Melbourne, Australia = Top golf destination?

[Chris Kane]

The sandbelt courses are all 20-30 minutes from the CBD, and accessible by writing a letter (as in the UK).  You'll pay $A150-250 per round.

The Peninsula courses are a further hour away.  They are completely different to what you'll find on the sandbelt.

[George Pazin]

Bumping in the hopes more of our Aussie friends will chime in.

I'd think weather alone might catapult Melbourne over London.

[Mark_F]

Sean,

London doesn't have anything approaching Royal Melbourne, no matter its other delights.  I'd also venture that Kingston Heath tops any of the London heathland clubs.  

Most of the heathland courses are very nice, but, aside from Swinley, Sunningdale Old and St George's Hill, all of a fairly similar standard - about the level of Victoria/Woodlands, and none of those three are the equal of our best two!

Of course, if Commonwealth restored it's old 1st and 7th holes and cut down a crap load of trees, the Sandbelt would be NO CONTEST.

George,

We MIGHT have better weather, but that's a big if.  Last Autumn - March/May - was terrible here, as was Spring, yet London, when I was there in August, was very hot.

This year, conversely, we have had a gorgeous Autumn, which is the best time of the year.  Spring - Sept/Nov - is very iffy here, the archetypal four seasons in five minutes variety.  Summer, depending on your liking for heat, is generally very to extremely hot, and can be uncomfortable playing golf, unless that's just my advancing years...

And let's not forget the terrifying spectre of our vicious indigenous wildlife, our armed-to-the-teeth border control, adn the possibility you may mistakenly catch the Logies telecast.

[Sean_A]

Mark F

I look more forward than forward to you showing me around a few sandbelt courses!  I would very much like to visit one day.

Ciao

Sean

[Andrew Summerell]

Chris is correct about the sandbelt being not far from the CBD, but there is reasonable accomodation in the suburbs that will leave you no more than a 15min drive from any of the sandbelt, which is pretty handy.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Chris,
Royal Melbourne is $300 AD, at least it was in November.

Mark,
I do not dispute that RM is better than anything, but I disagree with KH and the rest of the heathland is too deep. Especially if you include Kent, which you would have to, to mention Monrington.

[JESII]

Seems reasonable to me to include Kent (for London) and the Mornington Penninsula (for Melbourne) because I have no problem driving a couple of hours to play golf, and return to the same lodging.

That being said, and eliminating NYC area and Monterey > Bay Area due to access difficulties, is it fair to assume that Melbourne and London are the top two?

Is there a measurable difference in accessibility between these two locale's?

[harley_kruse]

Jes

Melbourne's Sandbelt and Mornington Peninsula are both worthy golf destinations in global golf.

A liitle tip.

Victoria Golf Club in the heart of the Sandbelt and right next door to RM  used to have a great mid-week golf and accomodation deal.   You could park yourself at Victoria GC enjoy playing the course which has been renovated over the past few years by Mike Clayton, play the other Sandbelt courses and return each night to the charm and warmth of the old club environs to enjoy a great meal and fine Australian wine.

[JESII]

Harley

Thanks for the tip, sounds like a great opportunity. I'll look into it.

Thanks for the input from everyone.

[Danny Goss]

Jes

Melbourne's Sandbelt and Mornington Peninsula are both worthy golf destinations in global golf.

A liitle tip.

Victoria Golf Club in the heart of the Sandbelt and right next door to RM  used to have a great mid-week golf and accomodation deal.   You could park yourself at Victoria GC enjoy playing the course which has been renovated over the past few years by Mike Clayton, play the other Sandbelt courses and return each night to the charm and warmth of the old club environs to enjoy a great meal and fine Australian wine.

I stayed there a couple of weeks ago ( as I do every year )and can highly recommend it. The cost of $210 per night covers green fees and three meals including a magnificant menu for dinner. Whilst the rooms themselves are not five star they are adequate. After all the golf and ambience is what you are there for. The Club and staff could not be more welcoming and friendly. And as Harley said - very little travelling to other sandbelt courses.

[Mark_F]

Sean,

No worries!  Hope you can make it one day, and we can discuss in depth the political philosophy of one Lou Duran, esquire as we trundle along.

Ben,

Interesting that you disagree about KH, but then fail to give an example of a superior heathland course.  Pray tell which one?

Agreed London has depth - but then if I'm travelling all the way to the Uk, I don't want to play a dozen similar heathland courses.  I want a bit of variety.

And I don't see how you can include Kent in the conversation.  The Mornington Peninsula is an hour from the Sandbelt.  Not even Michael Schumacher could make Sandwich in an hour from London.

[Sean_A]

Mark

You are right, Sandwich is closer to two hours from central London.  I have made the trip a few times!

One thing you guys overlook, London is one of few truly world class cities.  One could play every third day for three weeks and not be bored!  

Ciao

Sean

[Paul_Turner]

The heathland courses around London are quite from different from eachother.  And I suspect more different from eachother than the Melbourne sandbelt courses are.  i.e. The Addington is more different from Walton Heath than any combination of the Melbourne courses.  More variety of terrain...from heavily undulating to rolling to quite flat.

[Mark_F]

Sean,

Of that I have absoultely no doubt.  

The heathland courses of my experience are beautiful courses to play, or just to walk.

There's obviously many more of them than there are Sandbelt courses - especially as I doubt Metropolitan or Huntingdale would be worth the time or effort.  

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Ben,
Interesting that you disagree about KH, but then fail to give an example of a superior heathland course.  Pray tell which one?
Agreed London has depth - but then if I'm travelling all the way to the Uk, I don't want to play a dozen similar heathland courses.  I want a bit of variety.
And I don't see how you can include Kent in the conversation.  The Mornington Peninsula is an hour from the Sandbelt.  Not even Michael Schumacher could make Sandwich in an hour from London.

Mark,
I agree with Paul T, that the heathland courses have as much variety if not more than the Sand Belt courses.

Better than Kingston Heath; Sunningdale, Swinley, RSG.

As for including Kent, I made it there from Greenwich (which is not far from city centre) to Kent in less time than it took to get to National Golf Club from Southgate. That was with the same heavy foot and what I presume to be standard morning traffic.

I am not knocking Melbourne, it is a brilliant city and one of the best cities in the world for golf.

[Mike_Clayton]

Mark.

You can stay at Peninsula - a perfect half-way spot between the sandbelt and the Peninsula.
I'm not sure when you last saw the courses there, but five years ago I would have agreed with your assesment of them.

I think the North is much better now and the South is on the way.

Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt but I have to say I would take London every time over Melbourne.
The courses have been better preserved for a start.

Melbourne is however an amazing place to live and play golf and Royal Melbourne is the best of both cities.

[Gerry B]

if you use the same radius  / driving distance as The National is 90 minutes from Melbourne's city center , as are the great London Heathland courses from central London , hard to argue with this list:

Winged Foot x 2
Quaker Ridge
Fenway
Westchester x 2
Ridgewood x 1.5
Plainfield
Creek Club
Piping Rock
Garden City
Deepdale
Bethpage Black x 1 and probably x 2
Shinnecock
NGLA
Somerset Hills
Friars Head
Yale
Fishers Island (by Boat)
Baltusrol x 2 courses
Maidstone
Forsgate
Stanwich

etc, etc
 

[Chris Kane]

Gerry, as this thread is about "destinations", how many of those courses you list can be accessed without great connections?

[Gerry B]

chris:

I took the title of the thread literally -DESTINATION- access was not considered

persistence will get one on many courses  -you would be surprised

however if we use your access criteria -then  sf / carmel must be eliminated as well - ie cypress / sfgc / mpcc / olympic

In fact the one Melbourne  course not mentioned -The Capital Club (aka the Shadow Creek of Australia) which is adjacent to Kingston Heath is the toughest course in Melbourne to get on unless you have a serious gambling habit or know  Kerry Packer,  Lloyd Williams or one of their senior executives - the course averages less than 1000 rounds per year. The day I played there I was the only person on the premises save and except the staff. Course was ok but the vibe and ambience were as good as it gets.

[George Pazin]

Including Forsgate and Shinnecock is almost like saying all of England is one place.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

A friend (or "mate" as he would put it) of mine, Tom Ramsey (with whom I'm playing The River Course this afternoon and The Ocean Course tomorrow morning) has a great book out, Great Australian Golf Courses, which is a must for those looking to play golf in Oz...

[Mike_Clayton]

Mike

If he has a six footer at the last for all the money you had better hope he is on your team.

[Chris Kane]

Gerry, I may be wrong, but "destination" seems to imply we're talking about the area in the context of visiting golfers.  The best clubs in Melbourne and London welcome such players, allowing play upon payment of a (steep!) green fee.  This wouldn't happen around New York.

Persistance is irrelevant for someone visiting.  I could plan a two week holiday playing golf everyday near London, and play most if not all their best courses, without any need for connections or good fortune.  Same goes for Melbourne.

I agree with you about the vibe and ambience at Capital (I've caddied there a little bit).  There are many courses in Melbourne which a student of design would play first, but the conditioning is ridiculously good.  Only time I've seen fairways presented smoother than my carpet at home!

[Andrew Summerell]

Chris,

You should get rid of that Santa Ana carpet