"currently battling with my dear friend, the Silverstripe CMS" - 18 hours ago
"is thoroughly relaxed at another Irish farmhouse B&B, this time one run by a character and a half, Sharon Moore.... http://fb.me/Fd1zVe5z" - 1 day ago
"Is this the Nellie bunker you were talking about mate? Safely avoided I'm pleased to report http://fb.me/EHAvCmyU" - 2 days ago
Day 89 was a morning of admin tasks before we tripped across the easy going town of Adelaide to Glenelg for our 1pm tee time.
We bowled up to the pro shop, told our story and were introduced to two of the clubs pennant players, Luke and Matt who would be joining us for the round along with the trainee pro, Adrian. Yes, another 5 ball! Matt was a little quiet due to having an issue on the roads getting to the golf course this morning, but nevertheless the lads were a friendly bunch and the day was primed for some good golf.
Glenelg is, from what I understand, the only course that has reciprocal rights with both Miramar and Clearwater (Jamie and my home courses respectively) and in this respect it is very unique. It is a quality track to have reciprocal rights with as well and any members back home who are visiting this area should come out for a hit. It is manicured - probably the best conditioned fairways we have played for many days even weeks, the greens rolled true and with some speed (finally), and the holes make you really think.
The five of us enjoyed some good banter on the way around hearing about Glenelg and it's strong social culture and life in Adelaide. Luke is a local policeman, and a pretty handy 4 handicapper. He laid out the rules on the first - any 4 putts, any putts that roll off the green and any mishits that don't make it to the ladies tees result in a jug. I was a bit apprehensive about putting off the green after my efforts the last few days! A jug was also on the line if 3 guys in the group made birdie on a single hole, by the schmuck(s) who didn't make birdie of course.
After starting on the 10th, our third hole today was a reel birdie opportunity and it was only the sympathetic putting of Adrian missing a 10 footer that spared Jamie and I the first round. This 12th hole is a short dogleg left par five, but has a newly redesigned green with a great swale on the left and bunker short right and a green that funnels to the back right. A very difficult green to hit with a long iron or fairway wood as it slopes away from you.
The back nine at Glenelg requires placement and strategy with a few dogleg par fours and 3 short holes. A unique feature was plenty of trouble behind the green which is something I have to take note of as I am prone to airmailing the green. The 16th is a case in point with water long and right, but just to make life more difficult there is a sharp drop off the left side of the green which leaves a delicate pitch up the bank to the hole. Of course, being Wedge Shy I putted from in this swale and was only good enough to make 4 (Jamie made 4 with one in the water which is a top effort).
The 17th was an immensely strong par 4 that snaked around to the left. Matt crashed his drive right and actually flew a hazard over that way to be on the other fairway. I topped my 2 iron, into my golf bag - for a two shot penalty. Triple bogey. The camera came out on the 18th and the boys had some indifferent reactions to the pressure! The 18th tee shot is one of the toughest driving holes going around (something it shares in common with the 18th at Clearwater) with water right and trees, bunkers and waste to the left. The clubhouse stands tall to the right and, we were told, the lads sit up there watching guys play the last having a few wagers on whether their fellow members will hit the fairway or green, or sink a putt.
I battled a block slice today which is one of the more uglier shots to battle. As Michael Campbell would say it was as if aliens had got into my body and were making me do crazy things. I was so wide I struggled to hit it on even the next fairway! And it was relentless, even a 60m pitch was "cutting" 10m. Somewhere around the 5th hole (our 14th) it came right and I stormed home hitting 5/6 greens to tie up the GIR match. A cheeky birdie also gave me a fairway bonus to tie that match up as well. Crucial. 2/1 for the day and the monthly competition is still alive (just) going into the last day of March.
But the story of the last few holes is one of the lads generosity to the First Tee NZ. Adrian and Luke put some Aussie dollars on the line and Jamie and my golf came right at the perfect time - when set the challenge of both making par on the 6th (a 430m par four into the wind) we both felt the pressure from Pip King and the team at the First Tee to deliver. I have documented our efforts in the video below!
But before I move on, the lads we played with today were superb. They clearly enjoyed their golf, were pretty handy golfers and set the bar at a high level which always helps. Judging by our round today, Glenelg must be a pretty fun place to play your golf. The stander set by these three lads reflected in our scores as well when we chopped it around and still both ended with 81's. Again the generosity of the chaps was awesome and before we could leave they gave us a few golf balls mainly as they were so unimpressed with the manky prov1X I was using.
After the round we went into the clubhouse and met up with Gavin - a local chap who had, on Sunday, taken out the famous SAMC which is a stroke round off the tips played between a group of 30 or so regulars (actually the tiger tees / tips are known as the blocks at Glenelg). The entry fee goes towards fine wine and good food so it is a festive day from all accounts, but Gav was still beaming after his overall victory and taking his fair share of the spoils - this comp is so prestigious it even has a master'esque jacket for the winner which, the story goes, Gav slept in (after a few beers) on Sundsy night.
After golf it was back to the city and our hosts Blair and Kate who have very kindly put us up. Great company, great food (an Aussie BBQ - cooked by kiwi's) and great SA wine - doesn't get any better than this!
"I've been through the desert on a horse with no name, it felt good to be out of...the rain...". America's catchy words spun through my head as we drove 400km - in a car with I've named Yoshi, as a nod to his Japanese heritage - from Millicent, through No Man's Land to Adelaide. Rural South Australia is pretty dam rural. It's only once you reach regions like this that you realise just how vast 'Straya is. Which is very vast.
On these long straight roads the temptation is to cut loose, autobahn styles. Mike succumbed and was duly pinged by the South Australian Police Force; an unwelcome pouring of $220 down the drain. Oh well. The funny thing - if there is anything funny in all of this - was Mike's attempt to chat him up, with puregolf2010 business cards and all! (I don't think his efforts were in vain, because apparently the fine was knocked down from $360 to $220...either way I'll let Mike fill you in if he feels the need).
In just over 4 hours we reached the big country town of Adelaide. There are no high rises (other than the Westpac Tower, but they don't count 'cos they're everywhere). Apparently the town planner was the same chap who drew up the plans for Christchurch - certainly the story stacks up because the middle of town is a perfect grid. Easy to navigate. What beautiful buildings too, particularly along North Terrace (the CBD is framed by Terraces North, South, East and West).
The Grange sits out 15km or so from the city towards the coast, and has 2 courses - East and West. Yesterday we had the pleasure of playing the West, which is the more mature of the two. Although we had a 3 o'clock tee time - which we rushed through town to make - the pro was pretty relaxed, so we just teed off when ready. A fella by the name of Tony joined us. He'd contacted us some months back, having heard about what we were up to. Tony's goal is to play every golf course in South Australia (think he's about half way).
Hell of a nice guy, and not a bad golfer either - he cleaned Mike and I up in the split sixes, taking full advantage of his 16 handicap. To be fair we didn't offer much opposition, with 90 and 84 respectively. The Grange off the back markers is a stern test, particularly in strong winds! No excuses though.
The fairways were wider than most, although on the whole were well bunkered. The prevailing sou'wester made it tough to hit many of 'em, but when you do they're a pleasure to play off. This be sandbelt golf, just like Melbourne a week or so ago. Drawing another parallel to Melbourne, they've ripped a fair bit of ti tree out of the place in recent years too. There are quite a few pine trees around, invariably framing the tee shot, so it would've been interesting to see pine-ti tree combinations, something I haven't seen before.
You get some nice views from the course. On several holes (like the 8th, pictured below) your eyes are drawn to Footy Park, the AFL stadium. Apparently it's shared by the Adelaide Crows and Port Power. I'm told the Crows fans are the chardonnay drinkers, and the Port fans meths drinkers, but the Port fans I've come across have been entirely upstanding lovely folk - so who knows.
I'll stick to what I know. Back to the golf. Our 3 ball became a 4 a few holes in, when a local firie' (that's a fireman to those not in the know) by the name of Paul joined us. Salt of the earth bloke, good company. Between the 4 of us we had a good few laughs, largely at our own expense. Grange 1 : puregolf2010 NIL. The score however will be levelled on Thursday when we attack the East Course!
There were a few lovely holes that I should mention. The 15th is a short-ish par 4, which plays from an elevated tee to a generous fairway then to a narrow green set against the houses. A big fairway bunker caught Goldy's tee shot, and one of the greenside bunkers caught his pitch too. The prevailing wind blew hard off the right, pulling my approach left of the greenside trap, leaving a nigh on impossible chip along the shoulder into which the trap's cut. Subtle but quality.
The next hole - the 17th - was my favourite. A relatively open tee shot between the pines - again, with the wind off the right - leaves you poised to strike a daunting approach. The green is hidden from view over a gentle rise; the view is framed by a funnel of tussock and pine. Like marriage you've just got to commit. I closed my eyes and swung a 6 iron, and thankfully it ended up just off the green. On another day it might've ended up somewhere Nasty. A glorious hole.
By the time we walked up onto the 18th green the shadows had grown pretty long. And we were pretty shattered. The games we play that are preceded by a 400km drive tend to be the weary ones, and yesterday was no exception. Sam & Paul's chat kept us going, as did the prospect of wrestling the split 6s lead from Sam (fat chance). On the puregolf2010 haggle front, I snatched 2.5 points to Goldy's 0.5, giving me a strong (but not insurmountable) lead going into the last couple of days of March. It's hotting up.
We're staying with friends of friends back in NZ - a lovely couple who go by Blair & Kate. Home for them is an awesome little heritage cottage Right In Town, down a quaint little side street. Blair cooked up a delectable risotto which we duly devoured, along with some fine South Australian red. He's in the oil & gas industry (which Goldy worked in last year) and a Kiwi to boot; Kate's mad keen on sport, and was a handy hockey player. So we've got plenty of common interest to keep us blethering for days.
Today we're off to Glenelg which apparently is another great track. Adelaide has been good to us so far.
JP
Day 87 was a game of two halves. The first was spent at Port Fairy in Victoria, the second over the border in South Australia, at Millicent. Both were rural experiences; both equally rewarding.
Millicent’s a wee town 3 hours or so from Port Fairy and 4/5 hours short of Adelaide. Mick and I were scratching our heads this morning to figure out how it had come to figure in our plans. We’re still not sure. Probably a combination of expediency (it’s well and truly on the way from Melbourne to Adelaide) and of the fact that it’s a quality golf course (maybe top 100 in Australia on some lists?). Anyway.
Due to the imperative of getting ourselves to Sydney by 5 April to spend as much time with the girls – who are flying across from NZ to join us for a week – we’ve cut a few days out of the South Australia itinerary. Such are the pressures of life. To be fair we’re on thin ice so it was the least we could do!
However puregolf2010 has a funny way of taking us places we didn’t necessarily know we were going. Although Millicent no longer had a day allocated for golf, in the end we zipped round 18 in a cart on the back of the drive through from Port Fairy! 36 holes on the back of 18 on Saturday and 28 on Friday – we’re certainly living and breathing the game. And why not?
Mardi and Graham “Archie” Sunderland had kindly contacted us and offered to put us up for a night, on our way through. Given they’re keen golfers – and we came into contact with them through the local golf club – the least we could do was go out for a hit with ‘em. Archie’s son, Kim, joined us, along with his mate Chappy and Archie himself. In 3 carts we sped ‘round Millicent GC – which sits atop a hill in the bush some 14 km from the town – playing Ambrose as we went. Kim & Mick took on Chappy & I; Archie was the wildcard, and swtiched teams each hole.
The golf was very mixed but we had an absolute ball. Chappy (pictured above on the left) hit some colossal tee shots the likes of which I’ve never seen before – the ball seemed to go down before it went up, and never reached higher than 10 feet above the deck. The combination of his darts and my good fortune on the greens was a deadly one, and our score of 5 under ended up being too good for The Pretenders, who carded 2 or 3 over. The match was played in good spirits though; by the 18th green Mike and I had made 3 new friends (roughly one for every 3 balls that Mike lost). Had it not been for sage advice from the locals, Mike would’ve seen more bush hunting for his tee shots than your average tramper sees hiking for a week in the mountains.
Mardi God Bless Her prepared – with the help of Kim’s and Chappy’s wives – a meal fit for an army. About 10 of us sat ‘round the kitchen talking smack and feeding ourselves Roman styles. What a great way to finish a Long Day! The Sunderlands showed us some famous South Australian hospitality, and we hope to repay it when they venture across the ditch (maybe next year?). We tried talking them into visiting, but NZ is a tough sell as you all know – all those beautiful mountains, beaches and golf courses. Terrible place.
Anyway we’re now en route to Adelaide. Mike just got a speeding ticket. The roads are long and straight, and hopefully our tee shots this afternoon turn out the same.
Peace, JP
Port Fairy was so named because one day a rogue fairy broke from the pack and, so the legend goes, established his own vineyard which soon became renowned for its astronomically good fortified wine – port. (Not because the town sits on the coast and was at once stage used by cargo ships to berth, as right thinking people might think). The Port Fairy in his spare time would walk the links land with his companion, a small dug named Hamish. Breathing in the sea air The Port Fairy would find inspiration for his seasonal releases, and more significantly, for a design hankering that would in years to come bare fruit far tastier than one might detect in a vintage Port Fairy Tawny Port (say, the 1906). The fruit I speak of is the Port Fairy Golf Club. And what a pleasure it is.
Now that was all a lot of rubbish. It being my prerogative to spin trivial yarns I decided a bit of creative writing would help me get through the 5 hour drive from Millicent to Adelaide. Apologies for my indulgence.
PF is one of the few ‘true’ links tracks we’ve come across in our 87 days on the road this year. Whether it was designed by a fairy or a mortal man, it matters not. Michael Clayton’s the current architect, and he’ll do well not to do too much to this “hidden gem” (as it’s oft described). After a while a hidden gem surely ceases to be hidden, and in our experience PF must’ve passed that mark. Everyone we’ve talked to – and I mean everyone – has asked whether we’re playing Port Fairy, upon learning our plan was to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide. They all did so with a lilt of excitement in their voices too. So when we left Warrnambool yesterday morning at some anti-social hour the culmination of weeks of anticipation was coming steadily to a head.
PF didn’t disappoint. We arrived about 7.25 am, and would’ve been the first in the car park but for a Melbournian chap of Indian descent who was down for a weekender with his family. Red skies glowed to the East, signalling a Shepherd’s Warning that rain was on it’s way. Made for a good snap or two in the meantime.
Trevor (the Golf Ops Manager) and John (Club President) very kindly took time out of their Sunday morning to join us for a hack. Another Bledisloe encounter was teed up. Agricultural blows were struck from the 1st tee. And we were on our way.
Mick and me being the masochistic humans that we are were hoping for a bit of wind. Playing links golf without wind seems a bit like drinking wine out of a plastic cup – it’s just not the real McCoy. The wind eventually came, mercilessly, on the final stretch as our tired limbs were fading. For the first dozen holes or so though conditions were perfect (save for a bit of moisture) for half decent scoring. As we all know, however, golf’s never as simple as that. You can have the best sleep in history the night before; the heartiest breakfast upon waking; have cleaned your clubs to a brilliant shine; stock your bag with brand new balls and tees; meditate in the clubhouse before play; get a therapeutic massage from a Goddess on the 1st tee; and the rest. But golf is a mercurial, even cruel beast; preparation is only that and even fine weather is of limited assistance. At the end of the day you’ve got to close your eyes and swing the club 40 times or so a round (if you’re lucky) and hope for the best.
John hit a Phil Mickelson-like power fade off the tee (albeit right handed), betraying his calibre as a good golfer. He plays off 8, but was once off 1 – and held the course record here for a bit. Trevor’s fade was a bit stronger. Both were Quality Company, and shared with us on the way ‘round how the course had changed over the years (the club ripped out a fair bit of ti tree 18 months or so ago, to open it up and showcase the dunes in their full magnificent glory). I particularly liked a tale Trev told me about the 16th hole, which is a cracker by the way.
Years ago a bit of scheming was done among Committee members on the subject of earthworks on the 16th. They umm’d and aaaahhhh’d about whether to seek the local Council’s permission to do the work in mind, and eventually convened an evening meeting to decide the matter. Still they couldn’t come to agreement, so the Chairman grabbed the bull by the horns. “Tomorrow afternoon,” he declared, “we’ll all convene on-site on the 16th to decide the matter once and for all.” When they arrived the Chairman – whose company owned a digger or two – had completed the works, under lights the night before, and asked them all what they thought – should we ask the Council now? What a champion. He’s still a member of the club – a life member no less. He did a cracking job with the 16 hole as I said too.
The course is understated. No gigantic quarry-like bunkers (like you might find across Bass Straight at Barnbougle); no 12 feet deep pots; no elephants in the greens – just a beautifully laid out, natural links course. A couple of the holes (6 and 10) are cut like shelves into the dunes, and have only a solitary greenside bunker between them. But stray down to the right and you’ll find deep marram grass; stray far enough up to the left and you’ll find the same. With the wind blowing from any direction good luck not straying. You get the picture.
The stretch from 12 to 16 is among the most beautiful stretches I’ve ever come across. 12 tee is more or less the southernmost point on the course, perched atop a dune overlooking a wild looking sea. From there you play a par 5 along the ridge; then a 278 metre par 4 that most Young Guns would go after; then one of the most spectacular holes anywhere, the stroke index 1 400 metre dogleg right par 4 (on which I managed to sneak a cheeky birdie); then a 200 metre par 3 that, when the tees were relocated recently, won best new hole in Australia; then the dogleg left uphill par 4 16th. Just beautiful. Then you’re confronted with a long par 4 and long par 5 that both play into the prevailing sou’west wind (as they did yesterday morning). What a back nine.
12 tee
13 tee shot
14 - stroke 1
15 - recently voted the best new hole in Australia
Given the rain came down heavier and heavier as we approached the sheds, we were glad to find shelter and a cup of coffee in front of us. And a magnificent meat pie to boot. Our 4 became 5 when another John – a lucid gentleman about to retire and get his teeth into some serious golf travel – joined us. The world was put to rest, as it often is, for an hour or so before Mick and I hit the road, bound for Millicent. Next time I return I hope their plans to install a snaking burn along the 18th have become a reality – the idea, touted by designer Michael Clayton, is a good one. I say “next time” because it’s a place I’ll most certainly make the effort to revisit – hopefully next time in more windy conditions!
The Bledisloe, by the way, went to the Kiwis, 3&2.
JP
This morning I awoke for the last time – this trip anyway – in the Melbourne region, and for the last time on Jirv’s wooden floor (something I’ll be less sad to farewell). To be fair Jirv did pull out the stops with an inflatable mattress, but by about midnight my weight was enough to deflate it to something resembling a punctured paddling pool. No matter. They say sleeping plane on a wooden floor is good for your back anyway, don’t they? Hasn’t done me any harm.
Day 86 took us again to 13th Beach, this time to play the younger Creek Course, which happens to be the fruit of Mr. Faldo’s maiden project in ‘Straya. The course is entirely different in character to big brother The Beach Course (which we played yesterday), and probably caters more to mid/high handicap’ers that don’t like getting beaten up (by a golf course that is – no one likes getting beaten up). VC Brett “Morry” Morrison told us yesterday that they’d ran out of dough when laying the course, so we should try to imagine how it would look with another $2 million pumped into it. A dam sight better, I’d have to say; but then you could probably say that about a lot of places.
We had a fourball for the adventure, which is always ideal. Simon, the Area Pacific Product Manger for Taylor Made – who happens to hail from sunny Nelson in Aotearoa (that’s Niu Zillin to you ‘Strayans) – came down from the city; Jirv’s mate from med school, Sam, also made the trip from Geelong. Jirv, as he did a couple of weeks ago at The National, was on cameraman & team spirit cultivation duties. So we had a 5 strong crew of Kiwis, representing a gathering that no doubt would’ve been illegal in Australia in years gone by.
Thankfully in the ball toss mine landed closest to Simon’s, yielding a formidable fourball pairing if ever there was one. Formidable in the sense that Simon is a good golfer and I’m adept in the art of Putting Off The Opposition. Simon’s off scratch. Last week he shot 3 under at Yarra Yarra. So the boy can play (and in his younger days he did, properly I mean). Goldy drew Sam, an 18 handicapper who had a propensity to make the odd bogey or even par – which makes things difficult when you’re giving the rascal 18 shots.
S&J (which sounds like the name of some sort of RTD beverage) got off to a flyer, to a lead of 7 up after 9 (courtesy of a good few birdies and indifferent golf from the opposition). Jirv made sure that we were kept entertained too, offering a blend of sharp witted commentary and God Awful Comedy between strokes. You’re always a bit nervous when introducing Jirv to new people for the first time – particularly if they’re a bit shy. Fortunately Si’s an easy going gentleman and partial to a bit of banter, so he was well at ease with Jirv’s chat. We all got on famously in fact.
The Creek Course is pretty mild. We found you can more or less swing with wild abandon off the tee (although there are a few spots you just can’t hit it) and the water hazards didn’t cause too many headaches (they all seemed to be 50 metres short of where they should be). Nor did the bunkers feature too prominently in our adventures, but I guess on another day they might have. A few of the holes got the pulse ramping up a few beats, but on the whole this was because you get excited about attacking a short par 4 or par 5 – rather than getting scared for your life as can happen on The Beach Course.
13 and 14 are short par 4s that have big pines plonked in the middle of the fairway guarding the green. 13’s a bit longer – a good drive threading the needle leaves a sand wedge or thereabouts to a raised green. 14, at about 280 metres, invites you to take driver over the pines and hopefully onto the putting surface. We all egged each other on and had a crack, which was the Right thing to do. Mike knocked it in the front greenside trap; Si the Big Girl That He Is feathered it up there about 10 short; and I’m pleased to report that I got closest of all, within a couple of feet of the green (Sam’s strong fade I’m afraid counted him out of the race). Good clean fun.
In my humble opinion The Creek Course doesn’t quite hit the mark – at least when you look at it next to The Beach Course. It’s a course that looks like ran out of money. That said there are a good few holes that can’t be described as anything but “fun”. I already mentioned 13 and 14; 4 (a strong par 4 with an amphitheatre green) and 9 (a well bunkered short par 4) also stick in the mind. 18’s a strong finishing hole too, and is stroke 1 on the card – a cruel was to finish a tired round! Simon went round in par, and but for a triple on 16 and a tired bogey on 18 I would’ve done the same; Mike and Sam didn’t burn it up but looked to be enjoying themselves all the same.
The tragedy in all of this is that the club’s done away with one of the best relief spots this side of the 10th tee at Barwon Heads – which is a cracker of a spot to take a leak in private. (Soon we’ll be compiling a list – with photographic evidence – of the best on course spots to relieve oneself). Apparently the 5th tee on The Creek was once a gem. BUT. The Chairman’s house overlooks the tee and apparently he was getting very perturbed by all the folk unzipping and discharging urine into, well, his backyard. SO. He first took to firing an air horn warning shot; second, after the air horn failed to alter behaviour permanently, he used his position of influence to have the trees cut down around the tee. No one except the most bold of punters would dare relieve themselves there now. And what a shame that is (particularly because there aren’t many other spots on the course where a man whom has drunk too much water in an effort to keep his brain sharp while playing golf can unzip). Many of my fondest moments of relief have been on golf courses; there’s something therapeutic, even natural, about sharing one’s waste water with one’s golf course. But I digress.
13th Beach is a fantastic golf facility. The Beach Course is epic; The Creek Course is fun; and the place is filled with good humans. In a few years’ time – when the developer sells his last few shares, and the membership reaches a threshold of 1500 – the doors will be closed to the public and 13th Beach (or at least The Beach Course?) will become private. Therefore. If you want my advice, get in quick and play it while you can. Ben & co will welcome you with open arms (they were tremendous hosts to us) and you’ll have a Quality Golfing Experience. Order a steak sandwich when you finish too – sumptuous. (Si, being the incredible generous chap that he is, shouted me one).
Oh the match finished 7&5, despite a couple of birdies from Goldberger. JP took out the stats match 3-zip, leapfrogging MG by 0.5 of a point with a few days to go. What a climax it promises to be. Tomorrow at Port Fairy the wind might separate the men from the boys, or the wheat from the chaff – however you care to frame it (I prefer calling Goldy chaff, so I’ll go with that).
Thanks to 13th Beach for hosting us over the past couple of days – we’ve had a ball. Thanks to Si for joining us, for lunch and for the stash of balls & gloves! Thanks to Sam for the post match pint, and thanks to Jirv for giving me a back ache.
Off we go into the wop wops...puregolf2010 is South Australia bound.
JP
Shinnecock
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