Barnbougle Dunes Golf Tours
BARNBOUGLE DUNES GOLF TOURS … a unique golfing experience!
I have just returned to Perth after hosting a golf tour to Tasmania and Victoria. There were 16 keen male golfers on the tour, and the 6-night tour included 5 rounds of golf at some memorable golf courses.
After overnighting in Launceston, the group played Launceston Golf Club, a pleasant and challenging parkland course that has previously ranked in the Australian Top 100 golf course list. A private members club makes this a very special opportunity to play the best golf course in the Launceston region and prepare for golfing experiences to come!
After the round it was off by private coach on the 1 ½ hour’s drive through the Tamar Valley to Barnbougle Links Resort. Barnbougle is an amazing golfing destination, located 80 kilometres north east of Launceston, just near the seaside fishing village of Bridport. There are two purpose built links courses, the older Dunes course and the newer Lost Farm course. Both are constructed within and around the sand dunes of the Forrester River, and sit adjacent to Bass Strait.
Both courses have famous American designers, Tom Doak (Dunes) and Bill Coore (Lost Farm) and are designed on the lines of the famous British and Irish links courses. The Dunes is only 10 years old, but looks like it has been around for a hundred years. The Dunes course is Australian Golf Digest #1 Public Access course in Australia … Lost Farm is #2!
The weather was exceptional and with clear skies and only light breezes, it made playing these two magnificent courses rounds to remember. Staying on-course in the Dunes Cottages just adds to the golfing atmosphere, and to wake up to the abundant wildlife outside the cottages and the 1st tee 20 metres from the cottage veranda was something special. There is nothing like Barbougle Links Resort … you have to experience it to understand its unique qualities!
After 3 nights at the Resort, it was back to Launceston Airport for a short flight to Melbourne and a 2 hour private coach transfer to Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula. Staying at the 5 star Portsea Village Resort was just the ticket for a relaxed start to the Mornington Peninsula sector of the golf tour.
The next day we played the Dunes … a Tony Cashmore designed championship course that was hosting its Club Championships that week. With greens running at 13 ½ on the stimpmeter and the group electing for the Member’s tees, it was a great test of golfing skill and stamina. Fortunately, we were in carts, which made the long walks between greens and tees a little less tiresome, however it is a mighty golf course, and in my opinion, the best on the Peninsula.
On the last day, we played a very interesting golf course in St Andrews Beach. Designed by Tom Doak, it can only be described as “quirky”, with at least 7 greens where you cannot see the bottom of the flag from the fairways. This was a bit disconcerting when you are not used to “blind” golf, however it is a memorable and fun course to play and rates as one of the more difficult courses in Australia.
After golf and a freshen up, we headed back to Melbourne where some of the group had elected to stay on for a few days, while the rest of us headed to Melbourne Airport for home ports.
A great golf trip with a top bunch of guys, who are keen to head back to Mornington Peninsula for a dedicated golf tour in 2018 that will include 13th Beach golf course as well!
Gary Allomes
Managing Director
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