Tallebudgera Golf Course
The 9th hole presents a stiff driving challenge
Although Tallebudgera Golf Club (locally known as Coplicks from the previous farm name) is an 18 hole course, I have included it in my review of the 9 hole options on the Gold Coast. I paid $18 today for a 9 hole game, walking as usual. It is one of the 3 courses close together around Guineas Creek Road/Tallebudgera Connection Road area. I have previously covered the other two course,Tally Valley and Meadow Park so I was overdue to try out Coplicks.
Weather conditions on the Giold Coast have not been kind to golf courses with almost no rain now since way back in May. I am pleased to report that this course is standing up very well with no wild bounces on dry fairways. The greens played well and allowed approach shots to stop within a reasonable range.
The view of the first hole from behind the practice putting green. The tee is just to the left of the fence.
I consider this course to be essentially flat, though in saying that you’re game opens with an obvious elevated tee shot. Go figure! It is a relatively easy course to walk with only a few gradients to greens which I don’t think will be over-challenging for most golfers. Carts are available to hire if you need one.
The 2nd hole is a slight dogleg right, favouring the golfer who can fade their drive around the overhanging branch on the rightside tree line
A number of the par fours, while being short at under 300 metres, present with tight driving challenges. Personally I prefer a setup that allows me to draw the ball, whereas i had to try to fade the ball on several occasions. A well hit drive sets you up for a short approach. Conversely not such a good drive will easily find the tree lines on both sides of the fairway.
The 3rd is a good 100 metre Par 3. I believe all courses should have at least one par 3 of this length
The 3rd is a friendly downhill par 3 to a receptive green bunkered on the left and a pond short right. A birdie chance here to get your round going.
A good carry across the pond from the back tee here at the 4th
The 4th is an intimidating tee shot with about 100metres of carry across the pond to a tree lined fairway. I noticed the four ball who had let me through on the third, teed off from the ladies tee shown in the foreground of this photo. The blue tee was about 60 metres further back from this position. This is the stroke index 1 hole on the course. With the dry fairways I got it up to a 7 iron for my second but I imagine it might play as a fairway wood (metal or whatever) when the ground is a bit softer.
The 5th hole is a reachable Par 4 in these dry conditions
The green is tucked behind the trees on the distant left. I thought I might have driven into the trees but found that my ball had bounced through and finished past the pin off the right edge of the green. Again in softer conditions only the long hitters would get up to or near the green with their drive. For the shorter hitters the right side of the fairway would be the line that allows a straight shot into the green.
The 7th is a Par 3 under 120 metres to a green sloping off to the right
The 7th is a straightforward par 3 while the 8th is another short par 4 of under 250 metres.
The 8th hole again offers a challenge to thread your drive through trees
A good drive got me to the fringe of this green but I can imagine all sorts of trouble with a lesser hit tee shot, first from the big tree on the left and then the tree lines on both sides of the fairway.
The 9th demands your best tee shot of this nine holes
This is a great hole. I made it hard for myself with a hooked drive to the left of the trees down the left side. I played a good recovery shot to just off the green to the right and scrambled my four. This hole set-up hard for me with the draw as I mentioned earlier. A “provisional” off the was better, putting me just short of the small tree plantation down the right of the fairway. An easy sand wedge from there but it reminded of a story from the Masters at Augusta.
Many years after the hey day of Arnold Palmer, a young golfer playing in his first Masters had Palmer’s trusty caddy on his bag.
The caddy said to him at the 6th, “this is just where Mr Palmer landed in 1966.”
“What iron did he use?” questioned the young aspirant.
“He used his trusty 6 iron and hit it beautifully over the trees and onto the green.”
“Then give me my 6 iron,” said the rookie.
“Don’t hold back",” said the caddy.
The rookie smashed it 100% but unfortunately his ball clipped the top of the trees and fell into Rae’s Creek. He glared at the caddy and swore,”WTF".’
“Well son,” retorted the caddy, “in those days the trees were only knee high!!”
If you liked that story you might also appreciate the same two characters only on the famous 12th this time.
“In 1966 Mr Palmer hit a majestic 9 iron from this very tee position.”
“Okay, give me my 9 iron.”
Again smashed it and was totally devastated to see his ball come up short into Rae’s Creek. “WTF,” amongst other expletives was the response from the rookie.
With a somber face the Caddy responded, ”Yessirree, just like Mr Palmer in 1966.”
So what’s the verdict, on the course not the jokes. I found it easily beat my expectations both for course condition during this unseasonal drought period and perception that this was a bit of a beginner’s course. I think players of all standards can have an enjoyable experience here and importantly walk away feeling that they got good value for under $20.
Once again this course proves that the Gold Coast has lots to offer players who don’t want to spend nearly $100 for a game or don’t possess the skills to play courses with par 4’s over 400 metres.