Thomson Perrett to manage Australian and London-based courses

This year, one of Australia’s best-known golf design firms is making a move into golf course management and overseeing renovations on two continents.

Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett, the principals of South Melbourne-based Thomson Perrett, plan to transform Yarra Bend Golf Course into what they call “one of Australia’s great multi-purpose public golf facilities.” The partners are part of a group that’s taken over management of the 75-year-old track — their aim being to make it a place where beginners of all ages, children in particular, can receive expert instruction and learn to enjoy golf.

“There is no doubt the course has great potential,” said Perrett in a prepared statement. “With a bit of tweaking to the layout to improve safety, some remodeling to existing greens and the introduction of couch grass, we expect the course to become Melbourne’s leading public course.”

Thomson and Perrett’s partners are Steve Bann and Dale Lynch of BannLynch Golf, which will relocate to Yarra Bend. Bann and Lynch are Australia’s best-known golf instructors, with a list of pupils that includes Geoff Ogilvy, K. J. Choi and Stuart Appelby. Last year, the duo opened a golf-training center at Cliffs at Keowee Springs in Six Mile, S.C., and they’re working with Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest & Associates to build some practice centers in China.

“Golf needs to provide pathways for junior golf development in Australia, and we need to build facilities where children can develop through the ranks,” said Thomson.

While Thomson and Perrett are renovating Yarra Bend, the English branch of their company will oversee renovations of two notable London-area courses: Berkshire Golf Club, a 36-hole complex located near Heathrow airport, and Richmond Golf Club, an 18-hole track in the city’s far western suburbs.

Tim Lobb of Ripley-based Thomson Perrett & Lobb will supervise the work, which is to begin this fall. Lobb plans to rebuild and relocate the bunkers on both of the Herbert Fowler-designed courses at Berkshire, which was founded in 1928.

The overhaul of Richmond, which has a Tom Dunn-designed course that opened in 1891, will be more extensive and is expected to take place over two winters.

It’s worth mentioning that Thomson and Perrett also have a new course under construction in Australia. Last year, Metricon broke ground on Thomson Perrett’s 18-hole golf course at Mandalay at Beveridge, a planned community that’s roughly 30 miles north of Melbourne. At build-out, the 650-acre community will have houses, a town center with stores and restaurants, a community recreation center, a health-care center, a school and other attractions.

Thomson Perrett expects the course to open in 2011 or 2012.