1. Scarlett | Rated | 07 Jan 2007 | Add A Review

Played on Wed 3 Jan 07.

If you're a little frail or out of shape then this is an interesting seven hole course, but if you enjoy a challenge then it's a very interesting 9-holer. The 8th and 9th play up and then back down a large hill, are both par 5's and yes, it's a LARGE hill. (more on that later)

The course is par 72 (36-36) ACR: 70 and is nine holes but has a second set of tees (very little variation between placement though). $10 green fees paid to an honesty box as the clubhouse is only open for comp mornings or afternoons. Course is about 5Km out of the hilly mining town of Rosebery (toward Queenstown). Run and looked after by locals with support from the mining company.

Plenty of grass confirming no worries about water on Tassie's west coast even in the current drought. (it's the highest rainfall region of the state) It's an interesting layout that is not just straight back and forth but rather up, down and around, although there's no real architectural design. Greens were fine if a little slow. Fairways had plenty of grass which tended to stop drives pretty quickly.

The feature holes have to be the 8th and 9th, the back-to-back par 5's. The 8th is under 400m but it is uphill and dog-legs to the left off the tee so plays significantly longer. For most of the hole the gradient is about 1 in 4 so it is quite a slog. I dragged my buggy up there and needed a breather before putting. Later on I saw that the locals just grab a couple of clubs and walk up less hindered!

The 9th is over 500m but is straight downhill so is an easily reachable green in three average shots.

It's nothing spectacular as an overall golf course but it's fun and a lot better than what you might expect.

Scarlett