Cape Wickham Links

Cape Wickham Links is an 18-hole golf course that was constructed on the northern tip of King Island, 48 kilometres (30 mi) north of Currie, on Tasmania.[1] It opened to the public on 30 October 2015. A par 72 course, it is 6,150 metres (6,726 yards) long.[2] Critically acclaimed, it has been ranked third in the Australian Golf Digest Top 100 Courses rankings,[3] and 24th in the world.[4][5]

History

Andrew Purchase bought the land in 2011. Extra land was required, which resulted in Victorian course owner Duncan Andrews investing in the project,[1] and the Tasmanian Government making some public land available for lease.[4] Golf course designer Mike De Vries designed the course, nine holes of which straddle the coastline. The windy climate necessitated the use of multiple types of fescue grasses for the greens.[6] The course has cost $8 million to buy and construct.[4] Covering around 120 hectares (300 acres), the course encroached on the nesting burrows of short-tailed shearwaters. Some of these were destroyed in the course's creation, however, the construction took place outside the breeding season while the birds were absent. The site owners reported that the birds dug new burrows in natural areas the next season, and that the course has prevented access to locals taking birds for food.[7]

The course has been designed with wide fairways to accommodate for the strong westerly winds known as the Roaring Forties.[1] Holes singled out for praise by ausgolf reviewer Gary Kennedy include the par five 9th hole, complete with ravine, the par three 11th hole alongside a rocky cove, and the picturesque 18th hole.[2] Some concerns have been raised over the loss of access to public land, as the beach locale Victoria Cove was incorporated into the 18th hole and blocked from public use.[4]

References
  1. James, Brendan (17 December 2014). "King Island: Golf's Next Mecca". Golf Australia. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  2. Berg, Selwyn; Kennedy, Garry (2015). "Course Review: Cape Wickham Links". ausgolf: Australia's most informative golf website. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. Tucker, Jim (18 February 2016). "Cape Wickham golf course on King Island is worth travelling for". Courier-Mail. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  4. Neales, Sue (23 January 2016). "Golf gives new reason to seek out remote King Island". The Australian. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  5. Whitten, Ron. "World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses (2016–17 Ranking)". Golf Digest. Condé Nast. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  6. Hunt, Linda (2 November 2015). "Two new golf courses expected to drive tourism growth for King Island". ABC News. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  7. Oliver, Darius (March–April 2015). "Cape Wickham Wonder" (PDF). Australian Turfgrass Management. 17 (2): 6–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
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