10 tips for a golf trip to Barnbougle Dunes

It’s a special weekend if you’re playing golf at Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm, and you don’t want to get it all wrong.

Aussie Golfer recently spent a weekend at Barnbougle. The hype surrounding these golf courses seemed almost too good to be true but if anything, the courses were under-hyped and I’ve returned home with an even greater desire to go back as soon as possible.

In addition to a couple of pictorial reviews (A day at Barnbougle Dunes and A day at Lost Farm) there were a few things I learned on the trip which are worth considering for future visits to this piece of golfing paradise.

Here are 10 tips to keep in mind when travelling to Barnbougle Dunes and Barnbougle Lost Farm.

1. Prepare to walk
To ensure the stability of the environment and to bring golf back to its purest form, golf carts aren’t permitted at Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm. I highly recommend the big-wheeled buggies in preference to the smaller wheel type.

2. Swallow your pride and play off the right tees
There are four different coloured tees at Barnbougle and Lost Farm, each with their own scorecard and rating. The back tees are recommended for 0 – 4 handicappers (in calm conditions!) and are 500 metres longer than the next set of tees for the 5 – 17 handicappers.

These courses are no walk in the park and considering you’ve come all the way to Tasmania to play golf, you should enjoy it. Swallow your pride and play off the tees that are right for you.

3. There are no competitions at Barnbougle
There are no members at Barnbougle Dunes or Lost Farm and so there are no club competitions. Organise yourselves. Throw some money in the kitty, pick the format and just go play golf.

4. Grab a course guide
A course guide is a must at Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm. The short par-4s, deceptive bunkering and narrowing fairways make distance off the tee incredibly important. You’ll have a much better chance of making par at the 8th at Barnbougle Dunes if you have one.

5. Consider chartering a private plane
Several companies are flying straight to the golf course. It would be a very cool way to arrive on course and pretty convenient if you had a group travelling together.

6. Book accommodation early
If you want to stay on-course book your Barnbougle Dunes accommodation well ahead of time. There is accommodation at both Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm but they get fully booked months in advance, especially in peak season. Alternatively, there is accommodation around Bridport.

7. Have a drink on the “Lost Balcony” at Lost Farm
Strangely the clubhouse at Barnbougle Dunes does not overlook the golf course. However, the mighty clubhouse at Lost Farm more than compensates. The views out the windows are fair-dinkum unbelievable but don’t miss the small outside balcony area. Sit back, have a beer and embellish your round as much as possible.

8. Don’t take the back roads
There is a lot of wildlife in Tasmania and if you take the back roads and drive at night, you’ve got a good chance of adding to the road-kill.

I recommend taking the B83 to Pipers River and then turning right onto B82 all the way to Bridport. Or just follow the advice on the Barnbougle Dunes website for getting to the course. Avoid the route which takes you along Pipers Brook Road at night.

It’s worth considering using Rexy’s Transport transfers from Launceston airport if you want to leave the driving to someone else.

9. Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm are two kilometres apart
If you’re looking for grandiose, magnolia lined entrances you won’t find them down here. Both golf courses have subtle, understated entrances.

On the road from Bridport, you’ll get to Barnbougle Dunes on the left. If you’re playing Lost Farm you’ll need to take the road that joins both golf courses adjacent the Barnbougle Dunes car park.

10. Enjoy the walk and play all day
Take a moment during the walk to the 5th tee at Barnbougle Dunes and the 15th tee at Lost Farm to soak it all in.

Consider playing more than 18-holes each day. Get a morning round in, have lunch, a rest and get back out in the afternoon perhaps playing a modified format. Late afternoon golf with your mates on a golf course as spectacular as Barnbougle Dunes is as good as golf gets.

3 thoughts on “10 tips for a golf trip to Barnbougle Dunes

  • Great tips on playing two sensational courses. Been lucky enough to play there twice, some other suggested tips:
    * Consider carrying your clubs, its easier through some of the terrain and more traditional!
    * Dont forget the camera, so many Kodak moments
    * Take a Golf GPS (handheld or mobile app)
    * Pack plenty of golfballs, unless you hit the ball with deadly precision be sure to carry extra balls as the rough makes golfballs disappear
    * Weather can shift dramatically, so throw in the rain gear even if there isnt a cloud in the sky
    * Celebrate the fact that we have two iconic, world class public access courses on our doorstep

    Reply
  • Nice Mike. Particularly the weather tip. I played in beautiful sunshine, so got lucky.

    Reply
  • How about “Watch out for Snakes”?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *