The nine-hole course at Rottnest Island has reopened following a major redesign and renovation project.

Victoria-based course architecture firm Davey Shearer led the project at the course in Western Australia, which now includes new grassed tees and realigned fairways.

The original ‘sand scrape’ greens, essentially oiled sand putting surfaces with no grass that require smoothing before putting, have been replaced by large grass putting greens.

A new irrigation system has also been fitted at the Rottnest Island course, which lies approximately 10 miles off Australia’s west coast near the cities of Perth and Fremantle.

Architect Ben Davey made a final construction visit to the course in July, and said: “The routing of the old course has not changed, but the course will play very differently now that it has a variety of tee positions and ‘real’ greens. The greens have been designed to allow for plenty of pin positions, but if you’re on the wrong part of a green, there is a lot of movement and you’ll have a tough putt. I think the greens will be a lot of fun.”

Originally designed by Des Sullivan with the assistance of Nev Johnson, the course opened in August 1961 with sand greens.

Davey Shearer’s design associate and construction co-ordinator Tim Lovell oversaw much of the construction, and Peter Fleming, formerly of Burswood Country Club, has supervised grow-in.