What are the criteria for deciding they are over-rated and who makes the judgement? On the latter, I suspect the answer as to whether they are over-rated depends to an extent on whether it is a professional golfer, a golf architect, an A grade amateur golfer or a C grade amateur golfer and obviously to an extent on whether they have played enough different types of courses to have a considered opinion (and perhaps on whether they have given the issue any great consideration). Bear in mind also that the difference in top courses is probably marginal. Most top 20 or 30 courses appear to have one or perhaps two stand out holes but I suspect that the quality of the rest do not vary much from course to course.

I have played over 150 courses including Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Victoria, Huntingdale, Woodlands, the Lakes, Royal Adelaide, Newcastle, the National (all 3 courses), Moonah Links (both courses), the Dunes, St Andrews (Mornington), the Lakes, Concord, St Michaels, Bonville, Hope Island, 13th Beach, Yarra Yarra, Kingswood, Long Island, Brookwater, the Vintage, Joondalup and Concord. I have not played Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, NSW, Royal Sydney, Ellerston, Commonwealth or countless others.

I am a C grade golfer (B for a few years) and my home club is in Canberra.

My guess is that sandbelt courses as a whole are over-rated. Being a sandbelt course is not enough in itself to be highly rated but I suspect that it gives some extra points/cachet to each such course.

the level of how much they are “over rated” depends on how highly they are rated to start with. Of the above, I would actually say Yarra Yarra (34th), commonwealth(31st) and Huntingdale(38th) aren’t over rated, because if you look at the slide in rankings they’ve had, it’s probably almost the other way now…

unless you think they should be rated even lower than that?

if you’re referring to the top ranked ones, I suspect anyone who played the masters in the last two years or the presidents cup last year, probably doesn’t think the sandbelt is over rated…

if you want over rated based on a name or reputation, you maybe should be looking in the larger state to the north of Victoria, some serious crap up there that sits way higher in the top 100…

Agreed on the stuff in NSW, not that much to get excited about when compared to the sand belt.

The little territory in NSW has not got much to get excited about unless you are an arborist. A very handy arborist with his trusty chainsaw will no doubt improve the best offering in the territory.

Why would an arborist want to cut down a tree?

Why would an arborist want to cut down a tree?

Poo to you.

To provide width which provides strategy.

If you want to play a sand belt course, come over to WA. It’s all sand belt here! Some great layouts too.

If you want to play a sand belt course, come over to WA. It’s all sand belt here! Some great layouts too.

Control is doing the shortest possible stroke to make the shot.

Never played over there, have been meaning too, lake karrinyup needs me!!!!

I have played over 150 courses including Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Victoria, Huntingdale, Woodlands, the Lakes, Royal Adelaide, Newcastle, the National (all 3 courses), Moonah Links (both courses), the Dunes, St Andrews (Mornington), the Lakes, Concord, St Michaels, Bonville, Hope Island, 13th Beach, Yarra Yarra, Kingswood, Long Island, Brookwater, the Vintage, Joondalup and Concord. I have not played Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, NSW, Royal Sydney, Ellerston, Commonwealth or countless others. My guess is that sandbelt courses as a whole are over-rated. Being a sandbelt course is not enough in itself to be highly rated but I suspect that it gives some extra points/cachet to each such course.

Golferjohn, until you have played the sandbelt courses that are being rated and discussed, then your speculation has zero credibility. The closest you have gotten to a true sandbelt look and feel is at Victoria GC. How many times have you played it btw ?
Unless you have played a course in several different conditions and seasons you will only have a once off experience to base your opinion from.
Jon…

I have played over 150 courses including Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Victoria, Huntingdale, Woodlands, the Lakes, Royal Adelaide, Newcastle, the National (all 3 courses), Moonah Links (both courses), the Dunes, St Andrews (Mornington), the Lakes, Concord, St Michaels, Bonville, Hope Island, 13th Beach, Yarra Yarra, Kingswood, Long Island, Brookwater, the Vintage, Joondalup and Concord. I have not played Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, NSW, Royal Sydney, Ellerston, Commonwealth or countless others. My guess is that sandbelt courses as a whole are over-rated. Being a sandbelt course is not enough in itself to be highly rated but I suspect that it gives some extra points/cachet to each such course.

Golferjohn, until you have played the sandbelt courses that are being rated and discussed, then your speculation has zero credibility. The closest you have gotten to a true sandbelt look and feel is at Victoria GC. How many times have you played it btw ?
Unless you have played a course in several different conditions and seasons you will only have a once off experience to base your opinion from.
Jon…

That’s a fair point considering he hasn’t played RM, KH, CW or Metro.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

What are the criteria for deciding they are over-rated and who makes the judgement? On the latter, I suspect the answer as to whether they are over-rated depends to an extent on whether it is a professional golfer, a golf architect, an A grade amateur golfer or a C grade amateur golfer and obviously to an extent on whether they have played enough different types of courses to have a considered opinion (and perhaps on whether they have given the issue any great consideration). Bear in mind also that the difference in top courses is probably marginal. Most top 20 or 30 courses appear to have one or perhaps two stand out holes but I suspect that the quality of the rest do not vary much from course to course.

I have played over 150 courses including Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Victoria, Huntingdale, Woodlands, the Lakes, Royal Adelaide, Newcastle, the National (all 3 courses), Moonah Links (both courses), the Dunes, St Andrews (Mornington), the Lakes, Concord, St Michaels, Bonville, Hope Island, 13th Beach, Yarra Yarra, Kingswood, Long Island, Brookwater, the Vintage, Joondalup and Concord. I have not played Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, NSW, Royal Sydney, Ellerston, Commonwealth or countless others.

I am a C grade golfer (B for a few years) and my home club is in Canberra.

My guess is that sandbelt courses as a whole are over-rated. Being a sandbelt course is not enough in itself to be highly rated but I suspect that it gives some extra points/cachet to each such course.

There are a lot of courses that hang their hat on the fact they are calling themselves sandbelt courses when they really aren’t. In my opinion there are only 7 clubs in the real sandbelt:

Royal Melbourne
Kingston Heath
Victoria
Yarra Yarra
Commonwealth
Metro
Huntingdale

Those clubs along with Peninsula have collectively agreed to classify themselves as “sandbelt clubs” as per this website.

http://www.thesandbelt.com/...

The Melbourne Sandbelt reciprocal card that you get as a member of one of the courses you mentioned provides reciprocal rights at those 7 clubs as well as Peninsula so I think it is safe to include Peninsula in the list.

Why isn’t Woodlands part of “The Sandbelt” ??

Why isn’t Woodlands part of “The Sandbelt” ??

Good question.

or sandringham and cheltenham

Why isn’t Woodlands part of “The Sandbelt” ??

Good question.

Play it as it lies, get on with it, its not life or death, its just a game!

because you have to pay to hire a pull buggy there…. that’s not cool…

Very true – they do the best with what they’ve got.