Lonsdale Links by OCM Golf | A Template for Australian Golf

Описание: Lonsdale Links represents a bold reimagining of Australian golf architecture. Located on the Bellarine Peninsula overlooking Lake Victoria, this transformation by OCM Golf, led by architects Ashley Mead and Mike Cocking, brings golden age template design to Australian shores for the first time.

The story begins in 2000 when a struggling country club faced an uncertain future. Through visionary planning and patient execution, what emerged twenty years later challenges every convention of modern Australian golf. Inspired by Charles Blair McDonald's National Golf Links, the design adapts classic template holes – the Alps, Biarritz, Redan, and Road Hole – to the coastal landscape of Lake Victoria.

Working within just 140 acres, the architects discovered remarkable parallels to Long Island's terrain: rolling sand dunes, shell grit deposits, internal wetlands, and dramatic elevation changes. The removal of towering sugar gums revealed natural contours hidden for decades, creating the perfect canvas for this unprecedented experiment in Australian golf design.

The distinctive features announce themselves immediately. Linear fairways and square and rectangular greens that appear natural from ground level but reveal their modernist influence from above. Shell grit paths that crunch underfoot, guiding players through ancient Moonah groves between holes.

Highlights include the drivable first hole – an Alps template that challenges players immediately with a blind shot over a ridge. The Biarritz second with its characteristic valley bisecting the green. The controversial sixteenth, where an out-of-bounds fence sits immediately behind a Road Hole-inspired green, creating one of the most talked-about shots in Australian golf. The photogenic seventh, transformed from featureless farmland into a stunning short par three.

The transformation extends beyond the golf course. A new clubhouse, designed by Wood Marsh, frames panoramic views. Modern maintenance facilities support meticulous conditioning. Forward tees in landscape-inspired colours replace traditional gender coding, making the course playable for all. The residential development that funded this vision sits discretely on higher ground, its presence barely noticeable from the golf course.

For members who waited two decades through planning battles and construction delays, the result vindicates their patience. From outside Australia's top 200 to inside the top 20, Lonsdale Links proves that thoughtful design, respect for landscape, and commitment to a bold vision can create something truly exceptional.

Today, the course stands as both homage and innovation – honouring golf's golden age while creating a distinctly Australian expression. It's a model for club redevelopment, showing how strategic land use can fund transformation while enhancing rather than compromising the golf experience. Most importantly, it demonstrates that Australian golf architecture can stand proudly alongside the world's best, not through imitation but through thoughtful adaptation and respect for place.

00:00 Introduction
01:02 The Templates
04:26 1st Hole - The Alps
05:48 4th Hole - Buckley's Chance
06:40 - 7th Hole - Gill's Carry
06:56 - 16th Hole - Road
08:18 - Design Philosophy
08:59 - Design Challenges
10:08 - A Thriving Club

Architecture by OCM Golf (Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead)
Location: Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria
Completed: 2019

Video: Contours Agency

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