Current Status

The golf course is nearing completion, with all design, landscaping and most infrastructure works finalised. Only the course furniture and course toilet are to be received or constructed, both are well underway and on time for opening. 

OCM’s work effectively finished at the end of August. The entire course is now under full control of our Course Superintendent Michael Freeman, and his team who will spend coming weeks continuing the grow in and commence grooming of the course with a view to opening for play as soon as turf conditions permit.  

As members have been made aware in previous communications, the weather plays a significant part in bringing the course up to a standard suitable for play. Couch growth (our fairways) require a consistent ground temperature (at the root zone) of 22 degrees (currently 12 degrees) to achieve optimum growth, which unfortunately has not yet occurred. Whilst the leaf has turned green the key growth is under the surface and this will spring to life at that soil temperature.  Over coming weeks, as the weather warms up, we look forward to enhanced growing conditions to allow the turf, particularly in sodded areas and native grasses/vegetation around bunker and green edges, to take root and flourish. We have the water, now the warmth is all we need.

Anticipated Opening Date - Introducing Preview Play

Whilst the Club has every intention of achieving the December timeline, Members should note that the course will not open for play if it is not ready. Aside from the Membership base itself, the golf course is our Club’s greatest asset and we must protect it at all costs. Playing prematurely on young, soft turf too soon would have detrimental consequences and undo much of what has been achieved to date. Young turf, be it greens or fairways, are like young babies, susceptible to disease and need ideal conditions to flourish and recover from setbacks – e.g. wear from traffic. 

Based on the latest information, with some help from the weather, the golf course is still expected to be open for restricted “preview” play in early December 2025.  This term "Preview Play" is simply to let members know that administratively we will be changing up our plans, understanding the playing habits on the new course, bedding in our systems and of course the course will be very young.  An exact date will be confirmed and communicated in mid-November, based on the advice of both our Course Superintendent and also our consulting agronomist in regard to the condition of the turf and its suitability for play.

It is worth reinforcing that the course turf will still be young for at least another year, and the native plant areas will take 3-5 years to establish.   Therefore, play restrictions play will be in place until the turf health matures to a level it can recover as we are accustomed. 

Official Gala Opening – Save The Date

One date which is locked in is Saturday 28^th February 2026. That is when the Club will be hosting a Members Gala Evening to mark the official opening of the new course with a range of guests attending to help celebrate the occasion.

The day of the 28^th will include some competition play and more details on both the play and the gala evening will be released over the coming period. In the meantime, please put the date in your diary.

Preview Play 

Irrespective of the exact “open for play” date, the Club has determined that any golf played will commence in a staged format, once again with a view to protecting what will be a very young and immature course over the initial period.

Full details will be provided nearer the time: however members can expect the following framework to be indicative of how play will commence.

• Phase A - for the first period of play will be limited to approximately 620 rounds per week.  This will continue until turf conditions allow increased play. All rounds must be pre-booked.
• Phase B – rounds available will increase to approximately 740 per week for the next 6-9 months following the completion of Phase A. This should take us through to mid-Spring 2026.  This phase provides for more than 38k rounds, more member rounds than we have had before. 
• Phase C (ongoing recommendation) – Target rounds per week to be back to optimum, being approximately 880 rounds per week.

The above targets, in particular the ongoing recommendation, have been created based on historical data for rounds played at the club going back to 2010. It is interesting to note that back in 2010, the club had over 1000 playing rights members and the projected full playing membership from December 2025 is 976 playing rights members, ie: after the intake of the Cranbourne members.

Inevitably, with restricted fields initially, there will be some limitations on member bookings to play the course. E.g. one game per week booked with a second being able to be booked 24 hours out (subject to availability), moving to two games once booking demand eases etc. Details will be advised as we get closer to opening.

Members should be aware that the Cranbourne Golf Club will remain available to HGC members for play all the way through to the end of February 2026. This will allow continued play for members unable to get on the timesheet at Huntingdale during the opening weeks which will be subject to the most restrictions.

Additionally, members should note that their green fee rebate can still be claimed for any green fee golf played at other courses up to the end of February 2026, irrespective of when Huntingdale opens for preview play. All rebate claims must be submitted by 31^st March 2026.

The Course

The course will have 4 sets of tee markers which, from back to front, will be black, light blue, navy blue and gold. These were chosen to be in keeping with the Huntingdale colours. The intention is that the tees will all be gender neutral and that any member can play from the tee of their choosing. The slope ratings attached to each set of tees (for both men or women) will adjust handicaps accordingly. 

Golf Australia will be visiting the course in November to establish our course rating and slope ratings for all tee markers against both the Men’s and Women’s scorecards.

The hole indexes (degree of difficulty) will be set by the Club prior to the scorecards being finalised. Initially these are a “best guess” and over time the hole indexes will be amended based on data gathered from actual rounds played.

The order of course play has been determined as a two tee start from the 1st hole and the 13th hole (old 10th). For either option, your round of golf will conclude on our outstanding feature double green comprising the 18th and 12th holes – right in front of the clubhouse.

Other

Other items of significance which may be of interest are:

• A new fleet of golf carts will arrive prior to the opening of the course for play. The same rules apply as previously, ie: a medical certificate is required for a member to hire one of these carts.
• As the course matures, a fully fitted out drinks cart will be operational on the course. Initially, the weight of this unit on the new turf may be problematic so it will be introduced at the appropriate time.
• A “Pace of Play” module has been purchased to assist our golf shop staff in monitoring play on the course. Essentially this module works in concert with the Mi-Score App so the Golf Shop will have “GPS visual” on the location of all groups on the course and be able to quickly identify and address any slow play or congestion issues that arise on the course including sending groups messages directly, whether it be for slow play or a weather warning.  Some examples of messages you may receive are below.
  

• It is recognised that many members have GPS devices such as Garmin watches or Bushnell handhelds. The software for these units will need to be updated to include the new Huntingdale layout. This is the responsibility of companies  such as Garmin etc. to update, however HGC has commenced advising these organisations that changes have been made and that they need to re-map the course for a future update to their users.
  

Further Updates

For the latest information, please visit the Club website. Regular updates will be provided via both the website and email as the opening date approaches.

We thank all members for their patience and support as we finalise preparations to welcome everyone back to the course.

Best regards,

Greg Smith
Captain
Huntingdale Golf Club