Golf Australia September 2018

WHAT makes a golf course find its way onto your list of favourites? Is it the pristine condition it is generally presented in, or are you besotted by quality design that forces you to think your way across the journey? For many, their favourite course is probably the one they try to conquer every week playing alongside their mates. So it’s not always about the golf, sometimes it might be the social aspect of playing at a course that you enjoy. That said, you might really like a course simply because the halfway house has the best bacon and egg rolls you’ve ever eaten No matter what the reason, we’ve all got our list of favourite courses we love playing. I’m often asked for my favourite Australian course and I…

The train was somewhere between Central and Burwood station when the man to my left finally spoke. He adjusted his tie, finished his morning coffee, looked down at his polished shoes and proceeded to slap my golf bag: “I don’t know about you,” he said. “But I’m feeling bloody great today.” It was certainly a strange way to start a conversation – but he seemed friendly enough, so I explained that my car had broken down and I was now running late for my tee time at Strathfield Golf Club. “Oh!” He shouted. “My old house is right around the corner from there, do you need help getting there?” It turned out Gary (or “Gazza” as he preferred to be called) was absolutely rubbish at giving directions. But, before too…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Weeroona Road, Strathfield, New South Wales, 2135. CONTACT: (02) 9642 0326; (02) 9053 1761 (pro shop). WEBSITE: www.strathfieldgolf.com.au DESIGNERS: Tom Howard (1933); Graham Papworth (1994); James Wilcher (ongoing). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Andrew Cannon. PGA PROFESSIONALS: Mark Reeve. SLOPE RATINGS: TBD. PLAYING SURFACES: Kikuyu/Santa Ana couchgrass (fairways); A1/A4 bentgrass (greens); Zoysia (bunker edges). GREEN FEES: $50 (18 holes for adults); $25 (18 holes for full-time students aged 19-24); $10 (18 holes for students aged 12-18). Student identification is required. THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Full Play memberships cost $2,500 ($2,200 subscription fees and $300 house levy) and do as they suggest, providing full playing rights seven days per week. The range of Intermediate memberships cover people (through separate categories) aged between 21 to 35 and cost from $1,185 to $1,825,…

GREETINGS from St. Andrews and the Senior Open Championship. Looking out from the media centre to the right of the 1st fairway on the Old Course, I can see a small tent. On the front it reads “World Golf Hall of Fame.”The actual hall is nowhere near the East Neuk of Fife of course. It is in St. Augustine, Florida, not coincidentally close to the headquarters of the PGA Tour along the road in Ponte Vedra. If you’re like me, you’ve always found America’s love for the “Hall of Fame” a wee bit difficult to comprehend. Yes, the New World’s undying adoration for the cult of even minor-league celebrity goes some way to explaining this strange phenomenon. But when something called the “Insurance Hall of Fame” in Alabama can draw…

MELBOURNE’S Growling Frog course has been put up for long-term lease by the council that developed the layout. The City of Whittlesea Council built Growling Frog and opened it for play in 2004 and has been regularly ranked in the Top-100 Public Access Courses in the nation. The council is now requesting expressions of interest from suitable parties to secure a long-term lease (up to 30 years) of the site to help Growling Frog realise its potential. Designed by Graham Marsh and located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities, the 18-hole par-72 course is set on a 129-hectare site of picturesque, gently undulating land and winds its way through spectacular ancient trees with panoramic views. Boasting first-class facilities including a restaurant and café, dedicated driving range,…

GOLF is certainly in an interesting place right now.There is young talent emerging from all corners of the globe and mainstays like Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are firing on all cylinders. We have the World Cup, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and the Olympic Games. Then there’s Tiger Woods and the resurgence of Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson. But this doesn’t mean the game can’t be improved. Whether it’s the new Rules of Golf set to be unveiled in 2019 or the potential roll back of the modern golf ball, the governing bodies are always looking for what changes could and should be made. So, in light of that, I put to you the age-old question: Should there be a fifth major championship in men’s golf? Answers vary. So do…