Hi all, I read this forum but don’t post all that often…anyway, I am moving to Canberra for work and am looking for a new golf club. I know there are a few threads on this but I was hoping to get the latest opinion and maybe some new info (if there is any)...

I am looking at Federal as my number 1 choice as I am planning on living around Kingston etc so it seems to be a great course and not too far away. Any comments on what the members are like there?

any thoughts on Gold Creek?

any other recommendations?

A little background that may help people recommend a club—I’m 26, 4 handicap, live in Sydney, member at New Brighton but never get to play because of Uni and before that i played at Kingswood (Vic) for a little while.

thanks for any advice!

Greetings, Federal is a good club (I was a member a number of years ago) to join although it has had problems in the past with its water supply (hence condition suffers occasionally). I believe they have arrangements with Kingswood which may assist you as well. The best club as far as course and condition (no water problems)is Royal Canberra. It is not as hard to get in as you would imagine although the nomination fee may approach $5000 (payable over a number of years!). The best thing about it(other than the course) is than being a member of a ‘Royal’ opens doors at the best clubs in Australia. Some people are in it for the snob value but most are genuine members who like their golf. The club is very approachable and has a large turnover of interstate people so they are very aggreeable to enquires. Ph 02 62827000

Regards,

The Pilot

MJL

Federal is a good place to start if you are willing to pay the $ – noms $950, subs $1730. Its an older membership but I know a couple of under 30’s who are members there. I know last summer that they were seeking members this year as they had to let the course condition go due to a lack of water through the drought, but its still one hell of a track. The bits they let go was the 150m from tee to fairway and the rough came in a metre or two each side of the fairway – you hardly noticed. Still, if you are living in Kingston, you can easily get 9 holes in after 6pm in summer and its the most natural course in Canberra.

Queanbeyan is only about 15 minutes away from Kingston and could be a good option – its a tight, tricky up hill and down kind of track – play it once before making any decision!

I prefer Gungahlin Lakes over Gold Creek – I’m a member of Gungahlin Lakes – note they are both about 20 minutes away from Kingston on a weekend. Gold Creek is a LOOONG walk, Gungahlin Lakes is a more interesting layout but does have a lot of social players on weekends who can get in the way of the comp.

Capital is a tight little public track where you almost need a helmet in summer, Fairbairn is very ordinary, RMC is a nice enough little 9 holer. Murrumbidgee is on the improve now the lakes are full enough again and Yowani was a top 100 rated track with some deal advertised for about $25 a week membership but I don’t know what that includes.

Don’t know if that helps or hinders – all depends on what you are after.

petethepilot and wbennett… thanks so much for your comments.. some very useful advice in there.

I have made some enquries with Royal C. but the nom fee is probably too high! shall go have a look at Queanbeyan. Gungahlin Lakes-the pictures on the website make it look very good, shall have a look there too.

Federal still seems the best, assuming the water issues aren’t too bad… am planning a trip to Canberra for a test drive of the courses.

Thanks for your input… any other thoughts are most welcome :)

Bleagh !! Moving to Canberra ! (Shudder). I hope work is paying you handsomely. Join a nice club and try to forget where you live.

SJ

Canberra is what you make of it. 25 minutes to everywhere, peak minute to and from work. No pollution, four seasons a year, two hours to the coast, two hours to the snow, three hours to Sydney. Which paragon of perfection do you live in?

I live in sydney but work in ACT every 3-4 weeks and have played all the courses down there, as i am in the Golf consulting game.

Federal is a great couse as is Royal ACT, Gold Creek is fun and has the potential to be the best in canberra, but i love to play Capital golf course, it is a public course which has the highest rounds of all courses in ACT. For a public couse it is fantastic condition, with very friendly staff at the 19th

Enjoy your golf

Turfman

Hi wbennett … sorry to burn the little village you quite like but …. Canberra is what you make of it. Well I guess I make shite of it. You can drive through the whole place from top to bottom in all of 30 mins, it’s very carefully planned out so it feels sterile and weird (streets are all uniform width, there are no “ghettoes”), no funky places with history, no restaurant precincts, no collection of good bars. Nobody walks in the suburbs, everybody drives – the suburbs appear lonely and deserted, the government is based there, it can be freezing cold, I got my worst ever hay fever attack there, did I mention the government and all those public servants who really do think the world revolves around Canberra, why else do they all desert the joint on the weekend, public servants, Peter Thomson’s work at Royal Canberra is hideous, public servants. It’s an ordinary place but good to visit for maybe a day at the most. But the War Museum, National Art Gallery, National Library, porn and fireworks are kinda cool. And Royal Canberra – the non Peter Thomson bits.

SJ – your spray sounded a lot like ‘waaaaaaaah’

Sounds like you need a friend. You did fail to mention where you were from, so I am guessing anywhere in Sydney or somewhere poverty stricken in the outer suburbs of Melbourne – Lalor or Thomastown perhaps? Probably a member at Southern too…

mjl88 – For info, the best restaurant and bar precinct is Kingston and Manuka where you are planning on living. Ignore what the ignorant unwashed have to say, join a golf club, join a sporting team (touch, AFL, league etc) and you will discover there is more to Canberra than meets the eye.

no restaurant precincts, no collection of good bars.

SJGC – KIngston and Manuka are pretty decent places…you obviously prefer Maccas and KFC perhaps ?

mjl88 – I certainly prefer Royal Canberra as the best course to join down there – followed by Federal or Gold Creek. All 3 are good tests of golf with Federal having the most changes in topography – and some tough shots as a result. Gungahlin and Yowani round out my Top5 but are on pretty flat tracks of land.

Belconen, Murrumbidgee, Capital GC and Queanbeyan are certainly below those I’ve mentioned and OK for a game if you want a hit.

Good grief wbennett ! If I was a member at Southern I might as well move to Canberra !! Your guesses are well wrong. I’m off for some KFC in Thomastown.