This may seem like an opinion that is sorely out of place but it will make sense in a minute: America has it ALL wrong when it comes to how we treat private clubs and their access to the public.
To my knowledge, and based on actual experience, when it comes to top tier clubs abroad (UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) I’ve not only been able to easily get tee times but I’ve been welcomed with open arms. Now I’d be remiss not to mention that I often have to pay an arm and a leg to play but there hasn’t been a single instance when I’ve been turned away upon request.
So why am I leading with this obscure rant? Well my most recent trip to Australia included a wonderful round at New South Wales Golf Club, which was originally laid out in 1928 by Alister Mackenzie and currently ranks inside Golf.com's Top 100 Courses in the World (2020-2021). At the time, Mackenzie made the following comments:
This is a sand-duned peninsula which overlooks Botany Bay and presents, I think, more spectacular views than any other place I know with the possible exception of the new Cypress Point golf course I am doing on the Del Monte peninsula in California.
That’s pretty high praise from one of the most accomplished course designers of all time.
So how does this rant come full circle? Well, the ease of access to a place like New South Wales simply does not exist for non-members in the USA. And that is a shame.
While the following courses may vary in terms of stylistic features and design, here’s a few comparable courses in the states: California Club of San Francisco, Southern Hills, Garden City, Ballyneal, and Winged Foot (East). And the last time I checked I can’t exactly drop those clubs a line and line up a tee time for myself.
So what’s the solution? Well this blog post probably won’t change a broken system but it can at least show you how to get the most out of it.
So pack up your bags because we’re heading to Sydney! Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oye Oye Oye!
New South Wales Golf Club, which is located in La Perouse is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from Sydney. The club, which has a rich history, offers a course that is firm and fast and often influenced heavily by prevailing winds coming off of the nearby ocean. The course, which is a ton of fun but very challenging, routes through sand dunes and pushes up against cliffs overlooking breathtaking views of the ocean.
I’m not going to deep an incredibly deep dive into NSW rather just talk about a few holes that exemplify the awesomeness that it is.
Hole 5 - Par 5, 468 meters
Depending on the wind, this par 5 teeters on the edge of an easy two shot hole or a down right challenging three shot hole. The hole opens with a deceptive blind tee shot that offers plenty of room for those who choose to lay up. There’s a sliver of fairway that is visible but in reality there’s an extremely wide area that catches wayward right tee balls if you take the conservative route. For the bombers though, the hole offers a risk-reward off the tee with a cresting fairway that can be taken advantage of if you can carry your tee ball approximately 260 meters (285 yards for all the Yanks reading this post). The risk is that the fairway pinches in at the desired landing area with sandy waste land on both sides but the reward is a downward sloping fairway that will most certainly catapult drives forward leaving a mid-iron into the green.
On the day I played, the prevailing wind was howling into my face making the decision to hit a 3-iron off the tee very easy. A layup is no easy task though as you are still relatively far from the hole with your second shot (and into a fierce wind to boot). Once you get it over the hill that bisects the hole you are left with your first view of the ocean and there aren’t many courses in the world that will give you the same rush of adrenaline as you get here. The view is absolutely world-class!
While this hole is obviously no push over you now have one key thing working in your favor. The prevailing wind that hurts you off the tee becomes your friend as approach shots fall much softer than normal based on the combo of the hole’s down hill slope and how the wind is adding back spin and creating a natural wall that your ball hits in the air. So, when you still have a long iron in hand for your third shot, don’t get discouraged and try to take advantage of the benefit that is presented to you.
To the best of my recollection, the green is relatively flat and quite large which again helps with what seem like long approach shots. All in all, this is an awesome hole and what originally seems like a daunting task actually unfolds quite nicely.
Trust in the good doctor and he will make sure good shots are rewarded and fun times are had!
Hole 6 - Par 3, 177 meters
This might be one of the most beautiful golf holes in the world.
I haven’t played Cypress Point and the epic 16th hole there but I would say that this beauty might be in the same class. The tee shot is located on the tip of a peninsula that juts into the Tasman sea as if there was no other reason for this piece of land other than to be made into a tee box. The hole presents a forced carry and there’s no other way around it. Golfers are generally helped with an aiding wind but that doesn’t diminish the challenge. Additionally, the green complex here is significantly shaped from back to front to help catch balls that are coming in hot into fast and firm greens.
My advice is to take a little more club as opposed to less and let the ball run into the back bank and then back towards the pin. I hope you enjoy this view because its quite literally doesn’t get much better than this!
Hole 14 - Par 4, 323 meters
What looks like a relatively unassuming task on the scorecard presents you with a world of challenge in real life. The tee shot starts with a sizable forced carry to get the ball into the fairway. The ideal line is 80 meters or so to the right of the pin. This will leave you with a short wedge into the green but don’t let your guard down yet. This is perhaps the trickiest green on property. If the pin is in the front you’ll want to play your ball long and to the right. The contour of the green will feed you back towards then pin and give you a decent look at a bird. If the pin is in the back or left, don’t go at it! These pin locations are sucker pins. The greens are too firm to hold shots that are flown to the hole. You’ll bounce over the green and leave yourself with a horrendous short sided chip that will likely result in a bogey or worse.
Grades (where 1 is significantly below average and 5 is significantly above)
Scenery: 5 stars
Design: 4 stars
Condition: 4 stars
History: 5 star
Practice Facilities: 5 stars
Experience: 5 stars
Click here for a more detailed breakdown of how I think about course ratings.
Closing thoughts: New South Wales is a true gem. There's a few funky holes that you get you away from the clubhouse but once you get out by the coast you get to enjoy a world class experience that is rivaled by very few courses.
