Ed: The virtues of Portsea and Barwon Heads: what a fun assigment you've set!
Design:
Very little jumps out as "horrible" or "lost" opportunities. While neither are flawless like Royal Melbourne West, it seems to work.
Conditioning:
Over the last 30 years both courses have been maintained in a condition that is anathema to others who seek "perfection", but in their coastal environments - and considering the style of courses - they are perfect. It is fraught to say "rough and ready" for such words are easily misinterpreted. Pristine, they are not, and both courses would look overly "prissy" if ever presented in that manner. I wouldn't mind betting that Sean Walsh's great love of Port Fairy (3 hours away from Barwon Heads) is partly derived through the "rough and ready" presentation that prevails. By no means am I suggesting "neglected" - what a world of difference between the two.
Budgets:
While the course supers' may or may not have bulging budgets, neither outwardly seem indictaive of courses that have been overly influenced by the size of the budget. Such golfing bliss is not easy to acheive.
Fun element:
Anyone can get around and play these courses. Length wise, they are not wickedly long, but are as long as they need to be. Regardless of score, you'll enjoy your round. If not, time to take up bowls.
Greens:
Being older layouts, the greens are much smaller with less undualtion when compared to the newer Victorian coastal courses to have materialised over the past ten years.
Shotmaking requirements:
Count on wind, so all kinds of shots are required to make a good fist of your round. One feature of Portsea is the amount of uphill shots (not infrequently from downhill lies/stances), to small greens perched on high ground. The golfer faces this element as early as the second shot on the opening hole
Coastal vs. "Linksy":
While both are coastal courses, only Barwon Heads is "linksy" and even then, that element could be improved. Because the rippling "lay-of-the-land" nature of BH is so impressive, it is one golf course where every single tree could be taken out without detriment. Like many other Australian courses, early 1920-30s images reveal layouts bereft of the "beards" they've since grown. Yes, courses mature, and some things are inevitable, but BH would be even more amazing if presented in a denuded state.
Driving thrill:
One of the best aspects of Portsea is the thrill of driving from elevated tees. Much more treelined than BH, it is, pleasingly, not excessively tight, so one can really savour these driving opportunities out to the distant, broad valleys.
Atmosphere:
An indefinable atmosphere (and different at both) exists.