The Murray River is one of Australia’s most popular golfing destinations, thanks largely to its year-round sunshine, its inexpensive green fees and the relatively high grooming standards of most courses along the river. Among the best in all regards is Murray Downs, which was created by Ted Parslow in 1990 and in a short time has established an extraordinary reputation for high-quality turf standards. Over the years its superintendents have moved on to bigger and better things, none moreso than Richard Forsythe who went from Murray Downs to Metropolitan and eventually onto Royal Melbourne.

Murray Downs does not just come recommended for its couch fairways and bent greens, however, there are some effective design strategies in place across the layout, and several memorable holes like the cross-lake par three 5^th and the strong par four 17^th. The rest here are pretty straightforward, and likely to hold far greater appeal to the social golfer rather than the eager design aficionado.

Located on the northern side of the Murray, a short distance from Swan Hill, Murray Downs is well worth a look for golfers planning to spend time exploring Australia’s most famous river.