Woodlands Golf Club (19)

Despite still being a bit under the weather I ventured out to Woodlands Golf Club for another SGA Tour Victoria competition.  Woodlands was rated at 19 in the 2012 Golf Digest Top 100, and I note they have held and improved that by one in the 2014 rankings.

The weather was overcast and a Westerly breeze meant the temperature stayed low for a March day in Melbourne.  Woodlands is another great Melbourne sandbelt course, with a number of shorter par 4's but these and the par 3's all well protected by either bunkers or tricky swales around the greens that make getting up and down a test.

Par 4 1st tee

 

Par 4 1st hole

The first a dog leg left par 4 only needs an iron or 3 wood off the tee, but depending on the line taken will leave a short to medium iron in to green bunkered on the left.  Started off hitting the fairways but irons to the greens kept staying left and I encountered bunkers on opening few holes.

3rd hole looking back from green

3rd green

The greens were firm and fast and a pleasure to putt on.

Par 4 4th hole

Another short par 4 4th hole is all about placing tee shot so the approach can hit the green as the green is small and difficult to get up and down if you miss.

Par 3 5th hole

The first of the short holes, the par 3 5th is a typical sandbelt par 3 with bunkers surrounding the green demanding accuracy from the tee.

Par 4 14th hole

The course is set amongst beautiful tree lined fairways that punish the errant shot as I quickly discovered today.  Not enough fairways hit and even when I did, the over the top swing was seeing balls stay left today with less slice.