Golf Australia April 2019

THE imminent closure of the Paradise Palms course north of Cairns didn’t come as any real surprise when it was announced a few months back. The past 28 years have been a rollercoaster ride for the tropical layout. Designers Graham Marsh and Ross Watson created this tropical gem when commissioned by Japanese owners, Daikyo, to create Australia’s most difficult tournament venue. The duo successfully fulfilled the brief and it opened for play in 1990. At the time, it was regarded among the top-20 courses in the nation. To celebrate the opening, Daikyo hosted a $180,000 Skins Game, which pitted Japanese legend Isao Aoki against then World No.1 Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer and two-time US Open Champion Curtis Strange. Aoki and Strange grabbed most of the cash and Paradise Palms’ reputation…

Yep. The reminders are everywhere. From the memorabilia he’s kindly left in the clubhouse to the name of the driveway … Even his father – Paul (AKA Trooper) – still works in the Pro Shop. The Marc Leishman connection with the Warrnambool Golf Club is ever-present and it is displayed proudly. And so it should be. The 35-year-old, who crafted his game at windy Warrnambool, makes the journey up ‘Marc Leishman Drive’ every year during his off-season – and he makes sure he spends plenty of time with the members. He is, of course, revered in this part of the world. But he is also uniquely approachable and there’s something invariably magnetic about him. So says course superintendent David Warnaar. “It’s great for the club to even be associated with…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Younger Street, Warrnambool, Victoria, 3280. CONTACT: (03) 5562 2108 (Clubhouse); (03) 5562 8528 (Pro Shop). WEBSITE: www.wgcinc.com.au DESIGNERS: George Lowe Jnr (1928); Thomson Perrett (ongoing). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: David Warnaar. PGA PROFESSIONAL: Craig Bonney. SLOPE RATINGS: Men – Blue 120; Red: 111. Women – Red 126. PLAYING SURFACES: Kikuyu, couch, fescue and ryegrass (fairways and tees); Bentgrass/Poa annua (greens). GREEN FEES: $45 (18 holes); $30 (9 holes). THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Full Ordinary memberships cost $997 and provide playing rights seven days per week. Intermediate memberships are $811 and entitle holders Sunday to Friday rights (Saturdays are excluded). Student, Introductory, Progressive and Country memberships are also available. For full membership categories, and their prices, visit the club’s website. RECIPROCAL CLUBS: Warrnambool Golf Club currently enjoys partnerships with 27…

IF I’m ever invited to step up to the microphone on the 1st tee of the The Open, I might use the following introductions ... Claims to be from Scotland, but actually grew up in Yorkshire, England. European number-one more often than Snow White had dwarfs but less often than cats have lives. A bit of an arse on occasion. Don’t mention Jakarta in his presence. Ladies and gentlemen, Colin Montgomerie. Born in Australia, lives in the United States and seems to have forgotten the way home. Not the sharpest tool in even the smallest box. Talks a lot in circles, without ever sounding like he knows even a little about the subject matter. Ladies and gentlemen, Jason Day. Game for a laugh, even at his own expense. Writes a…

PLANS have been unveiled for a vertical retirement village to be constructed at Burleigh Heads Golf Club on the Gold Coast. The Verge at Burleigh GC will be developed by RetireAustralia alongside the club and aims to redefine seniors living in the region while providing a successful model for similar projects in the future. The project will see three retirement apartment buildings and a wellness hub constructed on an under-utilised section of the course adjacent to the 10th fairway. When completed, the development will include 145 contemporary independent living apartments and 32 state-of-the-art care suites for those requiring a higher level of support within their homes. The modern wellness hub, with gymnasium, indoor and outdoor yoga areas, salon, café and lush gardens, will complement the existing clubhouse and will be…

Paradise Palms – ranked as one of Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses – is to close. The owners have applied to turn the 113-hectare property into a housing estate, while other aspects of the redevelopment being considered include a school, retirement village and a tourist park. The iconic clubhouse will be repurposed and will be the only reminder of the course’s 30-year history as one of this country’s top golfing attractions. Paradise Palms’ managing director Darren Halpin told The Cairns Post that his company, PPNQ Developments, is working with Sydney based city planning agency Urbis to produce a master plan. He added the closure had been brought forward three months to March 31 to “get all the necessary approvals and wildlife audits needed before residential building projects could start on…