Bannockburn Golf Club’s Greens Upgrade: A New Era for Golf Near Geelong

If you haven’t visited Bannockburn Golf Club lately, now is the perfect time to come and see what all the excitement is about. Nestled among the beautiful gum trees of Bannockburn, just a short drive from Geelong, the club has undergone the most significant transformation in its history, and the results are truly something special.

From Sand to Grass: A Once-in-a-Generation Change

Since the club’s establishment, Bannockburn Golf Club had always been played on sand greens. While they served the club well for decades, the committee and members had long dreamed of making the move to grass. That dream became a reality thanks to the extraordinary generosity of an anonymous local benefactor, who offered the club $1 million towards the cost of upgrading the sand scrapes to grass greens. Inspired by a surge of community interest in the club, a full feasibility study was commissioned before engaging renowned Australian golf course architects Pacific Coast Design to bring the vision to life.

World-Class Design, Right Here in Bannockburn

Pacific Coast Design, led by course designer Paul Reeves, brought genuine creativity and expertise to the project. The new greens are constructed to USGA specifications, with a gravel drainage layer beneath 300mm of sand, topped with couch grass (Winter Green). The result is a true, consistent putting surface that rewards good golf and holds up beautifully in all conditions.

The increased size of the greens was a game-changer. Where the old sand greens averaged just 100sqm, the smallest of the new grass greens is 330sqm, with an average target size of 400sqm across all 19 greens. That extra space gave Reeves and his team room to be genuinely creative. The first green was designed with the shape of a koala in mind, inspired by the club’s beloved logo, while the 11th green channels the spirit of the famous 12th hole at Augusta National, with the green sitting across the line of play and a grassy swale in front in place of water.

Mounds and swales have been thoughtfully incorporated throughout the course, so that missing a green on one side presents a different challenge than missing it on the other – adding strategic depth to every approach shot without making the course feel punishing.

A Course That Welcomes Everyone

One of the most exciting things about the new Bannockburn is how well it suits golfers of all abilities. It’s shorter and fun, not intimidating, and will be a great beginners course while still offering a genuine challenge – with some surprisingly tight holes and doglegs that demand good shot-making.

The course routing has also been reviewed and refined as part of the master plan. Key changes include the 8th hole becoming a par 4, the 10th being extended to a par 5, and the 11th moving to a par 3, giving the back nine a more varied and interesting feel. New tee locations on several holes add extra length options, while additional mounding on key holes has added character and definition to the course.

A Community That Cares

What makes this project truly special is the spirit behind it. Members have been involved every step of the way, volunteering their time and turning out to watch the construction progress with genuine excitement. The club’s volunteer-led ethos, which has kept this course in wonderful shape for over five decades, runs deep here and it shows in everything from the condition of the fairways to the warmth of the welcome you’ll receive in the clubhouse.

Golfers who had previously headed to Geelong or the Bellarine Peninsula to play on grass greens can now enjoy that same experience right here in Bannockburn. For those who are new to golf, or thinking about joining a club for the first time, Bannockburn offers something increasingly rare: a genuinely fun, well-maintained course in a relaxed and welcoming community setting.

Come and See for Yourself

Whether you’re a seasoned golfer, a social player, or someone who has always wanted to give the game a try, Bannockburn Golf Club would love to welcome you. The new greens are maturing beautifully and the course is better than it has ever been. Come out and experience it for yourself – book a round now on Teenet