By Ross Perrett, Acclaimed golf course architect
Golf course architect Ross Perrett and his late partners, Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, designed and constructed outstanding golf courses all over the world.
One of their creations was the Legends Course at Moonah Links in Victoria.
See following another special feature from Perrett, an acclaimed course architect, as to what went into producing another golfing gem.
Ross Perret was instrumental in the design of the Moonah Legends course. The 1st hole under construction, more than 21 years ago.
The Legends Course at Moonah Links on the Mornington Peninsula has come of age as it approaches its 21st birthday this spring.
Initially The Legends was going to be a small course whose main role was to help sell real estate. The lofty ambitions of the Open Course, to be a championship venue, meant that it had carte blanche with the land. The footprint of the Open Course ended up being an extremely generous 322 acres, or the equivalent area of the combined East and West courses at Royal Melbourne.
There was little land left for a second course and the project was destined to be severely compromised. A lucky and timely opportunity surfaced when FBI (the successful thoroughbred training establishment run by Freedman Brothers Incorporated) offered to sell them their surplus land from their Markdel training development to the south of the property. This was a breakthrough for the project meaning the Legends could now be a full course with the normal dimensions and a character of its own.
Most of the land was to the south-east which meant the layout needed to follow a traditional layout with nine holes out and nine holes in. Further, the nines were destined to be uneven as the land configured in such a way that short valleys forced us to either cut through the ridge (holes 2, 11 and 17) or accept shorter holes (holes 2, 3, 4, 5, 15 and 16). The final card is 37-35 with the back nine arguably a bit harder.
The fourth hole at Moonah Legends, a course which has stood the test of time.
By the time we got the green light to start construction of the course, Andew Purchase, the construction manager and I had staked and re-staked the course many times and we got to understand the land at our disposal well. As soon the ‘flag went up’ we could launch into construction in with no hesitation.
The playing surfaces had all pasture grass poisoned, buffed and bumps and irregularities removed. We then moved on with the tree, green and bunker construction.
Our instruction from our client, the AGU (Australian Golf Union now Golf Australia), was to produce a course that contrasted with the Open course.
The bunkers were the main point of difference. The Freedman land added 86 acres to the palette and was the key to developing a contrasting theme. Previously the land was used as a farm and the cattle made erosions on the fragile sand dunes, which looked like bunkers. These erosions were exaggerated and copied and a guiding template for the bunkers. The shapers enjoyed the freedom this bunker style afforded.
The 11th hole at Moonah Legends.
The greens were designed as a suite of 18 Greens of contrasting shape and size with balance of greens set up or down. Having a sand base meant we were not limited by size or the constraints of USGA greens. Whereas the greens were set in natural settings, the tees were often cut in hills onto gentle ridges in order to stretch the course to its desired length.
The Legends is 6320 metres, versus the Open which is 6820 metres.
Given the extent of our pre-planning, construction proceeded with haste and all construction items were completed in a 14-week window. It now was matter of ‘growing in’ the course before it could be played and enjoyed.
The 13th hole at the Moonah Legends course.
Fast forward 21 years and what have we got? The Legends is a popular course that has consistently averaged 25,000 rounds per annum since opening. While the majority are green fee players, there is a Members’ club that caters for regular club events plus the annual professional Victorian PGA tournament.
The course with its sand base is relatively easy to maintain, has never had to close due to flooding and remains a good test of golf, particularly for the average golfer. It also provides the setting for the lion’s share of the real estate that under pinned the overall development and made for some special lifestyle choices.
By any criteria the course is a success. Happy birthday legend!
– With Michael Davis
The post Moonah Legends – 21 years old and with a character of its own first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.
Article Link: https://www.insidegolf.com.au/course-reviews/moonah-legends-21-years-old-and-with-a-character-of-its-own/