Well this is my last CRAPP for this trip! Andrew and I played the the Copper Club course in Port Hughes. This is a Greg Norman designed course, only 9 holes at present but the plan is for a full 18 hole course. We had mixed emotions in rating this course as its not completed but there seems to be same conjecture whether the additional 9 holes and clubhouse will be built. As I have said before we can only rate it as we played it. So here we go …….

Design – With only 9 holes its coming from behind other courses. The 9 holes were well structured but the Pro Shop/Clubhouse was a huge distance from the 1st tee, we had to walk thru a couple of the residential streets to get to the tee. We thought the placing of the Club House and the course was very questionable, even if its a work in progress but the course has been open for 10 years, so what is going on! Also there were 2 flagsticks on each green, black for the front nine and red for the back nine, despite there being available area for seperate tee boxes. This did prove rather confusing and another negative of the design. Rating: 11 out of 20

Condition – A very big plus, probably the best conditioned course we have played on this trip. The fairways were beautifully grassed and wide, the first cut of rough was as good as some other golf clubs fairways. The approaches to the greens were also in excellent condition and the greens, even though recently cored were very true. Rating: 19 out of 20

Cost – The price for 18 holes was reasonable but could be better seeing its was only a 9 hole course. Rating: 14 out of 20

Visual Appeal – Its hard to explain this course as it was very difficult to find the Pro Shop and you can’t really see the course until you stand on the 1st tee. Once all the houses are built around the course there will be no real view. We have probably been a bit generous in our rating. Rating: 13 out of 20

Facilities – Basically there are none and what there is doesn’t rate very well. Rating: 5 out of 10

Ambience – Again basically none. Rating: A generous 4 out of 10

Summary – A final score of 66, which is disappointing when you consider it was the best conditioned course we have played. Despite the wind we both enjoyed playing the course but there are two many negatives for it to rate up amongst the best.

Finally – Griffith Golf course came out as the highest rated course on this trip, mainly because it was above average in all areas not because it was a standout! From my point of view I was most disappointed with Palmerston in Darwin, its highly rated and the NT PGA is played there but I didn’t think it was of that sort of quality. What did surprise me was Broken Hill, I would be happy to play that course as a member all the time. So that’s my last CRAPP, I’m sure many of you are relieved!