style golf course, it is mistakenly referred to as pure links due to its coastal location and is created amidst rolling sand dunes and undulating terrain.

The Barwon Heads Golf Course was designed by architects Victor East and Mick Morcom in 1921.The par 70, 5718 metre, Barwon Heads Golf Course layout consists of a part links style course with constant undulating fairways, natural bunkers and well trimmed greens. The non links area of the course consists of fairways bordered by tea-trees and sloping greens as well. Overall, the course itself is considered links style primarily due to the beautiful natural undulations of its terrain and sand dunes, and being situated near the Bass Strait, the weather conditions are similar to Scottish links course.

The greens on the Barwon Course are well manicured and have a quick and fast surface;created with Poa Annua strains of couch grass they are trimmed every morning beforeplay and make it an enjoyable putting surface.Although the Barwon Heads is not a very long course, it proves to be a tough challenge for all levels of golfers with its quick greens, subtle slopes, strategically planned traps and testing tee-off positions.

The historic Clubhouse of the Barwon Heads Club was opened in 1924 and has undergone various makeovers but still retains its charm; today, it serves golfers with accommodation facilities of 19 luxurious bedroom suites, dining rooms, lounges, bars as well as a billiards room to relax after a tiring day at the golf course.

Course Trivia:

• Barwon Heads Club prefers to maintain its Club rules including a dress code for playing on the course or whilst in the clubhouse.

• The present Barwon Heads course was established in 1920, but the opening sea-side holes were not laid out until 1929.

• The famous holes of the Barwon Course include the authentic ‘links-like' 3rd, 4th, 5 th , 6 th , 12 th and the 13 th .

• The signature hole of the Barwon Course is its 13th hole- a short par three of 133 metres, it plays downhill to the green without any bunkers; only the Strait's wind and the natural undulation is enough for a stirring day of golf.

The Barwon Heads Golf Club is a private golf course. Guests must be accompanied by a member.

As per the Australian Top 100 Golf Courses (2006 rankings), the Barwon Heads Golf Club has been ranked as No. 32 .

As we continue on this tour we will learn about the other top-50 golf courses in Australia.