Despite its close proximity to the better-known courses in the Melbourne Sandbelt, Woodlands Golf Club is often omitted from the itinerary of visiting golfers. This is understandable, given its rather nondescript name and its lack of internationally renowned architectural pedigree (no direct input from Alister MacKenzie) – the foundations of the course were built mostly by Club Professionals Richard Banks and Sam Bennett (club pro), each of whom laid out nine holes at different times with ongoing input from famed Royal Melbourne greenkeeper Mick Morcom.
The course also lacks an inimitable character sufficient to distinguish itself from the neighboring clubs – the 4th is by far the most original and memorable hole on the property and its easy to get lost in the shuffle with Kingston Heath, Yarra Yarra, Victoria, Metropolitan, Commonwealth and Royal Melbourne all within a few miles. And, as with its neighbors, the Woodlands Golf Club suffers from the modern day intrusion of roads and air traffic that have taken away the pastoral charm of the Sandbelt.
Still, golfers will find a steady diet of the modern Sandbelt golf’s best defining qualities here: tight/firm turf, elevated and true-putting greens, strategically placed and elegantly shaped bunkering schemes, and variable wind conditions to test even the best of players without brutalizing the untalented.
The course is routed very compactly, but changes direction at regular intervals to avoid monotonous challenges from the elements.
At the opening hole, golfers are eased into the round by a wide fairway and a modest length to the green.
Trees fool players into believing the fairway is much narrower (and a drawing tee shot much more advantageous) than reality will bear out.
Bunkers at the green’s left/front favor tee shots that stay to the outside edge of the left-turning fairway.
