Only a visionary could have seen the leap a dusty sand quarry and disused dairy could take to blossom into one of South Australia’s premier links-inspired golf courses.
So it was fortunate that almost 20 years ago, while scouting for premium bunker sand to supply his various designs, legendary club professional and leading course architect Brian Crafter was so taken by this serene and picturesque setting at a mine site 70 kilometres south of Adelaide that he knew instantly he had stumbled on the perfect venue for an exquisite yet challenging test of golfing ability.
Convinced this rolling patch of land just beyond Adelaide’s southern wine district of McLaren Vale had the potential to sparkle, Crafter sold the idea to owner and quarry operator Alan Bennetts to transform part of his 400-acre allotment into a golf oasis. He hurriedly finished plans for the front nine but, sadly, Crafter died in 1994 and would never see his vision become a reality.
Bennetts teamed up with Crafter’s son and protégé Neil to finish the plans and, driving his own quarry excavators to shape the
18-hole blueprint, began the slow journey to bring Brian’s creation to life.
By 1997, the original front nine was ready, and the closing nine unveiled a year later. Fittingly another Crafter – Brian’s daughter and professional success in her own right, Jane – opened the panoramic clubhouse in 1999.
The result is a par-72 layout that tests patience and acumen as much as tantalises visually. Fleurieu is a complete package that was rewarded by judges of Golf Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses in the nation, securing 87th spot on the list.