Great photos!
What most here who've never set foot on KH will miss is the expansive feeling of the fairways and terrain for a very small parcel of land (160ac....I think??). While most of the holes are framed by a light rough, then heavier rough(bushy or fescued), then a line of gum and/or tea trees, fairway width is plentiful and variable. Some holes do open along the side to other's but never like the US where just a line of big oaks or elms do the framing.
What struck me as brillant about the design and layout, was the angles, often acute, off the tee that allowed a player an approach line over certain bunkering. In many of the mid-length four's, a poorly sided drive left a visually intimidating approach that possessed a very real depth perception issue. Good tee shot placement is instantly rewarded with an approach shot that may have a bunker or so along it's path, yet will face ample green and little or no depth perception problems.
Unlike RM, the land's relative flatness needed this extensive bunkering to challenge the player's mental abilities. This course, more than almost any other I've ever played renders length mostly mute. The 2nd time around, I found myself calling this the "Merion of Melbourne" with sheer compliment.
Nowhere have I ever seen such amazing bunkering play so perfectly. It's the kind of course any player could play EVERY DAY over and over and never tire of! Yes, one does need to learn how to hit off of sand that is tightly compressed (think PVGC's waste areas) and like elsewhere in the Sandbelt, the putter carries the premium position in your game's toolkit.
I've not yet gone back down under and played the likes of Barnbougle & St. Andrews Beach/Gunmatta, and I know many Aussies think either have surpassed KH for place in their top ten, but I'd be hardpressed to surpress my desire to run right out and plan at least 36 to play here again (and again)....it's that much fun!!
Thanks Philip!