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the vines
Nestled in the heart of the Swan Valley, the Vines Resort & Country Club is a great place to stay during a trip to Western Australia. The fact it has two 18-hole courses helps, too. By Jon Underwood.
It happened, appropriately enough, on the 13th hole. An errant tee shot, a ricochet off a tree... Somewhere at The Vines there’s a kangaroo with a very sore head.
Unfortunate accidents with native wildlife notwithstanding, my round at one of Australia’s favourite resort courses had, until that point, been delightful. It had been exactly a decade since I last visited the course, watching from behind the ropes as Michael Campbell shot a blistering final round 64 to triumph by five shots in the 2001 Heineken Classic. I thought then how much fun it would be to come back and play the course.
Sadly, the decision to move the Heineken to Melbourne the following year took The Vines out of the national spotlight for a while. The course subsequently hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic (2006 and 2009) and the LPGA Lexus Cup (2007) but now there is a major push to bring top-line golf back on a more permanent basis (the WA PGA Championship will be staged here from October 20 – 23).
“In the past we’ve had tremendous support from the public for the tournaments we’ve had here,” explains golf club Manager John Messenger. “It boosts the occupancy of the resort so we are definitely looking to get another big tournament here.
“All the professionals loved coming here because with the accommodation it meant they could stay on-site and everything was close at hand. Being nestled in the Swan Valley with the restaurants and vineyards close by, it’s certainly a brilliant place to be.”
The arrival of new General Manager Phil Smith has further re-energised the resort and there are big plans for the future, both on and off the course.
“You need to be unique and keep evolving and changing,” says Smith. “You can’t just sit back and rely on your rooms or a golf course where they’ve held tournaments. It’s all about the staff, the service and the visitor experience at the property. You’ve got to keep moving all the time and introduce new ideas.”
And Smith is clearly an ‘ideas’ man. As we chat, he breaks off to discuss with the course superintendent the intricacies of pegging a hot-air balloon to the putting green. “We have a lot of things planned over the next 12 months, including a major refurbishment of the rooms and our main banqueting areas. We are in the hunt to get tournaments and other activities back to the property so it will once again become a fully integrated resort," says Smith.
The Novotel Vines Resort & Country Club was built in two parts. They completed 27 holes in 1989 with the Novotel Resort and a further nine holes added in 1996, creating the Lakes and Ellenbrook courses. Designed by Graham Marsh and Ross Watson, they make the Top 20 Resort Course lists almost every year.
“I would say the Lakes is the harder course but the back seven on Ellenbrook are the toughest holes,” says John. “Visitors get a great golfing experience, watching native wildlife while tackling a championship course that the top professionals have played.”
The Heineken was played on a composite course, utilising the first and second, as well as 12 to 18 on Ellenbrook, and then 10 to 18 on the Lakes. While the Lakes has plenty of water (hence the name), Ellenbrook has trees, bush and bunkers (there are 220 in total at The Vines) as its major defences and it’s easy to find all three if you’re not accurate. I discovered it to be as challenging as described, with the holes from the turn really forcing the player to plot a path from tee to green.
My particular favourite was the 12th, a cracking par-five that John lists as one of the signature holes. From the tee you have to go over or around a big tree before the hole doglegs to the right with several fairway bunkers lying in wait like sandy minefields. There’s bush on either side and plenty of kangaroos, as if you needed any more distractions.
Safely negotiated, that brings you to the aforementioned 13th, a long par-three of some 230-metres off the back tees. According to John Messenger, the professionals hated this hole during the Heineken and it’s easy to see why. Pretty much all carry uphill to a devilishly sloping green guarded by big bunkers on the right hand side, you’ll be looking at a long iron or fairway wood just to reach the short stuff.
The journey home doesn’t get any easier, with the tricky par-four 15th rated two on the stroke index. At 400-metres off the back tees, it’s the longest par-four on the course and challenges players to hit an iron to a long, thin green with plenty of bunkers at the front. Eighteen is a fantastic finishing hole, a 480-metre par-five that’s generous in the driving area but narrows to a big, deep green. Two carefully placed shots will set up a pitch-and-putt for birdie.
While work is being carried out on The Lakes to make it even more attractive, it’s the planned refurbishment of the rooms that promises to make The Vines a must-stay destination with golfers. While there’s nothing wrong with the size of the rooms (mine was huge), the renovations will replace wood with polished metal and introduce fresher decor.
“Our rooms are a great size and good quality. They’ve been well maintained over the last few years but it’s time to bring them to the next level and make them a little bit more modern,” says Phil, who knows that his property also benefits from a prime location.
“You’ve got vineyards, you’ve got restaurants, chocolate factories, breweries, some of the best concert venues in the valley with great acts. What else could you want out here?”
You certainly won’t want for delicious food. Dinner in the Muscat Restaurant was an absolute treat, due to the hard work and creativity of Executive Chef Mark Ford. Think braised pork cheeks with crispy kipfler potatoes, warm paysanne lentils and a mustard dressing, followed by roast red emperor “Provencal”, ecrasse potatoes with crab and broccollini. Just make sure you leave room for the brioche pudding with rhubarb and Cointreau.
“We’ve been spending a lot of time working with our chefs over the last few months so that’s why our new menu features a lot of local produce,” adds Phil.
“It’s all about creating the experience but also delivering the expectation of the experience when they arrive. That’s what it’s all about for us.”
Pictures courtesy of The Novotel Vines Resort and Country Club.
at a glance
Getting there: Qantas flies direct to Perth from all major Australian cities. The airline has just launched a new Business Class service on the route from Sydney. 131-313; qantas.com.au
The Novotel Vines Resort & Country Club is a 35-minute drive from Perth. Budget offer great deals on hire cars to get you from the airport to Port Kennedy and Mandurah. 1300-362-848; budget.com.au
Green fees: Resort guest, AU$79 Mon. – Fri; AU$89 Sat. and Sun; non-guest, AU$99 Mon. – Fri; AU$109 Sat. and Sun.
Accommodation: The Vines has 103 rooms comprising Resort, Deluxe Spa and Executive Suites, all with balconies or courtyards overlooking the course or vineyard. The resort also has 54 condominiums with either two or three bedrooms.
Dining: The Muscat Restaurant offers à la carte and buffets on Saturday nights. The Vines Café & Bar serves light snacks and drinks; the Muscat Bar is the place for a delicious pre-dinner cocktail while the Greenside Café offers snacks before or after your game.
Facilities: Apart from the two courses, The Vines has a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool and heated spa, four tennis courts, two squash courts and a fully equipped gymnasium.
For information on The Vines, visit
vines.com.au
For information on holidays in Western Australia, contact Tourism Western Australia at westernaustralia.com
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