Spring Valley Golf Club

The ‘play everyday course’ is a trendy, if not over/mis-used idiom amongst golfers. Though when applied correctly, the phrase can fashion a delightful cast of often unsung clubs, overlooked for their perceived lack of ‘greatness’. As golfers cast their mind over the qualities of a course one would love to play every day, they find themselves longing for;

a flowing routing which fosters a perfectly pleasant walk
a variety of engaging puzzles, where interesting teeing and approach strategy intertwine
a compelling set of green complexes and surrounds
conditioning which supports the shots encouraged by the architecture

Amongst their yearning, a distinct absence of features both loud and extravagant - qualities too often correlated with the ‘greatness’ of a course. Like a meal too rich is best consumed sparingly, over time golfers grow wary of relentless championship tests and the grand scale of hulking landforms, gravitating towards the pleasantries of nuance, subtlety and enjoyment.

Spring Valley's putting green view screams Sandbelt golf

In the heart of one of the game’s most desirable pockets – the Melbourne Sandbelt, Spring Valley Golf Club delivers an appetising rendition of a course golfers could never tire of. Laid out by Vern Morcom – son of Mick, the former Head Greenkeeper at Royal Melbourne who famously carried out the construction of Alister Mackenzie’s plans for the West Course. It is of little surprise that despite its level site being more akin to its closest neighbour; Kingston Heath, Mackenzie’s strategic principles and artistic hazards heavily influenced Morcom’s work at Spring Valley.

Naturally blessed with the trademark qualities of Sandbelt golf, Spring Valley’s firm and fast turf encourages the ground game and perfectly complements the questions asked by the architecture, while the sandy scrub and bracken which flanks the fairways delivers wonderful texture, an unmistakable sense of place and opportunities for heroic recoveries. Though playing corridors afford ample room, the scattering of tree lined holes evoke an intimacy and seclusion to the layout – there is no doubting Spring Valley is a decidedly handsome arena for the game.

Flashes of Royal Melbourne's bunkers at the short tenth

Spring Valley’s greatest strength lies in its routing’s ability to keep golfers engaged with a relentless run of high-quality golf. Holes are routed in a number of triangular loops, keeping the golfer constantly off balance as they switch directions, whilst swathes of short grass connect greens with tees making for a seamless stroll. Much like at Commonwealth, there is an admirable simplicity to its strategy as it tests with an assortment of doglegs whereby golfers prepared to take on the fairway bunkers find themselves rewarded with a clean angle of approach, whilst those who bail out face an approach contested by greenside bunkers and slippery run-offs.

Though simple in theory, when paired with firm and fast conditions, Spring Valley’s strategic consistency and variety of questions posed from tee to green spawns a very strong spread of two-shot holes. Thoughtful and considered golf is rightfully rewarded, but the carrot for the daring is always dangled near a looming hazard.

Bold hazards crowd the corner of the dogleg second

Despite Spring Valley’s persistent quality of par fours, its diverse set of one-shotters will likely live longest in the memory of the travelling golfer. Spread evenly throughout the layout, each of the quartet asks for completely different shots.

Whilst the cute but nasty tenth and its postage stamp green will steal the headlines, the uphill fifth commanding a sweeping draw and long fourteenth which begs for a ball on the ground make an excellent pair of running mates.

The heroic one-shot fifth

When considering all of Spring Valley’s qualities; firm turf, intricate green complexes, strategic consistency and interest, a first-rate set of one-shot holes and a delightful walk, it remains a wonder how it flies under the radar. Uninteresting and uninspiring rounds at Spring Valley seem few and far between - surely the measure of a course which would be appreciated and enjoyed on an everyday basis. One can't help but find themselves musing over whether the louder traits and sky-high moments of the perceived ‘greats’ may be a touch overrated, for Spring Valley’s dependable steadiness, scattering of excellence, and subtle intricacies deliver all that one could seek from a regular loop.

A subtle pushed up green and flashy bunkering close out the 8th

The Second

Early in the round arrives Spring Valley’s finest two-shot hole. A grand dogleg left across flat ground; a row of bunkers smothers the inside corner of the dogleg with the right half of the green bunkered typically in severe fashion. In a perfect embodiment of the layout’s classical strategy, the daring golfer who challenges the fairway bunkers leaves an open angle of approach, while those who play out to the right are charged with flying the greenside bunker and quickly stopping the ball on the firm putting surface.

The second tee with fairway bunkers encroaching

The Third

Amongst the Sandbelt’s most revered traits, is the abundance of quality one shot sholes across flat ground. The third at Spring Valley, with a hazard wrapping around its front and a pair of flanking traps does a wonderful job of carving interest across a docile piece of land. The subtle run-offs at the back and right edges shape give rise to nervy recovery shots from tight lies. An attractive and compelling short hole spawned from very little.

The surface's raised back left shoulder provides some reprieve

The Fifth

Though Spring Valley occupies a relatively flat site, there are moments of elevation change scattered throughout the round – the first arriving at the one-shot fifth. An attractive par three playing uphill and across sandy scrub, the fifth green is set across the line of play, its angle and accompanying contours commanding a draw. Flanked by bunkers and a run-off beyond, the subtle back to front and right to left tilt of the putting surface provides a typically subtle test.

An intimidating look at the one-shot fifth

The Ninth

Spring Valley’s routing carves intrigue across the more gentle sections of terrain with a variety of doglegs – few executed better than the ninth which sweeps left from the tee. With a bunker hugging the left side, the golfer who plays closest to it opens up the length of the green smothered by bunkers. The swale which fronts the putting surface, though seemingly innocuous, gathers the weak approach from the right side. In many ways the ninth sums up the best of Spring Valley – strategically sound and consistently engaging.

A dramatic approach awaits to close out the front side

The Tenth

Throughout the world of golf there are a handful of famously terrifying short par threes – the island green at TPC Sawgrass, Royal Troon’s Postage Stamp and the drop shot seventh at Pebble Beach the most notorious. Though few targets appear and play smaller than the tiny surface of the tenth at Spring Valley as cavernous bunkers eat into all sides. Impressively, the vicious green plays even smaller than it looks with slopes tipping into the right traps. A true do or die, heart in your mouth shot which lives long in the memory. A magical Sandbelt one-shotter.

A short shot of great consequence

The Eighteenth

Spring Valley’s routing is beautifully paced, scattering moments of excellence amongst the constantly solid and reserving the grandstanding moment for the final hole. The majestic two-shotter staggers drive bunkers up the right side of the fairway – the ideally positioned golfer taking it as close as they can to the hazards. As the fairway climbs gracefully towards the raised green site, gorgeous terraced bunkers are carved into hillside left of the green, poised to catch a weak approach. There is great satisfaction in making two solid swings at Spring Valley’s final chapter.