Ok – any views on choosing from the below private courses:

Heidelberg GC
Box Hill GC
Rossdale GC
Keysborough GC

I’m aware of the others such as Southern, SV, Woodlands etc – but their joining fees are simply too steep (even if they can be spread over a few years). This would be my first private course – so any thoughts from people who’ve played some or all of these course would be great.

Keysborough’s joinging fee is just as step as southern and woodlands. I only know this because i am currently looking to join up somewhere in that region.

Where do you live?

I’m a member at Box Hill GC.

Pros – 5 min drive from my house. Friendly, not snobby or stuffy, no waiting lists for 6 day members. Pretty cheap, the annual subs are around $1200 for 6 days. They have done a lot of work on the course in recent years – replanting all the fairways. They have just relocated the 14th green to eliminate drainage problems from the sloping ground above the hole, and installed new drainage on the 15th and 16th fairways. Fairways and greens are excellent even in summer with little or no rain. Tight fairways, lots of bunkers and a creek winds through most of the holes – sometimes it comes into play twice on the same hole. Often quiet outside of competition times, it is very easy to wander around the course playing a few balls after work during daylight savings or on a weekend afternoon.

Cons – not a long course – par 72 but CCR is often 68 or 69 – almost all the par 5s are around 450m so reachable in two decent shots. (This might be a pro for some people.) Diabolical bunkers when it rains due to clay runoff, but they have plans to work on these too. Some parts of the course adjoin factories and can be a bit whiffy. Clubhouse isn’t particularly spectacular compared to some more exclusive joints. Practice fairway isn’t long and prohibits long irons or woods.

Ring up the pro-shop and book yourself a tee-time. They’re pretty welcoming outside of comp times.

I looked on Keysborough’s website – and it didnt mention a joining fee? Whats the deal with that…?

Ignore that – I didnt see the stuff about the leasing arrangement. I think I might scratch them off the list.

Just a thaught would be looking at patterson river. They always have a deal on for new members weather it is something like no joining fee or a extra 6 months free. I have heard they have redeveloped a few of the holes aswell in the last few years. I never played there though so i am just relaying what i have heard.

Patterson River is a great option if you live down that way.
They have redeveloped all 18 holes over the past 3-6 years and is a completely different golf course to what it previously was.

Drainage on the new course is excellent, was always a bit iffy under the old layout. (it is now a sand based course compared to dirt).

Very friendly members and membership options are very good.
During winter they light a fire by the 1st tee and all the members stand around getting warm and drinking coffee prior to teeing off. Breakfast on weekends is always busy. staff are friendle as well.

I was a member there for the last 18 months prior to moving to canada & thoroughly recommend it.

challenging golf course, good layout and greens can get nice & quick. Hope you like paying in the wind as well.

Have you played them all ??

IMO – Strike Rossdale off the list, it has to be one of the worst Golf courses in that region.

Keysborough is the stand out, beautifully manicured, long and always challenging.

Box Hill is very tidy, although not a long course is it demanding from the tee on a number of holes.

Heidelberg is just a golf course !!!

What about Metropolitan ??

Keysborough, yes nice course to play, always fun. recommend it.
Some great holes, some so so ones as well, but thats just about any course anyway.

Can feel a little “stuffy / stuck up” from a membership point of view.
You get the feeling the guests arent welcomed or encouraged. ( i did anyway & I have played there many times)

Been in the clubhouse at lunchtime on an awesome saturday in March & there was no-one, they had no sandwiches or anything ready. was a little surprised

Have you played them all

IMO – Strike Rossdale off the list, it has to be one of the worst Golf courses in that region.

Keysborough is the stand out, beautifully manicured, long and always challenging.

Box Hill is very tidy, although not a long course is it demanding from the tee on a number of holes.

Heidelberg is just a golf course !!!

What about Metropolitan

Isnt metro quite exclusive ans expensive?

Heidelberg GC is average. I live near there and use to be a member, would not recommend.

Thanks for your responses folks.

Patterson Lakes is a little too far, as is Rossdale (but it was temptingly cheap).

I think its coming down between Rosanna, Box Hill and Heidelberg to be honest. As its my frst private course – I dont want to be hit with a large joining fee, only to end up (a) not liking the course (b) graduating to a better one in a couple of years© members give me the shites (!) etc

Are these courses any better or worse in winter, or under very wet conditions? I will be playing year round, bbut cant quite afford/justify a sand belt-type course just yet. Therefore I am interested in how bogged down, worn these ‘clay’ type courses get.

Some holes on the BHGC back nine get very soggy in the winter, but like I said, they’ve just laid down a stack of extra drainage. It’s wait and see I guess, but it will probably only be an issue a couple of weeks per year the way average rainfall has been declining.

Joining fees are modest. Make sure you check if they have any discount vouchers in the local press – I saved $400 when I joined.

Patterson Lakes keeps advertising in my local rag that if you join there you also get some sort of reciprocal playing rights at 6 other clubs – can’t remember them all but one was Long Island. Sounded like a decent deal.

Growling frog is a bit out melbourne but worth the drive
Sunshine (new course is good) also

both Graham Marsh designed courses…..good challenge

Please note: I dont work for Graham marsh promnotions dept… :-)

There’s nothing like being member of a course around the corner from where you live – reduced travel times + petrol costs = more golf and better value

As long as it isn’t a real scrubber of a course, that is…

At the risk of hijacking this thread, can someone please tell me what Northern is like. I lived around the corner when I grew up, and often wandered around in the rough (hiding from the golfers).

Thinking of having a round in May, back to memory lane.

if you want to pay the $2000 elite course joining fee and be treated to a C class course, then by all means waste your money. The club pro is a c@nt. Cant even have a tiny emblem on my socks without getting nagged at for not being entirely white.

if you want to pay the $2000 elite course joining fee and be treated to a C class course, then by all means waste your money. The club pro is a c@nt. Cant even have a tiny emblem on my socks without getting nagged at for not being entirely white.

Which course is that Hack? (Northern i presume)

Is Northern that bad, Hack? I don’t want to join (long way to travel for a game of golf from Buderim).

Is Northern that bad, Hack? I don’t want to join (long way to travel for a game of golf from Buderim).

bud where mate?

yes it is that bad. The members can be pricks too. Lost a wedge on course one day and was never returned. Complete private course too.

Is Northern that bad, Hack? I don’t want to join (long way to travel for a game of golf from Buderim).

bud where mate?

yes it is that bad. The members can be pricks too. Lost a wedge on course one day and was never returned. Complete private course too.

Thats interesting as i was looking at joining northern. Work is 20 minutes away and the golf course is between home and work. I emailed them with some questions re joining 4 times in a month & got no reply?? Never been a member anywhere so not sure if email is the go or you ring. Any one else got opinion on this club??

I’m considering Sanctuary Lakes to my list now. Anyone got a view on this club as a current/previous member?

Sunshine is a very friendly membership group. Quite cheap. 6 day membership 850 witha 900 joining fee. Brand new course (Craig Parry Design not Graham Marsh as mentioned earlier). Course is holding up quite well at the moment and is not nearly as far as Sanctuary Lakes.

Any recommendations for a club in the bayside area? Seems I’m surrounded by exclusive clubs and public courses.

Have been happy with the public courses but the slow and crowded play is starting to get to me.

Am currently looking at Woodlands and Patterson Lakes but both are a bit further than I’d like to travel on a regular basis.

Any thoughts?

Woodlands is a great course, good test of golf to all levels. I had a few mates who left Patterson Lakes to Woodlands a they enjoy it there.

Members are friendly and can always get on if you book early.

I have not played P River