10th January 2020
Board approval for $100k short-game facility
At its January Board meeting the Board formally approved funding for the $100,000 short game facility.
Renowned golf course designer Mike Cocking has designed the short-game facility, which will prove to be a valuable asset in the Warragul Country Club’s objective to provide better facilities for its golf Members whilst complementing the Club’s commitment to improving its golf education and training options.
According to Mike, quality short-game areas have become an important part of a golf club’s practice facilities in recent times as the penny finally dropped that 80 per cent of golf shots are played from within 100 metres of the hole. “It is arguably far more valuable spending time practising all manner of chips, pitches, putts and bunker shots than it is grinding away on the driving range” Mike Cocking said.
Warragul Country Club’s short-game facility will be wedged between the second and third holes and maintenance entry road.
The advantage of introducing a short-game area is it can always double as a “19th hole” in the event a hole needs to be taken out of play for maintenance.
The green will be massive – around 550 to 600m2 – to allow for multiple uses.
The amount of short grass surrounding the green will allow for a variety of stances, lies and distances.
When completed, the additional hole will play to around 80 to 90 metres.
“It should still make for an interesting pitch shot, especially to a right pin over the large greenside bunker,” Cocking suggested.
Project Manager and Course Superintendent Nathan Eager confirms that work on the retainer walls will commence in March 2020 ahead of the major works being completed in Spring 2020.
