The Gold Creek Golf Course
Gold Creek Country and Golf Club strives to be the leading public access golf course in the Canberra region and is open all year round except Christmas Day.
A true 18-hole championship layout with a par-72 rating, the course was designed by well-known and internationally acclaimed Australian golfer and course architect, Bruce Devlin. We celebrated its official opening in 1996 with the hosting of the Australian Seniors PGA Championship.
The course offers a great test for golfers of all abilities and strategy is the most important club you need in your bag when you take on the Gold Creek challenge.
To assist with that challenge, distance markers are provided in the centre of each fairway with pin positions indicated by coloured flags – red (front third), yellow (middle third) and blue (back third).
The following course guide has been prepared by Matthew Millar, our Club Teaching Professional.
When referring to your tee distances, Black, Blue and White are mens tee's and Red and Gold/Pink are ladies tee's.
BLACK TEE 337M WHITE TEE 313M RED TEE 289M
Hole 1
The first hole is a dog leg left, made easier by the old tree falling down that once resided on the corner. The tee shot requires a ball to be positioned 85-110m from the centre of the green. Either dead centre or just right half of the fairway leaves the best angle for your second shot.
Regardless of where the hole is located, the best option is to leave your ball underneath the hole, thus giving an uphill putt. The green slopes from back to front and slightly right to left.
BLACK TEE 365M WHITE TEE 329M RED TEE 295M
Hole 2
A short to medium length par 4 that requires a drive to be positioned in the fairway approximately 100-120m from the centre of the green.
A slightly downhill approach with the green about 4-5m below the fairway. This green is best attacked with a ball that is underneath the hole once again. The prevailing wind is usually assisting from behind and contributes to a generous first bounce forward.
With the green sloping from the centre toward the front, it is essential to leave your ball in the front section for our red and yellow hole locations. The flattest part of the green is the back section, housing a blue pin.
Any ball rolling toward the left side of the green in the front or the centre will roll off the putting surface .
BLACK TEE 537M WHITE TEE 498M RED TEE 475M
Hole 3
This dogleg right par 5 will play as a three shot hole for most people. The tee shot requires a ball to be positioned in the centre of the fairway or even just left of centre. From here I recommend leaving your second shot in the right half of the fairway. The reason for this is twofold, there is a dam on the left awaiting any wayward shots, and the second reason being the third shot to the green.
The third shot to the green is best attacked from the right section of the fairway. There is a yawning bunker on the left of the green that is very difficult to get down in two from! There is an opening at the front of the green that allows the player to run the ball in. There are mounds to the right of the green that can provide a little assistance from time to time.
The green slopes from back to front. Another green that requires a ball to be left under the hole. The middle to back section of the green has the most slope. Big scores are common here!
BLACK TEE 390M WHITE TEE 369M RED TEE 340M
Hole 4
A dogleg par 4 to the left. I believe it is essential to hit this fairway, as there are mounds either side that make for a difficult lie and stance. My target is always a blue roof through the middle of the fairway that can be seen from the tee box.
The green is long but very narrow. It slopes from right to left and from the middle to the front. It is not advisable to miss the green to the right!! The green is protected by a bunker at the front right. The left side of the green is a far better miss.
Putting can be quite difficult here. Sometimes what you see in the back section of the green is not what actually happens. It is best described as subtle!
A challenging hole in any wind direction!
BLACK TEE 181M WHITE TEE 166M RED TEE 145M
Hole 5
This is a downhill par 3 that plays approximately 7m down in elevation. Once again this green is reasonably long and not very wide. It is guarded by a bunker on the right and thick grass mounds to the left!
The prevailing wind would assist you to aim at the left side of the green and shift your ball to the middle of the green. The middle of the green allows for an excellent chance of par.
Not a long par 3 but can be very challenging with a poorly executed tee shot.
BLACK TEE 385M WHITE TEE 350M RED TEE 320M
Hole 6
This is a strong par 4 back into the prevailing wind! There is a bit of room in the fairway with a bunker that is situated in the right rough. A well struck tee shot is required to shorten this hole up!
The second shot is to a green that is once again quite narrow. The front section of this green is like an upside down saucer. A red flag is the hardest here in my opinion! From the middle to the back of the green there are very small undulations. The best side to miss the green is to the left. This will allow for a slight uphill chip.
Putting is not terribly difficult in the back section of this green. The front on the other hand, this is a different animal!
A very demanding hole that plays tougher than its index.
BLACK TEE 138M WHITE TEE 108M RED TEE 115M
Hole 7
Well we have arrived at Gold Creek’s signature hole!
This hole is testament to why you don’t need a 200m par 3 to make it great. Measuring 138m to the middle, this is a beauty!
The green is quite long and narrow in both the front and back sections. Its widest point is the middle section. The green is guarded by water on the right and a bunker on the left. The water extends all the way around the back of the green, poised to capture any shots that are hit too well. The green is also quite undulating. The front section rolls back toward the water at the front right, the back section rolling away toward the back right corner with the water awaiting. The only miss to a red pin is just short of the green (must be accurate though). The bunker located on the left of the green is dead to a front pin! Many balls leave the bunker to find themselves wet after 2 shots! Sometimes a shot to the centre of the green is the best option for a blue pin, although your putt will be slick!
An excellent golf hole in my opinion! The best at Gold Creek!
BLACK TEE 338M WHITE TEE 300M RED TEE 279M
Hole 8
This par 4 is a dogleg to the left. The fairway is guarded by bunkers on the right hand side, trees and mounds to the left. The best option for this short hole is to place your ball in the fairway between 100-125m from the centre of the green. For some players a driver is not required from this tee.
Playing into the prevailing wind, the second shot requires careful attention. The green is long and narrow. It is protected by mounds on the left (they can sometimes assist, but do not be left of them, this is where elephants go to die!) The right side is the better miss, although things aren’t straight forward from here. Going long is not an option here!
Putting is never easy here. The green slopes from the middle/back left section to the front right. Good distance control into this green is essential for a good score.
BLACK TEE 465M WHITE TEE 431M RED TEE 393M
Hole 9
Not a long par 5 by today’s standard, but an accurate tee shot is essential! There are mounds on both sides of the fairway that provide tricky lies/stances for your next shot.
The green is the most challenging part of this hole. Whether you’re attacking the green for two, or laying and pitching your third, you need to pay close attention to the pin colour here. The green is separated into two levels by a tier that runs through the middle. The front section of this green is also like an upside down saucer and is protected by a bunker at the front left. The easiest hole location here is a yellow pin on the bottom level.
A blue pin takes this hole from a good scoring chance to a chance to make a mess of things! Once up on top of the tier, the green runs away slightly to the back edge. A tough design.
BLACK TEE 408M WHITE TEE 394M RED TEE 310M
Hole 10
This is a demanding par 4 from tee to green. The tee shot requires a ball to be positioned in the fairway. The fairway has large mounds to the right and hazard running down the left which cuts across the fairway 25m short of the green.
The second shot is fraught with danger! A ball headed right is in water, and a ball to the left is almost dead! There are large mounds to the left of the green and a drop down below the putting surface that makes the next very difficult! A bunker protects the front left corner of the green. For those players who cannot reach in two shots, it is best advised to lay up about 75m from the green and pitch for your third.
There are some very small gentle slopes on the green that making putting difficult here.
This hole can wreck a good round!
PRO’S TIP: Many members aim down the right side of the fairway/rough trying to get a friendly bounce with extra distance from the cart path!
BLACK TEE 400M WHITE TEE 372M RED TEE 351M
Hole 11
A very tough par 4 regardless of wind direction.
An accurate tee shot is required here. There are rocks to the right of the fairway and to the left. The rough can be quite juicy on the left side of the fairway.
The second shot is one of my favourites on the course. The green is long and narrow, but sits at an angle to you. The green is protected by a bunker at the front right. The bunker reduces the size of this target quite considerably! If you’re uncertain about where to leave it here, the front left corner of the green or short left is a good alternative.
A slope from right to left in the green keeps your interest whilst putting.
Possibly my second favourite hole on the course.
BLACK TEE 142M WHITE TEE 118M RED TEE 99M
Hole 12
A short par 3 of 122m. This hole is rated the easiest on the course. It offers the player a chance to walk away with a good score. The front of the green is open with a bunker on both sides of the green. There are various mounds that have this green set in a mini Amphitheatre surrounding. The green slopes from back to front and slightly right to left.
A miss in the right bunker can bring you undone here.
Try to keep the ball under the hole.
BLACK TEE 379M WHITE TEE 350M RED TEE 307M
Hole 13
This is rated the toughest hole on the Gold Creek layout.
The hole doglegs to the right and rises up to an elevated green. A carefully placed tee shot to the centre or left half of the fairway provides the best angle for the second shot. A large gum tree protects the inside corner of the dogleg, trees and mounds to the left make it near impossible to get your ball on the surface in the right spot.
So far we’ve done the easiest part…this is where it gets difficult! The green is situated about 7m above the fairway and slopes severely from the tier in the middle to the front edge. This renders the front right section of the green unusable (false front). The front left is protected by a bunker. The red pin here is my favourite, and in my opinion the most difficult. If your ball doesn’t clear the false front, it will roll about 15-20m off the green.
Putting is also very difficult here. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve played this green, you must treat every putt as if it is new. Pace is absolutely critical to walk away with two putts. Putting downhill is hard work!
A genuine challenge!
BLACK TEE 530M WHITE TEE 501M RED TEE 428M
Hole 14
This is a long par 5 from an elevated tee. It would be a 20m elevation change down to the fairway. The hole doglegs slightly to the left, then it sweeps back to the right. Both sides of the fairway are guarded by mounds. Left is not good from the tee!
The second shot should be placed at around 115m from the centre of the green if you cannot carry the fairway bunker situated 85-100m out. It is best to keep your ball in the middle to left half of the fairway (away from bunker on the right).
The third shot is played to a green that is slightly elevated. The green is reasonably narrow. It is surrounded by mounds on the left and a bunker on the right. DO NOT HIT IT LEFT OF THE MOUNDS….DEAD!!
The green has a gentle slope from left to right.
A tough par 5 when the prevailing wind is strong.
BLACK TEE 172M WHITE TEE 149M RED TEE 132M
Hole 15
A great mid distance par 3!
The green is raised up about 3m from the tee level and guarded by a bunker on the left. The green sweeps around the bunker in the back section. The green is at its most narrow in the middle. The blue pin is a real tournament pin in my mind. There are gentle slopes running through each section of the green. There really isn’t a favourable position to miss here...sorry!
BLACK TEE 472M WHITE TEE 425M RED TEE 420M
Hole 16
This is a par 5 that demands accuracy for the second shot in particular. A tee shot directed at the poplar trees located through the centre of the fairway will put you in good stead. From here it gets a little tricky. The hole turns to the left from here. If you’re laying up, you will need to hit a club down to about 90-100m from the centre of the green. You will need to avoid the small dam that lurks amongst the poplars off the right side of the fairway. This is the reason for leaving yourself a little further back.
If you’re going at the green in two, you’ll need to hit a draw to get you around the corner. It is quite a difficult green to get on in two. It is surrounded by mounds on the right and a deep bunker on the left!
The green slopes back toward you in the first 7m and then flattens for the next 4m. The back half slopes away steadily. There is also a gentle slope off both edges, allowing for a ball to feed slightly back toward the centre.
It’s important to have your ball in the correct section of the green where the flag is located in order to ensure a genuine chance. This is easier said than done.
A hole that brings many unstuck!
BLACK TEE 406M WHITE TEE 373M RED TEE 323M
Hole 17
This par 4 is tricky in any wind direction.
The tee shot is best placed at 125-150m from the centre of the green. There are huge rocks to the right of the fairway and large mounds to the left. Best to position the tee shot on top of the hill. There is a dam located over the rise off the left side of the fairway, with a slope that feeds toward it.
The second shot has an elevation change of about 10m downhill to a green sitting at you back to front. The left side of the green has a slope that will influence your ball heavily, resulting in missing the green left. It is important to try to leave the ball just shy of the pin so that you have an uphill putt. Missing the green left leaves a tough chip shot. It is easier to get up and down from the front edge or the right side of the green. DO NOT GO LONG!
I think this is the toughest green to make putts on at Gold Creek. There are some subtle slopes that influence your ball (often not to go in I’ve found.)
A testing penultimate hole!
BLACK TEE 399M WHITE TEE 379M RED TEE 320M
Hole 18
This is a tough finisher. It plays up the hill gradually, but always seems to play longer than you think.
There is a hazard running all the way up the hole and adjacent to the green. A bunker guards the fairway on the right side from the tee.
The second shot climbs very subtly up to the green. There is a bunker situated to the left of the green and mounds to the right. There are some very subtle slopes through this green that will influence your ball. If you are unable to find the putting surface, it is recommended to leave your ball short at the front of the green. From here you will have nothing obstructing your chip shot.
This green is also a tough one to hole putts on. For some reason you don’t seem to see many putts holed here.
Once again distance control will enable you to have an easier attempt here.
A good solid hole to finish! Now off to the 19th…another great hole!
