The Course

The second hole requires an accurate mid iron to a narrow two tiered green. Big scores abound if you miss to either side of this tricky little par 3.

Pro’s Tip: A tough par 3 into a south westerly, the green slopes strongly from back right to front left making sand saves from the right bunkers a rarity. Keep it under the hole.

While short in length, the 3rd hole has ruined many a good start. A sharp dog-leg left is easily negotiated however, with an accurate tee shot and a short iron to the two tiered green.

Pro’s Tip: A long iron just inside the directional sign right of the fairway trap is a good start, though there is more room left than meets the eye. Play away from a right hole location as the green falls away sharply to the right.

This hole is littered with fairway bunkers that will catch any errant drive. Once you have negotiated these bunkers your approach shot is to an open green guarded by greenside bunkers.

Pro’s Tip: A tough hole in anyone’s language. There’s a bit of room right for the long hitters but into the north easterly hang on to your hat. Green slopes severely from the back right. Take par and walk quietly to the next tee.

An extremely demanding tee shot requires accuracy more than length. Often leaving a second shot longer than the tee shot. The two tiered green means that even hitting the green in regulation doesn’t assure an easy par.

Pro’s Tip: A risk and reward hole with water on the left and long right. Requires a long iron lay-up to a likely uneven lie, the fairway is very narrow for those itching to hit a driver. The south-westerly creates havoc with the approach to a green falling away to the right. Another happy par hole.

Again the premium is on accuracy off the tee. Anything left will often end up wet. For those who think they have it in them, you can always try and take on the creek at the front of the green. An eagle putt awaits the brave!

Pro’s Tip: A definite birdie hole. A long iron lay up leaves a wedge you can hit close to any pin location. Beware the mounds and long grass to the right off the tee. If you have the length, downwind the green is drivable.

A testing par 3 with a well-guarded green speckled with traps and swales. A small water hazard to cross can sometimes intimidate the less than positive tee shot.

Pro’s Tip: An excellent par 3 with tough pins on the top tier. Play conservatively, it is not a birdie hole.

A tough short par 4 with fairway mounding that will catch any wild drives. A small green protected by sand. Anything over-clubbed could produce a large number here.

Pro’s Tip: Eight is a real birdie chance, no hidden riddles. To a back left pin consider going down the right hand side of the fairway, although be wary of the Parramatta Grassy. Hazards usually dry.

This short par 5 plays predominately into the wind and can often play much longer than its carded length. If the wind is not blowing an excellent birdie opportunity.

Pro’s Tip: Rip it! Wide open, though requiring a precise second shot to hit the green. Look out for the Norfolk Pine with your second. Avoid left traps if pin cut left.

Uphill, long and not rated the hardest hole because it is easy. Plays mostly into the wind and hitting the green in 1 is an achievement in itself. Be very happy walking off this hole with par.

Pro’s Tip: Beast of a par 3. Often unreachable into a northerly, play to the front half of a sloping green and try to get it up and down. Right bunkers not good. Take par and run.

A slightly downhill par 4 with a slight dog-leg right and high mounding most of the way down the right side. Beware of the trap on the right corner of the mounds and the less than friendly rough. Left side of the fairway is guarded with Parramatta grass and if you run through the fairway long left, another bunker awaits you. It is often smart to take one club less into the sloping green.

Pro’s Tip: It looks like the line is at the green but a cluster of bunkers and some very ugly Parramatta grass beyond the high mounds protect the right side. Try to get the driver into the left side of the fairway and a short iron to a receptive green awaits.

Littered with fairway and greenside bunkering, with a sloping green that can be very tricky this is not the easiest hole on the course. Left of the fairway is very nasty and high mounds up the right side.

Pro’s Tip: There is more room left here than meets the eye. A good line is just left of the fairway trap which will open up the green for you. Again, try to keep it under the hole here.

The wind is the major factor in your club selection here. Many a ball has found the ocean when the wind is blowing. This hole is never a simple par.

Pro’s tip: Probably Long Reef’s signature hole. Innocuous downwind, into the wind the 13th has some serious teeth. Out of Bounds left, deep bunker right, try to hit the front half of the green for an uphill putt but beware of the tee being protected from the wind when selecting a club.

Downhill par 4 with cross fairway bunkers ready to catch the unwary. A drive and a solid mid-iron will see many a par come on this hole.

Pro’s Tip: On the tee the 14th seems fairly basic though the ball will feed to the right and close off the green. Unreachable fairway bunkers make the second a blind shot. Play to the middle of a green that falls to the back right regardless of the pin.

Uphill par 5 that can be reached by big hitters in 2. However, the green offers a very tricky approach, as short approaches will often run back off the green onto the fairway.

Pro’s Tip: An uphill par 5 that seems simple enough until you reach the green. A severe slope on the front catches almost everyone. Don’t spin your wedge too much or you’ll be chipping. The green can be lightning from the back. Suddenly par isn’t too bad.

With the Tasman Sea and out of bounds looming metres to the left of the fairway, a good tee shot will leave you with a mid-iron into a small green guarded by grassy hollows on three sides.

Pro’s Tip: The obvious drive is to the right away from the Out of Bounds but it makes a long hole longer and two annoying grassy mounds and thick Parramatta grass await, so go way right. A tough four, play for par.

This hole has proved the ruin of many a good round. A thin fairway with treacherous rough and O.O.B on the left. Make par here and you have played very well.

Pro’s Tip: A great hole. The “Mounds of Sin” protect the right and Out of Bounds looms left. A raised green requires a precise approach. Par is your friend.

Fairway speckled with bunkers that catch any poorly played tee shot and even some of the good ones. A mid-iron approach to a sloping green surrounded by more bunkers makes for an excellent finishing hole.

Pro’s Tip: Downwind beware of running out of fairway and ending up in some long grass. Many play down the practice range and though this ploy lacks courage it is far better than the bunkers and the hazzards to the left. Try to keep it under the hole for a good shot at finishing on a high.