Dream 18: Gold Coast’s best golf holes

It’s every golfer’s dream - our list of the best 18 holes on the Coast.

THE Gold Coast is home to some of the nation’s finest golf courses. But what if you could take the best from each to create the dream round? Here’s how it would look.

Links Hope Island Golf Club: No 17. Par 3. 188m. “It’s a challenging and picturesque hole- there’s prevailing head win. It’s our signature hole.”

OUR NEXT JUNIOR STARS

Gainsborough Greens Golf: No 17. Par 5. 472/436m. “Full water carry, it showcases the flora and is great for both amateurs and elite. It’s challenging and is a risk and reward hole.”

Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club: No 13. Par 4. 314m. “Narrow tricky tee shot. It’s a raised green with the river on the right and is a really attractive hole. Has a really good atmosphere and is difficult to make par.”

QUIRKY PGA CHARACTERS

Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club: No 13. Par 4. 314m. “Narrow tricky tee shot. It’s a raised green with the river on the right and is a really attractive hole. Has a really good atmosphere and is difficult to make par.” Photo: supplied

Emerald Lakes Golf Club: No 14. Par 5. 471/446/415m. “It’s the most picturesque hole with the water on the left side and a hazard on the right side. It’s challenging and there are many different ways to play the hole.”

Lakelands Golf Club: No 14. Par 3. 133m black tee. “It’s very picturesque and has a water feature. It’s a difficult hole- not just a short easy par 3 and has one large bunker.”

Palm Meadows Golf Club: No 18. Par 5. 500m. “There’s water from the tee to the green. It doglegs around the great big lake we have, which makes it difficult. You can either play it safe or take the shortcut over the corner of the lake, so it’s a great risk reward hole.”

Palmer Colonial: No 15, Par 4. 376m. “It’s one of the most challenging holes with water down the right and a dog leg right into a narrow bottleneck green with bunkers left and right. It’s driveable if the wind favours.”

TOP GOLF HELPS LOCAL

Parkwood Golf Course: No 18. Par 5. 441m. “Drive off the hole, but there’s a harder second shot which can pay off or go into the water- conservative play pays off. The double tiered green makes it more difficult.”

Parkwood Golf Course: No 18. Par 5. 441m. “Drive off the hole, but there’s a harder second shot which can pay off or go into the water- conservative play pays off. The double tiered green makes it more difficult”. Photo: supplied

RACV Royal Pines Resort: No 16. Par 3. 172m black tee. “It’s a very challenging hole with bunkers surrounding the green, a massive drop off the back, it’s not flat and there’s water.”

Southport Golf Club: No 14. Par 3. 145m. “It’s very challenging with the water surrounding the green on the right and the road. It’s a nice double tiered green and is visually the best.”

Surfers Paradise Golf Club: No 3. Par 5. 529m. “The biggest of big hitters can hit it in two, but it’s fraught with danger in between. There’s trees on one side and water on the other and the green is surrounded by bunkers. The trees are too high and many people have to chip just to get back into position. It’s one of the longest Par fives on the Gold Coast.”

Tambourine Mountain Golf Club: No 5. Par 3. 120m. “It’s a goodie because it’s so short but is an extremely challenging shot. There’s a bunker on the left just short of the green and hazards on the right. You have to be right on or you’ll be in big trouble.”

Tallebudgera Golf Club: No 3. Par 3. 100m: “It’s not very difficult, but is very picturesque. It has an elevated tee, a bunker on the left and dam on the right.”

The Glades: No 16. Par 4. 306m: “It’s deceiving- for the longer hitter they try to reach the green in one hit. It’s tricky to get over the water and there’s an elevated green.”

The Grand Golf Club: No 8. Par 3. 151m. “Everyone loves to get a hole in one here- it’s a small target and the green is heavily bunkered on the front.”

‘HAPPY GILMORE’ CADDIE

Tally Valley Golf Club: No 3. Par 4. 330m. “It’s a dogleg up a hill and can be quite tricky. It’s a narrow fairway with water down the left side and trees the right. You can hit it across the water, but it takes a very skilled golfer to get it over.”

Sanctuary Cove - The Pines: No 18. Par 4. 425m. “It’s a challenge off the tee with the lake to the left and trees on the right. It’s the last whole so your round depends on your shot off the tee.”

Sanctuary Cove The Pines: No 18. Par 4. 425m. “It’s a challenge off the tee with the lake to the left and trees on the right. It’s the last whole so your round depends on your shot off the tee.” Photo: supplied

Sanctuary Cove - The Pines No 13. Par 3. 201m. “It’s a tough hole over the water. It feels like a good achievement when you hit over the water.”