Golf Courses
Charming Stanley, Boat Harbour and Gunns Plains Caves are often included in any tour of Tasmania's North West. But a lesser-known feature of the region is the number of golf courses. There are three 18-hole championship courses in the region, Woodrising at Devonport, Ulverstone and Seabrook in Wynyard and plenty of memorable boutique nine-hole courses. Whether it is a picturesque location, a resident Sea Eagle or navigating your ball around 'Ayers Rock' at Sheffield Golf Course, each course comes with its own personality for you to discover.
Burnie Golf Club, Burnie
The Burnie golf course is set amongst lush gardens with undulating green fairways all year round. Enjoy a round with the locals, including a resident Sea Eagle who has made itself at home around the 6th hole. Nine holes, green fees $15, buggies, clubs and electronic carts available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6435 1443 or visit www.burniegolfclub.com.au
King Island Golf Club, King Island
Built on sand hills and right beside the ocean this great little nine-hole course has undulating freeways and been compared to the famous St Andrews in Scotland. Test your skills and attempt to hit across the bay to the 14th green. The amount of balls washed ashore indicates that this challenge is no easy feat. Nine holes, green fees $20 for 18 holes, $10 for 9 holes, buggies and clubs available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6462 1126
Penguin Golf Club, Penguin
This bunker-free course has plenty of creeks to make up for the lack of sand. A feature of the course is the par 3, 120 metre 7th. A thin green is in the middle of a dam and the hole has ruined plenty of (until then) good rounds. There are reports a couple of young fellas hauled 2000 balls out of the dam with help of a snorkel and mask! This testing, rather hilly course is set in the Dial Range, which makes a fine backdrop for balls either going 'splash' or finishing anywhere by the pin on the 7th. Nine holes, green fees $10, buggies and clubs available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6437 2029
Port Sorell Golf Club, Port Sorell
The Port Sorell Golf Club is opposite the Shearwater Country Club some 15 minutes from Devonport. Some regard it as one of the best kept nine-hole golf courses in Australia. The resident pro describes the greens as perhaps the quickest and smoothest in the state. The 2nd hole is a 421m par 4 with a slight dog-leg to the right. It's out of bounds all along the left and tree-lined to the right. The 159-metre par 3 ninth is tightly bunkered and by all reports a great way to finish. Nine holes, green fees $20, buggies, clubs and electronic carts available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6428 6555
Wynyard Golf Course, Wynyard
This course has boundaries on both Bass Strait and the charming Inglis River. The 2nd and 3rd holes run by a beach. Beyond the water hazards is a spectacular hole off the top of Fossil Bluff. The good folk of Wynyard GC have noted that this course is well placed amongst the most beautiful in Australia. The balls sit up nicely on the lush fairways to boot. Look out for the resident seal in the Inglis River. Nine holes, green fees $15, clubs, buggies and electric carts available for hire
Tel: (03) 6442 2614 or visit www.wynyardgolfclub.com.au
Seabrook Golf Club, Wynyard
Parallel to the scenic coastline of Wynyard, this championship course offers well-maintained greens and plenty of water hazards. The feature hole known as 'Razorback', with a challenging par 3, will test the skills of any golfer. The fairway is lined with tree limbs and two cavernous bunkers guard the green. Eighteen holes, green fees $25, hand buggies, clubs and carts available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6442 2173 or visit www.seabrookgolfclub.com.au
Stanley Golf Club, Stanley
This ripper little course runs beside a sweeping beach. At high tide the water can be as little as 10 metres from some of the links-like fairways. The course has access to bore water and the fairways and greens are in great order. Stanley's famous 'Nut', the remains of an extinct volcano, dominates the finger of land on which Stanley sits. The Nut is also a sizeable gallery that watches over every superbly executed stroke (and shank). The par 4, 3rd hole has a sharp dog-leg and is one of the course's best and hardest holes. Some of the par 3 holes are testing depending on the direction of the wind. A bar is open each weekday from 3pm, earlier on Saturdays. Nine holes, green fees $12, buggy and club hire. Green fees payable at the caravan park if course unattended.
Tel: (03) 6458 1395
Sheffield Golf Club, Sheffield
Located at Badgers Heights just a few minutes from Sheffield, this course has rolling hills and plenty of hazards. The major challenge is a large granite rock situated in the corner of the green on the 5th hole. Known to the locals as 'Ayers Rock', navigate your ball incorrectly around this hazard and be prepared to end up further back than you started. Nine holes, green fees $10, buggies and clubs available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6491 1184 or visit www.sheffieldgolfclub.net.au
Smithton Golf Club, Smithton
If you play Stanley in the morning you can go around Smithton in the afternoon. The towns are just 12km apart. Built around 50 years ago this well-treed and undulating course also comes with great rural aspects. The Duck River runs beside holes 4 and 5. The birdies about the course include plenty of the feathered variety. The par 3, 3rd hole is by all reports a cracker. Nine holes, green fees $12, no hire facilities.
Tel: (03) 6452 2499
Thirlstane Golf Club, Thirlstane
Set in rural surrounds just outside of Port Sorell, this course boasts excellent tree lined flat fairways. Try your hand at the signature hole, the 6th, with water hazards on both sides of a seven metre walk way it's bound to test your skills. A great little course you could walk all day. Nine holes, green fees $15, no hire facilities.
Tel: (03) 6428 6488
Ulverstone Golf Club, Ulverstone
Affectionately known by members as 'Allison' this course weaves its way through bush forests of eucalpyt - stunning! Driving accuracy is required on every hole. The tee shot across the dam on the 5th hole is surrounded by dense bush on either side whilst the 14th hole requires extra skill due to the length of the fairway and elevated green. Eighteen holes, green fees $35, clubs, buggies and electronic carts available for hire.
Tel (03) 6425 2322 or visit www.ulverstonegolfclub.com.au
Woodrising Golf Club, Devonport
Woodrising is a highly regarded championship course situated on a peninsula of land leading into the Mersey River and has a fairly flat appearance with gently rolling fairways. The course offers the golfer a challenging, tree-lined, well-bunkered course with excellent greens. Enjoy superb river views while truly testing your golfing skills. Eighteen holes, green fees $30, buggies, clubs and electronic carts available for hire.
Tel: (03) 6427 2381 or visit www.devonportgolfclub.org.au
