Yarra Bend Golf Course

What a great golf course so close to the city in a superb location. Fairways and greens are in terrific condition and the golf diving range is fantastic, I loved it. Will be back again

Yarra Bend Golf Course is a delightfully charming golf course located in Victoria, Australia. It is a local favorite that has attracted the interest of international golfers traveling on cruise ships. Yarra Bend GC is an old style course with woodland beauty in a destinctive natural setting. The course is short in length measuring only 6000 yards from the tips, but challenging for all skill sets. There are no homes on the course and the tranquil setting offers a "No Excuse" golfing experience. The narrow fairways are winding and sloping with trees lining both sides of the fairway. The course has elevation changes that would make one seriously consider getting a cart. As always, local knowledge not only saves strokes but your game as well. Be sure to play with a couple of the resident golfers for a truly unique and exciting experience. The greens are small, undulating, and relatively fast. There are some greens with false fronts which will cause your ball to roll back several feet, but this course feature adds to the mystique and challenge of the course. The pace of play is like being at a private country club, you can complete a round of golf in 3 1/2 hours! The day I played it was sunny and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with very little wind. The course was busy, but not crowded. I could not determine the difficulty of the course or slope rating because there were no official GAM rating markers that I could see. However, do not let this mild mannered course lull you into thinking that you will shoot 10 strokes better than your handicap. Its not going to happen! This course is a lot of fun and you will enjoy moments of brilliance and moments when you wished you had played better.

There are a few signature holes on the course, but my favorite is hole #8. It is a long par 3 (185 yds) with a tall marshy grass drop off just beyond the tee box. The fairway is sloping and steep as it approaches a peninsula like green. The view is pretty intimidating but if you are wearing your big boy pants, you can step up and nail the green. No problem!

What I really like about Yarra Bend Golf Course is there commitment to customer satisfaction and family fun. The course has a 36 hole mini golf course to entertain beginners and to brush up on short game skills. The Clubhouse and driving range have a cooling mist system that keeps golfers cool while they practice or hang out near the clubhouse. On the course, several trees and bunkers were removed to improve pace of play. For those who like to hunt for balls in the woods, marshland, and tall grass there is still plenty of opportunity for your mini safari.  Yarra Bend GC also has a strong female presence and half the pro shop is dedicated to women shoppers.

Special note for serious golfers. Make sure to bring your rangefinder or gps system. I had neither when I played and had a difficult time getting the yardage correct. Finally, do not forget your sunblock, because this is a course you will want to walk and enjoy the sunshine. I had a wonderful time golfing Yarra Bend Golf Course and would recommend it to all golfers who are looking for a challenge and having some fun in the process.

One Happy Golfer

H. Bell (Golf Enthusiast )

Visited Febuary 2017

Victoria, Australia