Cape Wickham Links

Architect: Mike DeVries (with Darius Oliver)

Opened in 2015, Cape Wickham Links is now one of the world’s most highly rated courses.

King Island is a remote island situated in the middle of the Bass Strait between Melbourne and Tasmania. The land is very exposed and suffers from harsh weather conditions on a regular basis. Although there is considerable rain throughout the year, Mike had to plan for periods of drought by building a reservoir. Given the sandy soil and need to hide such a feature, this was not without its challenges. To ensure that sufficient water was collected, a system was developed which captured seepage as it made its way to the ocean.

Mike helped oversee the recruiting of a suitable team with the knowledge and ability to build a world class course in such a remote place. Such was his commitment to the project, he and his family lived on the island throughout the build phase.

Plaudits came thick and fast. Indeed, when the renowned journalist Alan Shipnuck played the top courses of Australia and New Zealand for an article in GOLF Magazine’s February 2020 edition, he ranked Cape Wickham as the #1 course on the trip ahead of the other 10 played.