1. q-tip | Rated | 15 Oct 2011 | Add A Review

Measures 6400m Par 72 off the back tees (6020m-white tees and 5345m Par 73-red ladies) with four heavily bunkered par 3s ranging from 126-197m, ten par 4s ranging from 299-428m and four par 5s ranging from 509-526m.

Links Lady Bay (LLB) is not a traditional links course but good to play course where the designers have looked up the definition of two golf course terms: links course and a links-style course. LLB successfully emulates a links-style course with 124 bunkers with some areas of sandy waste given the course is built on a sandy-clay base on undulating land less than 1km from the Gulf St Vincent and about 1 hour south of the Adelaide CBD.

I know the rankings of Australia’s courses are an imperfect way of measuring architectural merit, as Australian Golf Digest (March 2010) ranks LLB #57 in Australia and undoubtedly #1 outside the Adelaide metropolitan area, but they are a reasonable guide to use.

Course conditioning is good as you’d expect for a top 100 course. Course has quite wide undulating Santa Ana couch fairways with fairway-length couch grass rough not posing any challenges to hit out off and essentially making your landing areas a little easier. The large sized bent grass greens are smooth, but not overly quick. However, the couch teebeds are flat and a pleasure to play off.

Highlights include: the 339m straight 4th (index 15) slightly downhill with 2 fairway bunkers on the right with a (dry) yellow staked gully across the fairway 1m from the green’s front edge which has 2 bunkers; the 428m straight 5th (index 3) with 2 fairway bunkers middle of the fairway off the tee (275m to clear) with a red staked gully along the right to a green guarded by 4 bunkers; the 155m 6th (index 13) to a 30-40 long green with 9 bunkers; the 509m straight 7th (index 12) with a lake beginning 130m short on the right running up short and right to a green with 6 bunkers; the 175m 8th (index 8) with 8 bunkers; the 425m straight 12th (index 1) plays slightly uphill to a green with 6 bunkers; the 355m straight 14th (index 4) with a bunker left 210-230m off the tee with a hidden pond on the right 240m off the tee to a green with 4 bunkers with the pond on the far right; the 526m slight dogleg left 16th (index 11) with 2 bunkers left on the high side to a right-sloping fairway with the 14th hole pond on the right, a bunker middle fairway 100m out of the double green which is heavily bunkered short left; and finally the signature 197m 17th (index 7) with a heart-shaped green with 8 bunkers.

The back nine is much more heavily bunkered with varying topography than the front nine. Also a good feature is the 13th/16th double green.

Played here 27/09/2011 for the first time with $35 green fees. Despite its location only the 11th tee, 12th green and 18th tee has Gulf views and you can not hear the waves from any part of the course.

Course access is from St Andrews Boulevard about 2km south of Normanville. I also, like others, loved the pin placement map idea.
Highly recommended for those who want to play a links-style course.

2. Malvern | Rated | 30 Mar 2010 | Add A Review

Played the course on 27th March, 2010. Very difficult challenge off the back, 6400m and rated 74, the wind was blowing as well. Fairways were very hard (looks like it never rains there)but very playable, like any links course in summer. Greens were holding well, not much rough, just sandy waste. Reminded me of The Dunes. I would certainly play the course again.

If you are down this way, have a beer at the Victory Hotel at Sellicks beach and maybe dinner in the cellar.

3. jimandr | Rated | 21 Feb 2009 | Add A Review

It is worth adding an update on the course conditioning. I played it last week, just after Adelaide’s worst heatwave in years.

The fairways are still alive, and the greens are very good, but the rough mentioned by other reviewers is virtually non-existent.

I don’t think it needs rough though. There are so many bunkers and other hazards to penalise errant shots that rough as well might have been overkill.

I really liked the course, although perhaps the designers were a bit too busy. It is as if they couldn’t bear to see any dead ground without putting something in it.

4. golffreak99 | Rated | 07 Nov 2008 | Add A Review

i played lady bay 1 year ago and i think it tops the private courses in adelaide,1)it’s a traditional made links course,2)the course fees price is good and no.3)the course tests you out properly testing every skill you have in ya.

South australia this is our future course for us as a golfing state.

in my view if you want the best course in S.A go to Links Lady Bay the best the state has to offer for golfers.

PROS

• front 9 is wide and easy to play on.

Cons

• the rough on the back 9, once in there you cant find the ball, the rough is real thick and the height of the rough is at shin height.

Also Liked

• City Of Adelaide Golf Links
• Echunga Golf Club
• Mount Barker District Golf Club
• Patawalonga Golf Park
• Tanunda Pines Golf Club
• Willunga Golf Club

5. scenicpeak | Rated | 15 Jul 2008 | Add A Review

I played this course on the 12th June, 2008 after seeing so many positive reviews and it’s ranking continue to rise. I have to say I was disappointed. Condition of the course was fair, amenities very good, but the layout was just average. Having played all of the Mornington courses and the good Adelaide courses I would not return.

6. jordan | Rated | 15 May 2008 | Add A Review

What a great course! I enjoyed every minute i was out there. What great facilites. There were so many kangaroos as i was out there at 8:00am.Overall a great course and i will defentley be playing many more times in the future

Also Liked

• Murray Bridge Golf Club
• Willunga Golf Club
• Patawalonga Golf Park
• Gainsborough Greens
• Surfers Paradise Golf Club

7. the_VICAR | Rated | 20 Mar 2008 | Add A Review

Played recently….VERY VERY DRY & HOT CONDITIONS, unfortunately. Great layout with good bunkering & green design. Keeping the ball on the fairway was a major task.( More than normal, I mean) Would like to play this course again in more favourable conditions.

8. Gurtofen | Rated | 10 Dec 2007 | Add A Review

Excellent course. One of the best in the Adelaide region and well worth the drive down to Lady Bay. I love links style courses as I find they suit my game. The rough is harder than it looks and can make finding your ball difficult if you are at all wayward off the tee. I cannot recommend this course highly enough and considering it is a public course, it is a real hidden gem.

Also Liked

• Fleurieu Golf Course
• Kooyonga Golf Club
• The Vines Resort & Country Club (Ellenbrook)
• Tea Tree Gully Golf Club

9. bogyboy | Rated | 26 Jun 2007 | Add A Review

well worth the drive loved every minute of it the arvo sea brease makes this course and the staff are excellent well worht playing and keep your eye on it it will be one of the best in australia soon!!!!

10. flip76100 | Rated | 22 Jun 2007 | Add A Review

Easily the best quality golf course with public access at the moment. Beware of the afternoon sea brease…..... Enjoy!

11. flipper76100 | Rated | 13 May 2007 | Add A Review

The Links once again, drive me nuts! but in a good way….. God I need a straighter driver, you will to here. What a great course to play. Even though there`s a lot of construction going on for the estate surrounding the course, the playing experience is still sensational. The whole course is sand based bent grass, fairways and greens, and all in great nick too. The front nine is more like a true links course and you’ll need to keep those shots low if it`s windy. The back nine starts out in links style with the 10th and 11th, then heads to more traditional territory as it chases the natural valley inland. The par 3 17th, a hole the course may one day be hailed for, returns to links style and finishes that way for the 18th par 5. The 18th is one of my favourites with a green reachable in two, (with a 260+ drive and strong 3i….) has an elevated green which is made for landing them long. Get down and enjoy it…. trust me.

12. | Rated | 19 Mar 2007 | Add A Review

We played about a month and a half ago now, and found, even through the dry weather the course is great! Bent grass fairways are kept like carpet, greens are fast and challenging. This course is best played in the early morning as come 3 or 4pm the afternoon sea brease is up and makes for a very interesting back nine. Extremely well bunkered and deep they are, I play off 24 normally, and shot 107, damn those deep bunkers. The course is great value at $30 per round, don`t stay at the old club house, massively over rated at $350 a night it smelled like a septic the two nights we stayed, try the clubs own very cheap play and stay packages, well worth it!

13. rexus | Rated | 30 Aug 2006 | Add A Review

While working in South Australia recently I decided to replace the everyday grind with a round down at Normanville. Phone booking was easy, didn't require credit card details and was pleasantly laid back and relaxed..how all golf courses should be. The course layout is a challenging but typical links format with plenty of blind drives and interesting fairway contours Playing off the middle markers provided plenty of length for those with tickets on themselves (me included!) and the greens were challenging though the pin placement beta provided when you sign in was handy. At times I was a little disappointed with pitch marks that weren't repaired but I attribute that to inconsiderate golfers as opposed to the club itself.

Highlight holes are definately the Par 5 7th with it's make or break 2nd shot, the Par 3 8th with the hardest pin placement on the course and the Par 4 11th (long bunker carry from the back!) which reminded me of some of the holes on the Mornington Peninsula links courses i.e. Dunes etc.

Another cool feature are the GPS carts which give you carry distances and lengths which are a bit quirky but a fun addition to the round.

Do yourself a favour and stay overnight, I'm sure the second round (with the course knowledge) would even be better than the first.

14. sonata99 | Rated | 13 Mar 2006 | Add A Review

Played Lady Bay twice over a 4 day period. Condition of course was generally very good with the large greens in excellent condition. Fairways were also in very good condition although in parts the grass cover was thin leading to tight lies. Some of the bunkers could do with some more sand.

The course is well designed and makes good use of the site. There is a good variety of holes and on many strategy is very important. Driver is not always the best club as accuracy is vital given the fairly unforgiving rough. One criticism is the lack of drinking water on the course which made for a tough slog on one very hot day. Overall though a great golfing experience.

15. themot | Rated | 23 Jan 2006 | Add A Review

The drive down to Normanville for this course is certainly worth it. As the other reviews have said, this course is wonderfully designed and presented. Fairways and greens were immaculate even though we were golfing in the midst of a severe heat wave. The guy in the pro-shop is a top bloke and is keen to give you the local knowledge that could help your game. This course will punish you if you do not hit the ball consistantly straight. Even when the ball is straight it is not unusual to have to carry 3 or 4 bunkers to the pin which is defended by another 6 bunkers behind and around! There are occasional oppurtunities to bring out the driver but as I said, if you can't hit it straight. To finish a great day down south there is nothing better than grabbing a beer from the on course hotel above the pro-shop and enjoying the wonderful views of the coast that you may have missed while trying to find that wayward drive!

16. aggiii | Rated | 22 Apr 2005 | Add A Review

Last time i played Links Lady Bay it was still in the development phase.. The back nine was mature but condition wise the front nine was still in the making.. This was 3 years ago it has tuned into a truly remarkable and memorable palce to play golf.. New clubhouse with the 'Lady Bay Hotel' is absolutely huge and looks over the course and coastline and is truly spectacular.. They have reduced the number of ýum yum' bushes which makes it possible to find your ball in most parts of the rough and is now much fairer.. Overall condition is fantastic.. I'll admit i saw a few parts of a fairway or two bordering on the dry side but still overall immaculate.. Greens were soft & totally flawless but if they were cut they would hav been very, very quick.. Greenside & Fairway bunkers r in abundance but all are fair.. Such an interesting challenging course to play.. It isn't hilly but subtle slopes on holes make you think about where to land ur pill.. Fave hole would hav 2 b the 14th.. Shortish par 4.. Bunkers left on the drive then a creek runs short and right of the green.. Testing hole.. there are to many holes to pinpoint one as i just did... ut up there with the best are the Par 5 7th, Par 3 17th & Par 5 18th (Great finishing hole)... Honestly, a must play if you are anywhere in South Oz... & only $32 for 18 holes... And a public course which is very rarely busy.. We had it almost to ourselves on a sunny thursday arvo.. Shame really.. It deserves to show it's stuff to more golfers...

17. ih8golf | Rated | 07 Mar 2005 | Add A Review

Played Lady Bay Links on the last weekend of summer, so the fairways were rock hard and the greens were very quick. Also alot of the rough had been cut back, so it wasn't too bad if you missed a fairway. It was quite windy when I played, which was what I hoped for, as this was my first round on a Links style course. As a previous reviewer, or poster on this forum said, the layout does look artifical in parts, with mounding been bulldozed into place. The bunkering around the course is just amazing. Some of the biggest, deepest bunkers you will ever see. As for the housing that is being put into place, it didn't really make the Lady Bay experience any worse. Housing developments on golf courses is a sign of the times. If it means more top quality courses being built, I'm all for it. One thing that I didn't like was the fact that holes 13-16 seemed out of character with the rest of the course. These holes were in a gully, and are shelterd from the wind. Also trees and water really come into play. The massive clubhouse is very impressive, and the staff very friendly. One nice touch was they give you a sheet of where the pin placements are for that days round. Which I haven't seen before. Play Lady Bay if you are ever in the area. A real golfing challenge.

18. jmac | Rated | 11 Mar 2004 | Add A Review

Beautiful course, tough in the wind. The conditioning is superb, and the greens are fantastic. If only there were no houses being built there. The land is so beautiful, but is being ruined by the development. Does it detract from the course? A little, as the development ruins some otherwise magnificant views. A must play if you in Adelaide however.

19. andrew14966 | Rated | 26 Dec 2002 | Add A Review

Superb course, especially difficult in the wind. A little new at this stage, but am sure it will improve with age.

20. choco | Rated | 10 Dec 2002 | Add A Review

Remember the name "Links Lady Bay" because it will become the new golfing mecca in Australia.

You'll find this Links course 1 hours drive south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu peninsula near Normanville.

The course measures 6,400m from the back tees and has 128 bunkers. Each hole is a work of art the way it has been sculptured and the greens have to be seen.

If your a keen golfer you have to put this course on the "MUST" list to play and once experienced you'll be back for more.