The Lonsdale Golf Club driving range is now a construction site
The Lonsdale Golf course driving range has closed to make way for the next stage of the club’s multi million dollar housing redevelopment. But members have been told not to despair, with a pledge of even better practice facilities once the seven-stage, 100 home project is completed.
Club President Leigh Couttie says three existing practice nets remain on the course and new short and long practice options are also being installed.
“Our long term facilities are going to be fabulous. It’s just that we’re going through this interim stage and because we are doing so much work there are impacts that we have. We have done what we can to reduce those impacts. The practice range that we had won’t be available but there are alternatives."
Those alternatives include a new short game practice hole at the end of the 18th hole and on-course professional coaching.
“Because the driving range itself has gone we’ve now got the ability to for Sean [Charleston], our professional, to do course coaching. Until we’ve got more permanent facilities in place he can take people out onto the actual course,” Mr Couttie said.
“The driving range that we used to have alongside Fellows Road was limited in both length as well as width. The new practice facility is on our master plan, and we’ve got two options, but they both come up with the same sort of layout. It’s a much more extensive practice facility.”
Lonsdale has also entered into a partnership with the Queenscliff Golf Club, both to offset the disruption of construction works to its members but also to safeguard the embattled Swan Island course.
“We’d like to have a full 18 holes playable the whole time, we don’t have that at the moment, but with this agreement our full members can play at Queenscliff and vice versa.
“They’re having a difficult time at the moment but we’re trying to work with them to make sure that we’re both in the best possible position,” said Mr Couttie.
“Queenscliff is really unique in its environment and a lot of our members really love playing there so we want to work together to make sure that we’re both really viable golf clubs and we’re talking together about a whole range of things.”
Construction works are well underway on sections four and five of the redevelopment, with houses soon to stretch along the former range to the existing Pro Shop.
Section five will extend further into the course, while six and seven – which includes a new clubhouse - will run along the course’s northern boundary.
Club President Leigh Couttie says three existing practice nets remain on the course and new short and long practice options are also being installed.
“Our long term facilities are going to be fabulous. It’s just that we’re going through this interim stage and because we are doing so much work there are impacts that we have. We have done what we can to reduce those impacts. The practice range that we had won’t be available but there are alternatives."
Those alternatives include a new short game practice hole at the end of the 18th hole and on-course professional coaching.
“Because the driving range itself has gone we’ve now got the ability to for Sean [Charleston], our professional, to do course coaching. Until we’ve got more permanent facilities in place he can take people out onto the actual course,” Mr Couttie said.
“The driving range that we used to have alongside Fellows Road was limited in both length as well as width. The new practice facility is on our master plan, and we’ve got two options, but they both come up with the same sort of layout. It’s a much more extensive practice facility.”
Lonsdale has also entered into a partnership with the Queenscliff Golf Club, both to offset the disruption of construction works to its members but also to safeguard the embattled Swan Island course.
“We’d like to have a full 18 holes playable the whole time, we don’t have that at the moment, but with this agreement our full members can play at Queenscliff and vice versa.
“They’re having a difficult time at the moment but we’re trying to work with them to make sure that we’re both in the best possible position,” said Mr Couttie.
“Queenscliff is really unique in its environment and a lot of our members really love playing there so we want to work together to make sure that we’re both really viable golf clubs and we’re talking together about a whole range of things.”
Construction works are well underway on sections four and five of the redevelopment, with houses soon to stretch along the former range to the existing Pro Shop.
Section five will extend further into the course, while six and seven – which includes a new clubhouse - will run along the course’s northern boundary.