Golfcourse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks at Golfcourse. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so bear with me.

The first few days are a write-off, I’m sorry to say. The morning of Monday the 31st of August you’ve got a tiny 2 ft swell from the east, but it’s coming from the wrong direction and the wind is messy. That carries on through the day and into Tuesday the 1st – we’ve got a bit more size, 4 ft to 5 ft, but it’s onshore from the east with a risk of thunderstorms both morning and afternoon. The water is a nice 84°, which is about average for this time of year.

Wednesday morning the 2nd of September sees the swell push up to 6 ft from the southeast, but again, onshore wind and thunderstorms mean it’s only marginal. The combined energy is building – 1043 (moderate) – but it’s not clean.

Thursday the 3rd, the swell gets to 7 ft and then 8 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore and we’ve got light rain. The energy is strong (1442 on Thursday afternoon), but the conditions are just poor.

Friday the 4th of September shows a little promise. The morning is still marginal with 5 ft swell from the southeast and a cross-offshore wind (SSW at 12 mph). The energy is moderate (281). The afternoon, though, is where it gets interesting. The wind swings to the west-southwest at just 3 mph, creating clean conditions. The swell drops to 4 ft from the south-southeast, with moderate energy (281). The score is a 2. This is a true standout for the period. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean and rideable. This is a beginner-friendly break, so 4 ft is perfect. Keep in mind crowds are often here, so you'll have company.

From Saturday the 5th through to Wednesday the 9th of September, it’s a frustrating run. The swell gets big – 8 ft, 10 ft, even 13 ft on the 9th – but the wind is all wrong, either cross-on or onshore, and the wave comment says it’s either “poor” or “wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break.” The combined energy gets massive, hitting 5087 on the afternoon of the 9th, but that’s no good for a paddle surfer here. At 10 ft and over 8 ft, this is for experts only, and with the wind as it is, it’s more interesting for kite surfing than a longboard session.

Thursday the 10th of September is a drop-off, with 7 ft and then 6 ft, but the wind is moderate and cross-onshore, so it’s marginal at best.

We then have another gap of poor conditions from Friday the 11th through to Sunday the 13th of September. The swell is all over the place, from 12 ft down to 3 ft, but the wind is never clean. The energy is strong (5576 on the 11th morning) but the conditions are rated poor.

Now, here’s the real standout for the whole outlook. Monday the 14th of September. The morning is glassy. The wind is from the west-southwest at just 3 mph – glassy conditions. The swell is a clean 5 ft from the southeast, with an 8-second period, and combined energy of 518 (moderate). The wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” The score is a 3. This is the best you’ll get. It’s clean, it’s a good size for a beginner, and the wind is perfect. The afternoon gets a bit more cross-onshore, so the morning is the session.

After that, it fades out. Tuesday the 15th of September has only 2 ft swell and poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the window is very narrow. The best is the morning of Friday the 4th of September, and the absolute standout is the glassy morning of Monday the 14th of September. For the rest, you’re better off waiting.

Rusty.

Read more