1. q-tip | Rated | 19 Oct 2011 | Add A Review

Berri’s Big River Golf & Country Club measures 6034m Par 71 with four par 3s ranging from 150-200m, eleven par 4s ranging from 305-391m and three par 5s ranging from 455-497m.

Course has a mix of couch/kikuyu grass fairways with mostly medium sized bent grass greens. The front nine is on the northern side of Shiell Road whilst the back nine is on the southern (or clubhouse and proshop) side of Shiell Road with an interesting layout with holes 10-14 then you cross past the proshop and clubhouse to play holes 15-18.

I agree the layout has you walking back to the next tee on at least 8 occasions but there are sprinklers in use on most holes and there are 24 bunkers on the course which adds to the challenge and conditioning. Course is flat and easy to walk with wide tree-lined fairways. There are mostly kikuyu grass tee mounds with only a few couch tee mound areas. There are no water hazards in general play.

Highlights include: the 464m straight 4th (index 15) with a teeshot over a crest with 4 bunkers short and around the green; the 163m 6th (index 16) with couch grass green surrounding the trees; the 390m slight dogleg left 8th (index 1) with 2 greenside bunkers; the 320m slight dogleg left around the motel accommodation 11th (index 11) with a fairway bunker left at the dogleg corner and another 80m short on the right to a green with 2 shortside bunkers; the 150m slightly uphill 16th (index 14) with 4 bunkers; and the 391m slight dogleg left 18th (index 2) with a bunker 20m short right and another greenside bunker right.

Played here 1st October 2011 with $30 green fees. Course access is from Shiell Road. Berri is one of the larger towns in the Riverland, with only Renmark having a higher population.

Worth a hit but every grass green course (Renmark, Loxton, Barmera and even Waikerie) in the area are similar to each other. No Riverland course is overly challenging and neither stands out over the other. Great clubhouse at Berri though.

2. Funky71 | Rated | 24 Dec 2009 | Add A Review

While the course is usually in very good condition, and the facilities are certainly first class, the layout doesn’t do the course any favours. On multiple holes a walk back to the next tee is required, which can get a little tedious and frustrating.
That being said, the course isn’t without charm. The par 3 6th is a challenging par 3 with trees all around the green, and between the tee and green as well. The 11th also being a good test due to the three or four bunkers on the hole that require an accurate drive on what is a short par 4.
Like all the riverland courses the greens are generally excellent and the 19th makes this course well worth the walk.

TandM