1. gavinenson | Rated | 02 Aug 2009 | Add A Review

I read through all the comments here before heading out to Ryde Parramatta to play in the Friday Comp. Sadly, things have gone awry since the last few reviews. Either that or the reviewers are members.

For a $60 green fee, the course was in terrible condition, the greens are infested with winter grasses and each has been shaved around the edges presumably to try to stop it spreading. The tees were shabby and the condition of the course generally was a huge disappointment.

Add to that, a bad tempered five hour plus round with the members I was paired with shouting at the group in front to hurry up. All in all a very unsatisfactory experience. How anyone could describe this course as "a great course" beats me.

2. Chip_Yip | Rated | 13 Oct 2008 | Add A Review

A great course that continues to improve withy age. Ross Watson’s recent changes are excellent, and I would recommend anyone who played the old course to give the new course a try.

Plays longer than the yardage would suggest, due to the premium on accuracy and shot-making.

3. noshanks | Rated | 17 Jun 2008 | Add A Review

A great members course that offers challenging golf on almost every hole. Being a clay based course drainage can be a problem after heavy or persistent rain, but this is counter balanced by providing ample water for the hazards that come very much into play on 14 of the 18 holes. Hit the ball straight and you will enjoy your round, failing this, you will be looking at deminishing your supply of balls.

4. Pathegolfer | Rated | 16 Jan 2008 | Add A Review

A very beautiful challenging course. Tight fairways and traditional bunkers. I think the best aspect of Ryde Parramatta is the water, it adds another level to the game.

5. Murf | Rated | 13 Oct 2007 | Add A Review

Hard to believe such a beautifully well kept course exists hidden away in West Ryde. Greens, fairways all in geat nick. It’s pretty tough, suits A & B graders best. I think $50 to get on any Group 1 course in Sydney is very reasonable. Can’t wait to get back & play those holes i messed up.

6. epamis | Rated | 25 Apr 2006 | Add A Review

Despite my handicap blowing out from 18 to 23 in the time I have been a member (not the course's fault), I really enjoy playing the course despite the challenging layout.

A great range of holes -2 shot par 5's (so they say), long and short (driveable) 4's par and tricky par 3's. Weakest hole is the par 3 4th. The use of water is also really well done with a beautiful stretch of holes from 13-15 as well as the signature 17th which requires a water carry of 155m to hit the green from the plates.

Unfortunately the greens got damaged in the January heatwave and there are still a few bare patches to be fixed. This is a real shame as the greens were fantastic last year.

Agree that $50 for the open day is pretty steep but not really a problem for me!

7. passyone | Rated | 13 Oct 2005 | Add A Review

I recently played in the Open Day.

Nice course, many irons and 3 woods off the tee but the cost is outrageous. You can have a member of NSW invite you for less. I hate being ripped off.

8. andrew14966 | Rated | 18 Jun 2005 | Add A Review

The course is very tight & can be tough because of that, but as long as you can drive the ball reasonably straight you should not have too much trouble. In playing this course quite a few times since the re-design I have found it fairly easy due to the lack of options the course offers up.

In saying that, the condition of the course is often poor due to the lack of decent drainage. Fairway grass is left a little longer than most courses, which makes the course look nice & green, but play awful.

Ross Watson's re-design is good, but he had very little land to work with, so most of the holes still run back & forth in the same direction.

I really don't believe it would make Sydney's top 20 courses, & there are plenty of better courses that cost less to play.

9. kjgreen | Rated | 07 May 2004 | Add A Review

I first played this course 2 years ago and thought it was one of the best in sydney but I since then I have been back twice in the last 2 months to see it has dropped down extensively in my opinion, the layout is still one of the best I have played but the course condition was bordering on ridiculous, the greens were furry and bumpy and the the fairways where terrible, I was getting fliers out of the middle of the fairway, I normally hit pw about 120 but on 2 occasions I hit it over 150 with no wind ??? also they have put the open comp fee up from 38 dollars to 50 dollars so you can pay more and enjoy less and it took well over 5 and a half hours to play 18 holes, will not be back unless something changes drastically.

10. jimandr | Rated | 22 Feb 2004 | Add A Review

It surprised me that there were plenty of vacant spaces on the Open Day sheet (maybe it was just due to the very warm weather), but Open Day course collectors should put Ryde-Parramatta on the list, particularly if you haven't played it for a few years.

The course was extensively redesigned in 2000, and is a different track from what I remember. However, it is still a typical Sydney course, tight, tree-lined with perfect kikuyu fairways and excellent greens.

The redesign has delivered big greens with multi-levels and lots of slope, and very difficult tasks to get up and down if you miss them, particularly from some very deep bunkers.

There are a number of shortish par 4's where big hitters are wise to play an iron or fairway wood, and two great par 5's. The double dog-leg 540m 11th is a superb hole.

If you beat your handicap here, you've played well.

11. stuart mudie | Rated | 29 Aug 2003 | Add A Review

I recently played in their open day and didn't shoot anyhwere near my hcp.

That said I had a great day, the course was in fabulous condition, greens fast & it is a track you need to think your way around.

Very enjoyable.

12. passyone | Rated | 26 Nov 2002 | Add A Review

I played this course 2 weeks ago and it's one of the best in Sydney. Very strategic, the greens are hard and fast.

You can't hit driver off all the par 4's so when you've finished, you feel like you've played real golf and not just had a lash of every tee with an iron in.

For the same price though, you can play in the comp (if invited) at NSW so the fees are a tad high.

13. kingjam | Rated | 23 Jul 2002 | Add A Review

Ryde Parramatta is located at West Ryde in Sydney.

It has been extensively redesigned in recent years to produce a layout that will test even the best of golfers.

The course is not particularly long but the fairways are mostly fairly tight and tree-lined. A wayward teeshot here will cost you dearly. There are a large number of bunkers and some well placed water features to trap an errant second shot.

Given the age of the greens they are in reasonable shape but there is some room for improvement in their conditioning. The different sizes and contours are definitely a challenge. In particular the 6th green on a fast day is diabolical.

My favourite hole on the course would be the 11th, a 538m par 5. The tee shot requires a water carry of about 150m to the fairway with two large bunkers guarding the left hand side. Not really practical to be firing at it in 2, the thin front to back sloping green is guarded by half a dozen more bunkers that have been the undoing of many.

All in all it's a great golf course with more than enough challenge to keep bringing you back. A comfortable clubhouse overlooking the 18th green is also a great place to enjoy a couple of beers whilst watching this green add a few more strokes to a completed round.