Topic: Golf Talk / Golf in Scotland 2008

A few things to remember about getting on at the Old Course.

June is high season and there will be plenty of people trying to play. The area will be flooded with Americans (although with there dollar low it might not be as busy this year) and Japanese.

You have a reasonable chance to get on as a single. Just ring a few days in advance to make sure there are no tournaments or course closures for the day you want to go.

As other have said, getting there before sunrise is the best bet. When the starter’s box opens at 6.30ish they put the names in a queue on a “first in, first served” basis. If it’s a fine day expect 30-40 names on the sheet before 6.45. The starter will give you an indication as to whether there’s likely to be a spot for you. However, you need to have patience and stick around. If it’s busy many people get their name down and then head off into town to have breakfast. If you hang around, there could be a last minute cancellation and you could jump the queue.

Remember, you can only enter the ballot if you have a group of 2 or more golfers. Many people who miss out just show up as “singles” the following morning.

Also remember that in June, Scotland has about 16 hours of daylight. So, if you haven’t got all day to wait around, it might pay to show up mid to late afternoon and see if there are any spots available. You will have to check this but I think they allow groups to tee off up until about 6 or 7pm.

If you don’t make it onto the Old Course, there will be 6 other courses open for play by the time you’re there. The Castle Course will have opened for play – but it will be around 120 pounds per round. The New Course and the Jubilee Course sit right alongside the Old Course. The New is highly regarded and is an Open qualifying course. Once the Castle Course is open I imagine it will be quite easy to get onto the New. The Eden Course is also worth a round and has some amazing, fun greens -probably the best value too at around 40 pounds.

Check out the Ladies’ Putting Green, aka the Himalayas, near the New Course clubhouse.

The Old Course is closed on Sundays and open to the public as a park. It provides a good chance to walk around it if you don’t get to play it.

All I can say is, if this is your once in a lifetime trip to Scotland, then it is worthwhile trying to get a game on the Old Course. It will provide a once in a lifetime memory.

As for other value courses around Aberdeen, try Stonehaven. It’s a clifftop course about 20 mins south of Aberdeen and costs about 25 quid per round. Of the better links courses, Montrose is still reasonably priced but it tends to polarise opinion. And don’t miss Cruden Bay before they make the changes and remove Blin Dunt

The Burnside course at Carnoustie is meant to be good – much better than the Buddon.

Topic: Golf Talk / Golf clubs and international airline travel

Last time I went overseas (UK) and flew Qantas, admittedly 4 years ago, I had no problem taking the clubs. They were classified as sports equipment so they went in a different luggage compartment (cage) and so weren't part of the weight limit on the normal luggage. I don't know if those arrangements have changed since (but I've heard stories of people packing extra stuff in the bottom of their golf bags to get around the luggage restrictions).

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / The Mid-Round Journey Back to the Clubhouse

Some more:

6th Murray Downs (possibly also the 16th?)
13th Beaconhills (Old)
14th Monash CC.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Five days in Scotland

QUOTE: Mahogany @ Jan 13 2007, 02:39 PM

Thanks to all for contributing, and sorry if I have created a Scottish standoff!!

I am playing in early May so the rates are not as good as they would have been 4
weeks earlier!!

After looking into it a bit more I have extended the trip and the route at the moment is:
Fly into Glasgow, drive to Machrihanish, play Machrihanish over two days
Drive up through the Lochs sighseeing towards Dornoch, play Dornoch
Drive from Dornoch to Cruden Bay, perhaps playing Nairn and/ or Cullen for somethingdifferent
Play and stay in Cruden Bay
Make my way to St Andrews and see if I can make it onto the Old, if not the New as I did not
play that one last time
Eventually drive to Edinburgh and do the sightseeing thing to keep the wife happy...plane to London
I am thinking I will have to stretch it out to eight or nine days...
With another few days I could include Turnberry, Prestwick, Troon, but they are all too expensive at
that time of the year, and they do not offer up discounts very easily!!
Thanks for your input...wil llet you know how it goes...

As a side issue where would everyone put Ballybunion along the likes of Machrihanish, Troon,
Dornoch etc...

Mahogany,

That sounds like a fairly ambitious schedule for 8 days. From Glasgow to Machrihanish is about 5-6 hours driving. Machrihanish to Dornoch is at least a day's driving (on some windy roads) and 2 days if you want to do a little bit of sightseeing. Dornoch to Cruden Bay another 4-5 hours and Cruden Bay to Edinburgh is half a day. That's 3-4 days of your trip in the car.

The only dual carriageway highway you'll get on that route is between Inverness and Aberdeen.

If you're trying to play more than 6 rounds of golf in that time it doesn't leave time for much else.

I've played Machrihanish and would recommend it, but only if you have plenty of time. It's a good layout on possibly some of the best linksland you're likely to find. But it's not up to the same class as Dornoch and the Old Course. Cruden Bay probably design wise. The reason you'd want to do Machrihanish is that it's great land and raw links conditions.

I'd recommend either:
(a) doing the Machrihanish/Dornoch leg. When you play Dornoch you can also play one of the Struie, Brora, Golspie, Tain and possible Nairn or Boat of Garten (for something different). This will allow 2-3 days for you to explore the Highlands.
OR
(b ) doing the courses around Aberdeen (Cruden Bay, Murcar, Royal Aberdeen) down to Edinburgh (including Montrose, Carnoustie, Panmure, Monofieth, St Andrews, Crail, Ladybank).

Alternatively, you could do a lot worse than playing 4 or 5 rounds at Dornoch.

I just think the schedule you've planned has too much travel and not enough for the lady wife. By the end of it, she'll have spent 8 days doing around 2500 miles (and several hundred pounds in petrol) just so you can play golf. That might make for some tough driving. The Highlands region is one of the most spectacular places on Earth - if you just drove through it, you'd be wasting a fantastic opportunity.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / What constitutes "The Sandbelt"

Paul Daley looks into it in his book The Sandbelt - Melbourne's Golfing Heaven, but if you don't want to spend $125 to get the definition you can find it at this link.

http://www.golfclubatlas.co...

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Dry spell

I was driving past Royal Melbourne on the weekend and noticed how dry it was. I was thinking that the current conditions in Melbourne might be a good thing for our golf courses and might teach a few people about turf management.

Then along came this article in The Age from Peter Thomson...

http://www.theage.com.au/ne...

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Southern Golf Club

I would be surprised if clubs like Southern, Kingswood, Woodlands, Keysborough have more than about 1100 members each at the moment (give or take a few).

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

Thanks for ruining the story, Willow. I was just telling it as the newsletter had reported it, so the author had obviously taken some liberties.

I recently witnesses a wild shot on 18. I was loading my clubs into the car in the carpark when I say a ball come from the direction of the 18th and end up by the left hand bunker of the 9th, some 40-50 metres beyond its intended target.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

About 15 years ago, one member was playing out of one of those front greenside traps. He hit it skinny and it screamed over the putting green, into a door on the old clubhouse and back onto the green to within about 2 feet. He holed out for a par. The story made the quarterly newletter and the dimple marks were left implanted on the door as proof for any doubters.

I'm sure the new clubhouse windows are reinforced glass should such an occurence occur again.

Anyway, since the tee went back. No. 18 is now one of the best finishing holes on the sandbelt. From the back the fairway traps are in play and it's usually a longish iron into an elevated green. I like playing from the front of the new tee as it's about 360m and a midiron in.

Tithers, great overview. It's been good to discuss some of the features of the course, get an outsider's perspective and have some healthy debate (and it also gave me an excuse to post a few of my pics).

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

QUOTE: ttitheridge @ Oct 19 2006, 03:13 PM

#15-381m-par4. A reasonable if not exciting par 4. The bunker and OOB guarded left side however doesn’t protect some magical line in. The right side is wide open, the green is bunkered to welcome you, and despite the right side feeding further right down the gentle grade, the resulting shot is not intimidating

#16-408m-par4. A still underwhelming hole, but far better than the very ordinary thing it was about 15 years ago. This shot is taken from the forward tee, near the old back tee. So most play was from further forward than this, with more trees right hiding the bunkers (another tree came down the morning we were there). So the tee shot was a ridiculous layup to a short corner followed by a longer second shot. A player had to slide a driver or three wood to get it to a point directly over where the bunkers are. In other words, a famous Morcom dogleg

Still an uninspiring second shot. Even the understated looking approaches and green complexes of the sandbelt usually have a strength in looking classic and not lacking anything. This one has never made that grade. To show the benefit of tree clearing, this hole used to be dark to the right, and daylight couldn’t be seen even in tiny morsels through the timber

Like #3 and a few other greens, a simple back bank is made more complex by having a subtle fold or knob that feeds balls off direction both from an overly strong approach or from a less than well played recovery

Interesting assessment of No. 15, Tithers. It's a hole I've always liked. It's suffered from the tree removal down the left hand side, which has made things a bit ugly in the past 5 years. The hole used to be lined right down the left hand side, and the golfer played between stands of pines on both side of the fairway that pre-dated the course. About the time the trees went, Clayton added the fairway traps, which wouldn't have been on the fairway on the older version of the hole and have always struck me as traps to prevent balls going OOB rather than adding much strategy to the hole. (If I was redesigning the hole, I'd like to push the tee back and bring the fairway traps back to the upslope of the crest and more into the line of play). The green is open from the right hand side, but the green defends itself in ways other than by sand. Since Clayton redesigned it (he also added 2 of the LH bunkers), it is one the firmest and quickest on the course, and the back to front slope is more pronounced. The front of the green falls away, and any shot short or right will kick away. Often the best approach is a low runner. Putting is a challenge, especially when the strong northerly whips up. I remember (although I'd rather forget) one day in a comp I had a 6 footer for par and putted it off the green. And don't go in the back left trap - it's a wicked shot from there.

This hole is a bit of a victim of modern length - many players can now drive the crest of the hill and run down the slope, giving them a short shot in.

No. 16 needs more work. But Tithers is right when he said it's better than what preceded it. In the mid-late 90s, the plan was to turn this tight dogleg into a short par 4, with an elevated tee way over near the dam. But land became available next to the fifth and a decision was made to move the tee back and left and clear out about 10m of trees on the right and 20m of trees on the left (partly due to upgrade of the storm water drain). The drive is now much, much better. However, until the left side of the green is strengthened there's not a lot of strategy from the tee for the better golfer. The traps are very much in play but there's not much incentive to take them on as the golfer can go left of them and as long as he likes, and still have an open shot to the green. The hole is long enough that it's still not an easy proposition, especially with the prevailing headwind. 16 is on the same flat tract of land as 12 and 17 and suffers a bit from it.The green looks straightforward but can be quite deceptive. Like the 15th, the domed front will repel the short approach.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

No. 11 will be much better when the tee goes back. While the front right bunker needs some work, I would advocate holding off on changing the green until there is a chance to see how the longer hole plays. The green is reasonably narrow, and when the tee goes back it will mean that it will take a well struck shot to reach the crest of the hill. The implication this has for the green is twofold. (1) The shorter hitters may be playing blind to a narrow green. If you change the angle of the green or move the front right hand trap to the left, it might be too much of an impost on the golfer from that far back. (2) The crest of the hill will kick the ball to the right for the better drivers who can get there, creating more of an angle. The prevailing cross breeze also plays a part with the narrow green. As the hole is at present it's not a great challenge. For the better player it's a fairway wood or iron straight over the trap, leaving a pitch to the green. But a beautifully sculptered hole which deserves the improvements to come.

No. 12 is Thomson/Wolveridge. The original Morcom hole played from about where the ladies tee currently is up to the corner of the property. TW moved the tee back and the green forward - I assume the lake went in at the same time. They built a lot of mounds down the right hand side which were removed about 5 years ago. Their removal emphasised how flat the hole is - they had a bit of a masking effect. The original hole has some "fairway traps" on the left about 130m short of the green. I don't see that the current hole will be redesigned any time soon, but I'd favour some fairway traps on the right about 230-250m from the tee to challenge the preferred line of the strong player trying to get home in 2. I'd like to see the green moved left a bit (it can't go as far as it should for fear of getting to close to the driveway), angled (back left to front right) and protected by a cluster of traps on the left. A hole such as this would introduce strategy for the long hitter and the layup player (with the water in play on the right for the layup which tries to open up the approach to the green).

No. 13 gets criticised, but I don't mind it. The fairway traps aren't really in play (except for the last on the right and the one on the left). Clayton advocated moving the tee back, but the ideal spot for it is in the middle of Heatherton Rd. Moving the tee back will improve the hole but won't solve the angle of the dogleg, and I would think you may still have to rework the fairway traps to be relevant a new tee. The green is not textbook but it always makes for interesting results and some fast loopy putts. In that sense it's fun/quirky, even if it's not architecturally good.

No. 14 is one of the three best long par threes in Melbourne (along with RMW 16, RME 4). Just a great, challenging one-shotter.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

A good point, mac, about being a new hole - similar established holes don't cop the criticism because they were there before the current membership and accepted what was in front of them.

Tithers, I think there are several reasons why there's been some difference of opinion on 10:

1. As mac said, it's a new hole. People can compare it to the old hole, which wasn't quite as demanding, but was probably more visually appealing, enjoyable - it was a very good hole and held in great affection by the membership.

2. What's more the old green is still there to remind people of what used to be. Maybe when it makes way for the 11th tee, people will become more accepting of the new hole.

3. The new 10th still needs more time to bed down. In the early days you got a lot of variability in the lies in the bunkers and surrounding turf, the green was new and wouldn't hold anything. As the hole matures it is beginning to play better and blend into the surrounds.

4. Many of the older members don't have the skill/strength to reach the green, so they'll always be playing out of sand or the scrub short of the green. The scrub is now gone.

5. I've seen lots of blokes go from one side of the green to the other and back again, because they don't have the ability out of the sand to hold the green, or the thought processes to not play at the hole (although they generally twig after 2 or 3 bunker shots).

Re points 4 and 5, I'm not advocating you should build a hole to accommodate these blokes. All I'm saying is that there are guys out there that find 10 a slog - hence the dislike of the hole. And while I like the hole, I don't think it hurts to examine why people like and dislike it and question the merits of the architecture.

When I said it was a good player's hole, I probably should have said smart player's hole. I stand by the comment. It requires the golfer to think about what he's doing. One good shot and you can walk off with a 2. Play a bad shot and you could walk off with a 6 if you're not smart. It just tends to happen that the good players are also the smarter ones - but not always - during recent qualifying events (for the Aus Open and other tour events) 10 usually averaged well above it's par and one of the toughest ranked holes on the course.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

No. 8 is one of the weaker holes on the course. The last 130m is about 1994 vintage. The old hole was very plain so arguably the newer version is no worse. However, I couldn't say it's any better. Moving the tee back problems and more could have been done with the green. I actually find it plays easier despite the fact that the old green was basically flat. For those playing the hole, you need to aim further left than you think off the tee. What appears to be the perfect line ends up on the mounds on the right. If anyone was to ever rebuild the hole, I'd like to see the hole turned into a short 4. Move the tee forward on top of the rise and do something creative at the green end - once the new practice fairway comes online you could clear out the trees on the right of 8 (between the current practice gound) to give some room to create (a) a slight dogleg and ( angle for a creative green/bunker complex.

No. 9 is one of the toughest par 4s on the sandbelt. At 412m into the wind it's sometimes unreachable and that centre trap comes into play. The hole was originally a par 5. The fairway trap was added later - it needs some improvement as it's shallow with little or no sand. Otherwise, No. 9 is an excellent hole.

No. 10 polarises the membership and many who play it. There are some notable pro golfers who despise it (but that may actually be a good reflection on the hole). I consider it to be a good player's hole. I don't consider it to be a hole that will provide much joy to the 18+ handicapper. And therein lies the reason why many will consider the old 10th to be a better hole - perhaps not as strategically proficient, but fair to all while remaining enough of a challenge (and slightly more visually appealing as well).

To play the hole requires a lot of thought. It's short and offers you the opportunity of a birdie. But it can also wreck the scorecard. It generally plays with the prevailing wind into you and left to right. There are no go zones here but I don't agree entirely with Tithers' assessment. The back left trap is a definite no-go. If the pin is at the front, with the narrowness of the green, only the highly skilled sand player will hold the green. Back right is not as bad as it looks but you'll be playing from 6-7 feet below the level of the green. If you're going to miss, then front right is the place to be - playing into the slope and up the length of the green. Going over the back, currently leaves a difficult chip - made harder due to the hardpan turf behind - but this is soon to be replaced. Over the last three years, the hole has bedded in and it is much better than when it opened.

Up until 6 months ago, the slope between tee and green had a fantastic cover of native shrubs which produced a magnificent bronze hue late in the day. But many of the older members complained, as they were prone to dump their shots in front of the tee into the thick of it. The bushes were burn out earlier this year. Hopefully, someone can come up with a compromise which restores some of the bushes without making it too tough for the old blokes.

In summary, a good replacement for the old 10th. Time will tell whether it should be ranked up there with similarly styled one-shotters just up the road at Kingston Heath.

10th from back left

From clubhouse

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / What hole is this?

17 at Capital

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

No 7 is one of the sleeper holes on the course. Plenty of Clayton work here. The bunkers on the left off the tee and the last trap on the right are Mike's additions. He also made modifications to the green, creating the swale in front and the raised front. The orginal Morcom hole had only the two traps - the one on the left about 2/3 of the way down and the left greenside bunker. (The first trap on the right appeared sometime after 1962 but I don't know if it's a Thomson/Wolveridge creation.) The ones on the right do serve to catch the bad shot more than affect strategy on the layup. However, if you find the traps off the tee, you do have some decisions to make as the right-hand trap comes into play. Also, the approach from either of those righthand bunkers is frightfully difficult.

The strength of 7 is the green. It can repel any shot not on target, and there's plenty of slope to make putting a challenge. (In fact before the Clayton remodelling, it was very deceptive but the swale to the right now emphasises the break to the unwary).

One word of warning to those trying to get home in two - if you tug it left, you're dead and will have to reload.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley/Southern

QUOTE: bradles08 @ Sep 28 2006, 05:39 PM

Does anyone have any perceptions on these clubs, snobby, cocky??

I don't think Woodlands, Spring Valley or Southern have a reputation for being snobby or cocky. Like any club with 1000+ members there'll be people you like and ones you don't

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

Tithers,
The 5th looks good (as Mac said, is beginning to feel better with the trees groing back in) but it just doesn't work. That's not all Clayton's fault as the directive was to try and maintain the features of the old hole. The green is a more interesting challenge to putt on, but it sits at the wrong angle, both to the tee and to the bunkers which weren't modified. The real problem is the right hand side. If the pin is on the right it's not accessible as it sits on a ridge (actually, more like a knoll) with the righthand bunker close behind. I've played on days when the only percentage shot it to the middle of the green and then been in danger of putting it of the green from 10 because you have put over the knoll. The old green was a plateau with a step in the right hand side - perhaps re-creating some of that feature (ie, flattening it and reintroducing more of a step) on the right may improve the hole without a full revamp. But it's not going to be a great hole unless the green complex is fully rebuilt. And there could be a great hole there because it's on one of the better pieces of land on the site.

The 6th green is Thomson/Wolveridge from the 80s. The hole's not much of a challenge from the forward tee in the photo (you must have played on a Tuesday, Tithers) as one can fly the fairway trap. From the back tee, the strategy and the lay of the land become apparent.

Waiting to hear the assessment of 7.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley/Southern

Bradles08,

Give John Stamp a call at Spring Valley (9562 3811). He'll be able to fill you in on all the fees, info, etc. John's a good bloke and will be very accommodating and can probably offer you a competitive joining package.

To answer a few of your questions:
The tip is not a major factor these days. The remaining part to the west of the 15th is moving away from the course, and is likely to be filled in within the next 6 months and (hopefully) no longer a problem. The prevailing southerly doesn't blow the smell across the course, so it's really only on the odd day with the wind out of the west that you get a bit of a stench. I'd say I've only experienced 1 bad day in the past 12 months and most other days you don't smell a thing.

If you're going to be playing midweek, you'll get good access to the course where you can play most days. The demographic midweek is skewed towards older members, but you'll get that at any private club. The membership is down to earth and very friendly. The crew in the pro shop are young, approachable and helpful and the facilities in the clubhouse are excellent.

Also, if you join now you'll go straight onto full playing rights and it's usually possible to get onto the timesheet on Saturdays without too many hassles.

I'm not sure what the current joining fees are, but they've been discounted of late. If you've got any mates also looking to join, I think there's a 20% discount if 2 or more join together. As an U/25 you'll probably get discounted subs and the opportunity to pay your joining fee over a number of years.

The course is an excellent test, consistently in top condition and one you won't grow tired of.

I hope I've done a reasonable job selling some of the good points.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Spring Valley

[quote name='ttitheridge' date='Sep 26 2006, 02:29 PM' post='235276']
#3-150m-par3. Sorry Dela. A nothing hole, on flat land sure, but uninspiring and underwhelming nonetheless. The bunkering tries to make the hole and fails, with the green needing to be better featured and not so large (which then removes the necessity of part of the out of place looking sand-fest)

I don't know why you're sorry. It's a reasonable assessment. It's always been one of the weakest holes on the course (8 and 12 giving it a run for it's money) - but it's not an absolute shocker - which is part of the strength of the Valley - some really good holes and nothing really bad. 3 is a fair challenge for the midweek membership demographic who probably struggle with the 10th.

Once upon a time, Peter Thomson, in his duties as course consultant recommended turning 3 into a 220yd par 4, moving the tee back up the hill. Tithers, if you were observant you might have noticed that a lot of the dense bush to the right of the track between the second green and third tee has been cleared out - I wouldn't mind better someone has been weighing up what a re-routing of 3 would look like, played from the right of the second. A relocated third green might also allow lengthening to 4 and 7 (something to think about in 50 years).

As for the other holes, you've reviewed so far, I think 1 is good for an opening hole. It doesn't require you to be at the top of your game for the drive and offers you the chance to start with a par. But it also has the ability to bite you if you put your approach in the wrong spot.

2 is a class par 4. Strong design principles in play here. For Jeffrey, they've cleared back some of the stuff on the right opposite the traps. For those who don't know, Clayton redesigned the fairway traps as the old Morcom ones weren't far enough up. Played back into the prevailing breeze, the hole presents a real challenge - physcially and strategically. The greenside bunkering is classical Morcom.

The fourth has benefitted from the resurfacing of the green (along with 1,2,5,7 and 15), close on a decade ago now. It's small and firm and requires a well struck shot, especially from anywhere left. The hole length is fine for 98% of the membership, but the good player can take his tee shot over the fairway trap. Mac suggested the tee needs to go back. This would improve the hole for the other 2% but that fact means it won't happen anytime soon. Not a driver hole unless the wind is favourable. Right of the trap is dead, and too far left can block you out and/or leaves you with a devilish shot over the deep left greenside trap.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Unsodomised by the hand of man

QUOTE: AndyA @ Jul 30 2006, 08:23 PM

I've been in Dornoch for two days - one of the most peaceful places I've seen anywhere. MattyM should follow Madonna's lead and get married here!

After walking it twice, I'm playing this afternoon. What struck me most about the course, besides the routing and great green complexes, is how natural the course appears. Stand on the top of the hill near the clubhouse and look down at the course and you wouldn't guess its a golf course, besides the fairways being mown short. This stands in stark contrast to places like The Dunes and National Moonah/Ocean, where what some call "natural" is actually a complete distortion of the land which was there originally.

Some talk about the need for "definition" on a good golf course, but the absence of definition at Dornoch is what stands out to me. Its what makes it so visually compelling.

Just wait until you get to Brora - then you'll see natural.

Dornoch is one of the most beautiful villages in Scotland and the course is easily one of the best. I'm surprised the Americans haven't ruined your peace though, AndyA.

What sort of condition is the course in? When I was there a few years ago (in the hot summer of 03) it was hard and fast. Some people in the more recent past have criticised it for being overwatered. I'd hate to see it end up like Carnoustie which, in my opinion, is somewhat Amercanised, or rather tailors it conditions to accommodate the yanks.

Topic: Golf Talk / Golf Clubs, membership and new members.

QUOTE: myshouldershurt @ Jul 9 2006, 08:40 PM

You got my hopes up.
For anyone who has played at Spring Valley, how much of an effect does the recycling depot and landfill have on the course (smell and noise)?

"Recycling depot"? It's a tip.

On a day with the wind out of the southwest, west or northwest it gets a bit smelly on some holes. Fortunately, they've filled in the areas closest to the course, so most of the problems are nearing an end and within a couple of years there will be negligible or no smell (and never a boundary problem like most of the neighbouring courses). No noise except from the go-carts on the weekend, but that's no big issue.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Waterford Valley

I played here for the first time yesterday and was suitably impressed. It would rate among the better public access courses in Melbourne. While it doesn't rise to any great architectural heights, it was a well laid out track, and well designed for the market who will play it (except that the long par threes might sort out a few of the punters).

Contrary to golfguy's assessment, I thought the condition of the course was excellent, especially given the land on which they've built (clay base and low-lying/swampy). I do have some reservations about what would happen in an average to above-average rainfall winter, but time will tell on that one.

I would think the green fees are in line with comparable courses around town.

As far as public access courses go, I rate it slightly above Kingston Links, on a par with Growling Frog and below some of the Peninsula courses. All in all, a good public course and well worth the visit.

Topic: Your Favourite Golf Courses / Backward sloping green

From memory the 12th hole at Growling Frog has a reverse tier.

Topic: Golf Talk / Channel 9 not showing final round of US OPEN?!

QUOTE: Jack @ Jun 13 2006, 05:05 PM

All you complaining bleeding hearts really give me the shits. You were all at it before last years PGA as well. Yet none of you have coughed up a few bucks to watch it all "Kenny Suttcliffe" free on FOXTEL.

Shame on you all.

Kenny is in Germany - fortunately Nine don't have the World Cup coverage.

Topic: Golf Talk / Contest - 25 words or less

To be in Jack's four,
you just have to be sure,
to take him down Graham Road
to Maison D'Amour.