COURSE DETAILS
NOTE: The resort accommodation is currently closed for refurbishment, but the golf course is open per normal.
Palmer Coolum Resort is one of Australia’s finest all encompassing resort destinations. Providing superior accommodation and an unsurpassed range of facilities and activities, all set in a natural environment.
Covering over one third of resort grounds is the 72 par, 6300-metre, 18 hole golf course, designed by the renowned Robert Trent Jones Jnr.
When taking on this championship layout, golfers will experience a unique blend of contrasting landscapes that depict Coolum, from the windswept holes adjoining the Pacific Ocean to the manicured fairways that drift through native bushland. Whether you’re a professional or a modest weekend player, Palmer Coolum Resort offers players a challenge they will enjoy.
The championship course is complemented with an extensive range of practice facilities including; the Golf Improvement Centre, a chipping green that offers a wide variety of shots with an adjoining practice bunker, a practice putting green and a 260 metre all-weather, floodlit driving range, so when the day is over and night falls, turn to the driving range for a practice hit.
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I was hesitant to play here as the last time I played here was still when the Hyatt owned it - and heard it had taken a steep decline since Palmer bought it. I called up to make sure there were no green renovations were taking place, and was assured there was not, but when I played the course the next day, there were core holes in all of the greens!
What is a great layout is ruined by the poor maintenance - the fairways, greens, bunkers and facilities are run down and in really bad shape.
$100 with a cart is an absolute joke. Don't waste your time. It's so sad to see where this once great course has ended up
I've played this course about 10 times in the last 3 months. The reasons I keep going back are, Always friendly staff, excellent course conditions and there's usually only a couple of groups playing due to people beleiving the course is closed. Only the resort is closed, the course is in full swing..
A fair golf course which rewards goods shots, and punishes bad ones. Overall condition was sublime.
Have to agree with baddawg220 on some counts with this course. You definitely are not made to feel really welcome playing here. Its like give us your money and go out and play as fast as you can.
It is very busy, so they really push for fast play which is not a bad thing, but I found the starter totally over the top, and I can see how this could intimidate the fairer sex.
Anyway back to the golf, I played of the Championship tees and found it very challenging. There is an excellent variety of holes and everyone is different.
Lose a fairway and you can kiss Par goodbye, especially on holes with water as the grass is cut short right down to the waters edge. Course condition tee to green was top class.
I am looking forward to watching the Aussie PGA on Tele now to see how I should have played some of those holes. Well worth a Visit.
Talk about overrated. We played 3 courses in as many days saving the Hyatt for last. We wanted the last day to be the best. Bag Drop – do they make an effort to get your clubs downstairs to the pro shop – NOT. You have to get your buggy and drive around to the drop area and pick them up yourself. Not a big deal really, but after all, this is supposed to be a top class course. Staff in Pro shop – Well all I can say is pay your money and get out and golf. 1st Tee box – Starter gives the lecture and warns of slow play, then marshals watch throughout the round, even when you have to wait on every single tee box for the group in front of you. The course itself – greens were very good. I thought it would be a bit tougher, listening to most of the reviews. I personally played well carding an 83, and I play off of 16. The ladies in our group were intimidated from the start, which really sums it up, the pro shop and starter ruined the round for them. NOT GOOD.
This is a great course – Brilliant condition even after ridiculous amounts of rain. As some have mentioned, the opening holes are a bit weak in comparison to the rest, but the first four holes are being removed and replaced to make room for more units, so the course will may get a bit more of a quality start. The course is great, easy to walk, and most shots give you a few options to choose from. Note that the hero options usually have very little room for error…. Get a course guide and play safe where you can. Highlights for me were the 6th, 9 thru 11, and 18. The development going on at the moment detracts slightly, but this is a great place to play. Highly recommended, but make sure you book well in advance as it is quite busy, despite the cost – probably tells you something about what people think of the course
I would love to be able to say it was my best game ever – I was really looking forward to my week at the resort and golf everyday but after 8 holes on the 01/01/2008, soaked to the skin I was very disappointed. Damn those rains, the pro shop was great and will let me use my seek vouchers another time – so next time I will try and pick a dry day so at least I can get a cart!!
Think you can play golf heres one of the true tests of golf, best tip i can give go for a walk before you play and have a game plan, go off the fairway and double or more is going to happen great greens fairways almost the best i have played on staff 6 star plus.
This is my favourite fun course to play in the Country. It is not just a ‘Resort’ course, it is a great design and very challenging. You need to have a bit of control over your ball or you will lose it. Keep away from the water at all costs and use the line of the fairway bunkers as your paths to play the long holes safest. A few holes have swampy hazards right near false fronts to the green so watch out for these. The resort has great practice facilities and is a pleasure to play and stay.
This one is definitely in my top 5 golf courses to play. A bit expensive though, costing me $120 to play 18. Money well spent though, good customer service, good company, very challenging. I did not get a bad lie anywhere on the course even when deep in the rough. Some of the holes are the most pituresque you will see. There is water everywhere but it can be avoided if you choose the right clubs, driver on every hole is not advisable unless you can always hit it straight. Would love to be rich enough to stay and play for a couple of days!
Stayed at the Hyatt on their Freedom of Choice package and made use of the free golf. The course layout is fantastic and it was in great condition. It is a tough course, but not unfair, although if you play agressively it can reach out and bite you. There is no reason that you cannot post a decent score if you play within yourself and don't try to get too cute. The only crticism I have is that some of the bunkers were like concrete and very difficult to play from... otherwise I would award 5 stars.
Probably the best on the sunshine coast. Beautifully presented, and a great course to play. Not diffucult by any means, a good shot will reap a reward, but you need to be careful on some holes, not to push to hard. A good example of this is the 9th where the designer gives you a target on the fairway about 220 to 230 from the tee, but if you want to hit a driver then you need to absolutely precise, as from the 240 mark onward a drive 6 metres right of centre can kick hard right into a waiting lake that borders the right side of the fairway. It the sort of course you need to play a couple of times to really work out the design and where you can be aggressive and where you cant. The par 3's here are classic golf holes. This is a must play, but do try to play it twice!
"Q.How many balls to you need?
A. The average golfer looses 8.46 balls on this course"
...or so the sign in the pro shop says! I thought I was playing to my handicap (18) but managed to leave both my pride and seven balls somewhere on the course.
Definitely beautiful and challenging...you need to bring your A game when you play Coolum. Stray tee shots are punished in a big way. Greens were good (but maybe not to the standard you expect at $100 a round).
The pro shop staff were accomodating, but the starters and rangers were short tempered and arrogant.
All in all I'd say play it once for the experience, but there's better value for money in the area.
I won't be rushing back.
This course will test your game with the golden rule being "Keep it on the fairway" otherwise you will join the band of golfers who loose a swag of golf balls.
There is a lot of water that is in play along with thick scrub and trees for wayward balls. The fairways and greens are just great, the bunkers are possibly a little weak being not too punishing.
We played off the Black Tees with Coolum having what is arguably the toughest group of Par 3's around.
Thick deep grass around the greens surrounds requires great touch for an up & down.
It is overall a well presented course against a great backdrop of Mt Coolum. Yes green fees are a bit hexy but for a challenge it's hard to match.
After a lot of rain the course was too wet for carts - not that carts were in the plan anyway. The course played tough and took all the balls the pro shop claimed were going to be left behind (including one from the middle of the 17th fairway to an unseen crow).
A threesome of 17, 27 and 34 hcps only managed high teens and low twenty stableford points from the black tees. The greens were a little inconsistent but the course is beautifully presented. Some bunkers were a little thin and hard (not unexpected due to the recent rain).
Well worth the money for the experience, and probalby good enough value to get me back one day.
Definetly the stand out course in the area, when you consider Club Pelican and Noosa Springs are $50 dearer to play its a bit of a joke. Condition of the course is rarely bad, the bunkers are excellent (who wants to plug in fluffy ones when firm ones offer great lies and plenty of spin to stop the ball on quick firm greens) and the greens run true. A must play, it hosts the Aussie PGA for goodness sake... HELLO?!?!?
I last visited about 5 years ago and the course doesn't seem to have improved! It is a goode golf course and a challenge. The staff were great (wish I could have got her address), but the little things one expects for the money were missing. In the Pro-shop is a sign saying "the average ball loss is 8.6 per round". So enjoy the challenge the couse has to offer with some lovely holes.
For being the home of the Australian PGA this is a GREAT! course. The first 2 holes are a bit of a let-down..ver average. However, the course really comes into its own after the 3rd hole & the true beauty of it comes out.
A very challenging course to play on. And a LOT i Mean LOT of WATER.
However, if you want good value for money PLAY PELICAN WATERS ... the best value for money! (Monday at Pelican Waters is good value).
WIll I go back...definitely ... afterall I have to conquer the monster (Yeah right!)
SID
This course, I believe a very close second to Club Pelican on the Sunshine Coast. Some may argue, but remember just because it hosts the Aust PGA doesn't mean it is the best course, it means it is a very good course that can handle crowds and has lots of accomodation! In saying that, if you go to the Sunshine coast, this is a must play! Beautiful fairways and greens, challanging picturesque etc etc and good value for money.
I have played golf at the Hyatt Coolum many times and always found it in magnificent condition and enjoyable. The golf has been at times not memorable though that is not the fault of the golf course. It is true that if you stray from the fairways you are punished by losing a ball or two. Keep your focus and accept that this is a champion course and you need to use the one thing you are always told about when playing golf your brain. Have a great time and remember when you lose a ball you are not the first, and you will probably find one or two of someone elses when you are looking for yours. Enjoy !!!
A friend and myself stayed at the Hyatt resort with an unlimited golf package. Course is magnificent and demanding (take a few spare balls)Greens are very fast and fairways near water seem to suck your ball into the water. However don't go looking for any eats after about 8:30pm as nothing is open. Don't rely on the Bell Hop staff to help you get a cab out to the airport. We allowed 40 mins for the 7 min journey and nearly missed our flight.
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