course per hole

Hole 2 | Par 4

Distance 373m ||  Distance 315m  ||  Distance 310m

A difficult par 4 where the wind direction plays a vital role in club selection off the tee. There is coastal bush all down the left-hand side of the hole and there is bush on the right-hand side 230-meters off the tee so accuracy is vital. A tree on the right side of the fairway will make your second challenging if you get too close to it, so if it is down wind do not take too much club off the tee. The green has bunkers short right so come in from the left.

Hole 3 | Par 3

Distance 170m ||  Distance 150m  ||  Distance 140m

The third hole is the first of five par 3’s at St Francis Bay GC. It plays a longer than it looks so select the correct club and find the centre of the green, there are green side bunkers left and right and the green has a ridge across it allowing for a two-tiered green to make a two-putt par a little more difficult.

Hole 4 | Par 4

Distance 365m ||  Distance 289m  ||  Distance 287m

The club tees sets up to the fairway bunkers on the right side of the fairway and a big tree just off the tee protects the direct line down the left side to the green. The fairway bunkers are 220 meters from the tee so the bigger hitter will have to shape it right to left off the tee to find the middle of the fairway. For the average hitter aim it at the bunkers. A mid iron in to a green that is sloped from back to front will leave you with a tricky birdie putt.

Hole 5 | Par 4

Distance 379m ||  Distance 323m  ||  Distance 302m

The fifth hole is a long par 4 playing up hill all the way to the green. Trees up the left-hand side mean an errant drive will result in you having to just knock it out back onto fairway. A long second shot up the hill makes hitting the green difficult, if you do miss the green make sure you miss it on the left for an easier chip and putt as the bank and bushes on the right-hand side will catch you out.

Hole 6 | Par 5

Distance 459m ||  Distance 439m  ||  Distance 420m

The first of back to back par 5’s. A straight drive will keep you out of the trees on either side of the fairway and give the bigger hitter a chance to get there in two. Otherwise hit a long iron for your second and leave a short third to a small green, make sure you stay out the right-hand green side bunker and you will have a straight forward putt for birdie.

Hole 7 | Par 5

Distance 446m ||  Distance 426m  ||  Distance 400m

The 7th hole plays back up adjacent to the 6th, there is coastal bush all the way up the left and trees up the right so again an accurate drive is needed to take advantage of the hole. Longer hitters can reach in two however the green is small and well protected by bush on the right, so two good shots are needed. If you are laying up lay up to the left side of the fairway to give you a better angle into a small green protected by bush on the right and a big slope down off the left which make an up and down difficult.

Hole 8 | Par 3

Distance 130m ||  Distance 123m  ||  Distance 92m

A short par 3 but it plays over a dam so requires you to carry the ball all the way to the green. The dam hugs the green left and right so rather play a litter longer for the centre of the green, a bunker at the back centre of the green ensures those who play too safe and long have a challenging bunker shot back facing the water.

Hole 9 | Par 4

Distance 381m ||  Distance 333m  ||  Distance 331m

An elevated tee box ensures you get a great view of the course and village. Thick bush is all the way up the right-hand side so if you go wayward rather miss left and you will land safely on the 1st hole. A good drive will leave you down in the dip of the fairway with a long uphill shot to the green, don’t under estimate the elevation change and take enough club to get there. The green is a narrow green protected by bunkers and bush on the right, if you miss left the bank will take the ball down and away and leave a difficult chip.

Hole 10 | Par 3

Distance 156m ||  Distance 150m  ||  Distance 140m

The back 9 starts with a down hill par 3 in front of the club house. Bunkers protect the green front right and left and back left with the 18th hole fairway bunkers also coming into play for a bad tee shot that is left and very short. The wind generally blows across this hole which makes hitting the green challenging, be careful of the wind off the right as the buildings protect the start but the wind will catch your ball closer to the green.

Hole 11 | Par 4

Distance 310m ||  Distance 294m  ||  Distance 269m

You need to cross the main road to get to the 11th, the first of the 5 holes that play across the road. A short par 4, a good drive will leave you with a short iron in for your second to a challenging green. The green is a large double green sharing with the 13th hole so play to the left-hand flag. The green is narrow and raised slightly so any second shot that is short sticks in the bank and anything too long runs over the back, play for the middle and leave yourself with two putts for par.

Hole 12 | Par 4

Distance 301m ||  Distance 291m  ||  Distance 273m

Playing down to the sea this is a short par 4 that needs two good shots to hit the green. Take a long iron off the tee to ensure you are in the middle of the fairway, for the braver golfer the longer the club the more up the right you have to play bringing the out of bounds up the right into play. A tee shot too far left will feed down the bank close to the bushes making your second shot blind over the dune. The dunes bottle neck at the end of the fairway 230 meters off the tee leaving a narrow gap for you to play through to get to the green. There is more space on the left of the green so that is where to miss the green but don’t get caught out by the front left bunker.

Hole 13 | Par 4

Distance 295m ||  Distance 286m  ||  Distance 273m

Get the camera ready for one of the most picturesque tee boxes in the country, from the back of the tee you look out over the ocean and bay of St Francis, don’t spend too long watching the surfers and chokka boats before you tee off. The shortest of the par 4’s it still requires an accurate drive to not find the bushes. Downwind the longer hitters can take it over the left bush and give the green a go. The green is shared with the 11th so aim at the left-hand flag and keep out of the green side bunkers on the right.

Hole 14 | Par 3

Distance 163m ||  Distance 156m  ||  Distance 152m

Nestled in the back corner of the course this par 3 is more difficult than meets they eye. A long iron off the tee makes the green difficult to hit but with no green side bunkers a chip and putt isn’t too difficult. Take your par and move on to the next hole.

Hole 15 | Par 5

Distance 480m ||  Distance 446m  ||  Distance 418m

The longest of the par 5’s has the main road running down the right-hand side so ensure you keep your shots to left to not give any motorists an unwanted surprise. This is a strong par 5 and will require three good shots to get you there. The green is elevated and anything coming up short of the will roll back down the hill a good distance and those short right will roll back into a deep bunker making an up and down extremely difficult. The green has two tiers and the bottom tier slopes sharply to the front of the green. A par on this hole is always welcomed.

Hole 16 | Par 4

Distance 347m ||  Distance 334m  ||  Distance 309m

A short walk back across the road to the 16th tee box. This par 4 is a slight dog leg from left to right with a generously wide fairway so you shouldn’t have trouble playing your second from the fairway. Longer hitters can cut the corner on the right for a shorter second but don’t flirt too much with the bushes. A mid iron will get you to a flat green but a miss left or long will take you down a small bank.

Hole 17 | Par 3

Distance 136m ||  Distance 128m  ||  Distance 118m

The last of the 5 par 3’s. The short 17th shows it teeth when playing directly into the wind, the wind direction here can make it a short iron or a long iron on different days. The green is protected by bunkers left and right and has a larger top tier and smaller bottom tier, on a calm day a good hole to make a birdie.

Hole 18 | Par 5

Distance 438m ||  Distance 430m  ||  Distance 406m

The 18th is a long par 5 dog leg from right to left. The landing area off the tee is protected by trees left and right and the dam on the left is reachable for the longer hitters. Off the tee aim at the course workshop building in the distance and give it a rip. The dog leg from the right comes into play with your second so some thought is needed, fairway bunkers in the left rough of the landing area for your second shot are hidden so don’t let them catch you out. A short iron for your third into a big green will leave you with a birdie putt to please the other golfers watching from the club house above.