If you've made the trip to remote King Island in Bass Strait, you'll know that it's home to a host of exhilarating golf holes.
The oldest golf course on the island is the little nine-holer, King Island Golf & Bowling Club, but for this feature, we've decided to only showcase holes on the island's two newer world-class layouts, Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes.
That's not to say that King Island Golf & Bowling Club isn't a cracking golf course. In fact, in 2020, US GOLF Magazine named King Island the 17th best nine-hole golf course in the world!
Now, let's get back to our list. For the purposes of the video below, we've selected six holes from Cape Wickham and six holes from Ocean Dunes and listed them in numerical order.
1. Cape Wickham - 1st Hole (Par 4)
A dramatic mid-length par-4 with a forced carry over a cliff. Interesting fact, the back tee on this hole is actually part of the putting green.
2. Cape Wickham - 9th Hole (Par 5)
Possibly the best inland hole at Cape Wickham, the ninth plays downhill all the way to the green, which is protected short and left by a deep crater-like ravine. The ocean backdrop on the approach is superb.
3. Cape Wickham - 11th Hole (Par 3)
A low-laying par-three right on the coast played across a small rocky cove. In calm conditions, it's a hole you can get after but a cross wind can wreak havoc.
4. Cape Wickham - 16th Hole (Par 4)
The start of an epic three-hole stretch playing back to the clubhouse from the golf course's most northerly point. With a downhill approach, you can bounce your ball onto the green which is set against the backdrop of Victoria Cove.
5. Cape Wickham - 17th Hole (Par 3)
A show-stopping short hole with an exposed and elevated tee calling for a forced carry over rocks. A hump in the middle of the green makes front pins far more accessible than the rear of the green.
6. Cape Wickham - 18th Hole (Par 4)
One of the great finishing holes in world golf. A genuine risk-reward hole which baits you to aim right and try to carry the beach which is in bounds.
7. Ocean Dunes - 1st Hole (Par 5)
A sweeping dogleg right par-five with a steeply downhill approach to a green with the ocean beyond. One spot to avoid is the enormous fairway bunker close to 200 metres from the tee.
8. Ocean Dunes - 3rd Hole (Par 4)
Arguably the most difficult hole on King Island, this very long dogleg right par-four tempts the golfer to bite off the corner of the dogleg. The safer you play, the more blind the approach.
9. Ocean Dunes - 4th Hole (Par 3)
A dramatic par-three set on rocky coastline with a short forced carry to a very wide but shallow green. If you're lucky, the pin will be tucked on the right closest to the ocean which makes the hole more difficult but far more exciting.
10. Ocean Dunes - 10th Hole (Par 3)
A relatively flat but long par-three with a forced carry over water to a redan-style green. The only saving grace is the cliff to the right of the tee which can provide a wind buffer.
11. Ocean Dunes - 13th Hole (Par 4)
A drivable par-four set on an elevated plateau which might be the most exposed part of the golf course. There is a strong risk-reward element - you can lay up to a very wide section of fairway or take on the green, protected by a massive swale to the left.
12. Ocean Dunes - 14th Hole (Par 3)
A short, downhill par-three which can be quite inviting if the pin is at the front because slopes on all sides feed the ball back to the hole. If the pin is back and the wind is up, this hole becomes significantly more difficult.
