I played my last round of golf on this trip, so this is my last CRAPP! Based on the feedback I’ve be getting, most of you (all non golfers) say my CRAPP is nothing but “shit” and have “dumped” reading the blogs. Your loss I say.

Anyway, for those interested, today I played the Bairnsdale Golf Club. It’s a “nice” parkland course, maybe a bit on the boring side but certainly worth playing. The club has a very good membership base, which also highlights the number of retirees in the region. All 3 players I played with came to Bairnsdale from Melbourne for work and then retirement.

We were lucky as the wind was very mild when we hit off but really intensified over the last 6 holes. I’m sure the afternoon groups would have been battling as it was gusting well over 50 Kph.

So for my last CRAPP, here are the ratings for Bairnsdale:

Design – 15 out of 20 (It wasn’t too bad a layout although its basically flat ground and not much scope to undertake anything major. Way to many dog-legs for my liking, basically 11 holes were doglegs)

Condition – 18 out of 20 (I thought the course as in good nick, although it was starting to look dry and the tee boxes were hard. The greens were firm and true and the club is doing some good work on the green surrounds)

Cost – 16 out of 20 (At $39 for 18 holes, it was reasonable. Club membership for 7 days is $900 pa, which I think is very good value, particularly if your playing more than once a week)

Visual Appeal – 16 out of 20 (As I stated above it was a nice course but nothing really stands out, like a signature hole or some other memorable part of the course. My rating of 16 maybe a bit generous with hindsight)

Facilities – 8 out of 10 (The clubhouse was well appointed but what surprised me, with a large membership base and a fine clubhouse there was no Bistro or meals available. I would certainly be looking at that area as a business opportunity)

Ambience – 7 out 10 (It was enjoyable to play but there was just something there that didn’t lift my enthusiasm, might be a COVID issue)

So that ends up with a rating of 80. Not a bad rating with average or just above average on all six KPI’s.

For those interested, on the lap of mainland Australia, I played 30 different courses and I’m sure you’d like to know the number 1 course. It was Blackheath Golf Club in the Blue Mountains, with a rating of 94 (the only one in the 90’s). Even though it had work underway on 3 holes I thought it to be a great course and I would be very pleased to be a member there. Two clubs came in equal second on 89, City Golf Club in Toowoomba and Narooma Golf Club. Both are highly rating clubs and in the best 100 lists of most Australian Golf magazines. Third on 88 was Sawtell Golf Club, which is just south of Coffs Harbour.

Of the others I played, I really enjoyed, Half Moon Bay in Cairns, Cooktown Golf Club (very relaxed there), Esperance Golf Club (treated me like a member, fond memories of Esperance as we were locked down there for 8 weeks) and Robe Golf Club in SA, (The 6 new holes at Robe were fantastic. If the ratings were on 6 holes, Robe would have won in a canter).

So there you have it, that’s all the CRAPP I have on this trip, who know’s I might have enough CRAPP in me for futures travels. Hope you golfers enjoyed it!