Course Rating

O  Blue - Men (Par 72)
      6,137 m, SCR 71.8, Slope 120

O White - Men (Par 72)
      5,961 m, SCR 70.9, Slope 119

O Red - Women (Par 72)
      5,020 m, SCR 71.4, Slope 117

O Red - Men (Par 72)
     5,020 m, SCR 66.0, Slope 106

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Golf holes – name origins and hole descriptions.

The holes at the Pink Lake Golf club have been given names to reflect either a significant characteristic of that hole, or in some cases to honour various members who had some special involvement with that hole.

The first nine holes were opened for play in 1982, with the second nine opened in 1989.

The course layout was re-arranged in 2007 when the two nines were swapped so as to be more logical in fitting with the aspect of the newly built clubhouse.

Hole 1 'Tipperary'

Men Par 5 - 545m - Index 2
Ladies Par 5 - 438m - Index 3

Named by the clubs inaugural president Kevin Tobin, as recognition of both his own ancestry and also to acknowledge the testing length of this attractive but punishing Par 5. After all, as the song goes – it’s a long way to Tipperary.

HOLE 2   'Windy Pass'

Men Par 4 - 368m - Index 10
Ladies Par 4 - 301m - Index 9


So called because of its easterly aspect which aims directly into the famous Esperance sea breeze. The hole features a plateau on which the ideal tee shot should be aimed, leaving an approach shot through a sloping valley to a green ringed by a grass covered moat with a sand
bunker at the rear.

HOLE 3   'Chalkies'

Men Par 4 - 378m - Index 6
Ladies Par 5
- 362 - Index 11

In the early years this hole was adopted by a group of school teacher members – and so 'Chalkies' was applied to acknowledge their connection. This is a testing hole that doglegs to the right, where the brave (and powerful) can shorten the approach shot by cutting off the corner. The rewards are rich when it works but disaster awaits the mis-hit.

HOLE 4   'Little Dipper'

Men Par 3 - 153m - Index 18
Ladies Par 3
- 95m - Index 17

A tiddler of a Par 3 that features a large swale between tee and green, which resembles the contour of a ride on the Big Dipper – but at this length 'Little Dipper' seemed more appropriate. Nothing to fear with this hole – just hit it straight!

HOLE 5 'Eagles Nest'

Men Par 5 - 474m - Index 16
Ladies Par 4
- 331m - Index 5

From the mens tee this is a realistic Eagle chance for those players who are game enough to play their second shot across 200m of dense coastal scrub. Success leaves you with an Eagle putt whereas failure will usually mean a lost ball. The green is perched in an elevated natural bowl like setting, resembling an Eagles Nest.

HOLE 6   'Plumbob'

Men Par 4 - 361m - Index 4
Ladies Par 4
- 245m - Index 14

A nickname hole originating from foundation member Bob Dorizzi, ably assisted by fellow Bobs – Dunwoodie and Gottschalk.  This is a difficult Par 4 that has its straight line aspect obstructed by a protrusion of ball hungry Melaleuca’s, demanding that the tee shot is aimed well to the left.

HOLE 7   'Acid Drops'

Men Par 3 - 185m - Index 11
Ladies Par 3
- 176m -
Index 13

So named by surrogate custodians Gerry and Sherry Middleton and Bob and Jean Camplin for reasons that will remain known only to them.
 A lemon tree was strategically planted alongside the tee to validate the name, however, like the founders this has since perished – but the name lives on.
This is a testing Par 3 that requires an accurate tee shot to a kidney shaped two tiered green.

HOLE 8   'Neck or Nothing'

Men Par 4 - 386m - Index 5
Ladies Par 4
- 304m - Index 8

Foundation member David Cole considered the key to success on this hole was to drive a tee shot across the narrow neck at the top of the hill, thus leaving a shortish shot to the green. Failure to reach the neck left you with a long, blind shot to a tricky green location.  This fairway has a semi dogleg left leading to a sloping green which is guarded by a short but arresting bank in front.

HOLE 9   'The Gallows'

Men Par 4 - 366m - Index 7
Ladies Par 4
- 335m - Index 1

This hole hosts the clubs original water bore at a point adjacent to the fairway, and which for many years featured an overhead gantry frame which was used to service the bore. A noose was hung from the gantry in decoration, and as this hole was for many years played as Number 18, it was considered an appropriate option to end the day for those players who may have suffered a poor round.  This is a straight forward Par 4 where the main difficulty occurs at the green where two pot bunkers narrow the approach area to the putting surface.

HOLE 10   'Around the Bend'

Men Par 5 - 476m - Index 9
Ladies Par 5
- 448m -
Index 2

They say golf can send you around the bend sometimes and in this case the meaning is literal as the hole takes two dogleg turns to the right over the course of its reasonably short length. The green is concealed behind a gentle ridge, but have faith – it is where it should be. Just take aim, hit – and hope!

HOLE 11   'Take 5'

Men Par 4 - 400m - Index 1
Ladies Par 4
- 305m - Index 6

A tough Par 4 which in the winter months plays directly into the teeth of the southerly buster. A five on this hole is a good result which requires two long shots to reach a sneaky green that clings to the slope of the hillside fairway.

HOLE 12   'Snapshot'

Men Par 3 - 163m - Index 13
Ladies Par 3
- 88m - Index 18

Named in honour of one of the clubs conceptual fathers – Ken 'Snapshot' Colgan who earned his nickname from his younger days as a goal kicking footballer.  This hole features a generous fairway that ends with a steep bank in front of a small but heavily contoured green, which accounts for some tortuous putts depending on the hole location.

HOLE 13   'Old Smokey'

Men Par 4 - 379m - Index 3
Ladies Par 4
- 249m - Index 15

Another dogleg hole for the men where an accurate tee shot opens up the line for the approach shot to the green, but where a wayward hit can mean playing again from the tee. The out of bounds fence that lines the eastern fairway edge is a reminder of bygone days when the town rubbish tip resided in the adjoining paddock.  In the clubs early days this site was still in use and the course was often engulfed in smoke from the smouldering refuse – hence 'Old Smokey'.

HOLE 14   'Apex'

Men Par 5 - 446m - Index 15
Ladies Par 5
- 356m - Index 12

This is a baby Par 5 where reaching the green for two is a real prospect especially when assisted by the summer breeze.  The fairway is arrow straight and steadily climbs from the low point at the tee to its apex at the green.  The hole was aptly named to reflect both its location and also to honour the involvement of a group of Apexians who contributed toward its early development.

HOLE 15   'Slipaway'

Men Par 4 - 307m - Index 8
Ladies Par 4
- 265m - Index 10

The name here is a clue to the perils that lie ahead at the green where a treacherous slope from front to rear can result in many approach shots rolling off the back and slipping away down a steep embankment. To complicate matters there are two greenside sand bunkers to add to the difficulty for a hole that from the tee appears quite easy.

HOLE 16   'The Basin'

Men Par 3 - 154m - Index 17
Ladies Par 3
- 128m - Index 16

This forgiving hole has an elevated tee that looks down to a green nestled in an amphitheatre like setting where the slope of the fairway feeds many a wayward shot back onto the putting surface.

HOLE 17   'Razorback'

Men Par 4 - 310m - Index 12
Ladies Par 4
- 290m - Index 7

Named to reflect both the steep sand hill ridge that runs down the left hand side of the fairway, and also the involvement of founder member Jim 'Razor' Blades who adopted this hole as his during the construction years.  This is a short dogleg Par 4 that finishes with an expansive flat green with steep drop offs at the rear, making for a difficult approach shot, especially during the summer months when the ball flight is propelled by the notorious sea breeze.

HOLE 18   'Petticoat Lane'

Men Par 4 - 313m - Index 14
Ladies Par 4
- 304m - Index 4

The lady members took this hole on as theirs and named it accordingly to acknowledge that fact.  This is another relatively short dogleg hole where planted trees have now grown to become a hazard when playing from the tee. Once safely around the corner the fairway leads to an elevated two tier green which adds a degree of difficulty to this otherwise benign looking finishing hole.

Updated 24 Sep 16