Tom Doak is a genius. I’m pretty confident in that statement after playing another unbelievable course that he’s designed. Of the modern course architects, he’s responsible for some of the most enjoyable and challenging courses that I’ve ever played. From Tara Iti to Pacific Dunes to Cape Kidnappers and now Barnbougle Dunes, I don’t really know how to adequately express my admiration for his work.
Barnbougle Dunes, which is located on Tasmania is beautiful, bold and a perfectly untamed orchestration of massive sand dunes, undulating greens and a few great ocean views. The course is located near the small town of Bridport and is pretty remote (read: your spouse might be bored if you drag her there!). So make sure you grab your best golfing mates and go have yourself a bucks weekend (that's Australian for all you non-cultured American readers).
The vibe is cool. Much like Bandon Dunes, the accomodations are minimal but plenty sufficient. Everyone (and everything) is pretty focused on having a great golf experience.
The course itself is not shy on accolades or press. A quick Google search will definitely yield more in-depth, better written articles than you’ll get here. But that hasn’t stopped me from writing yet! While all of the holes were great I’d like to highlight a few of my favorites (and share a few extra mouth watering pics along the way).
Par 3s
Barnbougle Dunes had many memorable holes but I particularly loved the Par 3s. They were challenging, beautiful, masterfully framed and completely unforgettable.
Hole 5 - 201 meters
Teeing off at a slight elevation on 5 gives you a perfect view to see the hole unfold in front of your eyes. At 201 meters, the hole plays shorter than the card reads if you play it as its intended. Framed by a massive sand dune / blowout bunker on the right the hole almost dog-legs around the epic hazard. The ideal tee shot is to throw your ball out to the right, some 20 yards short of the pin, and allow the terrain do the hard work of getting close to an otherwise diabolic pin. Trust in the advice your caddie gives as watching your ball trickle down to the hole is pure unadulterated golfing fun!
Hole 7 - 112 meters (aka Tom's Little Devil)
Tipping out at a whopping 112 meters, the seventh hole at Barnbougle Dunes presents golfers of all skill levels with a masterful challenge. What should be a simple task of chipping a wedge to the green becomes exponentially more scary if you take the time to look up and notice the horrific trouble lurking around the green. The green itself is relatively small to begin with but couple that with the repelling undulations around the edges of the green and in reality you've got about a 5 xx 5 meter target to hit otherwise you'll be digging yourself out of trouble.
Hole 13 - 188 meters
Another relatively long par three, the 13th hole plays a considerable amount shorter than what you'll read on the card. If you can keep your tee shot in front of you can remove some of the challenge of this hole by playing short and running the ball towards the cup. Aided by a sizable natural backstop, the surrounding area of the green generally is pretty kind and pushes you to the center of the green. But as with a lot of Tom Doak designs, nothing comes easy. The helping hand of the surrounding contour funnels you onto a massively undulated green. Good luck with a two putt!
Hole 16 - 153 meters
The last Par 3 on the course offers the best views on the property. Teeing off from an elevated tee box, players are treated to 360 views of the ocean and the entirety of Barnbougle Dunes and The Lost Farm. The hole itself is not overly long but is complicated by a pesky prevailing cross wind that makes the endeavor of a par or birdie way tougher than originally anticipated.
The Dunes
The sand dunes of Barnbougle Dunes, while ever-present, are most perfectly exemplified on holes 6 and 8.
Hole 6 - 381 meters
The view from the tee shot, and subsequent walk to the fairway, on 6 at Barnbougle Dunes is one of the truly best in all of golf. Perched atop the edge of Tasmania, looking out over the ocean to your left and massive dunes with a fairway nestled in between on your right, count your lucky stars if you're lucky enough to see this view in person because there ain't many out there that rival this one.
Hole 8 - 446 meters
The tee shot at 8 is terrifying and stimulating all at the same time. The visual terror of the massive dunes can play tricks on your swing. Trust in the fact that the fairway here is massive, even if your eyes tell you otherwise.
Grades (where 1 is significantly below average and 5 is significantly above)
Scenery: 5 stars
Design: 5 stars
Condition: 5 stars
History: 3 star
Practice Facilities: 5 stars
Experience: 5 stars
Click here for a more detailed breakdown of how I think about course ratings.
Closing thoughts: Tom Doak is great. Blah, blah, blah... This course is yet another great experience that I've been lucky enough to play. The course is plenty challenging but remains playable in all sorts of conditions, which they definitely have on this wild piece of land. If you're a golf fiend and you find yourself in or anywhere near Tasmania, you should definitely go to Barnbougle Dunes!
