Cape Wickham, King Island, Australia

[Matthew Mollica]

 

 
Has there been a more keenly anticipated Australian golf course opening in the last decade? The combination of an amazing location, a noted course architect (Mike DeVries) and a drip-feed of exciting pre- and mid-construction photos from the King Island clifftops guaranteed golfers would be salivating at the opportunity to tee it up at Cape Wickham.
 
King Island lies between Melbourne and the north-western tip of Tasmania, in Bass Strait.  The island is home to under 2000 people (but more than 2000 cows!), and is a natural wonderland of rocky coastline, beaches, and unspoilt rolling countryside.
 
 
Duncan Andrews, the man behind The Dunes (Mornington peninsula), and Thirteenth Beach (Bellarine peninsula) has been the driving force behind Cape Wickham.  Darius Oliver, noted author and course architecture authority also played a key role in shaping the course now in the ground. Oliver advised Andrews, and is credited as a co-designer of the course.  You can read a little of the backstory to the course’s development here –
 
http://www.planetgolf.com.au/index.php?id=1882
 
here http://www.planetgolf.com.au/index.php?id=1874
 
and here  http://www.planetgolf.com.au/index.php?id=1869
 
and Darius’ sneak preview rounds article here - http://www.planetgolf.com.au/index.php?id=1886
 
Before proceeding any further – an apology. I visited King Island in October 2015, and have only just got around to downloading and sorting through many images.  I’ve wanted to write this review for some time, but have done other things in the last few months.  I must say, that sitting at home compiling this review months later, the character of the course and its many features are easily recalled.  The course leaves a lasting impression!
 
Getting to Cape Wickham is not as easy as a trip to other Australian golf courses.  The journey and the overall experience are intertwined.  Golf on King Island is an odyssey of sorts – the remote, isolated nature of the course is rivalled by few in the world.  A flight on a light plane, to a sparsely populated island in the middle of Bass Strait is not a commute undertaken with high frequency.  It ensures a sense of adventure, adding to the memories of a unique voyage and experience.
 
As one may expect given the locale, winds will almost always be a significant factor at Cape Wickham. I suspect a modest number of golfers will experience the course in a gentle breeze, and that others will be buffeted by gales, which could come from any point on the compass. The course is designed to accommodate strong winds from different directions - south-westerly winds are touted as prevalent.  Fairway width is generous, and off-fairway areas often allow one to find and play their ball quickly. Bunkering is natural in appearance, thoughtful in placement, and modest in quantity.  The selection of fescue across the entire course ensures seamless transitions across tee, fairway, and green. The golfer is introduced to this approach when walking from the practice green to the first tee.
 

 
The surfaces are a joy to play from - they implore a ground game, and ensure the ball bounces surely and rolls out.  The uniformity in grass types, and the maintenance practices also add to the minimalist aesthetic of the course. It is perfect for the conditions many will encounter at Cape Wickham.  The provision of stretches of closely mown grass around many greens is a further nod to playability, and a classic philosophy of the game.  The sense of space also conveyed by broad expanses of closely mown fescue, such as the confluence of 1^st fairway and green, fourth green and fifth tee provides an intangible positive – such factors separate the great from the merely good courses.
 

 
And the route plan on the card’s rear

 
Now, onto the course…
 
#1, Par 4, 340m
The first hole at Wickham is one of Australia’s best openers. A stunning site, with the rocky cliff edge defining the right of the fairway.  The hole design is simple, and in wonderful harmony with the setting. The green opens from the right, to the benefit of those who have neared the cliff on the drive. Those playing safely left off the tee will need to consider left greenside bunkering on approach. With some winds, several pin positions as well as the subtle tilt of the green, and the orientation of the small rear tier of the green (if pinned), approach play become proportionately more difficult the further left the drive is played.
 

 
A closer look at the first green

 
#2, Par 4, 330m
The wide, simple par four second hole plays straight West, and will present great diversity on repeat play. A solitary, modestly-sized centreline bunker asks a simple but important question of those on the tee.  The green is perched upon a natural ridge, slightly above fairway grade, at a point of the island known as Cape Farewell.  Strong Easterly winds will see the green reachable for some with driver while westerly winds will leave 6 iron or more in hand for the second shot. I will be fascinated to learn where players feel they are best placing their drive on this hole.
 

 
A look back to the tee, with the lighthouse and beach in the background
 

 
The second green is deceptively large, and subtly yet intricately shaped.  Those missing the green pin high left face a challenging up and down from short grass left of the green, negotiating the shoulder at the green’s left edge.
 

 
The second hole is one of many where there is an understated simplicity to the design. No bells and whistles for the sake of it. Nothing excess, overtly manufactured, and nothing to detract from the inherent quality of the site.
 
#3, Par 3, 170m
A longish par three, with a large lower front right portion of the green separated from a high left rear segment by an artfully arcing ridge within the putting surface.  With strong Westerly winds, a low trajectory long iron or hybrid, landing short of the green, and running to the flag, may be the play of choice. With a nor-easterly tail wind a substantially more lofted iron will be the play.
 
 

[Matthew Mollica]

#4, Par 4, 393m
This hole turns back to the East.  Over the brow of a small rise a few dozen metres beyond the tee, a deceptively wide fairway awaits.
 
 
The green is unbunkered, but a pair of hazard lay at the right of the fairway, several dozen metres short of the green front.  The green is another delight, at fairway grade, gently sloping from front to back.  It is best sighted from the left edge of the fairway, but will only be fully visualised after very long tee shots.  The combination of green complex, and the hazard short of the putting surface will create an interesting depth perception dilemma for many on approach.   
 

 
A wonderful hole, with high playability, interest, and a fantastic green.
 
#5, Par 4, 329m
Running parallel to the previous hole, but playing in the opposite direction.  I like to see this feature to a routing, albeit employed sparingly. If the wind aided play on the fourth, it will likely complicate play on the fifth and vice versa.  Drive bunkering on the fifth sits at the left edge of the fairway, and the fairway is more than wide enough.  The presence of a little knee high native grass between tee and fairway will however intimidate some a little.
 
View of the fifth approach from the left fairway edge
 

 
The view of the green on approach, with the sea creating a striking backdrop, is another instance where the designers allow the site to speak for itself.  No fussy construction, or complicated green design. Another open green front, at fairway grade, allowing one to hit a low running approach to the flag should the conditions demand, or the golfer desire such a play.  The fifth green is smaller than all those played before it, so the approach best be accurate.
 
#6, Par 5, 447m
The broad fairway of the par five sixth hole, with bunkers on the right of the drive landing zone, and acres of fairway left, shared with the nearby thirteenth hole
 

 
Very reachable in two with a good drive and favourable winds, particularly if the drive nears right side fairway bunkering.  Tee shots played safely away from the bunker, towards the spacious fairway on the left, render the sixth a three shot proposition.
 
 
The sixth green is beautifully sited, nestled into the side of a dune, and sitting modestly above the fairway. The green is large and boasts a lot more internal contour than any of the greens on previous holes.  It may look a little more at home on National Moonah, but works really well, and ensures a wealth of pin positions as well as interesting putting and chipping.  In particular, putting from one portion of green to another rewards imagination and creativity. 
 

 
Great fun and challenge, the sixth is elastic and enjoyable, continuing the run of quality golf away from the more dramatic and scenic portions of the property.
 
#7, Par 3, 137m
Playing due East across a diagonal valley, this hole will sometimes be played with a lofted club, with the ball propelled by a strong wind at the player’s back. It may just as frequently see cross winds at play, or have a gale blowing into the player’s face, necessitating a long club with low ball flight. The wide green complex features a large knob front left, which depending on conditions, pin position and a player’s creativity, can be used in all manner of ways.
 
 
Those taking dead aim at a right side pin and coming up short will play a second from a deep swale well below the level of the putting surface.
 
Side view of the seventh green
 

 
And a close look at the hazard beyond the left half of the putting surface – over-club at your peril!
 

 
#8, Par 4, 384m
Imposing in appearance from the back tee – the eighth fairway is wide and the challenge less intimidating than it first seems.  Moving forward a set of tees shortens the hole by dozens of metres, and allows greater visualisation of the unbunkered fairway.
 

 
The eight green sits above the level of the fairway, and is one of few uphill approach shots encountered during the round. Given the left greenside bunkering, an approach from the right half of the fairway that finds the front right quadrant of the green seems a good play. A drawing approach shot that runs a little after landing will often result in a reasonably short putt, feeding on to the left and rear of the green – points I anticipate are frequent hole locations.
 

                           
#9, Par 5, 488m
A hole which divided opinion, and stimulated much discussion among the group with whom I travelled to Cape Wickham. Then a fortnight later we read this on golfclubatlas.com from the erudite and exceptionally well-travelled, World Top 100 playing Bill Schulz.
 
“The downhill risk/reward par 5 9th hole with the creative/fascinating shotmaking mound (native grasses & a bunker) to the right of the greensite with the ocean as the backdrop is perhaps the greatest par 5 in the world along with the 13th hole at Augusta National.”
 
With an ocean backdrop, the ninth lays on tumbling terrain and descends steadily towards a natural greensite, with one or two turns along the way. From the tee the extent of fairway width and the gradient of the driver landing zone are not fully appreciated.
 
 
A strong drive played near the right side fairway bunkering presents an interesting dilemma.  Should one fire a long second at the green, with the chance of securing an eagle putt?  Is the lay-up a smarter option? If so, where to lay up? The marram covered due to the left of the green, and the broken ground short left of the green caution the man aiming for the flag with his second shot.  So too the rough covered hillock front right of the green.
 

 
For those who have elected to lay-up, the short third shot looks like this
 

 
Once at the green, players realise the extent of the steep fall aways at the right and rear of the ninth green, which further heighten the requirement for accuracy on approach.
 

 
The green contouring itself is again artful and in the case of the ninth, likely to be overshadowed by the other design elements of the hole.  The ninth at Cape Wickham is indeed one with the lot, and a unique exciting hole. Whether it is the peer of Augusta National’s famous 13^th however, I’m not quite sure…

[Matthew Mollica]

#10, Par 4, 327m
A short four keeps the excitement level high, with another stretch of tumbling terrain, and another amazing greensite.  The tenth is one of several holes at Cape Wickham where less than total fairway visibility is available on the tee.  Yet the fairway is wide, and plunges downhill, providing this view, which for some will evoke thoughts of the approach to the 5^th at New South Wales.
 

 
All manner of lines and shot types can be employed to ensure the birdie putt is short on the tenth.  Contouring around the green implores inventiveness, and ensures fun – all in a spectacular setting.
 
#11, Par 3, 136m

 
The eleventh is a gorgeous little par 3 playing due North.  Sitting hard against the shore line, the waves lap at the rocks hugging the tee and green.  The setting is amazing, and the task appears simple enough, particularly given the modest length of the hole, and the generous size of the green.  Yet, hitting and holding the putting surface can be surprisingly hard, especially when the hole plays straight downwind.
 
The view of the eleventh green late in the day, taken from the twelfth tee
 

 
#12, Par 4, 295m
This driveable short four occupies a beautiful and dramatic site. Tee shots aimed at the green follow a line along the cliff edge almost all the way to the flag.  Those playing the lay-up option from the tee may choose as little as a six iron some days, and in doing so, will aim well right of the green, to a reasonably sized fairway.  The shot to the green after a conservative tee shot is no snack. 
 
 
Looking back down the twelfth hole

 
And a further look down the twelfth, this time from the elevated sixth tee

 
Struggling a little at the time of my visit, the turf short of the twelfth green should be in great shape now, ensuring this gen of a hole looks and plays its best. The twelfth is an exciting hole on a glorious stretch of coast, and another highlight of the course.
 
#13, Par 5, 520m
 
A thoughtful three shot hole, full of interest, despite occupying arguably the least inspiring portion of the property. The sixth hole runs to the right of the thirteenth, and the two par fives feature a stretch of common fairway, before diverging to their respective greens.  In each instance, the shared fairway portion is the area of conservative play – on the thirteenth hole, it lies well to the right of the line of instinct.
 

 
Many will elect to play down a line left of the first bunker encountered from the tee.  This route is more direct but may not afford complete visibility of the green.  The longer, perhaps safer way home, off to the right, does yield a better look at the target.  The odd bunker lies reasonably centrally within the fairway, which many will need to consider when playing their second shots into thirteen.
 

 
Another artfully contoured green of good size makes for interesting approach play and putting. I suspect most will prefer to play a short third into the green from the left side of the fairway to many pins, particularly any on the front third of the putting surface.
 

 
#14, Par 4, 386m
Played after a short walk from the thirteenth green, past the clubhouse site, the fourteenth is played with the Cape Wickham lighthouse in full view.  The hole excitedly unfolds before the player, firstly presenting a cluster of bunkers at the left edge of the fairway.  The hole bends ever so slightly to the left, around these hazards and the large dune into which they’re cut. Challenging the bunkers affords advantage on approach; ample fairway is available to the right for the shorter hitter, especially on days when the winds make this hole play far longer than its measure.
 
 
The look many will get after the tee shot – a delightful semi-punchbowl green, allowing approach play in a vast array of ways. The solitary central bunker much closer to the green will come into play for big drives aided by strong tailwinds.
 

 
And a closer look at the green, which is receptive to aerial and running approaches. It is another sitting in a sea of short grass, affording a wealth of options for recovery play.
 

[Matthew Mollica]

#15, Par 5, 532m
A long par five played in the shadow of the lighthouse. The drive is played over a small rise, to a broad fairway that slips downhill and tilts to the left.
 

 
A long view of the hole, taken short of the typical driver landing zone
 

 
A natural hazard greets those who veer too far right from the tee
 

 
This view is more representative of approach.  The second half of the hole presents a two-tiered fairway, with a lower left portion affording easier approach. To access this stretch, one must not veer too far left, where a string of bunkers lie in wait. The higher right side is safer to play to, yet presents a less palatable approach angle. The broad expanse of short grass extending pin high to the right of the green may appear inviting, but yields testing chips and lobs which will prove difficult to get close to the hole.
 

 
#16, Par 4, 377m
Currently rated the hardest hole on the course, the sixteenth tee occupies another gorgeous pocket of the property. Sitting low near the shore, the tee shot is directed to a steeply terraced fairway, cascading from the left, towards the shoreline. The sixteenth tee shot is played from a remarkably beautiful point on the island.
 

 
The sixteenth follows the line of the coast, bending slightly right.  A flat lie on the lower right tier will afford a good opportunity to find the green in regulation.  More conservative tee shots played left, away from the brine yields a tougher approach.  Another exciting greensite awaits, perched on the edge of the island, with waves crashing into the rocks immediately to the right. Victoria Cove is visible beyond, as are the final two holes, and the clubhouse.  And again, restraint has been shown with the design and construction of the putting surface, with an open-fronted understated green of good size, laying at fairway grade. 
 
 
#17, Par 3, 164m
The penultimate hole is a downhill par three sitting in a brilliant, natural site. The green is long, and features a pronounced knoll at its centre.  This more or less divides the green into front and back halves, and will frequently complicate putting. I suspect many will find the hole plays longer than the yardage, especially when wanting to fly a tee shot to the back half of the green.  A generous apron of mown fescue lies short of the green, which will be appreciated by many.
 
 
#18, Par 4, 395m
The final hole at Cape Wickham hugs Victoria Cove, and the sand is in play.  It is a glorious setting and wonderful culmination to an exhilarating round.  Arcing right off the tee, bold drives over the beach yield a shorter approach, and better angle into the green, while conservative tee shots result in a longer second.  Drive left and a long ball also poses the risk of rolling beyond the left edge of the fairway.
 
 
The green on the home hole is another understated affair, with a left side bunker, and small but significant internal contouring to the putting surface.  The small front left hazard provides sufficient motivation to seek the right half of the fairway with the drive.  The putting surface is yet another surrounded by closely mown grass, allowing freedom and variety of recovery play, with a number of clubs able to be employed.
 
A look back at the eighteenth fairway and green

 
And a similar shot, from the current clubhouse site

 
Wonderful design in any field requires many ingredients. Innovation, sensibility, a grasp of essential principles, perhaps a nod to the classics, and an element of restraint.  Great winemakers for example let their fruit speak for itself. These men and women rarely bottle drops which are selfish expressions of themselves. A degree of their personality is apparent, yet if the finished product is to be truly great, it must not be an overt reflection of the human hand. This is so in many creative arenas, and particularly so in the field of golf course architecture. DeVries, Oliver and co have demonstrated this mindset, letting King Island speak for herself - and what a job she does.  The construction is sympathetic to the site, and in keeping with classic, minimalist architectural philosophy.
 
Cape Wickham is wide, elastic, elegantly designed, beautifully constructed, and a joy to play. It boasts great variety, and the routing delivers a wonderful rhythm and sense of adventure to the round.  An exhilarating start, a foray inland, prior to a return to the shore, which is followed by more fun holes among the dunes, and a journey concluding back at the edge of the island.  Along the way, low profile greens and front to back sloping greens are encountered, along with the odd putting surface incorporating sizeable undulation. The layout presents many moments of drama, and countless vistas of great beauty.  Golfers encounter vegetation beyond expectation, ever-changing moods and shades of sea and sky, as well as a rugged, rocky coastline, with the giant lighthouse standing sentinel.  Sandy blowouts, outcrops of limestone, as well as marram, pigface, cushion bush and other flora provide a texture of beauty all along the walk.  What’s more, Cape Wickham is a fascinating course to study and analyse, beyond the lasting impression ensured by the location.
 
The golfing seasons will see holes subject to strong winds from all four compass points, ensuring variety, and perhaps more often than desired - considerable challenge.  Cape Wickham will be playable in strong winds, and it will need to be. On some days, I suspect many visitors will find the weather too much.  Indeed, Mike DeVries encountered seven consecutive days of 90kmh winds during his time living on King Island.  Perhaps this experience was one of the reasons for Cape Wickham boasting several bunkerless and wide fairways, and very few heavily fortified greens.
 
Some will be tempted to assess the course by considering each hole as a stand-alone entity.  I can understand how some might assert that courses in the upper echelons of world golf boast more all world holes than those found on King Island.  This raises an issue regarding strengths and weaknesses of the various methods by which one may assess a course’s quality.  Cape Wickham owes much to its location, and the course is greater than the sum of its eighteen constituent holes.
 
Cape Wickham is a stunning addition to the upper echelon of Australian golf courses. In 2015, some hinted at a place in the World Top 30, and were not surprised to see Golf Digest print exactly that in their latest World Rankings.  Some disagree, yet I don’t think there will many would peg Cape Wickham outside the World Top 50.  It really is that good.  Get on a (small) plane, and see it for yourself.

[Thomas Dai]

Splendid Matthew.


Photo-tours, especially ones with as much detail as you have included here, take a considerable amount of time and preparation so many thanks for sharing.


As you mention, CW seems right up there for the ground game and the use of what I sometimes refer to as 'the  bounce-n-trickle method of the short game'. Several holes appear to have central or semi-central bunkering too, something I'm keen on but in IMO we don't see often enough (nice to be able to play along a fairway using different routes from the tee and then come into greens along the ground from different angles).


Atb

[RJ_Daley]

Well done Matty.  Just a fine tour of the course.  It really is uncanny how CWs 10-11 has the same feel as 5-6 at NSW. 

[Charles Lund]

Thanks for the excellent and detailed review,  along with the hole by hole photographs.   

I did some preliminary investigation of options for access ing the course and lodging.  Your review of the course moved me closer to making the effort to make the trip, perhaps in the next year on additional trips I will be making to Australia.

Nice work.

Charles

[Jon Cavalier]

Wow - great stuff. Thanks for your work in putting this together and posting the photos. A lovely tour of what appears to be an incredible course.

[Josh Stevens]

Is it just me or do the fairways look a wee bit flat and man made, lacking that rumpleness and slight absurdity one expects from a links site?

[Niall C]

Josh
 
I agree with your comments with regards to the early holes. The later holes look as though they have more pitch and roll to them. However let me caveat my comments by saying up front that I’ve never been there and undoubtedly photos can flatten features.


I’d also add that some of the bunkers look small and out of scale with their surroundings, exacerbated by the fact that some of them aren’t exactly gathering bunkers (or at least it appears that way). Again, as someone who takes lots of photos of courses for my own amusement, I’m aware how difficult it can be sometimes to adequately capture scale and context with a photograph.


Niall

[Josh Stevens]

I concur

I haven't been so its a bit rude to critique from the other side of the country but I cant say that the pics I have seen make me want to go, as compared to pics of Barnbougle that make me dribble.  The views are lovely, but the fairways that seem to have a severe slant down to the water might get a bit tedious after a while, and yes, the bunkers look a bit like they were dug with a tea spoon although on a windy site perhaps they have to be small.

Anyway, I guess I need to pop over and see for myself as there is presumably something going on that the pics don't do justice to

[Matthew Mollica]

Interesting observations on bunker size Niall. I can see how you would reach that position. There was not that impression among the guys with whom I visited the course. Thinking back, the hazards do seem on the smaller side often times but not disproportionately so.

The micro movement of the fairways is an interesting point. There is some, but the fairways are more in keeping with what I see at the Cups Country on the Mornington Peninsula. Broad slopes and gentle sweeping undulation in many parts. For the most part they are not the intricate corrugations that generate markedly different stances for balls within five yards of one another. I think that's what Mother Nature dealt in that corner of the world, judging by surrounding terrain, and untouched, off-play areas.

MM

[RJ_Daley]

Isn't the nature of what is being viewed a sweeping and long slanted runs through fairways rather than micro mogul rolls a mark of the architect lightly treading?  From photos that were posted during construction and grow in, it seemed that the minimalist approach was taken regarding shaping the FW and features.  I think that Mike DeVries and many other archies can go right ahead in well draining soil and shape out micro rolls and moguls at a cost.  But, the cost is the cost and the expense of not celebrating and fully utilizing the good land mother nature did offer.  Also, I'd like to know if the seeding of fescue selection has any particular advantage of being grown in on a consistently sloping rather than pockmarked sward, whereby the turf comes in a bit more consistant, particularly in the ever blowing roaring 40s that might move the seed off the bed.  My guess relative to the feature shapes, scope, and position, including width and long run slopes, is that DeVries gave all that major consideration based on the winds, and drainage that would be the everyday challenge at such a location.   Just a few questions and thoughts....

[Matthew Mollica]

You were spot on Dick, with your comparison of CW 10 & 11 to NSW 5 & 6. Many others will no doubt make the same link.

[Josh Stevens]

One issue is that it appears not to be true linksland.

Rather than your typical retreating sea linksland where we have dunes or rumpled terrain that otherwise has no general gradient across the course - this is essentially the side of a hill.

In order to run as many holes as possible along the coast it would seem then that quite a few have a general cant toward the ocean all the way from tee to green.

Looks a tricky site in that respect

[Jud_T]

Thanks for the tour! Most everyone who's played a DeVries course is drooling at the sight of this place.  Below are some pics from the website from a sunnier day that show a bit more contour.  I can't imagine a golf trip down under without a stop at Cape Wickham.  Furthermore, if the winds are as strong at times as folks say, you wouldn't want too much fairway contouring as balls would inevitably end up in the same hollows etc., no?


http://capewickham.com.au/construction-news/photo-gallery/

[Tom_Doak]

Isn't the nature of what is being viewed a sweeping and long slanted runs through fairways rather than micro mogul rolls a mark of the architect lightly treading?  From photos that were posted during construction and grow in, it seemed that the minimalist approach was taken regarding shaping the FW and features.  I think that Mike DeVries and many other archies can go right ahead in well draining soil and shape out micro rolls and moguls at a cost.  But, the cost is the cost and the expense of not celebrating and fully utilizing the good land mother nature did offer.  Also, I'd like to know if the seeding of fescue selection has any particular advantage of being grown in on a consistently sloping rather than pockmarked sward, whereby the turf comes in a bit more consistant, particularly in the ever blowing roaring 40s that might move the seed off the bed.

RJ:


I would not say that the seeding operation itself is easier or tougher on a site with more micro-contour, as opposed to more general slope. However, with fescue I can certainly say that having a bunch of small pockets in the fairway leads to concentration of divots and more perception of maintenance issues by golfers [remembering that the number of divots is a function of rounds played].


From what I've heard about the construction there, timing was a major consideration and it's likely they just didn't have TIME to create micro-undulations on a large scale, even if they wanted to.  That's a contrast to Tara Iti, where our delays due to permitting meant we had a bunch of talented guys with nothing to do BUT micro-contouring, until they were allowed to move on to the next few holes of shaping.  I would just as soon have finished it faster but I can't argue with the results.

[Josh Stevens]

I cant help but think some micro undulation might help.

From the pics there look to be a few spots where the rumpled dunes have had to be flattened for fairway corridors - and it shows.

[Matthew Mollica]

Josh, I think it is probably best you go and visit the course and see it for yourself, rather than posting opinions like that based on photographs from a phone.

[Josh Stevens]

Will send you my bank details so you can transfer the airfare 

[Mike_DeVries]

Thanks for the awesome tour, Matthew!  I really appreciate hearing other's thoughts on my courses and your examination is quite complete.

With regard to some of the questions:

The bunkers have intentionally been constructed on the smaller side to help prevent out-of-control erosion and maintenance issues.  It is a conscious decision to keep them from eroding turfed areas of the golf course unnecessarily.  Their size is not inappropriate and they have more impact than you might imagine from just looking at photographs.

The land is all sand, with some sandstone in areas - the sandstone rock from one area off the golf course was used to construct the entrance road and was then restored into a rookery for the mutton birds.  In some other areas, we have sandstone sculptures or rubble areas out of play but visible.  Drainage is very good throughout the property.

There is no stream or "burn" exiting the site, so technically it is not a true links like you refer to classic UK links courses.  The dunes are quite massive in many places, peaking at 75m on the property, but not on the golf course, proper.

There is quite a bit of movement to the ground that is not visible in the photos.  We felt it was not necessary to manufacture "micro-undulations" all over the property, as there is enough going on to enjoy and focus on for your shot.  It is not a flat site with no up and down movement but the flow over the property is very balanced and provides for a wonderful rhythm to the round so you progress over the land continuously instead of "up, down, up, down, etc. in big swings."

Thanks again for all the great comments!
Mike

[AJ_Foote]

Matthew,


Excellent, thoughtful tour.


Josh,


You stated "[size=78%]I cant say that the pics I have seen make me want to go..."[/size]


Wow, that's setting a high bar.


I'd love to know what would induce you to travel.


The course is on an absolutely epic site, but Mike/Darius and co have employed admirable restraint so that the architecture beautifully supports the spectacular topography.


I can appreciate how the bunkering might appear small in scale form some of the photos, but the bunkers are extremely well placed - often a drive or approach needs to negotiate just one hazard, but that hazard is in exactly the spot you'd like to hit it.


There are many opportunities to attempt heroics, but always a safe, conservative option.


You're right in that there isn't the same kind of undulation as Barnbougle etc, but there is plenty of movement, and my understanding is that most of it is natural. If you have a look around the CW website, at both the before/after pics and the video with footage shot in some nice low light, you should get a feel for this.


And the routing of the course is masterful - there are few walks of any significance between greens and tees, and holes play to every point of the compass. There is also a lot of elevation change throughout the property, but it's so well balanced across the holes that the course doesn't feel like a slog in the slightest - in fact it's a really comfortable walk.


You also suggested that the cant of the fairways towards the ocean could become 'tedious' - it's hard to imagine a less 'tedious' golfing experience than CW anywhere in the world.


Make no mistake, Cape Wickham is exhilarating and hugely enjoyable and if you live in Australia and are into your architecture enough to hang around on this site regularly, you should be on the next (small) plane there.


It's hard to believe that Tasmania now has three courses that stand shoulder to shoulder with most of the world's greats, and if Ocean Dunes keeps coming along, it may well have four.


Cheers,


Andrew

[Josh Stevens]

Maybe its because there are too many courses that rely upon a nice view to make them seem better than they are.  Not that I don't like a nice view, and I am certainly one that includes "the experience" in my assessment of what makes a makes a nice day out, but I think its always useful to run the thought experiment of trying to eliminate the ocean views and assess the course in isolation.  Pointless  and difficult I know, but I am a masochist, and having lived in the in the UK for years I am somewhat accustomed to having to deal with good ugly golf courses.

I am sure it is amazing and I will have to apologise, but until I raise the cash to pop across for a look I'm afraid for the moment I am going to be a wee bit suspicious of fawning reviews that talk about how wonderful it all is when there is such a nice view.

This is cynical I know, but alas Australians, being somewhat culturally secluded have a history of getting excited about new shiny objects.

"Hope Island" springs to mind (non Australians will have to google that)

Lets see how it is  faring  5 years from now  - if it hasn't gone bust by then

[Colin Macqueen]

Josh, What a load of bollocks and hogwash when you write,

"This is cynical I know, but alas Australians, being somewhat culturally secluded have a history of getting excited about new shiny objects."
Let me tell you that Australians are far more culturally aware and astute than you seem to realise!
And in the Roaring Forties and thereabouts they recognise good golfing whether or not the views are present.
The greatest amount of insularity that I come across is when I return to the British Isles and am inundated with parochial views.
Cheers Colin

[Greg Gilson]

I knew I had problems. But, hell, I didn't know I was "culturally secluded" too. Thanks for the prognosis, Doctor Josh.