“The chief object of every golf architect or greenkeeper worth his salt is to imitate the beauties of nature so closely as to make his work indistinguishable from nature itself.”
— A. MCKENZIE
Framed and nourished by the Bhundoo-Clyde River estuary and native she-oak Casuarina glauca trees, Catalina’s 27-hole golf course marries traditional parkland course architecture with thoughtful design, endemic vegetation and a rich 100-year legacy.
A sanctuary for native fauna and a retreat for metropolitan and local golfers alike, Catalina’s course is recognised by three distinct nines that offer a blend of modern and traditional design. Our course is known for its year-round playability, tree-lined fairways and ever-changing coastal light, creating play that is ever-changing, no matter the condition.
Beyond the Rough
STORIES FROM THE COURSE
Led by course superintendent Darcy Jones, Catalina’s course team know these 27 holes better than anyone. With a diverse team and inherent knowledge of the South Coast’s natural landscapes, Darcy nurtures a course that is impeccably preserved, combining thoughtful, sustainable greenkeeping practices and traditional, tried-and-true techniques to continually improve our stunning course.
Kikuyu fairways, tees and surrounds and bentgrass-poa greens have established a playing experience that is authentic to the South Coast. In 2021, course architect Harley Kruse accomplished a complete refurbishment to the 15th hole. Combining a new play strategy, unique bunkers, zoysia surrounds and kikuyu, the 15th is a glimpse into the future of Catalina’s course.
A COURSE OF CHARACTER
In partnership with regional horticultural experts at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens and renowned Australian course architects, Catalina Club continues to finesse its horticultural approach.
For almost a decade, Catalina Club has partnered with course architect Harley Kruse to implement a considered, natural and seamless horticultural approach. With restorative biodiversity and conservation at the forefront, the course team plant for sustainability and floral diversity.
Surrounded by grassy woodland, swamp and dry sclerophyll forest with dense pockets of Casuarina glauca, the surrounds of Catalina’s course are biodiverse havens and complement a classic parkland course style.
A WITNESS TO HISTORY
In 2023, a small group of members with a passion for sustainability and native flora collected seeds from the towering, twisted 150-year-old forest red gum Eucalyptus tereticornis located between the 12th and 13th holes.
With the expertise of horticulturalists at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden, 100 gum seedlings were propagated, with some returning to the course for replanting, and others donated to restoring koala habitats across the Eurobodalla.
A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE
A haven for native and introduced species, the course is home to hundreds of kangaroos and an abundance of wildlife including kingfishers, corellas, kookaburras, black cockatoos, swans and migratory snipes.
With natural corridors bordering the course, native creatures can roam, find shelter, habitat and food with natural waterways snaking between greens and fairways.
SECLUSION FOR THE VULNERABLE
Home to one of the eight native grey-headed flying fox camps in the Eurobodalla, the protected casuarina floodplain forest between the 26th and 4th holes is a temporary home to this threatened mammal.
The nomadic flying foxes head to Catalina between October and May to raise their young, with the size of the camp changing every year depending on food availability. They are crucial pollinators and seed dispersers, feasting overnight on nectar, fruit and pollen.
The Eurobodalla Shire Council and the course team continue to work together to maintain an undisrupted haven for this threatened population.
A COURSE WORTH CARING FOR
In the early 2000’s, Catalina Club Life Member Peter Criss developed CATS – an initiative to encourage active members to be a part of Catalina’s course history. Each fortnight, our members collaborate with the course team by tending to garden areas and surrounds. It is an opportunity for passionate members to maintain and foster their home course – a course that will inspire sportsmanship and passion for golf for generations to come.
Our Team
The history of our course team begins with the Manns brothers, Athol and Claude, who offered their logging and landscaping services to expand Catalina to the scale we see today. Golf professional Chas Gray guided the brothers to develop the course after making his mark on the early Australian golfing landscape in the 1930’s.
Today, our team are guided by sustainable practices, teamwork and a common purpose to foster a perfect course each and every morning.
Pictured: Claude and Athol Manns pictured in the early 1950’s at today’s 17th fairway.
In honour of Athol Manns, one of our first groundsmen, Catalina Club and the Manns family have launched an inaugural tournament to honour the dedication and craftsmanship of the man who shaped and established our sprawling 27-hole course. Thanks to his pioneering spirit, and the help of his brother Claude, the Manns surname is deeply entrenched in the Club’s legacy.
Athol’s Cup is an invitational event made to honour and celebrate the passion and determination of today’s sports turf managers and professionals, greenkeepers and superintendents. The Catalina Club team welcomes all those in the turf industry to join this unique tournament, which will culminate with a presentation and ceremony on Friday 13 November 2026.
ATHOL’S BAR
In 2025, Catalina unveils a renewed sports bar shaped by the memories and traditions of the Manns family. Every drink on this menu has been co-created with the Manns family, inspired by recollections of Athol and the flavours that marked his era.
Try one of Athol’s cocktails – honest, characterful and crafted with care.
THE FUTURE OF GOLF
A Golf Masterplan for the redesign and refurbishment of Catalina Club’s 27-hole course and the construction of new course facilities has been shared with the members of Catalina Club.
