Gerringong Golf Club: course review

This simple golf course brings with it loads of fun and incredible views.

The Gerringong Golf Club lies on a stretch of road joining the towns of Gerringong and Gerroa. If you’re a golfer and you’ve ever taken this road, you must remember the course. Placed in an open valley that stretches down to the ocean, it’s quite a sight. Supreme real estate and a gorgeous place to hit the golf ball around.

The whole region has some amazing beaches and it’s easy to be taken by the amazing views on any tee. The course plays pretty well and when the wind blows it’s a tough test of links golf. Wind hardened greens and rolling slopes require a fair bit of thinking or local knowledge and at around $20 for a round, it is great value.

There’s only a few holes I’d regard as “squashed in” and a couple that are a little odd in their formation mainly due to the tract of land the course is situated.

The highlight was the par-5 fifth hole which requires a lot of thought. Going for the green in two would be very high risk even with the wind behind you. The hole extends around the beach at the bottom end of the course. It has two large water hazards to negotiate and the fairway is tight.

The course is punctuated with nicely placed water hazards and one very large area of rough which has been “let go”. It’s been designated a hazard so while you are free to play the ball from where it lies, but there’s more chance of finding David Duval’s personality than your golf ball.

Chatting to some of the most friendly locals you’ll come across after the 18th (I wish I’d chatted before teeing off), it seems they are in the process of building a new place to house the golf carts and looking for some financial input from out-of-towners. On a hilly stretch of land, a cart isn’t a bad option here.

There is no 19th hole on course but this is more like a local secret than an emerging resort course.

Sometimes I’m guilty of trying to play the expensive, well documented, resort courses that are plentiful around Australia. However it’s good practise not to disregard the smaller golf courses. You may just miss a hidden gem like Gerringong.