The Links at Hope Island was the first attempt in Queensland to
create a golf course based on many of the features of the British
links courses on a site that did not exactly lend itself to such
a task. That the design company Thomson Wolveridge and Perrett,
the original developer Shinko Australia and subsequent owners
have been able to achieve the result they have speaks volumes for
their respective skills and commitment.
The project was initially conceived in the late eighties on land
that was sandwiched between two water courses, the Coomera River
and Salt Water Creek on the north of the Gold Coast in
Queensland. The site had been particularly floodprone, and whilst
the creation of such a project in this type of land area can
raise many environmental and engineering issues, the resulting
golf course and associated residential development have in fact
alleviated many of the original concerns with a divide now
created between the two water bodies thus virtually eliminating
the flooding previously experienced.
Shinko Australia the Australian arm of the Japanese parent
company Shinko engaged the services of Peter Thomson and his
partner Mike Wolveridge who were joined later in the project by
the addition to their partnership of Ross Perrett.
At a time when courses such as Parkwood, Palm Meadows, Sanctuary
Cove and Robina Woods had been completed or were underway on the
Gold Coast, their task was to create a golf course that would
stand alone in terms of style. To this end the team involved set
about creating a links course that would incorporate
Thomson's great knowledge of such courses, having been so
successful in tournaments in Britain including five wins and
three seconds at the British Open.
The site was difficult not only for the issues mentioned earlier
but also because the marine clays that dominated the sub surface
materials of the site made for difficult and indeed expensive
construction. The large lake that adjoins the eighteenth fairway
proved to be one area where good quality fill was obtainable and
most of the course's relief, in terms of its topography, came
from this one source. The other problem the designers had was the
desire by the developer that relatively mature trees should be a
feature of the course which is hardly typical of links courses
and while the designers were able to convince the client to
reduce their number, the trees were planted on a reasonably large
scale.
In the late nineties when the original developer, like so many of
their fellow Japanese companies, was feeling the pinch, a
management buy-out of both the real estate and golf course was
undertaken by Jeffersen Properties ensuring continuation of the
project. In turn they felt the need to solicit support. Therefore
in June of 2000 the Sydney developer Lang Walker, through one of
his companies, McRoss Developments, purchased the overall
development. This new ownership appears to be the start of a much
clearer direction ahead for Hope Island Resort.
Officially opened in March 1993, the course measures some 6450
metres (7000 yards) from the back tees, 5900 metres from the
resort tees, and 5200 metres from the ladies tees.
Two very separate loops of nine holes, one heading south east and
the other heading south west from the clubhouse, provide a
contrast in terms of direction but evenly balanced in terms of
difficulty. The course was used for the Johnnie Walker Classic in
early 1997 (won narrowly by Ernie Els) although during that event
the nines were reversed to accommodate tournament logistics. The
preferred arrangement for both tournament and regular play
however would be to play the course as it was designed. That
would allow for the use of the spectacular par five finishing
hole which incorporates many options and brings into the equation
the tough par three seventeenth and the eighteenth as an
interesting finish to any event.
The feature holes on the front nine are the par five second where
accuracy from the tee and for the second are necessary to set up
the best approach, the great par three fifth which if you are
looking for par or better don't bother missing the green from
the tee and the par four sixth which provides an interesting tee
shot to a fairway that is more generous than it appears from the
tee.
Holes on the back nine holes that stand out are the par four 13th
which shapes its way right to left around a lake and requires a
deadly accurate second to a tiered green, the short but dangerous
par four sixteenth measuring only 320 metres from the back but
with plenty of danger especially with the second to a shallow
green well protected by a centrally placed bunker and the
aforementioned eighteenth which is a fine finishing hole.
The most talked about, photographed and controversial hole on the
course is the par three seventeenth which at 230 metres from the
back tee across water is not my idea of a great hole. There is a
bail out option to the right for those not strong enough, brave
enough or silly enough to have a go but to be faced with three
bunkers protecting the green once clear of the water, just over
cooks the hole in terms of difficulty. It is true that they
seldom play the hole from the back, in fact even during the
Johnnie Walker Classic they were using a tee that required a shot
of 180 metres or so, and from there the hole was more than
acceptable even for players of that class. If I had my way on
this hole I would have one of the three bunkers guarding the
front removed despite the fact that it may reduce the fabulous
aesthetics that the bunkers create.
There is good variety throughout the course with the par five
eighth, eleventh and eighteenth reachable for the longer hitters.
The second, another par five, typically plays into the easterly
wind so that along with the fact that the last twenty metres of
the hole rise some two metres to the green mean that it takes two
great hits to get there. All four par fives head in differing
directions.
The four par threes also angle in different directions, north,
south, southeast and southwest and range from 140 metres (fifth)
to the 230 metre seventeenth As mentioned earlier the par fours
vary from the nearly reachable sixteenth to the long and
difficult fifteenth so overall a very good balance and blend of
holes.
Many of the greens are raised from the surrounding fairways by
around a metre plus thus serving the dual purpose of providing
flood protection and a greater degree of difficulty for those
missing the green.
The golf course is littered with typical Thomson Wolveridge &
Perrett bunkering varying from those which provide no real
penalty, to those which ensure that just getting out is the main
solution. Most are visible and as a consequence provide a means
of direction although there are occasions where the generous open
spaces to avoid the bunkers are subtly hidden e.g the landing
area for the second shot at the last.
A much promoted facility for golfers is the GPS system available
on carts. Hope Island was one of the first in Australia and in
terms of resort play it has its benefits. There is no doubt that
it increases the speed of play and provides a worthwhile watchdog
for those controlling play. I think it has its place in resort
golf but that is where it should stay.
As is typical of all the newer courses in this region,
competition dictates excellence in service and the resort has
itself ensured that all visitors are greeted and serviced in such
a way that they feel important.
Although a public access facility the Resort also has a range of
memberships both corporate and individual about which more
information can be sought by calling the resort directly. It also
has a range of practice facilities including a wet driving range
and first class teaching staff.
Clearly one of the best in the land, the Links at Hope Island has
from its opening, regularly been voted as the best Resort course
in Australia. It has missed such accolades over the past couple
of years, although now that the greens have been replaced and are
again providing a quality putting surface and the new ownership
is now providing stronger direction for the Resort, it may be
that it will once again hold that prestigious title.
Where it sits in terms of Gold Coast golf courses is very much an
individual opinion but for mine it is amongst the top three at
worst and probably the top two. If I am asked, as I often am by
visitors as to where to play, Hope Island is always one of the
first on my list of recommendations. What I saw on my latest
visit has only further reinforced this opinion.
Visitors to The Spikes Cafe & Bar at the Hope Island Resort
Golf Club can enjoy a delectable meal while overlooking the
rolling greens of our beautiful golf course. This elegant
restaurant makes the perfect setting for a relaxed meal any day
of the week, and is open to club members and the public until
6.30pm. "Spikes" offers modern Australian cuisine
encompassing different ethnics and some Eastern cuisine. A new
menu was recently launched with the aim of making the menu a
little lighter and the emphasis is on fresh, local products.
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04 Apr 2012
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28 Feb 2012
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29 Dec 2011
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29 Dec 2011
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10 Nov 2010
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05 Apr 2010
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26 Dec 2002
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1. The_Yub | Rated
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26 Apr 2012
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They should be ashamed tagging the word ’links’ onto this course….degrades all the great links courses around the world.
You don’t go to Paris for pasta, why try and sell links golf on the Gold Coast??? Go to Brookwater for a decent round of golf…..even Lakelands is better….and that’s really saying something!
Cons