The Links at Port Douglas
The Links at Port Douglas is a gorgeous links style course in the tropics.
Michael Wolveridge of Thomson Wolveridge fame is the man responsible for this most interesting design.
The course opened for play in 2001, and is routed around and through some tropical rainforest only a few iron shots from the famous four mile beach at Port Douglas.
It is a small site, and the course is tight- all the more credit to Wolveridge for coming up with such a fascinating layout. It is a course that I can play over and over- perhaps partly due to the wonderful climate...
In a different setting this would be a bona fide links course as each of the holes has a classic look and feel - from the bunkering to the shaping of the greens- all of which is reminscent of the great links of the UK.
The Links at Port Douglas- Fairway Bunkers on 4
The bunkering is both strategic and photogenic, and the course flows with:
- a mix of long par 4's (holes 1, 4, 14, 17)
- some short thinking man's par 4's (2, 9, 10, 13, 18)
- a variety of heavily bunkered par 5's, and
- some striking par 3's.
There is never a dull moment!
The Links at Port Douglas- holes 10 & 18
There is plenty of water in play as well and with the rainforest defining a number of holes, it is a different type of links course.
My favourite holes are the stretch from 10 to 13 with two ripper short 4's at 10 & 13 , a picture perfect par 3 at 11 and the short bunker strewn par 5 12th in between.
The Links at Port Douglas- Hole 11
The Links has had a number of name changes over the years and has been known as Sea Temple, and more recently Palmer Sea Reef.
To me it will always be The Links at Port Douglas, and my favourite of Michael Wolveridge's many designs.
Enquiries
The Travelling Golfer can assist with golf tours to Port Douglas, and Far North Queensland.
We can tailor a trip to suit your group. For more information on golf packages see Golf Destinations: Far North Queensland
Otherwise please contact us:
Below find Michael Wolveridge's own course summary, written in the early days when the course first opened
The Links at Port Douglas- right on hole 10
