Cypress Lakes

Feature holes include a pair of short par fours at the 7th and 17th: the first of these holes requires a tee shot carry across water and the second plays to a pond-protected green. The uphill 9th is the toughest hole on the outward half, while the 573-metre 16th is a monster par five that seldom yields a birdie, fully justifying its stroke index 2 rating.

Steve Smyers gave us the following exclusive quote:

“Cypress Lakes is a very special project to me. I first learned of the opportunity on my first trip to Australia to visit my wife’s family. Sherrin grew up a couple of hours north of Cypress Lakes and came to America to play and compete on the LPGA Tour.

We were newly married and I was just starting my design business, building my first major project, Wolf Run in Indianapolis, Indiana. At the time, the opportunity to get involved in a project of this type was very exciting for me my new wife and her family.

Australia was going through tough economic times and the project was developed on a very measured timeline and a tight budget. The region was experiencing a severe drought and the terrain had outcrops of rocks, both of which made construction costly, time consuming and tricky. It was a great learning experience.

During this time I made several visits to the courses of the Melbourne sand belt region where I became truly enamoured with the courses there. As a side note, my oldest son Trent is now living and working in Sydney and when I visit him we go to Cypress Lakes for a few rounds of golf.”