RATHO GOLF LINKS

Location

Bothwell, Tasmania

Client

Greg Ramsay

Ratho Golf Links is Australia’s oldest continually played golf course. Crafter + Mogford were engaged to undertake a study of the course’s history and reconstruct holes, or part thereof, lost as a result of the intervening WWII and the construction of a new road bridge crossing of the Clyde River in the 1980’s. Much of the charm of the course is gained from its quirky ‘old world’ elements. Stock fencing is retained around some of the greens – so that some ‘paddocks’ of the course remain operational. The 8th sees play over a privet hedge bordering the homestead. In essence the restored holes hark back to earlier days when golf courses were ‘found’ rather than ‘built’ and any construction work was limited to tees and greens while using the natural ground with its features as the primary hazards. Following on from C+M's restoration of holes in the southern paddock, C+M designed 4 new holes to take the course up to 18 holes.