Neil organized a round of golf out at Yarrambat & invited Trevor Ian & myself. The day was fantastic, 27 degrees with a little breeze. The fairways were in good shape & as Ian & I found out the bunkers were soft & thick. The greens were being mowed while we were playing making some like glass & some putting friendly. We had a great day, with a lot of putts missing by a smidge & going past by 5 or 6 feet. Ian won the front nine (after which he had to fix his pops fence) & I won the 18.
Archive for December, 2005
Round at Yarrambat
Wednesday, December 28th, 2005Pre-Xmas Golf at Bundoora
Thursday, December 22nd, 2005Stan & I played here on the 20th of December. Neil joined for the back 9. The works at Bundoora are coming along nicely. The three holes on the front 9 that have been changed to couch look & play fantastic. There are 4 more holes in the process of being changed over. Probably best to give the back 9 at Bundoora a miss for the next couple of months until these holes have a chance to grow.
New site is live!
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005Welcome to the new golfinmelbourne website, we hope you like it! Along with a new look and feel, the site is packed with lots of new features including:
- RSS – Really Simple Syndication
- A photo gallery with all of our pics
- A weather feed to keep you abreast of the weather in Melbourne
- User registration and publishing capability. New members (contributors) welcome.
- Subscribe to get updates of the site via email
- Ability to search the site to easily find what you’re looking for
We will continue to provide members with access to great content including a guide to finding the best courses in Melbourne, all kinds of reviews, stories and annecdotes. Members also receive a free golfinmelbourne email account.
You’ll notice we’re using a new format for the site — its now a blog. We’ve imported the old content and have set the date/time on this to 01 December 2005, 00:00. Use the search tool if you’re looking for something specific!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think — we’d love to hear your feedback.
Review – Goonawarra Golf Club
Thursday, December 1st, 2005Address: 2 Francis Boulevard, Sunbury
Number of Holes: 18
19th Hole: Yes
Motorized Carts: Yes
One thing to keep in mind before you play Goonawarra is that it can get very windy out here, which can makes thing either very interesting or a complete pain in the ass, depending on how good you are playing in the wind.
The first & second tees at Goonawarra can be quite intimidating. They are hard up against a chain link fence. The fence is on the left hand side on both occasion but even to slicers like my self the fence gets into your head.
The fairways & greens where in fantastic condition & the sand in the bunkers was great quality.
Two of the great holes here at Goonawarra follow each other. The par 3 10th & par 4 11th.
The par 3 10th is 157 metres from the back tee. The lake is to the right, it’s not in play back makes the hole look great. The green is protected by a deep bunker at the front right & another bunker on the left.
The par 11th is over the road. It has another lake down the right hand side of the fairway. The hole doglegs around to the right & if you are prepared to take on the lake you can attempt to drive the green. The is a sign on the 11th tee saying that if you are going to have a crack to make sure the green is cleared before.
Goonawarra is a great course to play, just keep in mind that the wind does get up a bit out there.
Review – Wattle Park
Thursday, December 1st, 2005Address: 1012 Riversdale Road, Surrey Hills
Number of Holes: 9
19th Hole: No
Motorized Carts: Maybe, best to check.
Cost: 9 — $11.50 / 18 — $18.00 (weekday)
We were asked to visit this course by John (our friend from France), & I’m glad we did. Wattle Park is a lovely 9 hole course in the middle suburbia.
Wattle Park is not the longest course you will encounter in Melbourne but that doesn’t mean that it is easy. There are 5 par 3’s, 3 par 4’s & only the 1 par 5.
The 3rd & the 6 are both 215 metres long but the 3rd is a long par 3 & the 6th is a short par 4 making things even out in the end I guess.
Wattle Park is a course that if you play straight you will find it an easy course to conquer. There is only one set of tees making the back 9 exactly the same as the front. This could make the course a bit monotonous if you were to play 18 holes on a regular basis.
A couple of holes of note would be the par 5 2nd. From the tee you have a magnificent view of the city. The hole it’s self is the only par 5 on the course. There is a slight dogleg to the left at the end & the hole is mostly downhill. If you play down the centre you could quite easily birdie this hole.
The other hole of note is the par 4 5th. From the tee you are elevated over a deep gully with a creek running at the bottom. It’s one of those holes that can get into your head & make you play a bad shot. If you think too much about the gully you’ll probably end up at the bottom of it like Neil did.
The fairways were in pretty good nick & the greens, although a little patchy in places, were also in pretty good condition. There is a large number of Rosellas & Parakeets flying throughout the course making for a great couple of hours golf.
The million dollar golf ball
Thursday, December 1st, 2005When playing the La Meridian Nirwana Golf Resort in Bali, I was teamed up with a married couple from Osaka in Japan. Now the Nirwana resort has a signature hole which is a par 3 which you have to tee off over the ocean to the green about 160 meters away. It is a beautiful hole with the Tanah Lot temple in view to the left of the green. Now this is the sort of thing that, as a golfer, you dream about playing. In fact it was one of the reasons I wanted to play the course. So I tee up my ball (a little nervous I might add), & drill a 4 wood straight over the green & into the rough just through the back. I was stoked with the shot & wanted to hit another one, but not knowing the people I was playing with thought better of it. Now here is the bit I don’t get. Both of my Japanese playing partners didn’t even attempt to hit the ball from the tee. They both took drops on the fringe of the green. I mean they fly 6 hours to Bali to play golf & then don’t play the most amazing hole on the course. This got me to thinking, maybe they were playing with tour quality balls worth $20 each or something & didn’t want to lose them. When we got to the green I had a look at the balls they were playing with. They looked to me like driving range balls!!! They even had the stripe around middle!!!
After we got back home & looked at the video we took that day, I saw for the first time the expression on the face of the Japanese bloke I was playing with. The look of horror while the ball was over the water then the look of joy when it landed near then green was quite incredible. If he got that much enjoyment from my shot, imagine how he would have felt if he had have hit his own.
Review – Whittlesea Country Club Golf Course
Thursday, December 1st, 2005Address: Humevale Road, Humevale.
Number of holes:18
19th Holes: Yes on the weekend & Club days.
Motorised Carts: Yes
Cost: 18 — $22 (weekend)
Whittlesea is a very nice course & is in great nick at the moment. The fairways are lush & the greens are flat & true. Last year towards the end of summer it became very dry & hard under foot, but we were in the middle of a draught. All the reservoirs & lakes look full with hopefully enough water to keep the greens & fairways in great shape over summer.
The first is a good hole to begin on, at 335 metres is not an overly long par 4. The tee box is slightly elevated which adds a little extra distance to your drive. Your second shot will back up a slight rise to the green.
The second is short par 3 at 147 from the back markers, the visitors tee is generally 10 to 20 meters in from of that. The front of the green is protected by a small pond, with a larger pond to the left of the green. The green itself is quite a large target to hit so even average golfers such as myself have a good chance to land one on the dance floor.
My favourite hole on the front 9 is the par 5 4th. At 488 meters it’s not the longest hole on the course, but the water on the left is very much in play. The temptation is there to try & drive over the water, or you can play safe & put it down the right hand fairway. I would think there a bucket load of balls in this body of water, I know I’ve put my fair share in there . Once on the fairway you have approximately 230 meters from the bend to the green.
Now I have a bad habit of putting balls in water that is not even close to being in play & I’ve done just that on the par 4 5th. The pond on the left of the tee is no where near where you want to put your drive but never the less I have sent a couple of balls to their water grave on this hole. Once your on the fairway you have a dogleg right up the hill to a two tier green. It makes for a tough putt if you are on the wrong level.
The back 9 starts off with a tricky par 4. The fairway is downhill from the tee & the dogleg is about 150 metres. From the dogleg the fairways slopes quite severely to the left. The green is about 150 from the dogleg, so the best way to play this hole is lay-up to the dogleg then take a mid iron to the green.
The 11th is a long par 5. At 525 metres it is the longest hole on the course. A good drive will take you to the turn & from there it is still 2 shots to the green.
The 12th is a tough hole if you are playing from the members tee, but from the visitors it is a short par 4.
The 16th & 17th are a hard way to come home. Back to back par 5’s
To finish your round your are confronted with a 183 metre par 3 at the 18th. A tough way to finish your round & could bugger up your card if your not careful.
In closing I really enjoy playing out at Whittlesea & would strongly recommend it to anyone.
Cobram Trip — September 2005
Thursday, December 1st, 2005Five intrepid Golf in Melbourne members set off for a trip to the Murray on a Friday night, Ian, Trevor, Neil Darryl & Cary. The weather in Melbourne was crap but we keep telling ourselves that once we get over the great dividing range the weather would clear. Poor misguided fools!!!!! It rained all the way to Cobram, but the weather will clear for Saturday surely??? Friday night was spent down the local watching the Swans & St Kilda on the small screen. After a surprising good Chinese meal at the pub we watched the Swanies (Neil & Trevor were barracking for the Swans & the rest of us couldn’t really care less) beat the Saints. After the game Trevor went & checked out the local night club which was inside the pub. We had a quiet chuckle to ourselves when there was only the DJ & a couple of barmaids in the place at 10:30, little did we know. In an hours time the joint was going off, the place was chockers. Seeing as though we had an important golf appointment the next day, we todeled off back to the caravan just after midnight. We went to bed with hopes of a great days golf ahead.
Saturday started off blowing a gale & overcast….. & stayed that way. We begun the day with Neil cooking bacon & eggs on the BBQ for breakfast, they went down a treat. After that we headed into the big smoke of Cobram to buy a couple of pillows (the couch chousin didn’t quite cut it the night before for Cary & Trevor) & a towel (Trevor again). We played the new course at Cobram on the Saturday & the starter there was kind enough to let us play as a 5 & to hit off a little early. The day didn’t start well with Cary heeling his first tee badly into the bushes 5 metres in front of the men’s tee & 5 metres behind the ladies (first shout). The plan for the day was to have a closest the pin on each of the par 3 for $2 each making the a nice purse of $10. Not one of us managed to put a tee shot on any of the greens of the pars threes!!!!! In our defence the conditions weren’t working for us. It seemed that every hole was playing into the wind. On the last par 3 of the day Ian took a driver of the tee & only just put the ball over the back. The only shining light of the first day was Ian’s birdie (the one & only for the day) on the 18th. This helped him to a 7 shot win over Cary & 8 over Trevor. The next day held a lot of promise, the conditions couldn’t get any worse, & a $40 jackpot on the first par 3
Saturday night begun with Neil’s shouts at the bar followed by a nice BBQ of a couple of steaks & some chilly sausages (Neil regretted the sausages the next day). After that is was into the van for a round drinks & a game of Trivial Pursuit. The drinks flowed & the game didn’t ; ) The two Poms finally beat the Aussies, the Aussies cause wasn’t helped by Cary giving the right answer to his team mates & at the last minute throwing in an alternative that was generally the one they picked.
What a difference a day makes, clichéd but very apt. Sunday was perfect day for golf. Clear sky’s & no wind. Which should mean no excuses for not hitting the green on a par 3 one would think. Not the case. The thought of money must have got to everyone as we all missed the green on the first par 3 of the second round. The jackpot was $50 for the next one. The next par 3 was a winner. We had tee shots going just right of the green, going just left, just short & then there was Trevor’s. Just managing to hang on to the back of the green (there were discussions regarding what was green & what was fringe) to win him the jackpot. The round ended with Ian again beating Cary, & Trevor this time, by 7 strokes.
The weekend was magnificent, even the crappy weather of Saturday couldn’t change that. We all had a ball & all looking forward to the next trip away.
Thanks must be given to Shane, (who could make it away with us due to a injured finger) for giving a the use of his family caravan. It would have been nice to know there was a TV in the locked cabinet so we could have watched the Melbourne Storm game, but thanks anyway. We all appreciate it.
Finally I would like to say to all of the Golf in Melbourne members that couldn’t make it to this trip for one reason or another. Make sure you get on the next one, it was a blast.
Review – Ivanhoe Golf Course
Thursday, December 1st, 2005Address: The Boulevard, Ivanhoe
Number of holes: 18
19th Hole: Yes
Motorized Carts: Yes
Cost: 9 — $14 / 18 — $21
Let me start off by saying that if you don’t know how to get to Ivanhoe Golf course, make sure you have a good look at a map before you go. There are initial signs off the main roads but after that your on your own.
The club house is situated at the top of a hill with the course below it. There are 4 elevated tees, the 1st, the 10th, the 14th & the 17th. This means that you have to walk up the hill once on the front nine, which is the 9th fairway. On the back nine you’ll have to trudge up the hill after the 13th to the 14th tee, after the 16th to the 17th tee & the 18th fairway. On a hot day this can be a real killer, but thankfully the 19th hole is there to quench your thirst.
Having said that, Ivanhoe is one of my favourite courses. Probably because I’ve shot my lowest 2 scores there but it is a very nice course. It’s not the longest course around with only one par 5. There a couple of par 4 were it is possible to drive the green, the 14th & the 17th. They both have elevated tees which brings the distance back a little. The 14th is 258 meters from the back tees but if the front tees are in play the green is well within reach. It is pretty much dead straight & it is also a gorgeous looking hole. The 17th is 237 meters is a little more difficult. It has a dogleg right just before the green. If you try to drive the green you will have to play over a group of trees & a pond, but if you hit the right shot you in with a real chance of making eagle as the green is flat & true.
A couple of other holes of note are the 9th & the 3rd. With the 9th, the green is up the hill. The easiest way to play the hole would be to leave you drive at the base of the hill & play your second shot from a flat surface. Best to check the pin position before you play your shot as the putting surface has two levels, if you ball is not on the same level as the pin you’ll have a tough putt (the same can be said for the par 3 18th). Before you play there are pin position cards available from the clubhouse free of charge.
The 3rd is a 311 meter par 4 with a dogleg right about 100 meters from the green. This is one of a couple of holes which border the Yarra River. There is a bike track between the course & the river so it is not an obstacle in play. This hole is beautiful, with the Bell Birds it reminds me of one of the reasons that I love playing golf. It’s not a difficult hole, play the drive down the centre to the dogleg & a nice chip will put you on for two with a birdie putt to follow. One of the great things about Ivanhoe is that if you are playing reasonable well you can shoot some low numbers. It’s great for the confidence.
The is one problem with Ivanhoe. They have a limited amount of area for the course so the fairways are pretty close together. I can imagine on a busy day there could be balls flying everywhere. I’ve found that midweek is the best time to play this course for a couple of reasons. First of all is that it’s not as busy which is always a bonus. Secondly to play on the weekend you need to have a credit card to book a round. This can be a problem if someone pulls out at the last minute as you will be charged for the whole group.