Magenta Shores

IN: COURSE REVIEWS | BY: Rob Shine | | REGION: Central Coast, NSW DATE: 07 Dec 2006 | Rated

Magenta Shores

Is there anything worse than the sound of rain on a Sunday morning? Especially when you've lined up golf at one of NSW's most eagerly awaited new private courses?

The new course at Magenta Shores has been a topic of lively discussion on the iseekgolf forums in recent weeks, with over 5,000 views of the message threads to date. So it was a double disappointment that the day we had booked to review Magenta had turned out to be an overcast and damp day with a fierce Southerly coming straight off the ocean. Had we known before teeing off that the day's foursome champs would be won with a 92 off the stick, we might have repaired to the comfort of the new clubhouse there and then, but we didn't.

I was joined at Magenta Shores by three keen iseekgolfers and between us we had the golf world covered. My first guest was Jeremy Squires, a former pennant regular from Monash who soon showed us why he played off 1. Les Speerin was the lefty of the group and also handy off six. The last member of the team was Mike Kavanagh, a social player who had recently started playing again after a lay off. Our first impressions of Magenta Shores were of a well organised, friendly and modern club, with plentiful chipping and putting facilities and a practice range in front of the clubhouse that, whilst restricted to hitting short irons only, at least offered the chance to warm up those shoulders properly rather than hitting into a net.

It was on the first tee that we were to learn our first lesson about Magenta Shores.

Open for less than 20 weeks now, it's just not a course you want to be playing in a Southerly.

Or a Northerly for that matter. This is a true links style course, largely exposed to the mercy of the elements, especially the ocean breezes. And on this day, boy did they blow. (To give you a taste, on the par five eighteenth, a safe drive, followed by a smooth 5 wood, saw me still 200 from the green into the head wind. One of my career best 3 woods got me to the front edge. Driver, 5 wood, 3 wood! Now that's a tough finishing hole.

Front Nine

But anyway, back to the start. Golf course designers these days don't seem to have a lot of time for getting people off to an easy start. During the eighties and nineties new courses would start with a long par three or a wide open par five, just to get people off the tee and away. But, apparently, not any more and certainly not here. Standing on the first tee at Magenta we were faced with encroaching water down the left, a tight fairway and a distant green that looked a mile away. Into a head wind.

As the round unfolded it became clear that this is one of the key elements of Ross Watson's design here. On a number of holes, clever natural bunkering made distances very deceptive, just sowing that small seed of doubt as you stood over the ball. Holes that were in reality a good drive and a medium iron looked like three shotters off the tee and approach shots were often foreshortened by bunkers skulking 30 or 40 metres short of the green. In addition, the land here is very undulating, in true links style. You really rely on the sprinklers for the yardages.

We all made a bit of a hash of the first and blamed the wind. Trouble is, the beautiful long second was also very, very long into the wind and equally tight off the tee. When I asked people's first impressions as we limped off the second, the word "intimidating" seemed to sum it up. Our scratch man, who was soon to hit the shot of the day, was already a few over. The rest of us were barely troubling the scorers.

After a slight let up at the downwind but still lengthy 3rd, we found the wind right in our face again at the excellent yet intimidating par three fourth. With three of us hitting driver (and needing it) our scratch man showed his true colours in puring a three wood to literally 2 inches from the stick. Jeremy's ball finished so close that I genuinely believed we might see the slowest hole in one on record as a gust of wind seemed odds on to eventually coax it into the hole. Sadly it was not be. After being at sixes and sevens, literally, for the first few holes, it was great to celebrate a birdie, but in truth the broad smiles on our faces were more a result of finally feeling the fierce wind at our backs.

With blindish drives, the next few holes were easier but also real "local knowledge" holes and you'd do worse than to follow the course guide to the letter on each of them. One criticism of the course is that there are no maps or signage on the tees. Whilst the pro shop hands out a printed guide to the course, I'd prefer not having to unfold a paper map at each hole just to work out where we were going.

Having been a little conned by the clever bunkering again, and having largely missed out on the chance to benefit from the wind at our backs, especially at the downwind par five, we trudged to the ninth wishing we could play them again.

It was no surprise to see the ninth rated as stroke index one. Les described it as a "muscular hole" and at the rough end of 440 metres into the howling gales; it was out of range in two to most mortals. Once you got to the green there was little respite as the huge green was a devilishly difficult mass of swales and undulation,

The greens were in terrific condition throughout on the day we played although we all struggled at times to read the borrow and each of us picked totally the wrong line on at least one occasion. Opinions were divided on the bunkers, some of us noting that they looked like authentic Scottish links bunkers, but there's no doubt that you might get the odd rough lie with so many overhanging edges and steep faces. But who said bunkers should be easy?

Back Nine

As we turned to the back nine, the wind was really beginning to take its toll. Hitting into the wind was a struggle and controlling the ball downwind as much of a problem. The course still nevertheless presented a challenge of shot making, from making the decision to lay or go for the second shot at the par five 10th (went for it and landed in a huge bunker) or navigating a route up the partially split fairway of the 11th. This is a course that keeps you on your toes all way round. There's barely a single hole where you can open your shoulders off the tee and many where a wayward shot leaves you stone dead.

The pretty short 15th is a classic short hole, very Scottish in looks and design (which is meant to be a compliment of course) with thick grasses bordering the bunkers and a bail out zone left of the flag that offers safety but an impossibly difficult chip to another undulating green.

The last three holes are as much of a challenge as any of the first 15, and again require accurate tee shots to set up a good look at the green. The hole I'll definitely remember though is the aforementioned 18th which is far from your regular two solid shots and wedge. Measuring a mammoth 550 metres off the blue tees and heavily bunkered, this is a true par five and a half, especially into the wind. Having hit three good wood shots, I still had a tricky chip from the front edge and sadly finished the round with another six.

It was hard not to be affected by the difficult conditions, but I was really impressed by the layout and like my playing partners would love to have another go at the course on a calmer day. There was a definite and welcome change of pace on the back nine as the course went inland but overall it was a joy to play and I'd expect to see it deservedly feature in the various lists of Australia's Top 50 golf courses in no time at all.

The Panel Verdict

Jeremy Squires (Hcp 1)

The unique bunkering caught my attention as did the tightness of the fairways. It's a tough course and given that many of the holes run north and south, you should beware the breeze and club accordingly.

I'd rate this course in my personal top ten and would suggest it is a course best suited to the better player. Whilst I was impressed overall by the challenge, the 9th hole was a little out of character with the rest of the course, especially with the severely undulating green.

Les Speerin (Hcp 6)

I could play here every day. Possibly just short of championship material, Magenta Shores is nevertheless a great test for all golfers and a fantastic taste of links golf. On many of the tees you could imagine you were playing one of the superb holes that English, Scottish and our very own Mornington Peninsula links courses are famous for.

The first few holes are very intimidating. There was a sense that the course got a bit easier in the middle, but from the 14th onwards it was all on again, with mature trees, snake habitats and heavy rough to contend with before a tight downhill approach to a green that is blind from the tee. Bess advice I can give, especially on the first few holes is "don't go left"! High handicappers should take plenty of balls and enjoy the walk and scenery and cherish any good shots. It's a good test for the B grader who fancies himself a bit and even A graders will find breaking 90 a challenge.

Mike Flynn (Hcp 27)

I loved it, but my mates would kill me if I brought them here! The course is very tough and first time up you are hitting blind on many holes. This is a course that you'd like to play a few times to get to know it better. I especially liked the 12th hole, a nice par three with a deceptive layout.

We had a great day at Magenta, despite the impossible conditions and we agreed we'd all be happy to get the chance to play again, although we might check the weather forecast first! It was an easy 90 minute Sunday morning drive from Sydney and the course was quiet when we played with only Craig Wing and a few fellow Roosters venturing out on the course at the same time as us. The members that weren't playing in the comp were obviously sensibly tucked up out of the wind

There were some nice touches in the clubhouse, from the Molton Brown toiletries to the plentiful fluffy towels and clean and modern facilities. There's a well stocked resort style golf shop and the friendly bar staff seemed to be doing a roaring trade on the Sunday we were there, with families and golfers mixing for a relaxed Sunday afternoon atmosphere.

The club is currently members only although people staying at one of the on-course villas can arrange a game. You can also play the course if are a group of 12 or more.

All up, it's an experience I thoroughly recommend.

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