Goonawarra is a high quality public golf course that sits on the plateau above Sunbury. It is noted for its lush fairways and large greens. It has about 28 bunkers and more fairway bunkers than found on most public courses. It is more like a links course in design as the fairways are wide and the trees still a little sparse on most holes. Water is in play on four holes. A favourite hole is the 11th which is a nice par 4 that goes around a lake and has an elevated green. The course can be very damp for a long time after rain as the base is clay. For much of the year the course will have heavy dew from the cold nights so waterproof shoes are a must. In winter you often face a biting wind as being on a plateau seems to attract wind. I like the course most for the opportunities to hit long irons and woods onto greens and the high quality greens. You typically lose balls out of bounds as the fairways sometime slope steeply into trouble down the hill. What I like least are the wind, the damp underfoot, the long drive from the southern suburbs of Melbourne and the often long time to complete a round. read more
