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Royal Melbourne, Victoria
Kingston Heath, Victoria
New South Wales
Metropolitan, Victoria
Royal Adelaide, South Austalia
The Lakes, New South Wales
The Australian, New South Wales
Victoria
The National (Moonah), Victoria
The Golf Club Kennedy Bay, Western Australia
Royal Sydney, New South Wales
Royal Canberra, ACT
Kooyonga, South Austalia
Lake Karrinyup, Western Australia
Laguna Quays, Queensland
Hope Island, Queensland
The Glades, Queensland
The Vines, Western Australia
Commonwealth, Victoria
Newcastle, New South Wales
Terrey Hills, New South Wales
The National, Victoria
Woodlands, Victoria
The Dunes, Victoria
Mount Lawley, Western Australia
Sanctuary Cove (pines), Queensland
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Newcastle Golf Club
The Newcastle Golf Club is a beautiful 'links-style' golf course in New South Wales, Australia.
History of the Course
The Newcastle Golf Club is located at the mouth of the Hunter River in Fern Bay of Newcastle and is a true 'links-style' championship course, reminiscent of the great historic links courses of Ireland and Great Britain.
Although founded in 1901 at the old racecourse site of Broadmeadow in Newcastle, the Newcastle Golf Club was not incorporated until 1906.
In 1916 however, 9 holes were designed by Fred Popplewell Sr., on a stretch of sand dune country at Fern Bay. When transportation by ferry improved, the golf course became more accessible. It was only then, during the 1930's, that renowned architect, Eric Apperley designed the 18 hole course for the Newcastle Golf Club.
Despite the losses caused to the club during World War II, when the army used the course as tank traps and barb wire fencing ripping through its greens, the course quickly recovered from the setback and emerged as one of the Australia best tests of golf.
The 6160 metres, par 72 Championship golf course of the Newcastle Golf Club consists of a magnificent course created amidst sand hills and surrounded by native Australian bushland. The course layout consists of forests lined with trees and bush that border the well trimmed rolling fairways with the typical "links style" bunkering. The greenside bunkers are subtly crafted using the natural undulating sand dune terrain, which serves up an enthralling experience of links golf.
Some of golf's greatest that have played at the Newcastle course include professionals like Bobby Locke and Norman Von Nida, who have praised it as world class.
Course Trivia:
The Newcastle course being an adaptation of true links style courses is compared to Scotland's Royal Dornoch course.
Holes 5, 6, and 7 of the Newcastle Golf Course are worth mentioning here due to their unique characteristics. Its 5th hole was included by golfing journalist Tom Ramsey in his book The Best 18 Holes in Australia; the 6th hole is amongst Australia's 16 best holes to make it to The Best 500 Holes in the World.
These holes are very testing with their fine dogleg bends, steep slopes, bunkering
and trees that all cause a formidable challenge on this course.
The Newcastle Golf Club has been host to major events like the NSW Open (1972), won by Owen Beldham; Australian Futures Championship, Australian Ladies Amateur Championship, Australian Mens Senior Amateur Championship, NSW Foursomes Championships and Newcastle's most celebrated, 36 hole Autumn Record, amateur Vardon Cup event.
The Newcastle course with its amazing flora and fauna, natural bushland and Eucalyptus forests, are also home to wildlife and bird species including Australian kookaburras and kangaroos.
The Newcastle Golf Club is a semi-private golf course however limited opportunities exist for non-members to play.
As per Australian Top 100 Golf Courses (2006 rankings), the Newcastle Golf Club has been ranked as No. 13.
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