Heritage (St John) and the trip home!

Posted by Michael on 7 December 2010 | 0 Comments | Tags: , , , , , ,

 

Wrappinup the Aussie leg went something like this:
1600 hours: picked up by old mate from the start of the year, Stewart Allen, and out to where he and wife Tania and daughter Leisha live out in the suburbs.   Squeezing all of our gears into the car was some achievement and with golf bags piled up between the two front seats we made the â??25 minute tripâ??.  Yeah Right!
1730 hours:  we are back at Stewarts place.  A beautiful home nestled in the leafy suburbs with an awesome view out towards south-east Melbourne and down towards the Mornington Peninsula.  This place, unbelievably, has been on the market for a while - so if you know anyone heading to Melbourne tell them to check it out: 
1900:  in a rewind to March weâ??re hanging out with Stew drinking Massoni Wine (which he sells) and sharing stories on life.  JP is even shown a few yoga poses but a complete lack of flexibility (read, our bodies are ruined) makes him just look stupid.
0520:  after a cracking evening weâ??re up bright and early to chat with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB.  
0845:  weâ??re back in Stewâ??s car, bags piled all over us and en route to The Heritage.  Weâ??ve been here last week playing the new Henley Course - today is the more mature and Nicklaus designed St Johnâ??s course.  Stew has played here a number of times and is our local guide.
0950:  Stew, looking like Jim Furyk but swinging like Steve Stricker is teamed up with JP to make them the â??form pairingâ??.  The weather is perfect.  The staff are awesome.  Our last game in Aussie, at yet another fantastic golf course, begins.
The Heritage Golf Club is set on a beautiful piece of land to the north of Melbourne and both the golf courses are well designed, well manicured and a serious test.   The club is struggling financially for reasons I know not, but it definitely is not because of the quality of the golf.  
Nicklaus courses have similarities between them with smallish greens, often more welcoming to a left to right shot (like Jack played) and with very subtle contouring.  Greens look flat but are generally pitched towards one corner meaning a bit of advice telling you what side to hit it on goes a long way - enter Stew!   Jack is also a fan of using the elevation changes - for example hugely elevated tee shots and greens perched  high above you.   Have a squiz at some of the photos below.
1500:  weâ??re back in the car and to the airport.  Via the souvlaki shop.  Not quite the stuff of Dimitris (legendary Souvlaki shop in CHCH which should also be in Wellington) but it hit the spot.  Stew has helped us with our final exit strategy from Australia - thanks for all your help mate and hope it goes well with your place!
1540:  We have 128kg of luggage and the Qantas allowance is 23kg but after chatting to the nice women behind the service desk they kindly look after us.   Our final flight is working out like a dream.  Stoked that weâ??ve nearly made it Home - we hand out our old golf balls (and some newish Nike ones) to the girls behind the check-in counter!
1805:  Qantas takes off and JP orders a kiwi wine.  
0100 (NZT): Our sticks are clean, golf shoes have no mud on them and weâ??re through customs.  Blair is there to greet us and we head to his for a quick sleep before the 630am wake up to join old friends at Breakfast Club.  Sleep is overrated. Wrapping up the Aussie leg went something like this:

Wrapping up the final day in Aussie went something like this...

2504 - 2510 1600 hours: picked up by old mate from the start of the year, Stewart Allen, and out to where he and wife Tania and daughter Leisha live out in the suburbs.   Squeezing all of our gears into the car was some achievement and with golf bags piled up between the two front seats we made the â??25 minute tripâ??.  Yeah Right!

1730 hours:  we are back at Stewarts place.  A beautiful home nestled in the leafy suburbs with an awesome view out towards south-east Melbourne and down towards the Mornington Peninsula.  This place, unbelievably, has been on the market for a while - so if you know anyone heading to Melbourne tell them to check it out: 

1900:  in a rewind to March weâ??re hanging out with Stew drinking Massoni Wine (which he sells) and sharing stories on life.  JP is even shown a few yoga poses but a complete lack of flexibility (read, our bodies are ruined) makes him just look stupid.

0520:  after a cracking evening weâ??re up bright and early to chat with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB.  

0845:  weâ??re back in Stewâ??s car, bags piled all over us and en route to The Heritage.  Weâ??ve been here last week playing the new Henley Course - today is the more mature and Nicklaus designed St Johnâ??s course.  Stew has played here a number of times and is our local guide.

0950:  Stew, looking like Jim Furyk but swinging like Steve Stricker is teamed up with JP to make them the â??form pairingâ??.  The weather is perfect.  The staff are awesome.  Our last game in Aussie, at yet another fantastic golf course, begins.

The Heritage Golf Club is set on a beautiful piece of land to the north of Melbourne and both the golf courses are well designed, well manicured and a serious test.   The club is struggling financially for reasons I know not, but it definitely is not because of the quality of the golf.  

Nicklaus courses have similarities between them with smallish greens, often more welcoming to a left to right shot (like Jack played) and with very subtle contouring.  Greens look flat but are generally pitched towards one corner meaning a bit of advice telling you what side to hit it on goes a long way - enter Stew!   Jack is also a fan of using the elevation changes - for example hugly elevated tee shots and greens perched  high above you.   Have a squiz at some of the photos below.

 

[stew from the elevated tee on the par five 12th]

1350:  some clutch putting by superstar manager Bart aka Doug and the favourites have only managed half a point.  

1500:  weâ??re back in the car and to the airport.  Via the souvlaki shop.  Not quite the stuff of Dimitris (legendary Souvlaki shop in CHCH which should also be in Wellington) but it hit the spot.  Stew has helped us with our final exit strategy from Australia - thanks for all your help mate and hope it goes well with your place!

1540:  We have 128kg of luggage and the Qantas allowance is 23kg but after chatting to the nice women behind the service desk they kindly look after us.   Our final flight is working out like a dream.  Stoked that weâ??ve nearly made it Home - we hand out our old golf balls (and some newish Nike ones) to the girls behind the check-in counter!

1805:  Qantas takes off and JP orders a kiwi wine.  

2000:  JP, immersed in his laptop with chin tucked into his chest and hands limply tapping the keys is nicknamed 'Steve'.  It sticks like glue.  The Allen, Allen, Allen, Steve, Steve, Steve calls are flowing thick and fast.  

0100 (NZT): Our sticks are clean, golf shoes have no mud on them and weâ??re through customs.  Blair is there to greet us and we head to his for a quick sleep before the 630am wake up to join old friends at Breakfast Club.  Sleep is overrated. 

 

Post your comment

Posting comments has been disabled.

Comments

No one has commented on this page yet.

Not logged in - Login
Published Site