Lake Karrinyup Country Club

Lake Karrinyup Country Club is a private golf club located in Karrinyup, Western Australia. The golf club consists of an 18-hole championship golf course, and a 9-hole "short course". The championship layout at Lake Karrinyup was founded in 1928, designed by Alex Russell who was the Australian partner of the famed golf course architect, Alister MacKenzie.[1]

Lake Karrinyup Country Club
Club information
Coordinates31°51′42″S 115°47′07″E / 31.8616°S 115.7853°E / -31.8616; 115.7853
LocationKarrinyup, Western Australia
Established1928; 96 years ago (1928)
TypePrivate
Total holes27
Events hostedAustralian Open (1952, 1960, 1968, 1974)
Lake Karrinyup Bowl (1962-63)
Johnnie Walker Classic (2002–03)
Perth International (2012–19)
WebsiteLake Karrinyup Country Club
Championship Course
Designed byAlex Russell
Par72
Length6,531 metres (7,142 yards)
Course rating75
Course record63 (Retief Goosen, 2002; Craig Spence, 2003)

Course

Overview

The championship course is a par-72 layout that winds its way through undulating ground, native gum-trees, and indigenous vegetation.[2] Designed by Alex Russell in 1928 and opened for play in 1930,[3] the course has seen a number of changes in its lifetime. The most significant changes occurred between 2007 and 2008, when Michael Clayton Golf Design was enlisted to undertake a significant overhaul of the golf course to return it, aesthetically and architecturally, to Alex Russell's principles.[4]

The signature 8th hole from the tee

Dominated by the lake from which the course gets its name, the most memorable holes are ones which run adjacent to and over this natural feature.[2] The signature 8th hole is a 201-metre par 3 which requires a shot that carries the lake onto a raised green. Also notable is the 507-metre (554 yd) par-5 3rd hole which is flanked along its length by the lake, and the short 302-metre (330 yd) par-4 14th which, due to clever bunkering, presents a number of options off the tee.[5]

Scorecard

The championship course scorecard is as follows. Please note that all measurements are from the Black (Championship) tees.[6]

Hole #ParMetersYards
14294322
24428468
35507554
44388424
53179196
64415454
75560612
83201220
94344376
Out3633163626
       
Hole #ParMetersYards
104337369
115506553
123135148
134414453
144302330
155487533
164428468
173200219
184406444
In3632153516
Total7265317142

Course Record

The course record of 63 is shared and was initially achieved by South African, Retief Goosen, playing in the 2002 Johnnie Walker Classic. The record was then equalled in the same event the following year by Australian golfer Craig Spence.[7]

Rankings

Lake Karrinyup is consistently ranked as one of the top 20 courses in Australia.[5] A slip in its ranking early in the 2000s was part of the motive for the Clayton redesign.[4]

Events

Lake Karrinyup has played host to four Australian Opens (1952, 1960, 1968, 1974),[2] two Lake Karrinyup Bowls (1963, 1964), two Johnnie Walker Classics (2002, 2003),[2] and was the venue for the Perth International since 2012.

References