By Andrew Marmont
BOASTING two prime 100 golf programs, a PGA high-performance facility and an attention grabbing clubhouse, visiting Sandhurst Membership looks like going to a sweet retailer for a weekend golfer. There may be a lot to love, see and do. However you gained’t see CEO Dean Jamieson resting on his laurels.
“The imaginative and prescient is to be the premier golf and residential property within the nation,” he tells Inside Golf.
“There are solely 4 or 5 ‘Sandhurst’s’ within the nation for the dimensions. Anybody who has been a resident or member, been within the setting or used the well being membership can see that imaginative and prescient is solely achievable. We would like anybody who comes right here to be ‘wowed’ by the Sandhurst expertise.”
It begins if you enter the complicated. A sublime foyer with a jaw-droppingly excessive ceiling creates a way that you’re in a novel house – extra akin to a five-star resort. There’s a massive and open follow vary and several other spacious placing greens to get within the zone earlier than hitting your course of selection.
Two championship golf programs
Members and friends can play on both the Champions or the North course. There may be often a members’ competitors course and the opposite one is the visitor course. There may be some flexibility for members to herald friends at sure occasions within the afternoon.
Each are solely completely different in format and problem. Members love the chance to check themselves and benefit from the luxurious of getting two championship programs in the identical venue.
“The North course off the tee is a bit more forgiving,” Jamieson says.
“It’s a little bit extra open when it comes to its design. Thomson-Perrett (golf course architects Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett) are well-known for his or her bunkering. The Champions Course is quite a bit tighter. The bunker and inexperienced complicated are most likely not dissimilar to each programs however undoubtedly have completely different grass varieties.”
We performed on the Champs course and loved the problem of those bunkers. Many, notably on the par fours, had teasing fairway bunkers inside driving distance. Enjoying with a member is a should, as most of the greens are blind pictures with deep contouring and unforgiving slopes. From a playability perspective, it might problem each low- and high-handicappers with its format and the difficult strategy pictures. The fairways have been immaculate. It was a pleasure to play.
The Australian PGA have been headquartered right here earlier than transferring to Sandy Hyperlinks in 2021 whereas the PGA Academy stays primarily based at Sandhurst.
Membership expertise
Sandhurst has round 1,700-1,800 members, comprising a combination of platinum, five-day, and six-day members, which incorporates juniors. The ability hosts 120,000-130,000 rounds per yr. The membership’s primary focus is on enhancing the membership expertise, which flows on to all areas of the membership, together with course utilisation, company golf and group engagement.
After we visited the course, there have been some capital enhancements going down reminiscent of renovating the present pool and transferring the professional store to the entrance of the venue. Little issues like these mix to make the expertise an accessible and thrilling one for members and friends.
“Whether or not you might be strolling into the professional store, the fitness center, or the hospitality and occasions space, you might be welcomed as a member and really feel a part of a group,” Jamieson says.
“That’s actually necessary for us. That actually is the overarching dedication. On the golf course facet, we’re dedicated to enhancing the standard and consistency of each a part of the house. Most golf golf equipment are often judged on their greens, so we’re reviewing our upkeep program to enhance the playability of the greens and proceed to work on all facets of agronomy.
“Then if you step onto the golf course you’ve gotten that ‘wow’ issue. You’re feeling like you might be in a particular setting that has a very sturdy self-discipline round every part we do. This even consists of issues like vegetation administration exterior of the tees, fairways and greens,” Jamieson added.
Sandhurst has invested closely in its group’s abilities and expertise. All employees endure coaching to make sure they align with the membership’s values and to prioritise the membership expertise. Within the golf division, there’s an skilled skilled golf teaching group consisting of former touring gamers, together with Cam Davies, Caleb Wamstecker, Jon Abbott (Supervisor of Golf), Marty Doyle and Josh Cassap.
“We wish to allow extra participation and decrease the boundaries of entry,” Jamieson says.
There may be additionally a powerful urge for food to extend girls’s golf membership and to attain this purpose via a mixture of coaching, clinics, and partnerships with the likes of PGA and Future Golf, who reside on-site.
The Sandhurst group are additionally eager to welcome extra company golf bookings. It is smart because the venue can cater for big teams in addition to golfers and non-golfers.
A group focus
It’s a curious truth about Sandhurst that the golf complicated is located inside a residential space. If you happen to lived on a golf course, you’ll be a golfer, proper? Improper. Of the 1318 houses and over 4,000 individuals who reside at Sandhurst, solely 30 per cent are golfers. This statistic has led to a higher give attention to group engagement.
“Our providing as a membership must be throughout all demographics,” Jamieson says.
“We wish to create extra activations for the broader group. We have now some actually necessary group teams right here who’ve been disconnected with the membership for numerous causes. There are easy issues we will do to construct this group again.”
The annual Australia Day celebrations are a wonderful instance of this group spirit. There’s a fireworks show, meals vehicles and the golf course turns right into a mini carnival. Households and all demographics benefit from the expertise collectively. There are additionally Halloween occasions and the membership has engaged ambassadors like Damien Fleming, Max Gawn and Jake Lever to convey the group collectively.
“We wish to decrease the boundaries to entry and make the power much less intimidating. It begins with enhancing the group expertise,” Jamieson stated.
With a world-class venue and a renewed give attention to welcoming new and native individuals to Sandhurst, it’s a vacation spot you’ll be able to’t miss.
Sandhurst Membership Truth File
Contact: 75 Sandhurst Blvd, Sandhurst VIC 3977.
Cellphone: (03) 8787 7011.
Web site: www.sandhurst.com
Inexperienced charges: $119 for 18 holes on the North Course and $119 for the Champions.
Golf carts: $60.
Rent tools: Sure.
Observe amenities: Sandhurst has an open driving vary the place you’ll be able to hit driver, a brief recreation space and several other placing greens.
Hardest gap and why: The fifteenth gap on the Champions Course has a difficult bunker and tough second shot. On the North Course, the par 4 18th requires accuracy from the tee to keep away from water, notably if you’re enjoying from the ideas.
Greatest probability for a birdie: The par-3 eleventh gap on the Champions is brief however manageable with an correct tee shot. On the North course, it’s the quick par 4 14th.
Don’t miss: The wonderful lunch menu on the clubhouse.
Clubhouse amenities: The clubhouse provides a number of eating choices, together with the relaxed Heydays Pizzeria and the subtle Members’ Eating Room, which serves recent beer, full menus, and specialty espresso. Members additionally take pleasure in a fitness center, indoor pool, steam room, tennis, and basketball courts.
Memberships: The membership provides 5, six and seven-day membership choices in addition to junior memberships.
Professional store provides: The professional store has all of the choices a golfer wants, together with snacks, merchandise and attire.
Membership professionals: PGA Professionals Cam Davies, Caleb Wamstecker, Jon Abbott (Supervisor of Golf), Marty Doyle and Josh Cassap are available for 1-on-1 instruction, group teaching and clinics.
