Joondalup Resort (Quarry/Dune)

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Joondalup Resort is located 25 minutes north of Perth and would have to be one of the most spectacular courses I have been to. The 27 hole golf course is made up into three distinct nines, each taking on the name of its characteristic feature. There is one working its way around and through limestone open cut chasms, called the Quarry. The Dunes, which sweeps through dense bushland and cliff faces. Lastly the Lakes which routes through water hazards, pot bunkers and swales. The course currently in Australian Golf Digest top 100 is the Quarry/Dunes combination, which is what I will discuss.

Welcome to Joondalup Resort

The course was opened in 1985, designed by internationally renowned golf architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr. On numerous occasions Joondalup Resort has won various awards and ranks as one of the best courses in Western Australia, which have led to the course also hosting a number of state tournaments (I’m not trying to sell it but it but some of the holes are spectacular).

Clubhouse at Joondalup Resort

Upon arriving you find the site is quite scenic, with native vegetation in the various gardens. A couple of large sandstone building, with a large clock, reminiscent of a town square, separating the two. On the right the pro-shop and the members bar to the left. Beyond this is a large putting green and practice range to get warmed up.

Front of pro-shop

Map of Joondalup Resort

Scorecard for Quarry and Dune course

Which way to go first, the Quarry or the Dunes?

The first hole gives you a feel for the bush land setting, with its natural fauna, but does not let you have any idea of how the next 6 holes will play.

1st hole of the Quarry course

The signature hole for the course is the 2nd. This 340 meter par 4 hole plays through a valley. The standout feature is the large moon crater bunker, which protects the uphill slope to the green. Play from the tee is to the left to ensure sand does not come into play. There is the option to try and play to the right of the crater, but this is a highly risky strategy as there is not a lot of room for the landing. Anything wide right will be lost in heavy scrub.

The 2nd is the signature hole of the Quarry course

The second shot will be uphill to a green surrounded by traps and a large swale to the front right. An opening exists to run the ball through the middle to the large tiered green for those not confident of carrying the distance, or any front pin positions.  This hole is not your typical blending in with nature, feeling like some of the great links or parkland courses, but it is quite an eye opener from the tee.

View from the tee of the 2nd hole with the moon crater middle of the fairway

From hole 3 to 6 there is great use of the quarry. The third is an intimidating par 3 over the corner of a large pit. This shot is all carry to the green. Anything short or too far right, grab another ball or find the drop zone. To the right of the green and around 12 feet down is a large trap protruding out. This saves your ball from hitting the quarry bottom but leaves a very tough shot to get back to the green.

The 3rd hole is a carry across the quarry

There are also traps to the left and behind the green, but when you first look at the hole you do not even notice them. The green itself has two distinct tiers, but is quite a large target to hit (just don’t think about falling in the quarry and you won’t have any issues).

A large bunker separates the 3rd green and the quarry floor

The fourth hole is a medium length par 5 at 455 meters, which snakes its way up to the green. From the tee the fairway turns slightly to the left with a bunker on the right. Landing in this and it will be impossible to reach the green in two. The view of what faces you for the second shot now starts getting a little daunting.

The 4th snakes its way to the green

This green is raised and protected by part of the quarry wall and a trap running around 100 meters. This is so high a ladder is required to climb in and out. You are left with the choice of going for the green and carrying this hazard or laying up playing to the start of the quarry wall and leaving a short approach to the green.

Carry this large bunker to reach the 4th green

The putting surface itself is quite large (43 meters in length), narrow towards the front and widening at the back, leaving itself open for long second shots. Being fairly flat, with some slight undulations, there shouldn’t be too many issues putting, unless at the opposite end of the green to the pin.

Reverse view of the 5th hole – carry the corner to make the green

Turning back towards the quarry, is the fifth hole. This 353 meter par 4 can leave a testing approach depending on the line you take from the tee. From the tee it is all downhill and you must carry 50 meters of bush to reach the fairway to start with, after that you must determine if you will take a straighter approach to the green, but bring in the bush to the left, or play safely down the middle where there is plenty of room. If you take the safe option, you will have to carry the corner of the quarry (around 100 meters from the edge plus your distance to that point). This is quite an intimidating view, but breathless none the less. The day I was playing there was a head wind, making this even more difficult. You can take a less risky option and play to the undulating fairway (less carry) and hope for a pitch and putt to make par. The green slopes from front to back and middle to each side, giving what seems like four quadrants. This is a great hole to walk away with par.

The sixth hole plays through a gully leaving the quarry

Hole 6, a 328 meter par 4, is the last hole to show any remnants of the quarry for this nine. From the elevated tee you can see the green in the distance, but also the numerous bunkers along the way. The fairway seems to run at a 60 degree angle from the tee box, running from left to right and is quite generous. Playing downhill to start, too long on the left side will see a large trap come into play, at the base of a large excavated wall, whilst anything right will find another trap or in extreme cases heavy scrub. From the gully, the next shot is uphill to a large green, protected by another bunker front right. The putting surface itself slopes away from the middle on the left, whilst the right side seems flat, but has a large mound at the front and slight undulations at the rear. Ensure you look back from this green and remember some of the marvels of the Quarry 9.

Andrew Macri raising money for the Perth Telethon playing 188 holes of golf

Whilst playing the second nine, the Dunes course, I came across Andrew Macri at hole 11 (or 2 on the Dunes). He was raising money for the Perth telethon, an annual event aimed at improving the lives of children and young people of Western Australia. On this day he was aiming to play as many holes as possible, totalling 188 for the day. This was all done by walking, or more accurately jogging between shots. All I can say is great effort Andrew, you are truly inspirational.

View from the tee of the 11th (2nd hole on the Dunes)

This hole was the shortest on the back nine, measuring 318 meters. From the elevated tee it is a lot shorter. The tee and green are at almost the same elevation, with a large gully between the two. From the start, you have a fairly narrow avenue to a fairway with trees running almost the entire length on either side. The two large trees on the right hand side of the fairway make this look even more daunting, restricting play to a degree, although the first tree could easily be carried due to the tee elevation. Too far left brings a lonely sand trap into play, making the approach very difficult to the uphill green. In fact anything wide of centre will be ensuring some sort of manufactured shot will be required to reach the centre of the green. This also brings the traps on either side of the green into play. The main feature of this green is the significant slope from back to front, leaving anything above the hole a difficult putt.

Jason and Paul, my playing partners on the day both playing the 12th

The twelfth hole (third on the Dunes course) is a visually stunning hole. This 365 meter par 4 looks like it belongs more on the Quarry nine, with its use of a large rock face as you approach the green. From the tee you are presented with a large split fairway with a slight dogleg to the right. Taking the high road on the left, is the longer of the approach shots, but definitely the safest route.

Big uphill shot to the 12th (3rd of the Dunes)

Playing to the right will get you closer to the hole, but bring in all sorts of obstacles. Firstly potential unplayable lies if you find the large boulder or many of the crushed rocks left scattered along the bottom of the cliff face. Second is the huge uphill shot that must be made to reach the green (I won’t even try and guess the elevation change) as well as the huge bunker that is brought into play. Once you make the green it is relatively flat with a slope from back to front.

Approach to the 15th (6th the Dunes)

Hole 16 (seventh on the Dunes course) is a short par 3, at only 118 meters. From the tee you must carry a small gully full of various grasses and shrubs. The green is long and narrow, almost shaped like a boomerang, sloping upwards from the front. There is a large tree to the right front of the green, blocking any right to left shots. Left of the green is a large swale leading to a bunker which will make a difficult shot for any centre pin positions, as another swale can be found centre right of the green. Although short, there is no guarantee of par on this is a great little par 3.

View from behind the green of the 16th (7th the Dunes)

On my visit the course was in pristine condition, with the fairways well manicured and conditioned grass, greens firm and fast, rough of a consistent length. I felt this was a great course for its design, especially in taking back land from what once was a quarry. The incorporation of a golf course into such land, although would never be true golf as nature intended, was a seamless integration which appeared to be a natural fit. There was still plenty of strategy in these holes for different styles of play, whilst also giving quite spectacular views. Certainly this is a course worthy of its place in the top 100 rankings.

How to play Joondalup Resort:

Joondalup Resort does have membership options, but is open to the public outside of competition times and corporate days. Contact the pro-shop to organise a time to play.