Hilltop Golf Course
Masterplan 2023
Mollymook Golf Club is committed to:
investing in the long-term future of golf facilities and the golf experience at Hilltop and Beachside.
providing a benchmark golfing experience for all types and standards of players.
preserving a well-known and much-loved local community asset.
HILLTOP MASTERPLAN UPDATE
We are delighted to present to you the updated Hilltop Course Masterplans, featuring the comprehensive overall plan, detailed 'hole by hole' layout, and the proposed addition of a new '19th' hole on the 6th hole. Currently, we are in the process of conducting a thorough 'Flora & Fauna' Assessment with the assistance of an Ecologist. This assessment is crucial before we can proceed to submit any plans to the council for the inclusion of the new 19th hole.
To ensure the smooth progression of this project, we will be forming a dedicated Hilltop Masterplan Implementation Project Team. This team will bear the responsibility of driving the project forward effectively. It's important to note that these plans are not the final detailed versions, as previously mentioned. As we advance from hole to hole during the implementation phase, we will continue to engage in a consultative process with our esteemed Members. Your input and feedback remain integral to the success and enhancement of our beloved Hilltop Course.
To view the plans, please click on the links below.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
The Golf Management Committee (GMC) is responsible for overseeing the development of the Hilltop Course Masterplan and upgrade project.
GMC Members
David Hume - Club President
Sean Carson - Club Captain
John Holt - General Manager (Facilitator)
Barry West - Golf Manager
Mark Pullinger - Course Superintendent
Justin Trott - Programmed Turnpoint General Manager
David Lunardelli - Troon Golf Director of Agronomy & Operations
Providing specialist skills in the fields of golf design, agronomy and golf management are:
Barry West
CCM, PGA Golf Manager, Mollymook Golf Club
Barry West has been the Golf Manager at Mollymook Golf Club since 2012 and an Australian PGA member for over 30 years. Barry has worked in Golf Management at Clubs and Resorts in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, China, and South Korea.
Barry is one of six managers in Australia to achieve a Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation after completing the Business Management Institute (BMI) course through the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) in 2022. Barry is currently the sole Australian with both Certified PGA Professional and Certified Club Manager qualifications.
Prior to his appointment at Mollymook, Barry was General Manager of several Troon Golf properties in Australia and Asia. He has been involved in the construction and pre-opening phases of several golf courses and has worked closely with some of the world’s leading golf architects including Greg Norman Design, Robert Trent Jones Jnr, Rick Jacobson and Rick Robbins.
In recent years, Barry has been on the Golf Advisory Committee for Golf NSW and has hosted regional Golf Management Australia (GMA) events. Barry is a guest speaker on golf management topics at GMA NSW and GMA QLD events.
Mark Pullinger
Course Superintendent, Mollymook Golf Club
Mark Pullinger is the Golf Course Superintendent at Mollymook Golf Club and represents Programmed Turnpoint who specialise in golf course construction and maintenance. Mark is responsible for the course maintenance and turf management at both the 18-hole Hilltop course and the 9-hole Beachside course.
Mark has been working at Mollymook Golf Club for over 25 years. He started as an apprentice greenkeeper in 1997 and worked his way through the ranks to Course Superintendent in 2018. Nobody has more knowledge about the Hilltop and Beachside courses than Mark.
Mark has an impressive array of qualifications including…
Diploma in Horticulture/Turf
Certificate IV in Horticulture/Turf
Certificate in Greenkeeping Trade
Chemical Certificate Accreditation
TORO Site Pro Accreditation
It is rare to have a superintendent spend his entire working life at the same course. Mollymook is fortunate to have Mark who is dedicated to ensuring the best possible presentation of both of “his” golf courses.
Justin Trott
General Manager, Programmed Turnpoint - Golf Division
Justin Works directly with the GMC, providing specialist skills in the fields of Golf course design and agronomy. He is a passionate golfer and has twenty-seven years’ experience as a professional Golf Course architect, having worked as a course designer with Thompson Perrett Golf Course Architecture for 16 years prior to joining Turnpoint in 2011.
Justin is past President and a current member of the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects (SAGCA). He was responsible for designing the 2014 Hilltop Golf Course Masterplan and was Project Manager of the 2015 Hilltop bunker renovations.
Justin designed the Beachside Course upgrade works in 2021 and has been commissioned to design the 2023 Hilltop Golf Course Masterplan
From the Shortland Waters Golf Course, the Hamilton Island Golf Club, the Champions Course and many more, Justin’s been responsible for delivering some of Programmed Turnpoint most acclaimed projects to date.
David Lunardelli
Director of Agronomy and Operations Australasia, TROON Golf
David Lunardelli has over 35 years’ experience in the construction and maintenance of golf courses throughout Australia and Asia. He has been with Troon Golf for 20 years and over that time has been involved in the construction and management of many properties across Australia and the Asian continent.
David furthered his studies at Sydney University and majored in Crop Science. His knowledge of turf maintenance, management, construction, and operations is well known and in demand.
David is a specialist golf course agronomist and has worked closely with Mollymook Golf Club since 2012, overseeing all course maintenance activities and upgrade work. In addition, David has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Strategic Planning process.
HILLTOP COURSE HISTORY
In 1963, Sydney Raper Pty Ltd & Middle Harbour Investments offered the Hilltop land to Mollymook Golf Club with the proviso the club develop an 18-hole golf course to augment their real estate development. As a consequence, Mollymook Golf club commissioned Ken McKay Snr to design and supervise the development of the project. Course curator Bill Andriske was seconded from Beachside to undertake the role of construction foreman.
The Hilltop course was designed by Ken McKay Snr in 1970. The first 9-holes were opened for play in 1973 and the second 9 quickly followed. In 1977 the 18-hole Hilltop course and clubhouse were officially opened and from that time onwards the two golf courses have been affectionately known as Hilltop and Beachside.
HT Course Masterplan - Background Information
2006
Ross Watson Golf Course Architecture Pty Ltd was commissioned to provide golf course architecture services. Hilltop had been in play for 30 years and several issues of concern were starting to emerge regarding safety, aesthetics, and maintenance. The general thought process was to modernise the course by developing a ‘Control Plan’ which was intended to provide direction for current and future committees. The plan included detailed design concepts with particular attention paid to:
Adjusting the routing of the layout.
Addressing shade problems on fairways
Creating bunker-style consistency,
Addressing tee design to ensure ample size.
Ensuring green designs have ample pin location areas and suitable contouring.
Substantial capital investment was required to reroute the course and construct new tees and greens. As it turned out, the club didn’t have the resources and very little of the work detailed in the Control Plan was ever carried out.
2013
Ryan Van Der Veen is a Golf Course design specialist and worked as an associate for 19 years with Greg Norman Golf Course Design before branching out on his own. In 2013 Mollymook Golf Club engaged Ryan to provide a design review and assessment report of the Hilltop Course. The report findings contributed significantly to tree growth management and the development of the 2015 Masterplan.
2015
Golf Course Architect Justin Trott developed a basic course Masterplan which primarily focused on improving the bunkers, constructing cart paths, and rerouting the 9th hole. Much of the bunkering and cart path construction has been achieved however proposed works to the 9th hole have not eventuated.
2023 HT Course Masterplan
The purpose of the plan is to improve the playability and quality of the playing surfaces.
The course layout will remain the same with the exception of the 9th hole which is rerouted away from the proximity of the clubhouse and cart staging areas.
Primary objectives:
Increase the size of teeing areas to efficiently manage in excess of 50,000 rounds of golf per year.
Eliminate green design flaws that restrict pin positions and playability (balls blowing off greens) while also increasing the size of the greens to return them to their original size.
Install drainage in areas where wet weather creates access and playability issues.
Construct cart paths on all 18 holes to improve course access, to minimise damage to the fairways during wet weather and drought periods.
Address the safety issue associated with the positioning of the 9th green, currently located directly adjacent to the clubhouse and course access paths.
Secondary objectives:
Upgrade the irrigation system to best practice water management and operational efficiency standards.
Improve existing bunkering and surrounds.
Construct a new practice putting green.
Construct a new cart staging area.
Overview
9th hole – Safety
Safety concerns relating to the risk of errant golf balls hitting people in the high-traffic area around the clubhouse were first identified by Ross Watson in 2006. The issue was again highlighted by Ryan Van Der Veen in 2013, Justin Trott in 2015 and Harley Kruse in 2022.
Inclusions
Larger and improved tees and greens
New 9th hole (shorter par 3)
Additional tee on the 12th (longer par 3)
Upgraded and additional Bunkering
Cart Path access to all areas of the course
Zoysia turf on the approaches and green surrounds
Upgraded irrigation system
New practice putting facilities
New cart staging area
Order of Works
A new Green on the 8th fairway (creating a spare hole)
Commence urgent drainage works immediately
9th hole, practice green and cart staging area
Commencing with the 13th hole, upgraded works will proceed one hole at a time at the estimated rate of 3 holes renovated per year.
To best manage financial investment and to minimise interruption to play, one hole at a time will be closed for upgrade works, ensuring 18 holes are available for play at all times. When one hole is re-opened, the next will be closed.
The spare hole will require an establishment period to be at an acceptable playing standard. During that establishment period, drainage works will commence on areas of the course that require urgent attention.
Irrigation and drainage will be upgraded on each hole at the same time as the hole is closed for re-construction works.
Costs and Timeline
The cost estimate to execute the upgrade works with all inclusions, is $6.2 million (plus CPI indexed over the period).
In line with the long-term financial strategy, works will be staged to ensure investment in core income activities is maintained at all times. It is anticipated construction of the spare hole and drainage works will commence in 2024 followed by the 9th hole and practice green. Assuming there are no unforeseen circumstances and projected cashflow is achieved, the project will take 6 years to complete.
FAQ’s
How will members benefit from the proposed works?
Improved playability and quality of tees, greens, fairways, and bunkers.
Improved course access during wet periods
Reduced damage to greens and tees during extended wet and dry periods
Improved practice facilities and cart staging area.
How will I be affected during construction months?
It is expected the project will take 6 years to complete once the temporary green is ready for play. During periods of construction, the spare hole will be in play, ensuring 18 holes are available at all times. There will be minimal disruption to play as construction machinery and personnel will be based on the closed hole.
Competition Golf?
Competition golf will not be affected.
Social Golf?
Social Golf will not be affected.
Golf Events?
Regular golf events will continue throughout the construction period.