Mirage Country Club in Port Douglas hosted a locals-only ‘Progressional Invitational’ golf game last Friday to show off upgrades to the course. 

New owners Fullshare have stated they intend to re-develop the club to a five-star standard and have invested in new equipment including Toro mowers and tractors, Yamaha buggies and new Calloway golf clubs, in addition to directly employing former groundskeeper contractors and expanding the maintenance budget.

General manager Rob De Carlo said the investment aimed to undo near on a decade of decline the club and course had experienced under previous owners.

“This shows the commitment of the new owners to bring the club back to a five-star standard,” Mr De Carlo said. 

“We’ve been conducting this revitalization since April and I think the results are starting to show. 

“The idea of the game was to show local clients and business leaders that we are very serious about brining the club back to the standard it previously held - in three months we will be in an even better position than we are now.”

The game itself was a nine-hole Ambrose competition, with winners on three under par including Ben Wood, Tony Cowell, Brian Snape and Matt Pawelski.

Runners up on one under par were Ritsuko Dickinson, Daiki Tanaka, Simon Coady and Mark Norman.

Rhys Baldwin made the longest drive on Hole Nine and Adam Reid got closest to the pin on Hole 2. 

Mirage Country Club also expressed thanks to Sheraton general manager Steve Molnar for prizes granted to winners on the day.