For as many years I fail to remember I have driven through the sleepy township of Bulahdelah located on the banks of the Myall River about 235 klms north of Sydney.

First as youngster on route to a family holiday destination and in recent decades either driving or accompanying friends for a weekend away from the ‘big smoke’.

And in motoring up-and-down the Pacific Highway that connects Sydney with Brisbane I would pass by Bulahdelah Golf Club.

The town of Bulahdelah located on the banks of the Myall River.

On my latest journey to Sydney that was late last year, I travelled north to Port Macquarie to visit long-time friend Brian Johnson and once again I drove by Bulahdelah Golf Club, and now more in sight since a major highway diversion around Bulahdelah was opened in July 2013.

In returning back to Sydney I stopped off for some lunch at Taree, another town now by-passed by the Pacific Highway, and given I was in no real hurry I also popped into local barber shop for a haircut.

Back in the car, I again found myself driving into the Bulahdelah region but on this occasion I was not going to pass through this town that gets its name from Bulahdelah Mountain or its Aboriginal name:  Boolah Dillah but instead I got off the highway to see if it could play this tree-lined 9-hole layout.

It had been raining and while it was still a little overcast there was hardly a soul in sight when I drove up to the clubhouse.

“Is it possible to play the course,” I asked the young fella behind the bar.  “Yes, you can play as many holes as you like for $10,” he responded.

“Ten Dollars!  I’ve just paid $20 for a haircut,” I remarked.

Scorecard in hand, I headed to the first and as I gazed around there was not a solitary soul playing the course that plays 2,874 meters over the front nine and 2,677 meters over the inward half for a total of 5,246 meters.

The course boasts four pars fours to start ahead of the only par five at the fifth along with a pair of par threes at the sixth and eighth holes before a par four to finish.

Then in playing the course as 18 holes, seven of the nine holes over the back nine play differently to the opening half.

Undoubtedly, the highlight in playing Bulahdelah was the sight of so many kangaroos who clearly were unimpressed by my golf game as they continued grazing as I found my way down the superb fifth fairway, and the hole closest to their sanctuary that is the bush land surrounding Bulahdelah Mountain.

The mountain stands very much like a sentinel watching over this wonderful quintessential Australian bush land layout.

And on this overcast day, I enjoyed a bright start managing to par the first which is a pretty straight forward opening hole before needing to negotiate the second that is a slight dog-leg right.  The uphill fourth hole brings into sight the major roadway construction that dramatically changed the township, so much so the Pacific Highway no longer meanders through the once ‘logging’ town and now completely skirts the town.

Bulahdelah GC – View off 8th tee & the No. 1 index hole

The No. 1 index hole is the par three eighth hole measuring 180-meters but it’s not the length makes this a challenge but the towering ‘gums’ just off the tee to the right and also lined-up short and around the green.

I returned to the clubhouse admiring a green jacket on display in a secure glass cabinet and that is the reward for the annual Bulahdelah Club Champion before savouring what I thought was a well-earned ‘Schooner’.

As then as I looked out over the golf course, that is so very much Australian, I pondered why it had taken more than four decades to finally play the course.

…. and all for the princely sum of just $10.

• Hereunder is a selection of photographs 

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