Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Mornington tips

Thanks for the tips guys. Had a great trip down there with the highlights being Moonah Links, The Dunes and 13th Beach. They were a treat to play with Moonah Links being the highlight. Was a pretty windy the day we played but managed to shoot a 10 over which was enough to win the day. Can't wait to see how the pros go there, the fairways were immaculate and the greens were awesome to putt on.
Thanks again

Topic: Golf Talk / Comp fees and prizes

Our fees just went up from $6.60 to $8. We were told the rise was to fund shirts etc for the Pennants team. We have 3 grades and in a fullish field the winner of each gets $75 and runner up $40, scratch gets $50. Balls usually go down to about 33 or 34 points. That's pretty good I think.

Topic: Golf Talk / Monthly medal

At our club they have the 1st Saturday of the month as medal rounds. This means we play stroke off the back tees with an engraved pewter mug awarded to the winner of A, B and C grades. If you have won a medal (read: mug) before you can elect to have the standard saturday winners prize of a $75 voucher

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / NSW GC

You can get a game on Wednesdays, I think, and there is a good package in conjunction with Horizons where you play both courses and stay at the motel next door.

Topic: Golf Talk / What is the most outrageous score from a high handicaper

I know a bloke that won a comp with 51 points off a handicap of 27. He had played off 27 unsuccessfully for over a year before that. His handicap dropped to 21 and he hasn't broken 30 points since. Talk about a one off, dream round.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Most Over-rated Golf Course in Australia

Did you have your dog with you Henry? They might have let you on otherwise.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / NSW GC

I'd have to agree with you Joe about NSW being the best course in Sydney. What would you rate as 2, 3 and 4? I like Terrey Hills and Royal Sydney though it has been a few years since I've played there.
I concede the quality of courses debate to the Victorians but if any of you get the chance to play Newcastle you should take it. It is an absolute gem that I think is 2nd only to NSW as the best in our state. It has some stunning holes running through some classic land in the dunes of Stockton. Only a relatively short drive north on the F3.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Most Over-rated Golf Course in Australia

Cypress Lakes by a mile for me. Often ranks well in the magazine lists but has some stupid cambers on fairways that feed well struck shots into trouble and there are far too many blind shots. The 9th (I think) requires a long iron into an elevated green and if you come up short your ball rolls down into a permanently wet are from which pitching is very tough. At $95 odd a game - no thanks.

Topic: Golf Equipment / 2 iron vs 5 wood

I have always used a 2 iron but haven't been hitting it well lately so have been thinking of putting a 5 wood in the bag to replace it. I have a 14° 3 wood (Sonartec) and need something that can give me a bit of height etc. How many of you guys use a 5 wood and what shots/holes do you use it for?

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Mornington tips

Jin, Thanks a lot. The 6th of July is the most likely date.
Henry I don't remember about the "must play" but I figure a course that will host an Australian Open and can be played for $85 has got to be worth a game. Thanks again for the tips.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Mornington tips

Thanks guys. We are keen to play The Dunes and Moonah Links as they sound like "must plays" and we'll probably go to Portsea. We are staying at Rye and are considering getting the ferry across to 13th Beach. Is it a hassle to do that? Is it worth it?
Cheers

Topic: Golf Talk / Sydneysiders - mid week golf

Andrew, I've just finished 2 weeks of holidays but next time I'm on a break we'll hook up for a game. I'm roughly the same age and handicap.

Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound so much like a dating service.

No problem though I do like travellling and raging :wink:

Topic: Golf Talk / Worst Balls...

I would have to agree with Rusty Vokey there and I would throw in the Hogan balls. With the cheapies you don't expect much but it's very annoying when expensive balls scuff up after only a few shots. Rusty Vokey, why do you use a Callaway HX Red if you don't like them or is your ball of choice changed?

Topic: Golf Talk / honor Boards

Henry, you seem so "clued up" on the game in so many aspects. Have you been, or tried to be, a pro at any stage? I'm new here so apologies if this question has been asked before.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Mornington tips

Thanks Henry.

No need for anybody. to add to Henry's assesment.

Being new here I have been reading many past posts and recognise Henry's expertise but if you don't mind Mac I'd appreciate a range of opinions/suggestions.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Mornington tips

I've noticed that many posters here seem to be knowledgeable on the courses of the Mornington Peninsula. I'm organising a few guys to go down there in July to play 3 courses on a Fri, Sat and Sunday. Our handicaps range from 8-20. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Which courses are best to play on weekends so we don't clash with member’s comps etc?
Thanks

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Best course we see on TV

The one they are playing this week, Hilton Head, looks like a good combination of coastal areas, wetlands etc. Looks very good on TV. The most spectacular are always Sawgrass, Augusta, Pebble Beach. Unfortunately Pinehurst is rarely sighted on the tour.
Interesting thread Jarrod. I was lucky enough to play at Pebble Beach in 2000 about 2 months after the pasting Tiger gave it in the US Open with some clients. I will dig up the photos when I get time and post them on your other thread. It is amazing, as is the whole area there.

Topic: Golf Talk / Nostalgia

My neighbour was throwing out his collection of nearly 30 years worth of Australian Golf Digest magazines yesterday and I had a quick flick through a couple of them. It was interesting to look at the Equipment Guide from 1989. Some of the prices were quite surprising given the high price of gear today. For example a set S2H2 Callaway woods and irons with graphite boron shafts is listed as $4759 yet most of the Taylor Made gear is $150 per wood and some balls such as an Optima Tour were $5.60 which is more expensive than they are now. It is quite funny to read the technological descriptions of the latest gear also, e.g “traditional 1950s pear shape, cycolac inlay”. The big companies these days claim they spend a fortune on R & D but I’m sure a big chunk of it still goes to marketing copywriters to bamboozle us. The big names back then were Powerbuilt, Daiwa, Retco by the look of the guide.

Topic: Golf Equipment / What *of loft do u use in your driver and why?

Rt42, do I understand from your posts that you are happy with the club? I hope it's working well for you.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Mike Weir & Taylormade

Yeah Chevy, mine is stock standard regular. I play off single figures (8) and would love to think I could tell much difference between shafts but I honestly can't. I know everyone says a shaft is the engine room of the club but I can't tell much difference between them. I went to a TM demo day at Macquarie Uni range and hit a few with different head sizes, lofts and shafts and I just bought the one that felt best. R580, regular shaft, 9 degrees.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Mike Weir & Taylormade

Jarro
I just hit it way too high for a 9.5 degree driver and kept cutting it way right. A couple of mates with higher handicaps use them and love them but it didn't work for me. I tried it for 3 rounds and decided to cut my losses so the club and I filed for divorce.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Mike Weir & Taylormade

Chevychase,
I've recently begun using a TM 580 and find it the best driver I've ever used. I used to have a TM 360 but felt like an upgrade. I had a brief flirtation with the King Cobra SS370 but found I was one of the few people who didn't like it. After trialling the BBII I found the TM 580 just a bit longer, a bit straighter, a bit lower (which I prefer) and a bit cheaper (which never hurts).
Hope this helps.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Kikuyu in Sydney?

I'm only new here and saw this post from a while ago. I hope no one minds me dredging up old news. I was lucky enough to play at Concord yesterday and was surprised to find the fairways were kikuyu. It is a great course. I would rate it in my top few in Sydney after the obvious contenders. But in the wet and with kikuyu fairways it was very tough to get any distance. Interesting fairway bunkers there. They are very flat with shallow faces. When you went in them it made it harder to get to the green but not impossible unlike those pot bunkers you find on many resort courses these days.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Kikuyu in Sydney?

Cazandpaul, I would have gladly hacked it back onto the fairway if I could find it. When you see where your ball land just off the fairway and it disappears beneath the grass it's not fair. At least when you see it splash in water you can take a drop.

Topic: Golf Equipment / Cleveland warranties - what a crock...vent imminent

Under the law (Trade Practices Act) you are entitled to a full refund if the product is faulty. I'd go back to the retailer and demand your money back and then buy a deifferent bag. Mizuno are excellent.