1. longnstraight | Rated | 05 Jul 2006 | Add A Review

I have had the pleasure of playing at The National (Old Course).

It is a truly challenging course that will break the most patient of golfers. There is absolutely no margin for error here, bring a box of balls at least. Even low handicappers will feel the pinch and won't play to their handicap, as the course and the elements truly come into play.

The greens are undulating and are very difficult to read, some are quick, others slow.

The backdrop is breathtaking, with some of the most beautiful ocean views you will ever see. The landscape has been perfectly designed to blend in with the natural surroundings.

The clubhouse is exemplary and the underground car park very convenient. Get there early for bacon and eggs before tee off.

If you get the opportunity to play here do not miss it...

2. margaux | Rated | 21 Aug 2005 | Add A Review

Our group played the "Old" in the afternoon, after the "Moonah" in the am. The omens were already good due to a balmy, windless 28C that persisted through the week.

After playing 10 courses over 5 days, the "Old" was rated as #1.

Whilst many holes looked absolutely daunting from the tee, the reality was that there were adequate landing areas for a "not to inaccurate" driver, although the full rough was unforgiving.

The layout and scenic beauty are awesome, but take a cart.

Scenic beauty 10/10; layout 9/10; manicure 8/10; value 10/10; challenge 9/10.

3. peanuts_1 | Rated | 02 Mar 2005 | Add A Review

Playing the Old course on a relatively calm day allows one to appreciate the wonderful scenery, not just from the high points on the course looking over Morninton Peninsula, but also the bush that sometimes closes in around you and makes you feel miles from anywhere.

The wonderful condition of the course can also be best appreciated, with smooth couch fairways (the grass, not the topography, as there's little level about that!), greens set into a variety of positions around the hillsides the course winds itself around.

Of course that's in the good weather. In the wind and driving rain you may struggle to appreciate all that to the same extent...

A toughish walk due to quite large undulations, I think it nonetheless worthwhile playing it that way.

The first three holes are two shotters, of varying direction and topography. The first is not long but can bite due to penal rough and a heavily undulating green. The second is longer, in the opposite direction with en elevated green requiring approaches to be very accurate in length. The third asks you to drive across a small ravine and take as much as you can to reduce the length of your sharply uphill approach shot.

The next highlight is seven, a short one shotter often photographed due to its breathtaking views and requirement of a very accurate short iron approach.

Ten shares its green with fourteen and this writer had the pleasure of putting from next to the wrong pin, a mere fifty metres from the right one...

Seventeen is a three shotter that entices the bold hitters to cut across the scrub to shorten the hole. Fraught with danger as the trees on that line are quite high, and you can't see the result until you're down there. A three wood to a wider landing area is far from a wimpy play.

In comparing the Old to the other two courses at the National it should be pointed out this is a very different style of course to the other two. As such it's a little unfair, but for the sake of argument I rate it behind the Moonah and ahead of the Ocean, purely for playing enjoyment and general golfing challenge.

4. scott tindall | Rated | 02 Sep 2003 | Add A Review

A wonderful course that has been further improved with the new routing. The Robert Trent Jones design is sepctacular and evry hole feels amazing. It has a true sense of looking a lot harder then it actually is but with huge sweeping greens, don't become too complacent. A magical place...highly recommended.