1. q-tip | Rated | 29 Jan 2012 | Add A Review

Established in 1949 Gibraltar Golf Club (formerly known as Bowral Country Club) has completed the hotel and associated course re-development and now measures 5054m Par 69 with five par 3s ranging from 115-143m, eleven par 4s ranging from 255-380m and two short par 5s ranging from 411-420m. The RED LADIES tees measure 4718m Par 70.

Gibraltar is the shortest 18-hole golf course layout on the Southern Highlands.

Course has fescue grass with patches of winter ryegrass and kikuyu grass on the fairways with a fairly hilly sparsely tree-lined layout with no hole being entirely flat from tee to green. The small-to-medium sized bent grass greens have 3 types of bent grass used and are mostly very slow with many bare and dead patches. Not the best putting surface on the Southern Highlands but, to be fair, there is no full-time greenskeeper here.

There are 11 bunkers on the course with at least 7 ponds with water coming into general play on the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th & 17th holes. Generally, there are a number of elevated tee mounds with gently sloping fairways and smallish greens here.

Course now begins with either: the 118m slightly uphill 1st (index 13) with a teeshot over the pond with 2 bunkers leftside and short; or the 143m slightly downhill 10th (index 10) with a pond 5m short left of the green.

Highlights include: the 333m straight 2nd (index 5) with a teeshot over a gully with thickly vegetated OOB along the left to a green guarded by a bunker short right; the signature 140m 5th (index 4) with its elevated teebed overlooking Mt. Gibraltar to a green below with a bunker right and OOB fence on the left; the signature 380m straight 9th (index 1) with another elevated teebed with tall pine trees on the left from 220m off the tee which then plays uphill to a bunkerless green; the short Par 5 straight 420m 14th (index 9) with a slight S-bend fairway curve with a large dam embankment 240m off the tee on the right, OOB trees on the left from 260m off the tee to the green guarded by a pond 5-20m from the right edge of the green; and the 343m slight dogleg left 16th (index 3) with another elevated tee mound to a green with 2 bunkers leftside and back right.

The course’s best defence is its hilly topography: as there are mostly short par 4s with only the 380m 9th and the 350m 11th being over 350m in length. The par 5s are very short and weak and the par 3s are all similar in length with no long irons off the tee.
The course is Council-owned but the adjoining Gibraltar Hotel & Spa resort is privately-owned. Course access is from Boronia Street (past the Golfview Lodge) about 2.5km north of the Bowral CBD via Kirkham and Centennial Roads.

The course elevation ranges from 700m above sea level along the back nine to approximately 740m above sea level by the 4th green and 5th teebed.

Played here 23/12/2011 with overpriced $35 green fees for the course conditioning. I agree with others in that Gibraltar and Highlands are for the less frequent/beginner golfers whilst the better golfers won’t be challenged here as much as you would at Mount Broughton, Moss Vale or Bowral.

Proshop can be reached on (02) 4862 8615 or the Hotel reception on (02) 4862 8600.

2. q-tip | Rated | 24 Dec 2011 | Add A Review

Established in 1949 Gibraltar Golf Club (formerly known as Bowral Country Club) have completed the hotel and associated course re-development and now measures 5054m Par 69 with five par 3s ranging from 115-143m, eleven par 4s ranging from 255-380m and two short par 5s ranging from 411-420m. Gibraltar is the shortest 18-hole golf course layout on the Southern Highlands.

Course has fescue grass with patches of winter ryegrass and kikuyu grass on the fairways with a fairly hilly sparsely tree-lined layout with no hole being entirely flat from tee to green. The small-to-medium sized bent grass greens have 3 types of bent grass used and are mostly very slow with many bare and dead patches. Not the best putting surface on the Southern Highlands but, to be fair, there is no full-time greenskeeper here.

There are 11 bunkers on the course with at least 7 ponds with water coming into general play on the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th & 17th holes. Generally, there are a number of elevated tee mounds with gently sloping fairways and smallish greens here.

Course now begins with either: the 118m slightly uphill 1st (index 13) with a teeshot over the pond with 2 bunkers leftside and short; or the 143m slightly downhill 10th (index 10) with a pond 5m short left of the green.

Highlights include: the 333m straight 2nd (index 5) with a teeshot over a gully with thickly vegetated OOB along the left to a green guarded by a bunker short right; the signature 140m 5th (index 4) with its elevated teebed overlooking Mt. Gibraltar to a green below with a bunker right and OOB fence on the left; the signature 380m straight 9th (index 1) with another elevated teebed with tall pine trees on the left from 220m off the tee which then plays uphill to a bunkerless green; the short Par 5 straight 420m 14th (index 9) with a slight S-bend fairway curve with a large dam embankment 240m off the tee on the right, OOB trees on the left from 260m off the tee to the green guarded by a pond 5-20m from the right edge of the green; and the 343m slight dogleg left 16th (index 3) with another elevated tee mound to a green with 2 bunkers leftside and back right.

The course’s best defence is its hilly topography: as there are mostly short par 4s with only the 380m 9th and the 350m 11th being over 350m in length. The par 5s are very short and weak and the par 3s are all similar in length with no long irons off the tee.

The course is Council-owned but the adjoining Gibraltar Hotel & Spa resort is privately-owned. Course access is from Boronia Street (past the Golfview Lodge) about 2.5km north of the Bowral CBD via Kirkham and Centennial Roads.

The course elevation ranges from 700m above sea level along the back nine to approximately 740m above sea level by the 4th green and 5th teebed.

Played here 23/12/2011 with overpriced $35 green fees for the course conditioning. I agree with others in that Gibraltar and Highlands are for the less frequent/beginner golfers whilst the better golfers won’t be challenged here as much as you would at Mount Broughton, Moss Vale or Bowral.

Proshop can be reached on (02) 4862 8615 or the Hotel reception on (02) 4862 8600.

3. Gideon | Rated | 11 Mar 2011 | Add A Review

Quite an attractive, undulating layout with plenty of variation in holes. Picturesque from the tees but once you’re on the fairways there is a lot to be desired, with unpaved cart paths, inadequate signage from one tee to the next, and some trees that certainly need trimming. I looked forward to playing in the cool climate but what really gets you hot under the collar is when you play good shots to the greens but are not rewarded due to the rock-hard surfaces. No spin, no divot marks to repair and no chance to get near the hole. Disappointing.

4. Splitpin | Rated | 02 Jan 2010 | Add A Review

A great hilly layout
Greens are small but in good condition.
Fairly short course and good fun.
Lacks distance markers.
A lot of renovation and construction is in progress and the $30 green fee is a bit high considering the temporary tees etc.

5. poppyadill | Rated | 03 Mar 2008 | Add A Review

I like the layout & find it interesting with most holes being different, but it is now pooly maintained

Also Liked

• Studley Park Golf Course

6. poppyadill | Rated | 23 Sep 2007 | Add A Review

Had a Great Day with a social club recently.

Also Liked

• Highlands Golf Club

7. Wally | Rated | 13 Jul 2007 | Add A Review

Good course. Narrow tree lined fairways with reasonably good greens. Overall the course is in great condition due to good maintenance and recent rain. Overall a peaceful course with great people. Recommended.

Also Liked

• Cumberland Country Golf Club

8. Wally | Rated | 13 Jul 2007 | Add A Review

Good course. Narrow tree lined fairways with reasonably good greens. Overall the course is in great condition due to good maintenance and recent rain. Overall a peaceful course with great people. Recommended.

Also Liked

• Cumberland Country Golf Club

9. TazzieHacker | Rated | 20 Jun 2007 | Add A Review

i played this course a week ago and found it to be a very hilly and uninteresting course. From the weather it was very wet underfoot and the greens and fairways were of average standard. also the bunkers did not have enough sand and were like hitting off concrete.

Also Liked

• Eastlake Golf Club

10. nikejuice | Rated | 31 Jan 2007 | Add A Review

Throughout the year or so since I have played golf my ideas of golf courses have changed greatly. I now know that it is not exactly the quality of the fairways or greens that makes a course great. It truly is the course design.

While short at 5249 metres it still makes for a challenging course with a nice mix of 3's, 4's and 5's. The design of each hole is really what grabs you. Very different from any other course I have ever played.

I love ths course and would greatly recommend it to anyone looking for a change to there game.

11. strone | Rated | 21 Dec 2006 | Add A Review

Took the trip up the Mountain from Wollongong a week or so ago to play this course, I was not expecting a grade A course but when i got there and got into my round I found it too be great fun and very enjoyable.

The 2nd hole was one of my favs, you tee off from high up on a hill and the fairway is down in a vally. The Hole dog-legs left and slightly uphill again too the green, Your tee shot has to be placed perfectly on the fairway as there are big gum tress that will block your 2nd shot to the green if you dont have the right angle.

The 13th Hole is also worth a mention as well. At 327m it is not that long but you tee off on top of the biggest hill on the course and the green is at the lowest point of the course so this Par 4 green is very Drive-able. Should be the easiest Par on the course for most players.

Overall it is a good walk as the course is very hilly, It is not in great condition but they have made the most of the conditions and land they have to work with. The greens I found to be quite different in speed from one to the next but all in all they were quite good also.

If you want to play a course that is quite open and not that long, BCC is great fun and worth a hit!

12. Wally | Rated | 04 Nov 2006 | Add A Review

Went to Bowral expecting a very average course and was very surprised with how good the course was.

Fairways are pretty good but greens are superb.

Great people and a good location. Recommend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

13. ANONYMOUS | Rated | 12 Mar 2006 | Add A Review

Even though I have only played golf twice in my life, I find it a greatly intriguing and fun sport. My friend Max lives next to the tee-off for the 13th hole and has played golf a couple of times before in his life, so he convinced me to go with him and play 9 holes at the Country Club.

We arrived at the club, sometime around 12:45 and inquired about the cost fo the course. It was only $10 for 9 holes and another $10 to hire clubs, a reasonable price I thought.

We set off to the first hole, a short par 4 with a dip in the middle. With a nice green luscious fairway the hole seemed an appealing start to the course. Seeing as it was my first time playing golf it took me 8-10 hits to complete this one.

The second hole was an average length par 4 that was pretty straight until it curved off to the left, around a large gumtree. The green was in the shade of a bunch of pine and gum trees with a deep bunker to the left. It took me a triple bogie to sink the ball.

The third hole was a long par 5 that had a slow long curve around a pine forest splitting up the third and fifth holes. The fairway on this hole was not the best I have seen as most of the grass was dry, and the ground hard, due to the lack of shade along the course. The green was nicely green and well kept though, but oddly slow.

The fourth is one of the most interesting holes at this course. A short walk to the tee off through the Australian bush went to a platform tee with the pro tee at the top, and the member and guest tee's at the bottom. A short par 3 (only about 100-150 metres), downhill towards the green, with thick rough and trees in the middle. A nice hole in all.

The fifth hole at the Bowral Country Club is a straightforward hole that borders with the third. The fairway is quite like the third also, mostly dead grass and hard ground. It ends with a steep slope down towards a watery ditch with the green just over it. Not a bad hole and easily reachable in par if you can drive the ball off the tee straight.

I found the sixth hole a rather annoying yet intriguing one. Its a a long par 4 that slopes down to the right. The green is reachable in 2 shots with an accurate long drive, but can be challenging for beginning golfers.

The seventh hole slopes downhill then uphill again, with a nice smooth fairway. While not possible to reach the green in 1, many could probably reach it in 2-4 hits, depending on skill. There are many trees off to the left so watch your drive, and a deep bunker near the green.

The eight hole at the club is a straight forward hole with slight bumping along the fairway. The green is reachable in 2 hits with a good drive. There is a row of pine trees to the left so watch your shot.

The ninth hole is the last one I played at this course and is a short straighforward par 3. Easily Reachable in 1 or 2 hits, most people could make this par quite easily.

Overall not a bad course. Sporting an interesting array of holes it is certainly not the best, but far from the worst too. It sports slow green and hard fairways, so you can expect a lot of rolling from your ball.

pitchblack999@hotmail.com

14. raynman | Rated | 25 May 2005 | Add A Review

Played at Bowral CC today for the 1st time a had a great day.

Arrived at the clubhouse about midday to an empty carpark.

As I started off there were a group of 3 older members on the 1st fairway who I waited to finish before hitting off. By the time I got to the 2nd tee they had waited for me and allowed me to play straight through. After that I barley saw another person on the course.

As for the Course itself ...

Its a fair hike in some sections and although usually I always walk, I'm glad I forked out extra for the cart here.

The fairways are fairly well maintained although its does get patchy in some areas off to the sides.

The Greens were a little slow today (but we have had a bit of rain in the last few days).

The 13th is a great hole (as mentioned below) and is definatly one those you will remember for a while after playing.

All in all ... Great , Quiet Country Course.

Payed $25 for 18 Holes and $30 for Cart

15. Mark Barden | Rated | 04 Jun 2003 | Add A Review

Like it's near neighbour The Highlands, this course is about to be altered to allow for some re-developement work to it's clubhouse and some new on site accommodation.

The course is relatively short with some of the par 4's reachable with a very good drive and it's par 5's reachable in 2 shots.

The greens have improved since the last time I played there and the fairways are in good condition.

A fairly hilly course but this is made up for by some unforgettable scenery. The par 4 13th is a gem as it overlooks the township of Bowral and hitting from an elevated tee it is downhill all the way.

The greens are fairly small which makes up for the shortness of the course.

A good challenge.