Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club

Magazine Ratings

A friend who was a member of a Ashlar Golf Club, in western Sydney, told me of a prospective major change to the club. This involved selling the land Ashlar was situated on and a new course being built close by. The designers, Greg Norman & Bob Harrison. I couldn’t wait for it to be built. Years later the course was finally completed and it was time to visit, so our group who meet up and took the trip out west.

Clubhouse at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club

Being a new course, the clubhouse and facilities are all very modern.  I did however find the locker room to be quite small.  The clubhouse is quite large, catering for the local community, and on each occasion I have been there quite busy, which is always a good sign for a club.

Locker room at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club

Having an established membership base I thought there would have been a larger locker room. It was a lot smaller than I expected.

Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club Map

There are two distinct feels and appearance to each set of nine holes at Stonecutters Ridge.  The front nine are played out on wetlands, where as the back nine work there way through the rolling terrain.  Since the opening of this course I have visited twice with six months apart.  During the first visit it was noticeable that the course was still bedding in, they actually had not even completed the practice facilities, but fairways showing signs of new drainage.  On the second visit this had all disappeared, presenting very nicely.

Scorecard for Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club

Play on the visit was from the white tees. Unfortunately my camera was also suffering due to dust on the lens, limiting the number of useful photos.

Hole 1 – 504 meter par 5

To start the round is the longest hole on the course. You are presented with an extremely wide fairway for your first shot, always good until you loosen up.  The main danger from the tee playing to the right with fairway bunkers and trees potentially blocking the second shot.  There is also the threat of crows taking your ball.  The second shot brings a water hazard into play on the left, with the hole shaping in this direction.

Hole 2 – 366 meter par 4

A medium length par 4 with a slight turn to the left. Bunkers protect the left of the green, leaving difficult shots out, with the green sloping away.

Hole 3 – 356 meter par 4 hardest hole

The third heads back in the opposite direction, with a slight dogleg right. This plays around a water hazard, which is reachable from the tee, but certainly in play for the approach. A nice challenging hole, which will punish those being too greedy or inaccurate.

Hole 4 – 339 meter par 4

A small-medium par 4 which offers a bit of risk from the tee. With water down the right, you can take on quite a bit, leaving a better line into the green. There is ample fairway, but playing center to left will bring a carry over green side bunkers.

Raised 4th green

Playing to this raised green will be more difficult if using the safe route from the tee. Although the hole doesn’t look much from the tee, it plays quite nicely for all levels of player, offering risk and reward.

Hole 5 – 320 meter par 4

Another dogleg right hole, which again offers great risk if trying to shorten the hole, over the water hazard. Further difficulty in bunkers and a narrower fairway come into play here however, making this a lot more difficult than the previous hole, which was quite open. Even though the last three holes have all played with a right turn, there has been significant differences, with hole length and fairway widths, to make each quite distinct.

Hole 6 – 176 meter par 3

The first short hole for the day, although at 176 meters, not too short. The hole looks very intimidating from the tee, with a carry over water and enormous bunkers to the left. There is a decent bail out area to the right, for those not so confident. Certainly a hero hole where landing on the green is an achievement.

Hole 7 – 312 meter par 4

Ranked as the shortest and easiest par 4, this is the last of the holes in the wetlands area. Playing with a dogleg to the left, you must avoid the water hazard to the left. The fairway slopes significantly towards this direction. A classic design where you can take on a further carry to shorten the approach, with greater risk. The right side of the green is heavily covered with sand traps, leaving a difficult shot back to the narrow green, with water potentially still in play.

Hole 8 – 384 meter par 4

Starting the next section of the course is the longest par 4. With a dogleg to the right, a hill must be carried before approaching the green. A group of bunkers sit on the inside of the dogleg, which can be carried for long hitters. The approach to the green is up a small slope.

Hole 9 – 381 meter par 4

Similar in design to the last hole, but with much less of a turn. Again a hill must be carried before finding some downhill run.

Downhill approach to the 9th green

Making the approach to this green is down slope, rather than up, making a slight difference. Two large fairway traps are found short, with the green running away dramatically on the right.

Hole marker and pin flag

Clear hole markers are found giving varying distances for tee lengths. Pity the map is missing though.

Hole 10 – 479 meter par 5

One thing to note about Stonecutters Ridge, is that the course is on continuous loop. A refreshment stand is found between the 9th and 10th holes if anything is required. Starting the back is the hardest par 5 hole on the course. Playing down slope all the way to the green, two large traps are in driving distance. Water comes into play from the second shot. A large mound to the left, containing a bunker, narrows the approach to the green, which itself is multi tiered. Although the distance is shortened due to playing downhill, this is one of the tougher holes, with a narrow fairway towards the end.

Hole 11 – 137 meter par 3

The signature hole is the shortest on the course and the easiest par 3. With a carry over a small valley, bunkers line the entire left of the green complex, with one behind just for good measure. The wall of sand will intimidate some, but there is ample room to land the ball on the green. Lots of room to the right for those not so confident. Not quite as scenic as the 6th, but a bit fairer due to length.

Hole 12 – 374 meter par 4

Another hole enticing the player to take on the risk of shortening the hole on its dogleg left. With a cluster of bunkers blocking this line, play is out to the right, where the fairway narrows. There is the choice on laying up leaving a blind shot over the hill, or trying to have some clearer vision.

Downhill shot to the 12th green

The approach will have to thread between trees either side to reach the green. Two large traps are found left, one containing its own tree. A hole where the player will be punished if taking on more than they can handle. Good hole to test all level of players patience and abilities.

Hole 13 – 350 meter par 4

A hole playing a lot longer than its suggested distance. This is a dog leg to the right, which is up hill all the way. The fairway has various small mounds and hollows along the way, but slopes left to right, the further you travel. Bunkers built into the right of the green totally hide the putting surface. Long will find a down slope away from the green also.

Hole 14 – 345 meter par 4

Playing from an elevated tee, makes this hole a bit shorter, in fact almost drive-able for longer hitters. Good use of a solitary tree to the right, not only protects those on the 13th, but leaves a question for those hitters with a right to left ball flight.

Approach from the 14th fairway

Play of the approach, will be up hill to the green. Bunkers can be seen on most sides of the green, but it is the strong undulations on the putting surface which really stand out. For any front pin positions, this will serve as a good stopping point, to bring the ball back. A standout par 4 on the back nine, which coaxes the player into trouble.

Hole 15 – 472 meter par 5 easiest hole

The easiest par 5 starts the run back to the clubhouse. This hole is quite open from tee to green. The main danger is finding the long grass either side of the fairway. If the fairway bunker can be carried on the second shot, there is a possibility of finding the green in two. This bunker also blocks the view of the green, making the shot that more difficult. Not the most interesting of holes on the course, but its simple design does not mean a guaranteed par.

Hole 16 – 159 meter par 3

Next up is the hardest par 3 on the course, playing down hill and over a water hazard. The green is quite wide, but not so deep. With trouble in front and behind, by two large traps, distance control is critical, especially for pins to the left. A bailout area is to the right, ensuring even the smallest of hitters a chance of keeping their ball dry. Great design elements, make this a memorable par 3.

Hole 17 – 144 meter par 3

Unfortunately the routing brings a consecutive par 3 as the penultimate hole. Probably one of my pet hates is consecutive par 3 holes. Even my previous club, having six in total, still managed to throw a par 4 or 5 in between them. The hole, with its elevated green, is quite open at its front, with two traps either side. The putting surface has some good sloping incorporated, making for some interesting putts.

Hole 18 – 449 meter par 5

Finishing the round is a shorter par 5, which has quite a wide landing area from the tee. The ground slopes from right to left, so finding the right hand bunker is quite unlucky. The green has a large false front, with traps either side. Not dramatic in design compared to some of the holes, but a nice way to finish.

Overall it certainly is a great course to come and play.  Since the opening, Stonecutters Ridge has bedded in quite nicely.  On my previous visit there were signs of construction still showing in quite a few areas. More so the fairways with drainage and irrigation systems.  Now these have been fully grown over giving the appearance of a completed golf course.  The practice facilities are still being developed and have some way to go.  After six months the practice green has finally been opened but still requires time to be of any use, compared to the actual greens on the course.

The course presents many challenges, with the use of wetland areas, large cavernous bunkers and at times tight fairways.  Good shots are definitely rewarded, with anything slightly astray absolutely punished, in particular on the back nine.

Looking at the course makeup:

• Hole Directions – There was some variety allowing for conditions to have wide ranging effects during play overall. But there were periods where variation would not occur for some time. Holes 5-9, 11-13 then 14-16 were running in the similar directions, so the wind would have the same affect for each run.
• Hole Lengths – Par three holes had a good variance in distance, the majority in mid length. Par four holes ranged from short to long with the majority being either short or mid length. Par 5 holes ranged from short to long with the latter being the majority
• Hole Layout – There was a great mixture in how the holes played, although a slight majority tended to favour turns to the right, where two shots or more were required to reach the green. Main objections are to having holes of similar direction,layout and length consecutively, such as 8 and 9. Another factor not favourable is having consecutive par 3 holes. This occurred on 16 and 17

I really enjoyed the first seven holes. Their integration within the wetlands was quite good and although there was not much change in fairway undulation, design was still good enough to keep you interested. Typical of the designers, the bold bunkering stood out, but even better was the great green complexes. Use of short grass for the surrounds and good sloping, made them a challenge, but also a joy to play. As with most courses Norman and Harrison have been associated with, there is quite penal surrounds to the fairways. Anything slightly off line will be eaten up and costly to the score card.

How to play at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club:

1. Be invited by a member and play during competition time
2. Book one of the publicly accessible times by calling the pro shop or booking online

I played as an invited guest.