I was lucky enough to tee up a game with my brother and friend Lee on the weekend at what has to be one of Victoria’s best (and maybe toughest) golf courses. Cape Schanck is a par 70, 18 hole championship course which is located on the bottom edge of the Mornington peninsula.

As far as golf courses go, this has to be one of the most scenic and beautiful courses I have played. It is a fairly tight, tee tree lined course that will punish you if you are off line. Having said that it is quite short measuring only 5640 meters. This course demands that you are in the fairway and in reasonable position to make a good score. The greens are huge and roll very, very well. The fairways are well presented with a fantastic surface and the bunkering is well placed and quite beautiful. The course meanders through the hills and sits high above the surrounding land, offering spectacular views of the ocean beach and Port Phillip Bay.

The holes on this course really do advantage the strategic golfer (which i’m not well known for!). Most holes do present a fairly large landing area if you are willing to take a longer iron into the greens. If you choose to bang the driver you will be rewarded for accuracy but will be severely penalised if you’re offline. I didn’t find the greens all that hard to hit, this was most likely due to the enormous size of them. Once on the green they rolled true and with good pace.

I must admit I didn’t get enough photos here. I just really enjoyed the walk and was so into the game it skipped my mind. Here are some of my favourite holes:

3rd: A 188 meter par 3. A demanding tee shot made from above. The wind can play a huge part in whether you make the green or not. You shoot it over a small gully filled with grasses into a large undulating green. This green is guarded by four green side bunkers, two short and long left and two running almost the entire length on the right. The smart play here is to play for the heart of the green, avoid the trouble and try to make a putt.

 

12th: A 349 meter par 4. This is an intimidating drive. You have an up hill funnel to drive the ball into which slopes from both sides back to the middle. Miss the fairway here and you will be reloading! I took a 3 iron and placed the ball into the middle leaving a mid to short iron into a green that sits well below you. This is a challenging next shot as the green is guarded by a huge bunker short left and a big depression down the right side of the green. If you miss right, getting up and down will be very tough. Once on the green you will need to negotiate the large contours to hole out. A very challenging and beautiful hole.

 

14th: A 158 meter par 3. I’m sure anyone who has played the course would agree this hole is one of the best on the course. No doubt the most photographed and most talked about. It plays all downhill, overlooking the ocean beach and the National Golf Course. You need to shoot the ball at the green, allowing for the wind. Distance control is a must if you want to make par. You can miss short, but long will cost you. The green has a huge tier. Finding yourself on the top and having to putt down would be a nightmare as slowing the ball would be nearly impossible. A great hole maybe one of the most scenic in Victoria!

 

There are so many great holes on this course. Each and every one is different and needs to be considered carefully. I must say, I did play conservatively and layed up on lots of holes, which helped me score well. Cape Schanck Golf Course will test your skills both mentally and physically. You really must go and play it. Another great day out with friends and another fantastic example of how good golf can be in Australia.

Luke @ Golf Blog Australia