Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club

Set in the beautiful Hunter Valley wine region, the Club is a Steve Smyers-designed resort course that debuted in 1992. From the championship back markers, the layout stretches to 6,467 metres and offers breathtaking views of the region's famed vineyard country and the surrounding Brokeback Mountains.

The front nine is gently undulating, with several small lakes and one or two local wineries dotted around, in contrast to the more challenging back nine, where the fairways are lined with trees and the terrain is hilly. The landscape may vary between the two halves, but it's always interesting.

Featured holes include a pair of short par 4s on the 7th and 17th: the first requires a tee shot over water and the second to a green protected by a pond. The uphill 9th is the toughest hole in the outer half of the course, while the 573-metre 16th is a difficult par 5 for birdie, perfectly suited to its Stroke Index 2 rating.