Is it the Royal Melbourne of the Murray?
When people are organising a golf tour to the Murray with us, does Cobram come up in conversation? Sometimes yes and often no. If not then we will try to steer them towards it if they are open to options. Is it like “the Royal Melbourne of the Murray” as it is promoted? Can’t see the comparison but particularly the Old Course, is like Royal Adelaide. That is not a bad comparison at all.
The Old Course
Although the Old Course is not a foundation stone of the club (designed by Kingston Heath curator Vern Morcom in 1955), play has been on the property since 1928. Previously the golf club had started back over on the Victorian side at Cobram as far back as 1912. For those that are familiar with it’s current grandeur, check out this link for photos of the club and how it was. It has come a long way!
The Old Course starts over the other side of Golf Course Rd from the pro shop and the Sporties Club (which serves as the clubhouse). The first 5 holes travel over undulating terrain through a forest and are a strong opener. The par 4 2nd and the long par 3 3rd are good early tests. However the uphill short par 3 5th is a wonderful hole and one of the best on the course.
A feature of the 5th and right through the course is the contours of the green. Although not severe like some modern designs, they are enough to make the short game interesting. The Old Course then crosses the road and begins a journey more like the Adelaide sandbelt. Red bunkers and red gums and pine trees dot the course as it twists and turns over the undulating sandy terrain.
Feature holes of this paddock are the two dogleg par 4’s 11th and 12th and the very Royal Adelaide like 153m par 3 14th . There is also the quandry of the picturesque 239m par 4 16th . Do you bomb it from an elevated tee but is it worth the risk of carrying all the bunkers that surround the green?
The Old Course finishes with a short but uphill par 4 with OB lurking on the left as you try to draw it around the corner. It finishes in front of the club and all its patrons and it is great to finish well there. Last time I was there, I chipped in for a scrambling par in front of some guys heading to the bar. Great memories, high fives all around.
The West Course
By 1982 club membership had grown from 1800 to 3100 in 10 years and more decisively, poker machine revenue had grown from $1.7million to $4 million a year. It was decided to expand the golf club to a 36 hole complex. On land that was purchased in 1980, prominent Victorian golfer and course designer Kevin Hartley was commissioned to design another 18 holes.
Hartley had a hand in redesigning courses like Commonwealth, Curlewis and Tocumwal. By 1987, the West Course was constructed and open for play. Measuring at 6287m, it is longer than the Old Course (5981m). It occupies the same forest that the first 5 holes of the Old Course circut around but it does not cross the road back and finishes about 500m from the clubhouse.
Its first nine holes are across more undulating terrain and feature blind tee shots around corners and over hills. The back nine flattens out and features more water hazards.The standout hole is the par 3 160m 13th which would not look out of place on the Melbourne sandbelt.
A warning: one has to keep a good view of your golf ball as it disappears into the rough on the West Course. The leaf litter can make finding your golf ball difficult.
Amalgmation with Sporties
Barooga Sports Club started off business in 1981 in a tin shed. It is a big supporter of other sports in the community including bowls, Australian rules football and swimming. The club become quickly known as “Sporties” and also grew financially strong.
So much so that the golf club membership decided to secure their financial future and voted in 2009 to amalgamate. By 2020 the old golf clubhouse was abandoned and the members moved up to the Sporties club complex on the hill beside the 18th green of the Old Course.
The Sporties club is now the most modern and dynamic club on the Murray with excellent dining and bar options and mini and simulator golf available for social groups. It also operates 4 star standard apartments on the golf course called Bridges. It is one of the options that our clients can choose when they tour the Murray. There is an even a practice green and fairway to brush up your game just below it!
If you want to look at the other course options that around Cobram-Barooga, have a look at our Murray River Golf Tours page to get some ideas. It well worth it to make this course the centre of your golf trip to the Murray.
