Cheers mate. I have emailed them again via the website so will see what happens.
Trip is coming together nicely though. Six rounds confirmed with hopefully four more to come. I’m in town for 8.5 days so gonna be smashing the step count haha.
Just asked a member and his handbook says $700 AUD. They are great tracks, but that is a very big number.
Message Ross on the “my love of golf” Insta. He might be able to sort you guys out as a guest at PK. No promises, but it would be much cheaper. I’ve already warned him.
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$700??? I paid just over $900 for 3 games, 2 nights accom and meals at Victoria in Jan this year
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PK is 900 to spend a night for international travelers and that includes one round. You can add a round at $300
For interstate its 700 a night and 195 for another round. Not sure where they classify New Zealand.
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Jeeping fuck!
If they ever come back to me, I’ll post the results.
Got to pay off that edifice of a clubhouse somehow!
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Maybe someone who is at PK can confirm / deny, but when the reno’s were first done, there was a lot of chat that the cost to maintain the bunkers (and only bunkers) was blowing the maintenance budget - and that it was going to be an issue going forward (may have all been talk, especially when they had the issues with the development of the old Kingswood course)
It took them a few days to come back to me, but I’m in at PK. $360 for a single room with breakfast - birthday treat for myself. South Course the next morning…can’t wait.
I talked to Jane the accommodation manager - she was great.
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Following up as I now have a couple rounds booked and trying to figure out how to fill the other parts in.
I have tee times booked at RM West and Kingston Heath now, which I’m super excited about. I don’t think it’ll be too tough to get any other tee times for the courses I’m interested in b/c they’re public (Cape Wickham, maybe Ocean Dunes, Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm), but I’m seeing whether some of my ideas make more sense than others.
Any thoughts on a couple potential itineraries: (each number is a day)
Option 1:
- Arrive in Melbourne after super long international flight. No plans here
- Open day for now. Tour Melbourne CBD?
- RM West, tee time around midday, fly Melbourne to Launceston late afternoon and drive to Barnbougle in the evening
- BD + LF 36 holes
- BD/LF + Bougle Run, back to Launceston and to Melbourne
- Kingston Heath tee time morning, afternoon (?)
- Fly Melbourne to King Island, Ocean Dunes in afternoon
- Cape Wickham x 2
- Fly King Island to Melbourne, arrive Melbourne midday, Great Ocean Road out
- Great Ocean Road back
- Go to Sydney, rest of trip less golf focused.
This one only leaves a day and a half to do Great Ocean Road
Option 2:
- Same as above
- Same as above
- RM West, tee time around midday
- Great Ocean road out
- Great Ocean road back to Melbourne
- Kingston Heath tee time morning, fly Melbourne to Launceston late afternoon and drive to Barnbougle in evening.
- BD + LF 36 holes
- LF + Bougle Run (?), fly Launceston to King Island in the afternoon (on Sharp airlines? Are they reputable?)
- Ocean Dunes, Cape Wickham
- Cape Wickham, fly King Island to Melbourne, potentially on to Sydney, rest of trip less golf focused.
Includes Ocean Dunes, probably no room on Kingston Heath day for another Sandbelt course
Option 3:
Same as option 2 through day 5.
6. Kingston Heath tee time morning, afternoon (?)
7. Fly Melbourne to King Island, Cape Wickham PM
8. Cape Wickham AM, Fly to Launceston, drive to Barnbougle
9. BD + LF 36
10. LF/BD + Bougle Run (?), fly Launceston to Sydney, rest of trip less golf focused.
This option doesn’t do Ocean Dunes, maybe leaves an option for another sandbelt round on the Kingston Heath day
Last question: would I be missing something not playing a course like Victoria for example? I have RM West and Kingston Heath as the true sandbelt courses, others are more ocean-ish.
Any ideas are great. Realize this is a ton!
Just one question; why would you split Tassie and King island with a day back in Melb inbetween for option 1. Makes more sense to do those two hops as one stretch, so #2 or #3 makes more sense.
Day off the second day after you arrive is a good idea, you will be wrecked from the US to Aus trip. Check out the City sights etc. I was in bed by 7:30-8pm for the first two nights after I came back last time, that was Boston to Melb.
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Flights to/from Melbourne-King Island and Launceston-King Island on Sharp do not go every day and on some days are morning only so getting in a morning round before a flight needs to be worked out in terms of tee times and transfers and you’d need to check whether the these flights are possible.
Transfer from King Island airport to CW is around 40 minutes and drive to/from Barnbougle to Launceston is around 90 minutes.
I think playing another sandbellt course would be worthwhile if you can. RM East, Victoria, metropolitan, Yarra Yarra probably the next 4. Is the great Ocean road a golf trip or just something to do? Because you could drive down to the Mornington Peninsula which isn’t as nice scenery but there are beaches and walks and wineries and it’s closer to get there plus some good golf (st Andrews beach, the dunes, national golf club (private))
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As the others have said, a big part of the calculations will be the flights in and out of King Island.
I would line that up so that you can get in with time for a round at Ocean Dunes in the afternoon, and then 36 on Wickham the following day. I would recommend 36 at Wickham over 18 at each of the courses.
All of your other plans will be awesome and looks like there are basically no wrong answers.
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And check out accom options on King Island, have heard CW is pretty full for theirs so might need to be in the main town (Currie?)
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Arrange Australia first or arrange New Zealand first?
Good point for sure. Now that I think about it it doesn’t make a lot of sense to double up the flights and go back and forth. Thanks!
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Yep the timing of the flights to King Island has been the trickiest part of thinking this through mostly trying not to lose a half a day or more if possible. Definitely agree I’ll try to lock that part in first and build from there. Tasmania is relatively much easier to get to.
Also thanks for the recommendations on other courses. I see the rankings for RM East, just wondering if it’s worth pulling the trigger on the big green fee again, but who knows the next time I’ll be in Melbourne so maybe I should do it.
For me, Great Ocean Road would be purely sight seeing and something to do. I’ve seen pictures of the road and the 12 Apostles and it just looks phenomenal to me. Not really a golf thing at all.
The Mornington Peninsula looks great as well. Right now I don’t have any golf there, but StAB and all the other ones look so good too.
Even from the City, a decent GOR day is gonna be a long one. The 12 Apostles is a decent 3hr drive from the CBD and that is the direct path, not following the coast all the way around.
Nov-Dec trip has come together in spectacular fashion. Confirmed rounds at:
RM East and West
Sandy GC
Metropolitan
PK South
Sorrento
Lonsdale
Barwon Heads
I don’t need any help, just wanted to show off a bit. See you Aussies in 135 days 
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Sorrento over Portsea, StAB or Dunes is, interesting 
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Free round at Sorrento
I’m beyond keen to play those three, but gotta leave some for next time!
Really excited to play Lonsdale though. Their course tour looks insane - template holes and interesting designs for Africa.
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