my win on the 8th and a few loose dollars grabbed
on the back nine, I treated myself to some oysters
Kilpatrick and the beef tenderloin, which were
both delicious. There was even a little room
left to tuck into a cheese plate, as the round
post-mortems continued.
DAY 2
The opening round post-mortems continued
well into the wee hours, which was fine as our
Saturday tee time at Shelly Beach Golf Club
was not until after 1pm
After a big sleep in, we ventured into The
Entrance with a few of the lads craving a fried
food pick me up. We found the Big Tuna Fish Co.
fish and chippery on the main drag and invested
heavily in their fine cuisine, which was devoured
in double time as we sat in Memorial Park
overlooking the inlet to Tuggerah Lake.
Hangovers fed, it was of to make our tee time.
Shelly Beach is an easy-walking, 6,007 metres
from the tips, which was welcomed by my
playing partners.
The three most memorable holes also ofer
the best ocean views. The 366-metre par-4 5th
is a devil of a hole where a blind drive needs to
be followed up with a precise mid- or short iron
to the green, depending on the strength and
direction of the breeze.
The following hole measures just 337 metres
from the tips but this oceanside ofering is still
rated No.7 on the stroke index for a reason. It is
a tight driving hole, especially into the wind, and
club selection for the approach is always tough in
the windy conditions that often prevail
The par-4 16th is one of the best, or most
interesting, of the homeward bound holes. It is
a short-par 4, at 315 metres, of substance where
your drive needs to be positioned for the best
angle to approach a flag cut anywhere on the
diagonally laying green, which has been cut out
of a steep sand dune. Where the 5th and 6th holes
might play into the wind, the 16th hole will play
downwind but it won’t make this short ofering
any easier.
Shelly Beach has improved markedly during
the past decade with the course now fully
irrigated and some changes to the original Al
Howard design. While it is not as challenging as
Magenta Shores up the road, it is a whole lot of
fun, especially when the wind blows.
As the non-drinker in our foursome, I pocketed
all the cash bar one lone skin on day two so dinner
was on me. While eating our fish and chips earlier,
I spotted a Thai restaurant – Bang Rak Thai – on
The Entrance Rd, which proved to be a great find.
The Pad Kapow chicken was the best I have
eaten anywhere.
It was no surprise that the drinkers wanted
to get their head on the pillow early as our day
three tee time at Kooindah Waters meant an
early start. It didn’t, however, pan out that way asa few hours of poker back at the resort rolled on
into the wee hours.DAY 3
After a slow start we still managed to source
some quality bacon and egg rolls and cofee
and comfortably make the 30-minute drive to
Kooindah Watersfor our 8 o’clock tee time.
Another Ross Watson creation, this time in
collaboration with Craig Parry, Kooindah
Waters is short, tight and rustic, with its
unkempt swamps and orange-hued bunkers with
railway-sleeper faces. Parry’s contributions came
with the club golfer in mind, mostly suggestions to
widen some fairways and ofer alternative options
to the hero shot. Watson concurred and the result
was a layout that, while tight and trouble-strewn,
still ofers multiple opportunities to take on
ambitious carries and daring lines.
Kooindah Waters, like Magenta Shores, is a fine
example of how an ordinary site can evolve into
something beautiful.
Precision is of the utmost importance on the
6,083-metre layout, as is certainty over club
selection. Several approach shots require water
carries with little leeway ofered as a bail-out. In
many instances the looming water is obvious, as
you will see on the all-carry par-3 2nd and 17th
holes, but on other occasions the trouble is more
subtle, with a hidden bunker or other hazard
lurking partially out of view.The panoramic views on most
holes at Shelly Beach add to
the pleasure of a round here.golf australia | APRIL 2018 111