Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield

Rankings: 

   

The Takeaway:  A redo by Tom Doak after the membership wasn’t happy with Greg Norman and Peter Thomson’s original effort here, Gunnamatta is one of the most fun golf courses you’ll ever play. The bowled greens maximize forgiveness, the terrain and design encourage the ground game, and the variety of hole shapes keeps your interest. The 1st hole with captivating views of the Southern Ocean is among the best openers in Australia.  Grade A

Quick Facts

Designer:  Tom Doak 2019

Cost:  Private

Phone Number:  +61 3 9707 9907

Course Website:  Official Website - Visit The National Golf Club (Gunnamatta)'s official website by clicking on the link provided.

Directions:  Get here! - The Cups Dr, Cape Schanck, Victoria  3939 – AUSTRALIA

Photos:  See additional photos of The National Golf Club (Gunnamatta)

What to Expect:  Crafted by the imaginative hand of architect Tom Doak, this 2019 redesign of the club’s original Ocean Course has transformed the property into a world-class golfing experience that balances artistry, restraint, and the raw beauty of coastal Australia. Doak and his team from Renaissance Golf Design stripped away excess, embracing a minimalist approach that lets the site’s natural contours and windswept sand dunes dictate strategy. The firm and fast fairways tumble and twist through coastal heath, greens sit naturally atop knolls or nestle into bowls, and the ever-present ocean breeze keeps every round fresh and unpredictable. The course doesn’t rely on forced carries or artificial hazards; instead, its challenge lies in subtlety. Greens are open-fronted, inviting running approaches, yet their internal contours can be devilish. Bunkering, as expected from Doak, is sparse but perfectly placed - each one a decision point rather than decoration. Gunnamatta is not a course built to dazzle with visual theatrics or overbearing difficulty. Instead, it captivates through rhythm, flow, and nuance - a thinking player’s paradise. Every hole offers multiple routes, every green invites imagination, and every breeze reshapes the challenge. Doak has delivered a masterclass in modern design restraint, and The National now boasts a course that feels both timeless and distinctly Australian. In the pantheon of contemporary links-inspired golf, Gunnamatta stands shoulder to shoulder with the best. On a side note, players must walk the course unless special permission is granted.

By the Numbers

Tees	Par	Yardage	Rating	Slope
Black	73	7137	73.8	125
Blue	73	6606	71.3	121
Silver	73	5811	67.7	113
Burgundy (Ladies)	73	5345	70.0	119

Individual Hole Analysis

Signature Hole:  1st Hole – 536 Yard Par 5 – One of the most impressive and stunning opening tee shots at any golf course in the world, Gunnamatta is Tom Doak's most memorable 1st hole and a pure joy to play. With the Bass Strait framing the left side of your vision and kangaroos potentially hopping across the fairway, it is a sight you'll never likely forget. The fairway stretches 100 yards wide at its fattest point, but also features a large bunker in the center of the short grass at the driving zone. Go up the raised right side and you might find yourself catching a little speed slot for some extra yardage. Go to the safer left side and you'll be faced with an approach shot to a raised green that needs to avoid the two bunkers protecting the right side of the putting surface. This is a great birdie opportunity right off the bat at Gunnamatta and sets the tone for the fun that awaits the rest of your round.

Best Par 3:  11th Hole – 227 Yards – A formidable one-shotter, the 11th demands both distance and precision. At 227 yards, it often requires a long iron or hybrid, especially when the coastal breeze kicks up. The green sits within a hill with a pair of deep bunkers fronting the putting surface and the crest of the hillside creating the backdrop. A shot that leaks to the right will quickly be punished by being tossed 30+ yards away from the green while tee shots that favor the left side will find an inviting landing area that feeds balls towards the putting surface where par becomes much more likely. Pins on the right side will be extremely difficult to successfully attack, but can be one of the most rewarding shots on the course when accomplished.

Best Par 4:  2nd Hole – 372 Yards – The first of many great two-shotters, the 2nd at Gunnamatta delivers intrigue with a fairway boasting a pair of bunkers that creates an inviting right side and a risky left side. The angle into the green from the higher right side is inviting and opens the door to attacking the flag with a wedge, while the left side allows players to chase their tee ball up near the green for a slip wedge towards the flag that is protected by a bunker. The firm fairways at Gunnamatta make for entertaining golf as you watch the ball move with the contours of the ground which seems to constantly change its fate; especially at one of the most undulated greens around. With a pair of scorable holes to start, it is well within reason to begin two under through two.

Best Par 5:  18th Hole – 498 Yards – The closing hole traverses uphill towards The National's iconic clubhouse and frequently has kangaroos bounding across the fairway as dusk hits. Reaching the green in two is certainly an option for longer hitters and delivers one final opportunity to get a stroke under par. The rippled fairway is best attacked up the left side to leave an angle between the greenside bunkers to attack the flag. The craftily shaped green will require a deft touch with the putter once again if birdie or eagle is going to be your concluding score, and see just how close your ball comes to rest near the flag won't be discovered until right before arriving at the raised putting surface. On a course full of half pars and risk/reward scenarios, the 18th delivers with a memorable finish.

Birdie Time:  17th Hole – 296 Yard Par 4 – With less than 300 yards to cover and a firm fairway that propels balls forward awaiting, the 17th is an excellent opportunity to take a stroke back from Old Man Par. A wide fairway welcomes conservative tee shots that are used to set up attacking wedge shots, but players going for the green will find the fairway narrowing down to the width of the green and will require precision to find success. The edges of the green tend to repel shots to chipping areas, but drives that find these spots will still leave players with a flatstick in their hands considering how tight the grass is cut and allows for rolling the rock towards the hole. This is a late gift Doak offers players; take advantage of it!

Bogey Beware:  4th Hole – 443 Yard Par 4 – The 4th is one of the toughest tests on the course. Playing uphill and often into the wind, the hole stretches every bit of its yardage and will test your merit. The fairway tightens as it climbs, and requires a demanding approach shot to a raised green that repels weak shots. Most par that you see here will likely come from players that hit their second shot just right of the green, avoiding the bunkers next to the putting surface, and then managing to get up and down. Hopefully you took advantage of the relatively easy start to Gunnamatta, because this is when the course starts showing its teeth.