[Photo by Gary Lisbon]
Tasmanian golf came to life with the advent of the original Barnbougle layout in late 2004. With respect to the fine layouts in Hobart, the pleasant tracks dotted across Launceston and those elsewhere in the Apple Isle, a new standard emerged when a stretch of attractive dunesland along the north-east coast of the state spawned one of the premier golf courses of the modern era.
The story of Barnbougle Dunes is rich in its tapestry. Tasmanian potato farmer and hotelier Richard Sattler essentially handed over 80 hectares of his land outside the town of Bridport to Tom Doak and Mike Clayton. At the time, neither course architect possessed the esteemed reputation they own today, yet the same could be said of Barnbougle Dunes. Doak and Clayton weaved magic through the Bridport dunes, envisaging two loops of nine holes, each nine working in an out-and-back, British links style that provides a run of holes in opposing directions with a single flip to the sequence thrown in.
Barnbougle brought a touch of the United Kingdom to ‘Tassie’. It also gave golfers heightened reason to include our island state in their travel plans. Since then, of course, more world-class golf courses have bolstered the offerings of northern Tasmania, but it all started with Barnbougle Dunes.
THE DETAILS
Barnbougle Dunes
Ranking in 2022: 4th
Prior rankings: 4th (2020), 4th (2018), 5th (2016), 4th (2014), 4th (2012), 4th (2010), 5th (2008),
7th (2006)
Where: Waterhouse Rd, Bridport TAS 7262
Phone: (03) 6310 8400
Web: barnbougle.com.au
