Hacker Issue 1/72

Issue 1/72

HACKER WE KNOW THE GAME OF GOLF

A Slice of Heaven

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THE LINKS KENNEDY BAY Course Review

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LOFOTEN LINKS

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me Aweso line new on zine for aga golf m weekend the rior! war

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THE HIGH FIVE 5 Great Post Game Beers

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ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE? THE LINKS KENNEDY BAY

Green fees from $50 Discounts for group bookings Range of memberships available throughout the year Fully equipped clubhouse/pro shop All carts fitted with GPS Full practice facilities

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Australia’s #6 ranked course as voted by the 2018 Golf Course Guide

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Port Kennedy Drive, Port Kennedy Western Australia 6172 p: (08) 9524 5991 e: info@kennedybay.com.au

www.kennedybay.com.au

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HACKER Issue 1 / 72 PP 34975/0011 ISSN 1323-6148 RRP $6.95

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EDITOR / PUBLISHER Garry Kennedy

ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES TO THE PUBLISHER K.R. Media Pty Ltd ACN: 064 155 111 ABN: 87 273 582 603 CORRESPONDENCE PO Box 923 Eltham Vic 3095 p: (03) 9439 0500 e: krmedia@bigpond.net.au w: hackergolfmagazine.com.au

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Selwyn Berg, Graeme Bond, Garry Kennedy, Ian Purchase and Leon Wiegard.

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12 You may not have thought about it before (which may give you an insight into our warped mind) but who is the pro golfer you’d like to get with a good old fashioned Wedgie?

Find out who’s on our list…

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DESIGN Print Ideas

CONTENTS 8

20 Imagine playing golf at midnight north of the Arctic Circle, or, after your round, sitting back and watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky. That and more is possible at Lofoten Links in Norway.

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PRINTING Postscript Publishing and Printing

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SUB EDITOR Lisa Kennedy

28 Everyone has a golfing bucket list. Regular contributor Leon Wiegard takes us on a traverse to the Home of Golf, Scotland. But it’s not St Andrews that makes up his dreamy triangle of golf.

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48 So you have finished your round, you’re parched and you need to sit down, reflect on your round and share a quiet beer or two with mates. We suggest 5 post round venues up there with the best.

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Copyright 2018 KR Media Pty Ltd The views and opinions expressed by individuals and organisations are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Whilst every care has been taken, neither the publisher nor the Clubs/Courses accept and responsibility for errors or omissions.

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All rights reserved. All content in this publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written permission of the publisher. SO THERE!

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BY GARRY KENNEDY

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HACKER MAGAZINE HAS BEEN OFF THE TOUR FOR A WHILE AS WE PONDERED OUR FUTURE, THE PROSPECT OF PRINT, THE INCREASE OF ONLINE PUBLICATIONS AND THE BRAVE NEW DIGITAL WORLD OF THE EARLY 21ST CENTURY.

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As we drew breath with the aim of relaunching the publication for modern times, we learnt a lot about our audience and what they wanted in the form of a golfing magazine.

In short, and without blowing wind up our own backsides, you said Hacker was different from all other golfing periodicals and life without it wouldn’t be worth living! A little dramatic we know – call it editorial license on our part.

After taking in all the feedback and to starve off a pending genocide of hackers around the country, we came up with a fully remodelled digital version of the magazine. And we’re feeling pretty damn good about the change. Over the next few editions we’ll completely wean readers away from a printed publication. And the benefits for all are obvious; No more destroying an entire forest to produce your favourite read – we’re environmentally sensitive!

Cool new design, interactive pages embedded with website links, videos and other cool stuff Wider reach to an ever changing and dynamic audience Better engagement between reader and advertiser (please support the advertisers where possible because in reality they make this magazine possible!)

A lower cost offering for our readers (everyone loves to save a buck) Hacker Magazine was born to be the people’s champion – to reveal hidden gems, to offer a light hearted view of this grand game, to introduce golfers to public courses, to show off some bucket list offerings and to entertain and make you smile. Too often golf is marketed to the high income, club member demographic - Hacker Magazine saw that the average Joe loved the game too and spent just as much playing and buying new equipment.

We’ve had two symbolic phrases of what our magazine intended to be over the years. The first was “The golf magazine with attitude” and “Not taking the game too seriously”. We’re still true to those statements.

So we’re back baby – and don’t tell me you’re not loving it! This is an open invitation to write me an email and tell me you what you do and don’t like about the magazine and the new format. If you are critical in any way I can’t promise you’ll like my retort but I can promise it will be scathing and belittling and probably a little childish.

Welcome to the new Hacker matrix. ED

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Brighton’s new par 3

Brighton Golf Course redevelopment

In May 2017 Bayside City Council and Brighton GC undertook a Storm Water Harvesting Project (SWHP). Anyone who has played Brighton knows it is one of the best public courses in winter as it drains so well, but come summer it does get extremely dry. The SWHP aims to keep the course looking green year round.

The project is now nearing completion with just the final touches and beautification of affected areas to be finished. New features constructed on the course during the SWHP includes: a new dam on the 11th hole providing golfers a 70m water carry from the back tees, original dams made more than twice the size, reconstructed tee boxes on the 11th, 16th and 18th holes, refurbished on course toilets, filling in of poorly placed bunkers, drainage for bunkers which flooded, removal of dead pine tree zones, planting of over 1500 native plants and new improved pathways.

Take a trip to the golf course this year and you will be amazed in the works and transformation.

Elsternwick Course Closure

On June 30, 2018 Elsternwick golf course farewelled its last golfers and is to be transformed into a redeveloped parkland and urban forest.

LMS was the lease holder and decided to not take up their option of a second 10 year lease.

Over the years there has been much talk about the future of the site. With declining player numbers extra revenue streams were needed to keep the lease viable. LMS wanted to redevelop the course into a driving range, mini golf and pitch & putt. There were talks with Golf Vic, Golf Australia 6

and the PGA to try and make a home of golf in the location. In 2012, after extensive public consultation, this proposal was declined.

As no future development was going to be approved, LMS handed back the lease and once again council went to public consultation to decide Elsternwick’s future. The vote went against retendering the course for golf (4 to 3) - a major disappointment to the many local golfers that called it home. A long history of golf on the site is now lost.

Brighton golf course has been working closely with the Elsternwick members to ensure they can still continue to play as a club.

Kingston Links Closure

Unfortunately another course has closed its doors and is due for redevelopment. Kingston Links, perhaps Melbourne’s best and most challenging public access course, closed its doors forever on June 30 and it too will be missed by many a public access course golfer.

Luxury Ocean Front Villa added to Barnbougle Golf Resort Barnbougle has added a new two-bedroom luxury Ocean Villa to the international golf resorts’ onsite accommodation.

Perched atop a coastal sand dune at The Dunes Course, the Ocean Villa is 114 sqm of beachfront luxury. The villa offers guests a two-bedroom, two-bathroom accommodation option complete with large open planned living and dining, separate laundry and a 66-sqm deck with uninterrupted views of Bass strait and the pristine Barnbougle Beach.

The Eastern Golf Club, Shark Waters 9-hole golf course

The Ocean Front Villa delivers a new level of luxury accommodation to the world class facilities presently located onsite which includes; 22 x two-bedroom cottages, 3 x four-bedroom villa’s, The 50 room Lost Farm Lodge , 2 x restaurants, Sports Bar and Day Spa. Barnbougle Golf Resort is home to two world top-100 golf courses – The Dunes and Lost Farm.

The Ocean Villa is available to hire from $500 per night. Reservations can be made directly with the property on (03) 6356 0094 or visit barnbougle.com.au

Shark Waters Brings a New Golfing Experience

The Eastern Golf Club has opened its Par 3, 9 Hole course called Shark Waters (in late 2017).

Designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Shark Waters has been developed to showcase the spectacular beauty of the wetlands; continuing the Club’s vision to have a course facility that complements the stunning natural environment of the surrounding landscape.

Whilst Shark Waters will have a set of designated tee markers on each hole, the exact routing will be largely left to the imagination of the individual; giving them the ability to tailor their own challenges and games. The figure ‘8’ design flow of the course will provide avid golfers with a variety of shot shapes, taking into consideration the daily playing conditions.

Enquiries for Corporate Golf Days and Executive Retreats incorporating Shark Waters are now being taken. For more information on The Eastern Golf Club and Yering Gorge Cottages, please visit...

easterngolfclub.com.au and yeringgorgecottages. com.au NOTE: We had a game at Shark Waters in early 2018 and it is a belter! There’s a great variety of holes, plenty of water and bunkers and generous greens to aim at (with a bail out area).

It really is worth the effort just to play this great little nine holer!

Presidents Cup to return to Royal Melbourne The Presidents Cup will once again return to the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club when the event takes centre stage in 2019 - the third time the biennial event has been played there in its 25-year history. No other international venue has hosted a Presidents Cup more than once. Melbourne also holds the distinction as the site of the lone International Team’s victory in 1998, which saw Peter Thomson’s International Team defeat Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Team 20.5 to 11.5.

For more information, or to learn more about the Presidents Cup, visit presidentscup.com The event will be held Dec 9-15th.

Royal Melbourne

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Play one

Club Mandalay is the latest golf course designed by five-time British Open Champion Peter Thomson and the team at Thomson Perrett and is just 40 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD and 20 minutes from Melbourne Airport.

Located in Beveridge, just off the Hume Highway, the par 72 course measures 6285m and offers spectacular vistas, superb playing surfaces and is a must play for every golfer.

Book online at clubmandalay.com.au and save 10%* or call 03 9037 3700 for more information.

Visit clubmandalay.com.au... and save!

BOOK AT CLUBMANDALAY.COM.AU

of Australia’s best

Iconic Thomson Perrett Designed

CHAMPIONSHIP

GOLF COURSE

Club Mandalay, 430-450 Mandalay Circuit, Beveridge, VIC 3753 T 03 9037 3700 E info@clubmandalay.com.au W clubmandalay.com.au

Vic Open set to become Australian Golf’s richest event

New Resort to service Yarrawonga’s Black Bull

Lotus Living has just launched its $35 million hotel and serviced apartments, The Point Resort Apartments, at Silverwoods Golf and Lifestyle Resort in Yarrawonga. Home to the highly regarded Black Bull Golf Course, voted 2016 & 2017 Victorian PGA Legends Pro AM of the year, this new addition will allow golfers to enjoy a full golf holiday with accommodation right on the course.

The 18-hole Black Bull Golf Course, designed by Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett, has already given Yarrawonga tourism a significant boost, attracting golfers from across Victoria and NSW. The addition of a hotel will bolster visitor numbers and the length of their stay, supporting Yarrawonga as it continues to flourish as a premier holiday, conference and mini-getaway destination in northern Victoria.

Designed by prominent architecture practice Cox Architecture, the resort will be surrounded by beautiful and uniquely local flora and fauna, and will be operated by The Sebel Brand under a franchise agreement with Accor Hotels.

Great new website for Australia’s #1 Course – Cape Wickham Australia’s #1 course as voted by the 2018 GOLF Course Guide – Cape Wickham – recently launched their new website capewickham.com.au Here you can book one of the 16 on site rooms, your rounds of golf and even look at the dining options. If you haven’t played the course before you’ll love the flyovers of each and every one of the 18 magnificent holes. A drone takes you on a journey from tee to green, perfectly illustrating what a sensational golf course and setting it is.

For those that haven’t seen the course it will do nothing but whet the appetite and have you dreaming until you get there, and for those that have played here it’s another reminder of what a great layout and location it is!

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The Vic Open will become Australian golf’s richest week in 2019 with the combined prize pool surging to an unprecedented $3 million. That’s more than double the $1.3 million on offer in 2018 and means since moving to 13th Beach Golf Links in 2013, the prize pool has increased ten-fold – from $300,000 to $3 million.

The Vic Open remains the only golf tournament of its kind in the world, with men and women competing for equal prize money, on the same courses at the same time. And in 2019 that won’t change, with $1.5 million up for grabs in Barwon Heads for both the men’s and women’s fields from February 7-10.

The 2019 Vic Open will provide the world’s leading ladies with the perfect final tune-up ahead of the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide while the men’s event will continue to be one of the headline acts of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Metropolitan. Photography by Gary Lisbon.

World Cup of Golf heads down under

The 59th edition of the World Cup of Golf will return to Melbourne, Victoria, with The Metropolitan Golf Club playing host to 28 two-person teams representing their respective countries on November 21-25, 2018.

The Melbourne World Cup of Golf is the opportunity for the highest-ranked player from each competing country to choose his playing partner, thus maximizing the camaraderie and competitive spirit. The 2018 event will continue with the same format from 2016, with the first and third days of competition played as four-ball (best ball) format and the second and final days as foursomes (alternate shot) play.

The 2018 event will mark the third-consecutive playing of the World Cup of Golf in the Sandbelt region.

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In this regular article we’ll talk about some of the antiquated rules, regulations and peculiarities of golf.

I remember an event about 30 years ago as clear as yesterday. With a few mates we headed up to the border to play one of the fantastic courses along the Murray River. You may recall, golf was a little more anal back then.

We unpacked our clubs and headed for the pro shop to pay our green fees, ready for our round.

A curtly, old bugger behind the jump eyed us up and down, he realised we were city folk and he proceeded to make our lives difficult.

I swear it was 38 degrees with the temperature rising, we were all decked out in shorts but one of our group had a T-Shirt on. It was a very nice T-Shirt but it didn’t have a collar. You had to have a collar. Some old local bloke not with us was grabbing a drink to take on his round – he smelt and his collared shirt looked as though it had been through 300 washes too many. It was littered with small moth holes, frayed edges and stains down the front from God knows what – but it had a collar. You wouldn’t wear it if someone gave you $50 to take it. But he could play and my mate in his clean, pressed nice smelling shirt couldn’t. Luckily he had a spare collared shirt, so he changed and we readied for play. But not in those socks! We all donned shorts and we all had short, white socks – an accepted variety at our local track – but not here. Here we needed to wear long dacks or shorts with knee high, all white, no label socks. And they happened to have them on sale. So we paid for our green fees and a white pair of long socks, we pulled them up to our knee caps and headed for the first tee. Halfway down the second fairway we lowered our socks in the stifling heat only to be affronted by a member and reminded we weren’t welcome if we didn’t abide by the dress regulations. Welcome to our golf course – we hope you come back soon!

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Thankfully stories like this are history or are they? Sure most, if not all private Clubs allow you to wear short white socks or anklets nowadays, however collared shirts are still required at many private Clubs. So why can Tiger Woods wear a tight fitting, non-collared shirt at some of the most prestigious private courses around the world, but we, the paying public, are still forced to wear a collar?

In the Clubhouse we have to remove our hat. Jeans are a no-no, even if they often look more stylish on a young man or lady than a floppy pair of sauce stained taupe Chinos.

If we want to encourage young men and women to take up the game, we need to make them feel comfortable and welcomed. On stinking hot days you should be able to wear thongs in the spike bar or outdoor areas. Shirts should be allowed to be worn out to help ventilation and freedom of movement.

Come on Golf Clubs – encourage players, don’t make it hard for them to enjoy your facilities and spend money over the bar because they are wearing their cap backwards like Lleyton.

As long as patrons are polite, respectful of the course and other players, let’s make the Golf Club a friendly and welcoming place. Let’s make the course fun and enjoyable, let’s make the game comfortable and inclusive or I fear the younger generation will take up E Sports and the golfing fairways of today will be empty tomorrow.

ANGLESEA GOLF CLUB Golflinks Road, Anglesea VIC 3220 Clubhouse: 03 5263 1582 Email: info@angleseagolfclub.com.au

Website: angleseagolfclub.com.au

World renowned golf course designed by Vern Morcom. Located in a popular seaside township in a picturesque bush setting, you’ll enjoy lush, drought proof fairways, terrific greens and you’ll be cheered on by a resident population of Eastern Grey kangaroos.

A little over an hour’s drive from the Westgate Bridge, enjoy a great course with great facilities including the bistro overlooking the 18th fairway and green – open for meals 7 days a week.

Green Fees Mon to Fri $50, Sat and Sun $55 Junior green fees $25 for 18 holes $15 for 9 holes Social Group bookings available 7 days

Women’s competitions Thurs, Sat and Sun Men’s competitions Wed, Sat and Sun

Annual Tournament held over 8 days every October

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This is a new article and we think it will become very popular indeed. In each edition we’re going to highlight a current Tour Pro that really annoys us. This is not a comment about their character – just an observation.

They’re the golf professional that you’d like to grab by the Reg Grundies and give a good old fashion wedgie. You know the act. Walk up behind a guy, grab the top of their undies, yank them hard and high and upward. And then as they squeal and yelp and try to lower their body to release their new formed G-String and untangle their agates, your satisfaction is evident at executing the perfect wedgie.

So let’s cut to the chase, who has Hacker chosen as Wedgie Recipient #1? Well seriously, there could be no better candidate than Mr. Charisma of the US PGA Tour, Jim Furyk.

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So why have we plucked Jim out as #1? He came to our attention long ago, or let us rephrase that, he came to our lack of attention some time back.

The name Furyk started appearing on the leader board of many golf tournaments and not recalling who he was, we skipped back through replays to try to put name to face. And there he was, Mr Excitement. Drive down the middle, mid-iron to the green, a couple of putts. Par. Again and again.

A good solid golfer, nothing fancy, no risks, no emotion. Nothing! Just what the game of golf needs, another emotionless statue picking up a few million a year in prize money and sending the crowd into a rapturous cacophony of yawns.

And he’s slow. Address the ball, step back. Counsel the caddy, look to the heavens to check the wind direction, flick a blade of grass away that sits behind the ball. Address the ball. Inaudible butterfly fart two continents away, distracted, step away from the ball. Refocus. Address the ball. Zephyr of wind moves across the face. Does this shot need another club? Step away from the ball. Repeat again and again and again. Get the picture – he’s SLOW!

I remember watching a major event in the US a number of years ago on TV. Furyk was up the top of the leader board so we were getting a lot of vision of his game. Each shot was the worst 10 minutes of my life! Then I noticed his hat displayed a sponsor – 5-Hour Energy. I thought it very ironic that a product that was supposed to give you 5 hours energy appeared to slow down Jim. He either wasn’t using the product or he needed another few helpings!

Speed of play aside, I swear if Jim holed out for an ace or eagled a par five, he’d be about as animated as a corpse. Dip of the hat, maybe a wry smile but that would be it! No straddling the putter and doing a horsey lap of the green or rolling the grey polo over his bald bonnet and doing the aeroplane to delight the crowds. Nope it would be business as usual. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

So Mr. Furyk, Hacker gives you its first Wedgie Award. May your jock strap ride high and your eyes water ever more.

GOLF POLOS & CAP WITH YOUR LOGO

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Hacker Magazine and ausgolf.com.au have teamed up to bring you a great deal on golf shirts and caps. Have YOUR LOGO stitched on a golf polo and cap. Ideal for; > Golf Clubs > Social Golf Clubs > Business Groups > Corporate groups > Buck weekends > Annual golf trips with mates You may have looked in to it before, but found it’s just too expensive – WELL NOT NOW! Min order eight (8) from JUST $35+gst per person*

HACKER

(*plus a small set up and delivery fee)

> Great quality TrueDry Short sleeve polo and matching cap > Great colours to choose from No matter how you look at it, thirty five bucks for a quality shirt and cap with YOUR LOGO is a hot price!

ENQUIRIES: (03) 9439 0500 or email us at garry@ausgolf.com.au

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE - ausgolf.com.au/shirts-and-caps-with-your-logo 15

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Hacker Magazine hasn’t presented a golf lesson in its pages for many years. Personally I have never warmed to reading page after page of golf tips, firstly trying to comprehend the lingo then trying to interpret frame upon frame of still photos showing what you are supposed to be doing. Now that we’re digital however, we can present a video that you can really understand!

We’ve been lucky enough to join forces with Travis Harrison, PGA Professional at Brighton Golf Course. He’ll guide you through some common problems with a simple solution, presented in a short and easy to understand video.

While the article is titled Bunkered, of course we won’t solely be concentrating on getting out of them – in this regular article we’ll look at a common golfing problem and present a simple solution to fix it.

All that said our first tip is to help you get out of an Archie! While I am not the most proficient at escaping every bunker I enter, I reckon 90% of the time I can at least get out of them. However I often play with golfers clearly better than me, yet they still have problems just escaping the clutches of a sandy grave. In this brief video (with the number 216 bus to Brighton Beach in the back ground), Travis helps us correct our address and take away to ensure we get out of these evil hazards more often.

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A tip for common golfing problems from PGA Professional Travis Harrison Travis Harrison has been the Head Professional of the Brighton Golf Course for 9 years whilst also taking on the role as course manager for the past two. He is a certified PGA member who is advanced in coaching and recognised as one of Melbourne’s elite coaches.

Travis holds a university degree in sports coaching which allows his students a unique opportunity to be holistically developed though all stages associated with improving their game. With his extensive knowledge of the golf swing and learning styles, clients of all ages and abilities are sure to gain incredible results. As a testament to Travis’s knowledge he also works for the PGA of Australia lecturing and mentoring upcoming Trainee Professionals and provides seminars to the AFL coach’s association on skill acquisition.

In 2015/16 Travis was nominated for Victorian PGA Teaching Professional of the year and in 2016/17 he won Victorian Club Professional of the year.

Travis Harrison Head Professional and Manager Brighton Golf Course and Golf Academy (03) 9592 1388 or 0403 341 378 tharrison@pgamember.org.au brightongolfacademy.com.au facebook.com/BrightonGolfAcademy

Introd uctor y S Book pecial: your fi rst les with t he so Acade Brighton G n my an olf a 1ho d receiv ur golf e le the pr ice of sson for a½h our.

Save

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Melbourne’s best public course in winter and with the new storm water harvesting project now to be great year game.

18 holes on the Melbourne sandbelt that provides playability for the weekend golfer whilst a true test to the serious player. Carts are available all year with a great beer garden, to enjoy a drink after your round. Playing memberships and afternoon specials make golf enjoyable and affordable.

The Brighton Golf Academy also offers coaching and club fitting to all ages and abilities. The Brighton team, led by Head Professional Travis Harrison (2016/17 Victorian PGA Club professional of the Year) can help improve your game 7 days a week.

WINTER SPECIA Mention L: th is ad a nd receiv for the p e 2 play rice of 1 ers midweek of Septe till the en mber 20 d 18. Limit ed to 1 use per player.

Brighton Golf Course, 230 Dendy Street, Brighton VIC 3186 Bookings: 03 9592 1388 brightongolfcourse.com.au Also find us on Instagram and Facebook Other LMS Venues:

glenwaverlygolf.com.au

northcotegolf.com.au oakleighgolf.com.au

altonalakesgolf.com.au ivanhoegolfcourse.com.au

rgtc.com.au

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For a long time I played the local public course circuit with friends. We had no handicaps we just played off the stick – best score won. That was fine between mates, we were all of a similar standard. However, as we got to know the game better we started to understand the benefits of a handicap. You keep track of your progress, you have a goal to lower your scores and you can compete against any standard of golfer on a (relatively) level playing field. A handicap also allows you to access Club competitions, even at private courses where you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to play. And of course it also includes personal accident and player liability insurance coverage. Ever wondered what would happen if you duck hooked a drive onto a busy highway and caused a major accident – you don’t want to know if you aren’t covered!

So the natural progression for the green fee warrior that enjoys a whack with mates on a weekend is to join a Club and get a handicap.

You may think there’s only one option to obtaining a handicap – join your local course and pay the annual subs. However that doesn’t suit many golfers. The local Club may cost a few thousand or more per year and if you only plan to play every second weekend the cost can’t be justified. Well, you have choices!

In each edition of Hacker we’ll introduce you to new courses, clubs and handicap providers, all of varying costs – one may suit your current requirements.

Rather than join an actual golf club, why not get a handicap from a handicap provider? And the GSM Golf Club is a ripper. Here’s what you get for $139; > O fficial Golf Australia handicap including GolfLink card and online handicap access > P ersonal accident and player liability insurance coverage > S pecial member pricing on green fees and motorised carts at participating GSM venues Valid seven days a week > A ccess to regular weekly and monthly competition events at GSM venues and other courses around Australia* > E xclusive access to the GSM Golf Club Championships, held in October > M obile Membership Card and online direct booking facility with no prepayment required from September 1 > A bility to submit conforming social scores for handicapping purposes when playing GSM venues. > G MS also have a Gold Membership and Golf EZI – both offering more benefits. Check out gsmgolf.com.au

Club Memberships: LOW COST OPTION – Howlong GC If you live a certain distance from a golf course – usually 50 kms (or more) away, Clubs often offer a non-resident or country member category. This gives you a handicap maintained by the Club.

Howlong Golf Club

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Howlong Golf Resort on the Vic/NSW border is well known for having a huge book of “Golf Resort Members”. The annual cost is just $99 and the benefits include; > N o joining fee > M aintain a handicap > 1 2 month membership starts from join date > A ccess to club facilities, special promotional offers and members discounts on meals and drinks and even accommodation This is a great option to maintain a handicap. I am a member at Howlong and I recently played in a competition at a very prestigious Club – and I was welcomed as a visitor from Howlong! And while I don’t get to Howlong often, it should be noted that it’s a terrific course!

For full details visit -howlonggolf.com.au/ golf-membership/

Woodlands Golf Club

Many Clubs have similar options now – so it’s well worth asking your local track what’s on offer.

For full details visit – heidelberggc.com.au/individual-golf-membership

HIGH END OPTION – Woodlands Golf Club Heidelberg Golf Club

MID RANGE OPTION – Heidelberg Golf Club Many golf clubs are getting more innovative with their options now, realising that traditional 7 day membership doesn’t suit everyone. At Heidelberg, in Melbourne’s north-east, full 7 day membership is around $2,500 – and this is the norm for this category of Club.

However, they also have casual memberships.

A lifestyle membership is around $1100 and you receive 100 points. A Sunday round may cost 5 points, a Thursday round after 1pm just 1 point.

Play every Thursday arvo and a game of golf is costing you about $10, and even if you play every week you’ll still have 50 points to use on Sundays or other days of your choosing.

They also have a Golflink membership for $359 – it includes 5 rounds of golf and you can also play in 12 competitions a year for around $50.

So you are ready join the big league? How about membership at a famed Melbourne Sand Belt course? Yeah right I hear you say! Well it’s possible. You’ll need a proposer, a seconder and a couple of referees. If you can’t facilitate these requirements, it’s still worth asking the Club as other options are available to become a member.

Waiting lists aren’t as long as you might think – even at a great Club like Woodlands, a course ranked in the Top 20 courses in Australia.

You’ll be stunned by the condition of the pure couch fairways, green and bunker complexes, course presentation, the range of practice areas and the Clubhouse facilities too.

With the joining and first year membership fees combined it isn’t cheap, but the club has a number of payment options and yearly subscriptions are around $3,700 pa thereafter.

If you are serious about your golf, networking and you have the means – what are you waiting for?

It doesn’t get much better than this! Check them out on Instagram@woodlands_gc 19

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NEWS FROM THE VIC VETS GOLF ASSOCIATION It’s been a while since we published news from the Vic Vets, so apologies for some of this news being a little old (and a little light on). We’ll be working to get more news from all the associations around Victoria for the next edition.

Cranbourne Cup

Woodlands Cup

125 MDVGA Veterans enjoyed superb conditions at the Cranbourne Golf Club in February to compete for the annual Cranbourne Cup. Peter Bywaters of Cranbourne (off a handicap of 6), carded a fine 75 but so did Dale Collins of Northern – who also plays off 6! It was great golf by both the boys, but maybe local knowledge paid off as Peter won on a countback.

As usual, the lunch provided by the Club was excellent and well appreciated by all.

115 players competed for the prestigious MDVGA Perpetual Woodlands Cup on a well presented course in pleasant weather, followed up by a fine barbecue lunch.

Tony Linney of Yering Meadows (handicap 18) secured the Cup with an excellent score of 43 points. That’s great golf around a tricky track!

Tony Linney receives the trophy from captain Frank Martel.

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LOFOTEN LINKS In each edition we’re going to feature a Slice of Heaven, a humdinger of a course –one that you will probably never get the chance to play but it will be on your wish-list or to-do list or your bucket list…whatever.

And to kick us off is a doozy! Let’s look at Lofoten Links, where golfers get chance to sleep under the Northern Lights.

And Lofoten Links has recently opened luxury lodgings – what are you waiting for?

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FROM THE BACK PEGS: 18 HOLES, PAR 71, 6115M, MEN’S SLOPE RATING 136.

“THE WORLDS COOLEST GOLF CLUB WITH THE HOTTEST LIGHT SHOW ON EARTH.” – CNN in 2015

Where in the World?

Lofoten Links is in Norway on the island of Gimsøya which sits 95 miles north of the Arctic Circle at 68 degrees latitude.

Highlights Golf in the midnight Sun, golf and the Northern Lights, Stay at Hov Beach and watch the lights from your accommodation while waves crash and send you to sleep.

From the end of May till the end of July, the sun never sets! Lofoten Links is one of the few courses in the world to offer playing golf in the sun for 24 hours, including up to 6 hours in the midnight sun!

From the end of August until mid October you can play golf at daytime and experience the Northern Lights at night. Lofoten Links Lodges are one of the best places to experience this natural light show.

The Course For more information and bookings: info@lofotenlinks.no +47 (0)76 07 20 02 www.lofotenlinks.no 24

Lofoten Links is one of the world’s most northerly courses. A spectacular 18-hole links course which is beautifully situated on the island of Gimsøya in Lofoten. The course is located by the seaside with an unobstructed view to the North and the midnight sun. Playing and walking the course is a grand experience where the ocean is a water hazard on several holes and sandy beaches act as natural bunkers.”

The Accommodation Now golfers have the opportunity to stay in one of the most uniquely positioned golf resorts in the world in a range of accommodation in the beautiful setting of the Lofoten Islands.

Potential residents can choose between the newly opened lodges and apartments. The cosy Lofoten Links Lodges, which are set next to Hov Beach, around 1km from the course itself, have three or four bedrooms, a kitchen, spacious lounges with fireplaces and terraces with sea views.

The Lofoten Links Apartments range between one and three bedrooms, and are situated nearer the links itself. Guests can look forward to golf course or ocean views, plus kitchenettes, living rooms and shower rooms.

Lofoten Links is offering special golf and accommodation packages to coincide with 24-hour golf and the Northern Lights. Meals for all accommodation guests can be arranged to be taken at the clubhouse, with the added possibility of breakfast served at their door.

Whatever the time of year, the facility’s wild location between the Atlantic and the jagged Lofoten Mountains makes it one for every traveller’s bucket list. A visit to Lofoten Links is not just for golfers - it also means the chance to ride Icelandic horses, try spectacular hikes or kayaking and, in winter, cross-country skiing. Photo safaris are also a major attraction for the growing number of visitors to the area, as well as the many visible reminders of Lofoten’s Viking history.

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“It won’t run off the green now!”

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I read and listened to a lot of dialogue after the Phil Mickelson fiasco at the US Open. For those that don’t recall the shenanigans, in the third round big Phil was playing the 13th hole at the brutal Shinnecock Hills. The greens were harder to hold than a VW bonnet. Putting for bogey, Phil missed and watched as his ball began to run off the glassy green. So he did what any beginner hacker would do – he chased it down while it was still moving and he struck it back towards the hole. That’s ok between mates, but at a major golf championship it was always going to cause controversy.

Phil smugly remarked after his round that he knew what he was doing and had thought about doing it before. He wasn’t embarrassed or shamed. But the majority of the fans, media, his peers and the purists were outraged – he should be disqualified – or worse, hung, drawn and quartered!

As reported by the BBC website; After his round, he said he quickly decided the two-stroke penalty would be better than allowing the ball to roll off the green. He accepted a two-shot penalty from the USGA for “making a stroke at a moving ball”, rather than the more severe offence of “an action with the intent to influence the movement of a ball in play”, which could have resulted in disqualification.

Asked why Rule 1-2, which covers a ball being “influenced or deflected” and can lead to disqualification for a “serious breach” was not invoked, John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s senior managing director of championships and governance, said: “Phil didn’t purposely deflect or stop the ball, which is talked about in the reference under Rule 14-5. He played a moving ball.”

Say what John? “Phil didn’t purposely deflect or stop a ball”?

I’m not sure what I was watching but this statement by the head honcho of USGA’s governance is utter crap! He didn’t accidentally deflect his ball, he deliberately stopped it from rolling off the green while it was still moving. Spin it anyway you like – but this is clearly wrong!

What Phil did was dumb and he’ll wear the burden of this event for the rest of his life. What was adjudicated was grossly erroneous. Clearly Mickelson should have been disqualified, but he wasn’t and we all move on. In my opinion, John Bodenhamer should move on too.

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The Dunes

TOP 100 GOLF COURSES 2018 Each year Australia’s #1 Golfing Directory, The GOLF Course Guide, releases their Top 100 Courses for the year.

Ranking lists and course ratings always create much debate and as the saying goes just like everyone has a, err…nose, everyone has an opinion (or words to that effect).

Unlike other Top 100 lists, the GOLF Course Guide focuses on courses that are accessible for all golfers. Private Clubs like Royal Melbourne are not included, however Private courses such as Barwon Heads are because they allow public access at various times. Also included are courses that allow access to in-house guests like The Heritage (it may be an expensive round when you add on course accommodation to the outing but you can play there!)

So here is the GOLF Course Guide’s Top 100 courses for 2018.

1 Cape Wickham 2 Barnbougle Dunes 3 Barnbougle Lost Farm 4 The Dunes 5 St Andrews Beach 6 Kennedy Bay 7 Joondalup - Quarry/Dunes 8 Barwon Heads 9 Thirteenth Beach - Beach 10 Bonville 11 Moonah Links - Legends 12 Ocean Dunes 13 Magenta Shores 14 Newcastle 15 Hamilton Island 16 Links Hope Island 17 Moonah Links - Open 18 Glades 19 The Cut 20 Kalgoorlie 21 Brookwater 22 Pacific Dunes 23 Pacific Harbour 24 Portsea 25 Sanctuary Cove - Pines

26 Thirteenth Beach - Creek 27 Arundel 28 Kooralbyn 29 Port Fairy 30 Lakelands 31 Pelican Waters 32 Meadow Springs 33 Capricorn 34 Cape Schanck 35 Noosa Springs 36 Stonecutters Ridge 37 Sanctuary Cove - Palms 38 Club Mandalay 39 Settlers Run 40 Heritage - St Johns 41 Sanctuary Lakes 42 Royal Pines - Green/Gold 43 Alice Springs 44 Murray Downs 45 St Michael’s 46 The Vintage 47 Twin Waters 48 The Vines - Lakes 49 Tasmania 50 Links Lady Bay

51 Cranbourne 52 Ballarat 53 Ranfurlie 54 Sandhurst - Champions 55 Horsham 56 Paradise Palms 57 Narooma 58 Eynesbury 59 Mt Compass (Fleurieu) 60 Palmer Gold Coast (Robina) 61 Riverside Oaks - Bungool 62 Kooindah Waters 63 Black Bull 64 Secret Harbour 65 Murwillumbah 66 Heritage - Henley 67 Federal 68 Long Reef 69 Rosebud - North 70 Palmer Sea Reef 71 Palmer Coolum 72 Flinders 73 Sandhurst - North 74 Curlewis 75 Araluen

76 Lakeside Camden 77 Shepparton 78 Portarlington 79 Palm Meadows 80 Sands Torquay 81 Eagle Ridge 82 Royal Hobart 83 Yering Meadows - Nursery 84 Horizons 85 Mona Vale 86 Wirrina Cove 87 Warrnambool 88 Yarrawonga - Murray 89 Cobram Barooga - Old 90 Gardiners Run 91 Ocean Shores 92 Forster-Tuncurry - Tuncurry 93 Patterson River 94 Copperclub At The Dunes 95 Sun City 96 Growling Frog 97 Leongatha 98 The Vines - Ellenbrook 99 Ulverstone 100 Wollongong

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The Top 100 courses for 2018 explained

by GOLF Course Guide Editor Selwyn Berg

Last year’s debutant at #1, Cape Wickham links on King Island, Tasmania has remained atop our rankings list for 2018. The stunning coastal site received top marks for aesthetics from each judge who has seen the course, and all but three judges ranked the design by Mike De Vries and Darius Oliver as their top pick. Course conditioning was assessed to have improved slightly, but still behind Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm which remained at #2 and #3 respectively. So Tasmania retains its grip on our top 3 public access courses.

In fact, there were no changes from the overall 2017 rankings for the top 11 courses, although the individual rankings for Design, Conditioning and Aesthetics changed slightly, with King Island’s newest links, Ocean Dunes entering our list at #12. The spectacular design by Graeme Grant was ranked #6 as were the aesthetics of this dramatic seaside course, however as noted last year the course was badly drought affected for part of the judging period and was scored well down for conditioning by our panel. We feel that conditioning will only improve in coming years.

As we have noted before, the top 6 courses are all modern coastal links constructed purely for green fee play. They are all in fantastic year round condition, and all provide for a fun golfing experience for players of all capabilities – the

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most important aspect in our consideration of course design. Only two top 10 courses are inland layouts – the immaculately manicured Joondalup Quarry-Dunes course with its heart-stopping challenges off the tee, and the beautiful and tranquil Bonville layout which keeps pampering visitors both on course and off.

Two Queensland layouts join our list for the first time. Arundel Hills Country Club #27 was formerly a strictly private club on the Gold Coast, but now welcomes green fee players to enjoy its beautifully groomed fairways and new TifEagle greens ranked in our top 20 for conditions. Kooralbyn Valley, re-opened last year by a new owner after a decade of sad neglect, is ranked at #28 and with the attention of course staff lead by Jeremy Parry we expect conditioning to improve from current #45. The stunning mountain site (#17 Aesthetics) near Beaudesert in the Gold Coast hinterland was Australia’s first integrated golf resort when it opened in 1973 and we are pleased to include Kooralbyn in our 2018 rankings.

Sandhurst Champions #54 and Sandhurst North #73 return to our list as public access is available.

Horizons #84 is receiving attention from new owners and re-enters our listing. Sun City north of Perth debuts at #95 following design work by Mike Clayton’s team.

Courses previously listed that were judged just outside the Top 100 include Duntryleague, Mollymook Hilltop, Tallwoods, The Coast, Tocumwal Presidents and Cypress Lakes.

Minor changes to our judging panel, the courses they visited through the year or the timing of their visits all affect the outcome, so as always we recommend that our readers use these lists for guidance only.

Cape Wickham, Tasmania.

Dunes Winter Special May to September

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Online rate $55.20 Midweek (Unlimited Golf midweek only) Online rate $76 Weekends Play after 12pm on Sundays Online rate $58.40 Carts $30 midweek only Tombstone Challenge First Tuesday of the month – play off the Tombstone Tees, break your handicap receive a Titleist Cap, fantastic prizes from Footjoy, Titleist, Drummond Golf, St Andrews Brewery and Air Adventure.

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Machrihanish Dunes

Every golfer has a bucket list – whether it be a visit to Augusta, The Old Course, Pebble Beach or any of the other famous tracks of the World. So in each edition we’re going to ask real golfers to talk about their experiences – what was their bucket list destination like? Maybe it will help you decide if it should make your wish list.

Regular contributor Leon Wiegard kicks us off with the first piece. Enjoy!

The Classic Scottish Golf Triangle

By Leon Wiegard In this issue I wanted to highlight some brilliant golf experiences at the Home of Golf, Scotland.

And yet it does not include THE Home of Golf, St Andrews. All golfers are aware of the wonderful tradition of St Andrews and it ought to be every golfer’s aim to play there at least once during their golfing days.

For this article, I have created a triangle to make three points, from deep down on the Kintyre Peninsula (close to the Mull of Kintyre) on the south west side of Scotland, to the far north east in the

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highlands and then directly south to the East Lothian coast, almost to North Berwick.

First corner of the Triangle - MACHRIHANISH It was over 20 years ago that I first played Machrihanish. The current Machrihanish course was laid out in almost perfect dunes land in 1879 by none other than Old Tom Morris himself! It’s famous for having what is regularly rated the best opening hole in world golf. Players tee off across the ocean and a beach - the closer you want to finish to the green on this par four, the more you must take on (a great example of risk versus reward golf design). Many players find themselves taking their second shot from the beach among bathers. Unlike almost anywhere else in the world, the golfers have the right of way and the beach is simply treated as a hazard.

The course is pure links and your score will depend on the wind. But there is help at hand with members only too willing to act as expert caddies (for a fee, of course). In fact the caddy for my first game there was a previous captain of the club and he has become a close friend. Tommy Newlands comes to Australia every second year or so, and I’m always keen to return to Scotland.

One major set-back in those early days was the lack of good accommodation in the area, however that is certainly no longer the case. David McLay-Kidd designed a new links course right next

Royal Dornoch

Royal Dornoch

to the long established Machrihanish GC and the American developers responsible have done a brilliant job with Machrihanish Dunes. The new course was opened in 2009 and has already won many accolades—including a top 50 course in the UK by one creditable golf magazine. More importantly, they also developed (or re-developed) some great accommodation. In July 2017 I stayed at their fully renovated hotel in nearby Cambeltown overlooking the sea and it is now the centrepiece for the overall renaissance of this historic town. It was from Cambeltown (the one L is correct) that all the illicit whisky was shipped to America during prohibition—and they still have fine local whisky distillers in the area today. There is also the Ugadale Hotel located next door to Machrihanish Golf Club, also fully renovated. This boutique hotel offers first class rooms and suites as well as casual and fine dining options.

Machrihanish Golf Club - machgolf.com Machrihanish Dunes – machrihanishdunes.com

Second Corner of the Triangle – ROYAL DORNOCH Unlike the other two points of the triangle, Royal Dornoch is not a resort but it is the most northerly Championship golf course in the world. Dornoch is a beautiful and historic town and you should enjoy it for as long as you can spare. The cathedral walls could tell a million stories from hundreds of years ago - in more recent times is was the venue for the christening of (singer) Madonna’s baby.

The best accommodation, in my opinion, is the Royal Golf Hotel. Its address is the First Tee, Dornoch, so obviously it is right on the course and overlooks both the fairways and the Morey Forth. But there are plenty of other options in the town all at differing price points.

Dornoch is one of the oldest courses in the world and a favourite of the great Tom Watson.

In summer you can hit off at 5pm and get your 18 holes in. Being in the Gulf Stream makes spring and autumn golf also very pleasant.

The course starts with brilliant holes along the coast line before you make your way into the heather and gorse. The latter is beautiful when flowering in spring but a real tough hazard for 12 months of the year!

For history buffs there are highlights galore in this picturesque part of the highlands and a visit to the course (and town) should be on everyone’s bucket list (there are plenty of other great golf options too - the area was a real favourite of the great Peter Thomson).

Royal Dornoch Golf Club – royaldornoch.com

Machrihanish Dunes.

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Archerfield

Third Corner of the Triangle - ARCHERFIELD From the top of Scotland to almost the English Border is the famous East Lothian Coast golf precinct. This is God’s golf country with North Berwick, Gullane, Luffness and so many other quality courses with in a 10km circle. In fact, there are 21 courses in the vicinity! Here you’ll find a resort you may not have heard of, but it is right next door to the world renowned British Open course, Muirfield.

It’s the new boy on the block - Archerfield Links – complete with an accommodation and hospitality arm, Archerfield House. And boy, what a complex it is!

Golf in a basic form has been played in the area since the 16th century and a proper course was laid out at Archerfield in the 19th century. Where the two fantastic courses were designed and built in recent years by David J Russell under instructions from the owner, Edinburgh businessman, Kevin Doyle, there are records of the bowmen of King Edward 1st using the area for archery

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practice and competitions—hence the name of today’s five star resort.

The Frida Course is a mix of dunes and pine forest and has hosted the Scottish Senior Open, while the Dirleton Course is pure links. I suggest, if you have the time, that you play them both.

Archerfield has taken all the pain out of golf— your clubs are taken from you at the front drive and placed on a cart or buggy while you park the car and have a drink (and maybe lunch) in the luxurious clubhouse.

The accommodation is of the highest order and there are a number of options. It’s not cheap but very good value. There are other options from boarding houses and B&Bs in North Berwick but if you want to be pampered stay & play at Archerfield.

Archerfield Links – archerfieldgolfclub.com So it’s a long, wide triangle, too big a bite for one trip, but each of the three points have a number of other courses nearby and you can use any as your hub for a great golfing bucket list experience.

Archerfield

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> BURNLEY

GOLF COURSE Madden Grove, Burnley Vic 3121 Only 5 kms from the CBD, wedged between the city and Yarra, an inner city oasis.

Green Fees: Weekend 18 Holes $27, $21 nine holes, midweek $25.50 / $19.50. Concession rates available midweek. * You can purchase a 10 or 25 game Golf Pass

yarraleisure.com.au It had been quite a while since I had graced the fairways of Burnley Golf Course. A little parcel of land, home to nine tightly grouped holes of golf, its worth as a piece of Real Estate may, pound for pound, be one of the most expensive in Melbourne. But thankfully it’s still a little golfing sanctuary in the midst of the city’s madness.

Mid-week and mid-morning on a beautiful winter’s day, it was a hive of activity when I visited. I watched a real mishmash of golfers set forth from the first tee. Retirees (mates and partners), young tradies, real beginners, some talented sporty looking types, groups of middle aged ladies and young teenagers. They were all getting their fix at this bastion for the weekend warrior right near the heart of the Melbourne CBD. As I navigated the course there was a familiar feel and sound – the gentle hum of traffic and the rattle of nearby trains, pleasingly disturbed by the whack of a golf ball and the screech of a lorikeet.

Forever let this little green wedge be the home for the hacker!

It’s amazing what’s squeezed into one little corner of this facility.

Enter the main gate, metres from where you parked and you’re only metres from the first tee. But in between is a large practice putting green to your right (and practice nets beyond). As you approach the pro shop (come coffee shop and clubhouse) you pass an air compressor to clean your shoes and buggies before they’re packed back in the car. A nice touch.

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THERE’S A GOOD RANGE OF GOLF EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES FOR SALE, ALL THE USUAL BITS AND PIECES YOU’D NEED FOR A ROUND. OUTSIDE THERE’S A GREAT ARTIFICIAL TURFED AREA, COMPLETE WITH SHADE, TABLES, CHAIRS AND A BBQ.

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A coffee in the morning sun watching golfers begin their journey is a delight. Naturally you can hire carts and clubs too. To the right of the pro shop are toilets, small change rooms and a social club room.

I’ve been told for a while that the course is in good nick year round.

Well I was there in the middle of winter and I couldn’t fault those observations. The couch fairways provide a great tight surface to play from, the greens were fast, hard and true. Around the fairway fringes the rough was as it should be – a little rough! I was surprised by the number of bunkers – all but a couple of holes have them in play and they were in good condition too!

The greens were tricky and testing – a great mix to sharpen up your short game.

The card for the nine holes plays five par fours to begin, with three par threes to finish abbreviated by the short par four eighth.

You can use the big dog on a number of holes, but there’s always trouble looming. On the first three holes pull it left and you are in trouble. Beyond netting to protect the road beside the first hole, a train line runs all the way past the second and every 10 mins or so a rattle, bells and a hoot interrupt the serenity.

At the back corner of the course, the third tee gives the best chance to really open up the shoulders, with your aim Melbourne’s tallest building poking through a gap in the trees in the distance behind the green.

On the fourth and fifth there’s a couple of old gums that guard the side of the fairway – be aware and play away from their gangly branches. The green setting of the fifth was a favourite.

Maybe Australia’s answer to Troon’s postage stamp eighth hole is here at Burnley. The sixth is a wicked little par three, slightly downhill, unbunkered but run off behind the green. At only a little over 100m and exposed to the elements, I bet it catches many a golfer off guard.

The closing hole is a real test – a par three of 180m from the back.

It’s tight, tree lined and bunkered on both sides of the green. The out is a layup short right, leaving an uphill chip on for a chance at par.

After your round, as mentioned earlier, the outdoor area is a real hub of activity, surrounded by the putting green, the ninth green, the first tee and the pro shop. Thankfully the pro shop is licensed, so if the day avails, a coldie or cool drink under the shade on the outdoor tables, watching rounds start and finish as busy Melbourne happens all round makes a very enjoyable outpost.

I love nine holers and Burnley has to be one of Melbourne’s best. How lucky are we to have a slice of the great outdoors - a really well presented course and challenge set amongst a pretty parkland setting only a few kilometres from a bustling city?

Long live Royal Burnley.

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Glenn McCully Golf Schools 3 and 5 Day Schools Group, Private & Beginner Formats from $525pp twin share

golfersresort.com.au info@golfersresort.com.au (03) 5744 1994

EIGHT TIPS TO SPEED UP PLAY A long round of golf can ruin the enjoyment of a game. There are many little things that we all can do to speed up the pace - some tips include: 1. Watch your ball until it stops – Many of us are caught up in the frustration of a bad shot and take our eye off where it went. This adds time if you need to look for the ball. Keep an eye on the ball and the nearest object to where you think it ended up.

2. If it’s lost, move on – Don’t spend any more than 5 minutes looking for the ball. Be sure to play a provisional where you need to 3. Think ahead – When you approach the green, place your cart in the place that is in the direction of the next tee box so that the next players can come through quickly after you have put the flag back in the hole 4. Use waiting time wisely – While other players are playing their shot, do what you need to do to ensure you can hit your ball shortly after 5. Mark your card later – If you are the first person to tee off and there is no one in front of you, tee off first and then mark your card later. You’ll be amazed how much time this can save 6. Take Multiple Clubs – For holes where you don’t want to take the cart all the way up to the tee off box, be sure to take a couple of clubs in case you are uncertain of the distance 7. Keep an eye on groups in front and behind – Keep up as much as you can with the group in front of you. If there is no one in front and you have a 2 ball behind, consider letting them through. But pick the right hole to do that. Par 3’s are always best 8. Don’t Wait – If your foursome has fallen behind for whatever reason, the first 2 players to putt out should immediately head over to the next tee and hit off. This saves time, and can really help you catch up 36

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> THE LINKS

KENNEDY BAY Lot 199 Port Kennedy Drv, Port Kennedy WA 6172 On WA’s superb West Coast, roughly 40 mins south from Perth CBD, via the Kwinana Freeway, 25 mins north of Mandurah.

Green Fees: Weekend $60, $35 nine holes, midweek $50, $30 nine holes

kennedybay.com.au

Introduction by Garry Kennedy If The Links Kennedy Bay was in a populated location on the east coast of Australia, it would be one of the country’s preeminent courses. But the tyranny of distance from the populous East Coast still has it unknown to many.

The course lies about 40 mins south of Perth. You turn off to Port Kennedy, a developing township, and a little traverse brings you to an impressive stone wall, proudly announcing the entrance to The Links - Kennedy Bay. A generous sealed car park precedes the Clubhouse – a modest semi-temporary dwelling, with a pro shop, offices and normal locker room facilities. From the outside it looks a little like an outpost on the moon but inside the structure it’s cosy, well-appointed and roomy. There is an ample bar and lounge area where you can enjoy a beer or snack. A new Club House is on the way we’re told, a development that has now gained State Parliamentary Approval. The owners are committed to a new Clubhouse and some course re-routing, promising to retain or improve on the layout’s current ranking within the golf industry (stay tuned!)

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FOR ME, ONCE AGAIN, THE COURSE WON ON THE DAY. POT BUNKERS GOBBLED UP MY MISSED SHOTS, THE LINKS TERRAIN CHALLENGED MY DISTANCE PERSPECTIVE, THE AFTERNOON BREEZE MADE SHORT HOLES LONG AND LONG HOLES LONGER, THE GREENS WERE SLICK AND THEY BEAT ME TOO.

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As tardy as my scorecard was, it was well worth the trip and the course deserves all the accolades thrown at it. I will be back!

Course Review (by Darius Oliver of planetgolf.com) The Links Kennedy Bay is an authentic links style course beautifully designed and built in the manner of the most traditional British courses.

Located among the charming sand hills of Port Kennedy and alongside the blue waters of the Indian Ocean, the site is not dissimilar to many of the classic links and is defined by a series of dune ridges and valleys that were formed over a period of eight thousand years.

Designer Michael Coate explains that the composition of the land and the surrounding sand dunes ‘lent itself to the creation of a true British style links course, utilising the alignments of the ridges and valleys and ‘hanging’ the greens and tees off the natural formations.’

Coate was initially the sole designer with the developer calling in professional golfer Roger Mackay to help shape the character of the design and Ian Baker-Finch to advise during the course’s construction.

The routing at Kennedy Bay sensibly follows the natural flow of the land as holes weave in and around the wonderful dunes. Lined by coastal scrub and fescue roughs, the fast fairways offer tight lies and promote the use of running approach shots into large, undulating greens which are protected by swales and steep mounds. More than 100 small pot bunkers are used throughout the course without a single trap being wasted. Traditionally shaped and built with revetted faces those not in play because of wind conditions either act as sighters from the tee or are positioned simply to encourage the gamble.

The purity of this ancient links experience and collective strength of the design can be overwhelming and upon further reflection it is actually surprising just how many first-class holes the course boasts.

There are highlights everywhere with the most outstanding being the attractive double act at the 15th and 16th holes. The par four 15th moves slightly right with its fairway set across the tee presenting an awesome risk/reward driving challenge over sand or scrub depending on the wind and your level of bravado. The 16th is a gorgeous hole and the pick of an excellent set of par threes. Referred to as ‘Wee Tap’ and measuring little more than 130 metres, the hole can play anything from a wedge to four iron depending on the sea breezes. Protected by front and back pot bunkers the delicious green is elevated, titled across the hole and less than ten metres deep.

The short par fours are superb especially the driveable 7th with its raised target guarded by sharp contouring and an ingenious trap that eats into the left side of the enormous green to catch those who get ‘too cute’ with their pitch. Also exceptional are the longer par fours with most cleverly named to invoke a sense for the challenge they present. The ‘Coate Hanger’ 9th is a great example with a ring of pot bunkers in the corner of the dogleg forcing the timid to drive wide on the fairway and further from the green. The ‘split decision’ 11th is another well named hole with its ideal driving line down a tight left side flanked by bunkers while the safer right side is more open but leaves an approach over sand and slopes.

Like any truly great links the regions coastal breeze, known as the ‘Fremantle Doctor’, is the courses’ greatest defence as it swings around and strengthens in the afternoons.

Indeed to fully appreciate the Kennedy Bay experience you need to spend a full day here tackling the links in the relative calm of an early morning and then heading out again in the stiff evening winds to fight desperately for the pars which had earlier been birdies.

Although the course lacks the real dirty weather, its design, dunes, undulation, tight surfaces and constant buffeting from the ‘Fremantle Doctor’ give an authentic Scottish feel with only the temperate climate to remind you this is in fact Western Australia.

The links is the most incredible hidden gem we have in this country.

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Visit www.commercialclubalbury.com.au

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GOLF COURSE 95 Peregian Springs Drv, Peregian Springs Qld 4573 Beautifully located on the glorious Sunshine Coast. About 20 mins from Maroochydore airport, 7 mins north of Coolum and 12 mins south of Noosa.

Green Fees: $69 (online), $74 walk up * A Partner Pass avails discounts on green fees ($59) plus a FREE cart for the first round played after picking up the Pass in-store. Partner Passes are only $49.

peregiangolf.com.au

I’ve had several people tell me that they feel a little intimidated when playing golf on Queensland’s east coast. Maybe it’s because many of the well-known tracks are resort style. Often homes border the fairways or water is prevalent, making your average weekend warrior a little nervous from tee to green.

Green fees can be pricey. And anecdotally I hear the welcome from staff easily recognising Mexicans by their pasty skin tones is sometimes similar to Melbourne’s wintery weather.

Well great news, because you can play one of the best Sunshine Coast courses 7 days a week without fear of any of the above (barring a little H2O).

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PEREGIAN GOLF COURSE (FORMERLY PEREGIAN SPRINGS) OPENED IN 2003, THE DESIGN BY PHIL SCOTT, FATHER OF AUSTRALIAN US MASTER’S WINNER ADAM.

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The centre piece of a new housing estate, the course was initially for members only, eventually opening its doors to the public. In the middle of 2016 it closed when operators got in financial trouble.

In December 2016, Melbourne based GSM Golf (currently operating St Andrews Beach, Bay Views, Morack and Ranfurlie here in Melbourne) won the right to operate Peregian for five years with an option for a further five. Taking over a declining layout, GSM set about the task of restoring the facility back to its original glory and what a great job they are doing!

On course, there’s a fantastic full length driving range, where you can hit off mats or grass. There’s a large putting green, a chipping green and a practice bunker. Everything is well spaced out and roomy but central to, and in sight of, the pro shop and clubhouse. It gives the whole facility a vibrant, club feel. The set up is framed the Par Bar and a pro shop – complete with warm smiles to match the climate.

You can hire carts, buggies and clubs if needed.

I played in late May during some wet weather. It had rained heavily overnight but apart from one or two puddles the course was dry and firm –a perfect “Good 3” in racing parlance.

Tees and fairways were great. The couch fairways go dormant in winter, losing some colour and growing less, however they were in top nick and have improved vastly in recent times. The greens were true and fast. I even got a quick lesson from Director of Golf Daniel Morrison on how to read the grain!

There’s wispy couch grass on fairway and green fringes, providing great fairway definition, but it’s a little hard to hit from as it grabs your club head. I played off the white markers (5713m) – why beat yourself up on holiday? The black markers make it 6169m. Social players can choose from four tees, ladies play from the traditional red.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Peregian is parkland in style with water in play on a handful of holes. Tree lined fairways can make things look tight in places, but generally the fairways are liberal, meaning it’s a user friendly layout for all standards.

The course has a number of highlights, but the signature hole is almost certainly the 12th – a mid-length par three over a lovely lake that has a thick fringe of water lillies lining the banks. A quaint stone bridge takes you to a generous green that is protected by three bunkers. As intimidating as the water is, I suspect the real challenge here is predicting the wind conditions from the protected tee. There’s plenty of room to miss the exposed green but if there’s wind around it’s sure to be stronger than you think.

The layout offers a really good mix of par fours, a few long and tough like the 6th and 16th, but many short and interesting ones, holes that make you think. Can you monster the fourth or do you leave a full iron in? Do you try to drive the 15th downwind or is it too tight near the green? You’ll need golf smarts rather than muscle on many of these shorter holes. And beware the 17th with its hidden water crossing at good driving distance!

Personally I think the par fives are a highlight, all good tests, a couple reachable in two in the right conditions, with the 18th a real challenge where par alone is an accomplishment.

The Par Bar is a great place to mingle and relax after a round. Light and airy (with outdoor tables too), inside large screens play sports channels, with high tables and stools giving the room a relaxed Sports Bar feel. The cold beer is flowing and again served with a smile – what else could you ask for?

If you are looking for a place to play when on the Sunshine Coast, one that is welcoming, relaxed, unpretentious and enjoyable, then look no further than Peregian.

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What’s new and what’s hot?

Natural Relief for Symptomatic Muscle and Joint Aches Relievamed® is a natural plantbased formula containing ingredients specifically formulated to provide relief of muscle and joint issues based on scientific and clinical evidence.

Proudly Australian Made and Owned it contains no harsh chemicals or drugs.

It starts working instantly to help with joint tension, arthritic joints, lower back issues and overuse of muscles and joints.

Dr. Donna Marcal, PhD is the driving force behind Relievamed (by Sentryca Pty Ltd) and the research behind its products. She is passionate about developing high quality products that are packed with natural (scientifically-based) anti-inflammatory ingredients that help people find relief.

Relievamed is available through selected physio44

therapy clinics and pharmacies across Australia or online at relievamed.com If you are struggling to hit the golf course because of aches and pains, this might hit the spot. ED

Approach S10 from Garmin The Approach S10 is a simple and easy to use, entry-level golf watch with pre-loaded course maps for over 41,000 courses worldwide. It has a 3.3cm high-resolution sunlight readable screen to provide a clear and crisp display even in direct sunlight. Based on GPS location, the Approach S10 will automatically select the course, and provide distances to the front, back and middle of the green for each hole. It can also display distances to hazards, doglegs and layups. While golfing, the watch will automatically transition to the next hole, and players can enter in their score on the watch.

After every game, the Approach S10 will show the total distance travelled, the total time played and the score for that round, ready to be uploaded to the weekly leaderboard on the Garmin Golf App. The lightweight, comfortable watch is swim and shower friendly with a water rating of 5ATM1 and has a battery life of up to 12 hours between charges in GPS mode. The Approach S10 is around $199. garmin.com/golf These days some GPS golf watches can pay bills, play music, monitor your every step, track your heart beat and probably make you dinner. However all the functions that come with them come at a cost and if you don’t use them why pay for them? So we like the idea of a basic one for us basic folk. ED

KZG triple forged XSC Wedges The XSC Wedge utilizes virgin 1020 carbon steel and is triple forged to guarantee that every void is eliminated in the club head, giving pure consistency on every hit.

Thanks to KZG utilizing the costlier method of forging in one piece, the golfer will enjoy superior feedback as there are no welds or breaks that interfere with the flow of energy.

The XSC Wedges are ideal for those seeking a C Grind offering a double relieved sole to enable a wide variety of shots. The XSC is a great option for the golfer who plays on firm to mid conditions as their normal style of golf course. Players playing in softer conditions may prefer the XSS or RSG wedge models.

Chic, classic, clean and beautifully finished in brushed satin to reduce glare.

Visit kzg.com for more details.

KZG is a US based golf component company that makes great gear. You can find it in Australia and it is well worth seeking out – this is another top product from them. ED

developed to deliver the additional stability requested by Tour players.

In addition to a wider platform, several new performance and comfort enhancements were integrated, including; New lighter and wider outsole, New midsole providing a soft ride, New Xtra-Thick FTF Fitbed®(Fine Tuned Foam) for incredible underfoot comfort, New TourSpec Stretch™ Tongue for comfort across the top of the foot, New 3D FoamCollar 2.0 to comfortably lock the foot in place, Premium Chromoskin™ leather

by Pittard® of England, Low Profile Pulsar® Cleats

by SoftSpikes® and 2 year waterproof warranty.

Who would have thought so much science would go into the humble golfing shoe?

Available styles - White/Black with Boa, White/ Red/Blue andWhite/Silver at all FJ golf shoe stockists. Visit footjoy.com.au FootJoy has often been referred to as the duck’s guts of golfing footwear. This reputation comes with a price tag, but as they say you pay for quality and let’s face it, you’re on your feet for a long time on the golf course so the investment may be worth it. ED

New G/FORE Umbrella

D.N.A. Helix from FootJoy The latest version of the D.N.A. (DryJoys Next Advancement) franchise introduces of the allnew D.N.A. Helix. Featuring a wider platform and a structured, lightweight construction to create power from the ground up, DNA Helix will be available wherever FJ golf shoes are sold.

The new NitroThin 3.0 TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) outsole foundation in DNA Helix was

G/FORE’s latest umbrella is set to make positive waves in even the most miserable weather.

The Shaka - a hand gesture which originated in Hawaii and has become a surfer’s favourite - is the latest light-hearted addition to the range, which has made a serious splash with designs featuring the colourful G/FORE gloves.

The custom 62” Haas-Jordan design features wind-vents on all eight panels, solid fibreglass 45

ribs, black braided fibreglass shaft, slip-resistant ergonomic handle, and custom epoxy dome handle medallion.

The first three versions - a thumbs-up, a peace sign and…a hand signal which invites the wet weather to go on its merry way - were showered with praise when they were launched.

The G/FORE brand has made significant strides in its first few years on the golf scene. And the latest umbrella, is to set to create a new wave of interest as it ensures golfers stay dry in a downpour.

To view the brand’s full range of apparel, gloves, shoes and accessories, visit gfore.com At 62 inches in diameter (that’s over 1.5m in the new), it should cover you, your bag and buggy and half the fairway. ED

Ken Spargo’s juicy crime novel Double Bogey Melbourne author Ken Spargo has now published two crime fiction novels — one cricket and one golf related and the books are utterly engaging and intriguing for any age and gender.

Double Bogey (352 pages) starts off on a golf course where body parts are found in the rough. Inspector Porthole’s investigations uncover a web of drug trafficking, a high official who isn’t all that he seems, a favour-fed lawyer and a skilled morgue technician misusing his skills. Porthole follows a trail of dead ends, drugs and violent female behaviour wondering if justice will finally be served.

Stumped (381 pages) involves cricket and it’s a story that follows the Australian Cricket Team touring India and an investigation into a woman’s body washed up on a deserted beach. A crack Indian crime-fighting trio consisting of a work experience student, a street urchin and a pensioner strive to unravel the mystery.

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Published by Sid Harta Publishers, both books can be purchased at all good shopfront and online bookstores and at: kenspargo.com.au The RRP of each book is $24.95 While we haven’t read the whole book yet we can say it’s a very enjoyable read so far. One for the fire and the wet Sunday arvos that are all too common of late! ED

Preferred Lies – and other true golf stories In Preferred Lies, veteran golf journalist Charles Happell and player and course architect Mike Clayton take you inside the ropes, drawing on their decades of experience, in the world of golf including joining Greg Norman on his yacht after his disastrous loss at the US Masters, playing alongside a teenaged Adam Scott, and caddying at the Olympic Games.

They are joined by a host of contributors: Steve Williams shares the secrets of Augusta that Norman, Scott and Tiger Woods relied on when he caddied for them at the US Masters; Peter Thomson pays homage to St Andrews, the game’s spiritual home and the course where he won one of his five British Opens; Scottish golf writer John Huggan chats with his old mate, one-of-a-kind commentator Peter Alliss; comedian and amateur golfer Rob Sitch, an avowed disciple of Dr Bob Rotella, discusses the psychology of golf; and more.

From Ben Hogan to Karrie Webb, Magnolia Lane to the Road Hole, the evolution of the golf ball to the playing etiquette of Japan, Preferred Lies is a full round of golf stories from those who know the game best.

We’ve just received the book and read a few of the 40+ short stories and it’s a great read! ED

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Rarely do you come across new golf equipment that makes you look twice. I mean a bag is a bag, a driver is a driver – too often they’re just given a paint job and remarketed as the newest thing in golf.

So when I first came across Putt18, I assumed it was just a gimmicky putting mat for the home or office.

However, the mat itself was decorated with interesting graphics and the fact that it was promoted as a fun and interactive game demanded more investigation. So we got one to test it out.

A large box arrived with the goodies. Inside was a convenient, black nylon zippered carry bag that housed the mat and accessories – very handy.

The mat itself is 3 metres long and 1 metre wide, so when rolled up and packed away, the whole package is quite large.

Before testing I was skeptical, I’d never liked putting on carpet, but I was keen to open it up and roll it out, grab the putter and give it a whirl.

It laid flat without kinks and the tight knit made for a very pure, smooth and surprisingly quick roll.

Good start.

But this was more than a simple putting mat. At one end were six small tee boxes, the first labeled Hole 1-3, then 4-6 etc. Three target greens were at the other end – a par three, par four and par five. Your aim is to putt once from the first tee box to each of the three target greens and depending on where you finish this determines your score on that hole. Finish in a small white bullseye and you score an eagle (two under par), in the wider red circle a birdie, in the outer blue circle a par. Finish anywhere else on the mat and you record a bogey OR a double bogey if you finish in a “bunker” - a triple bogey if you find the “water” or roll off the mat itself.

After three putts your partner or opposition team has three putts to the target greens from the same tee box, you record the score and play the

next three holes.

Playing 18 holes individually takes minutes, playing as a group of four with beer, banter, sledging and using your wild cards along the way and you are in for an hilarious twenty minutes or more. Wild cards?

Yep you get three at the start to use once each during the round. A mulligan to recall a crap shot, a bonus where you nominate a hole before you putt to reduce your score by one or the wicked challenge - you can recall your opponent’s shot.

See how peed off a grown man can get when they score an eagle and you kindly ask them to cancel that shot and play it again!

The set comes with scorecards, a rule book and player discs – you can even buy balls, a putter or a roll back bar.

I guess you’d best describe Putt18 as a type of golfing twister – an interactive and fun putting game.

We highly recommend Putt18. When you are on your own you can practice your putting, or get the family together for some hit and giggle or gather the boys for a major tournament complete with pizza and beer.

With Putt18 you can incorporate handicaps to help beginners, you can play in teams or you can play stroke or match play. The rules are simple, you’re actually doing something rather than sitting on your Khyber Pass, it’s fast and fun and you just may improve your golfing skills – how can any of that be a bad thing?

The home version ranges from $150-$195 depending on the accessories you want (plus delivery). Visit putt18.com.au for all the details.

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Heidelberg Golf Club

A beautifully presented course, one of the best in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Secluded and quiet, this undulating championship course has it all. Challenging holes, water features, city skyline views all in a lovely parkland setting. Sensational Clubhouse, outdoor areas and great practice facilities.

GREEN FEE PLAY > Public access weekdays and Sundays, online green fees from only $45.

FULL MEMBERSHIP > Heidelberg has an innovative range of golf memberships to suit all individuals.

There’s tradition full membership – 7, 6 and 5 day options, Under 40s and junior categories.

GOLFLINK MEMBERSHIP > Just $359 A membership based around keeping your Golflink handicap and Golf Australia insurance without the high membership costs! Includes 5 free rounds and you can play 12 x competitions per year for an applicable green fee (excl Wed and Sat).

LIFESTYLE MEMBERSHIP > Just $1,124 A ‘points’ category. Buy 100 points and each round is designated a number of points – e.g. Sunday 5pts, Mon and Fri 3pts, Tues and Thurs (after 1pm) 1pt.

Play when it suits you!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL MEMBERSHIP DETAILS 8 Main Road, LOWER PLENTY (only 25 mins from the CBD) Tel (03) 9433 5300 Online bookings and full details at: heidelberggc.com.au

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This has always been a popular section of the magazine, but we’re unsure why. If you tell us how good we are we’ll blow wind up your backside but if you write in and are critical in any way, you’ll be shamed, chastised, abused and belittled. Go on, give it a go!

Seriously, we love reader feedback and we’ll print the kind and not so kind comments. So if you have something to say email us at krmedia@bigpond.net.au and look out for you letter and our comment in the next edition.

As we’re a little light on for material for the relaunch – here’s a little laugh to kick us off...

A businessman was attending a conference in Africa. He had a free day and wanted to play a round of golf and was directed to a golf course in the nearby jungle. After a short journey, he arrived at the course and asked the pro if he could get on.

“Sure,” said the pro, “What’s your handicap?”

Not wanting to admit that he had an 18 handicap, he decided to cut it a bit. “Well, it’s 16,” said the businessman, “but what’s the relevance since I’ll be playing alone?”

“It’s very important for us to know,” said the pro, who then called a caddy.

“Go out with this gentleman,” said the pro, “his handicap is 16.”

The businessman was very surprised at this constant reference to his handicap. The caddy picked up the businessman’s bag and a large rifle. Again, the businessman was surprised, but decided to ask no questions. They arrived on the 1st hole, a par 4.

“It’s wise to avoid those trees on the left,” said the caddy. Needless to say, the businessman duckhooked his ball into the trees. He found his ball and was about to punch it out when he heard the loud crack of the rifle and a large snake fell dead from a tree above his head. The caddy stood next to him with the rifle smoking in his hand. “That’s the Black Mamba, the most poisonous snake in all Africa. You’re lucky I was here with you.”

After taking a bogey, they moved to the 2nd hole, a par 5. “Good to avoid those bushes on the right,” says the caddy. Of course, the businessman’s ball went straight into the bushes. As he went to pick up his ball, he heard the loud crack of the caddy’s rifle once again, and a huge lion fell dead at his feet. “I’ve saved your life again,” said the caddy.

The 3rd hole was a par 3 with a lake in front of the green. The businessman’s ball came up just

short of the green and rolled back to the edge of the water. To take a shot, he had to stand with one foot in the lake. As he was about to swing, a large crocodile emerged from the water and bit off much of his right leg. As he fell to the ground bleeding and in great pain, he saw the caddy with the rifle propped at his side, looking on unconcernedly.

“Why didn’t you kill it?” asked the man incredulously.

“I’m sorry, sir,” said the caddy. “The hole is rated 17, you don’t get a shot here.”

And that, my golfing friends, is why you should never lie about your handicap!

WRITE TO THE EDITOR Click below and write until your heart’s content! krmedia@ bigpond.net.au Suggested topics; I love the new format of the magazine because…

I hate the new format of the magazine because…. (be careful knackers!)

I loved the article on the Top100 courses, my favourites are…..

This is what I’d like to see in an upcoming edition….

Editor Garry Kennedy is a gun because…..

Could you please give a good old fashion wedgie in the next edition to….. (and why) 49

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In each edition we’re going to suggest five of the best. “Five of the best what?” I hear you ask, and thank you for asking. We’re going to straw poll a few regular readers and ask what their favourite golf course for a particular feature is.

It could be the best five golf meals, it could be the best five post game meat pies, the best hot chocolates or, as in this issue, the best five venues for an after round beer. Don’t like our suggestions?

Please feel free to email us yours and we’ll give them a plug in the next edition. krmedia@bigpond.net.au

The Best Five Post Game Beer Venues BARNBOUGLE – DUNES OR LOST FARM The Dunes has a great deck area if the wind isn’t blowing too hard, or inside there’s a great fire, lounges and floor to ceiling windows. At the Lost Farm, the restaurant views are spectacular, while the Sport Bar down below overlooks the course and has a real vibe.

ALICE SPRINGS The quiet, almost spiritual backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges, the red earth broken by green fairways, the deep blue sky on a sunny afternoon as the sun begins to set. Necking a beer with this outlook without a care in the world, what could be better?

MOONAH LINKS There’s nothing better than tackling either of the great Moonah courses and afterwards enjoying the afternoon sun on the expansive outdoor area that overlooks the rolling fairways beyond. Again if it’s too breezy or cold, there’s refuge inside, but it’s the outdoor tables, and the wide, open vista that makes this a favourite for a post-game ale.

TURA BEACH Perched on top of a hill overlooking the ocean, the Clubhouse offers spectacular views and during September to November you can even watch whales glide by. The course is a challenging walk, but the rewards of a postgame frothy are worth it!

BACCHUS MARSH We just rediscovered this great country track again, and the new outdoor decking enjoys northern and eastern views over the 9th, 10th, 11th and 18th fairways with the Lerderberg Ranges as the backdrop. On a sultry spring day with a pot in hand it’s hard to beat!

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Notable mentions; Eynesbury, Bonville, 13th Beach, Noosa Springs, Flinders, Yarrawonga and Cape Wickham.

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OPTION ONE $750 ANNUAL FEE

OPTION TWO $450 ANNUAL FEE

CreditTable (200 points) GolfVictoria Affiliation (handicap) Golf insurance

CreditTable ( I 00 points) GolfVictoria Affiliation (handicap) Golf insurance

INCLUDES

D

INCLUDES

Credit Table Sat Competition Tues,Wed,Thurs, Sun Comp Mon/Fri Comp Outside of Comp Times

IO Points 8 Points 6 Points 4 Points

Any unused credits allocated with the membership subscription at the end of the membership year will be forfeited. However, Top Up Credits can be purchased throughout the year and these do not have an expiry date. Lifestyle members cannot win Club Championships or Board Events and do not have voting rights.

Additional credits can be purchased for $3.75 each (minimum 50 credits) T&C'S Apply

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FOR MORE INFORM ATION CONTACTTHE CLUB NOW Address - 48 Loders Road, Moorooduc, 3933 I Phone - (03) 5978 8470 Email - manager@devilbendgolf.com.au w······.devilbendgolf.com.au

OFFICIAL HANDICAP PERSONAL GOLF INSURANCE DISCOUNTS ON GREEN FEES & CARTS AT GSM VENUES 1 X FREE ROUND AT BAY VIEWS & MORE!

$139 GSM GOLF VENUES:

ST ANDREWS BEACH

www.gsmgolf.com.auÂ