Glenelg GC, Adelaide Australia

[James Bennett]

On Monday 23 April, three GCA'ers palyed at Glenelg, which is (literally) on the southern boundary of Adleiade Airport.  Some 60 years ago, the course was amended (by Vern Morcom) because of the takeover of land by the nearby airport.  The main runway is nearby and parallel to the club's main boundary.

Over the last ten years, Glenelg has undergone a major facelift, converting from kikuyu to couch (bermuda) grasses, removing any predominantly poa greens and converting to bent, and rebuilding the bunkers using a revetted style.

GCA'er Neil Crafter has been the architect, with Course Supt Daryl Sellar providing much of the ground support.  Neil obviously knows more about this, for those who want to know.  In my view, the bunkering is a work of art.  A lot of effort has been put into their creation and maintenance.  A few pictures to illusrate the course.  And, yes that is the natural sand colour.  And yes, the greens are built as native soil, not USGA!

The end of the day (Neil Crafter, young Lloyd Cole and James Bennett).


The short 4th (par 4) complete with central hazard and incoming plane.


The downhill second to #10 (par 4, used to be #11).  The airport is behind the green.


The uphill par 3 #11 (used to be #12 a decade ago)


The downhill tee shot on #12 par 5 (was #13 before) with the Adelaide hills in the background


#15 - a green without a bunker.  But, combining short and long grass.  Neil got up and down under pressure here.  He always could putt!


#16 is a short par 3.  The hole was rotated 180 degrees in the latest version.  The tee was placed against the back fence and a better view and green site was established.  There is probably 50 metres or more in width on this tee.  This is from the most right hand side point, with a more open shot available from the left.


James B

[Shane Gurnett]

James / Neil,

Are the new bunkers a restoration of the old Glenelg style or a new interpretation? Do they share any similarities with the neighboring courses (RA, Kooyonga etc).

[Tyler Kearns]

Shane,

The simpler, round or oval bunkers would fit in with those at Royal Adelaide were in not for the steep edges that are reminiscent of the links pot bunkers. Many of those bunkers at Glenelg resemble the ornate bunkers of the 'Sandbelt', a style that does not exist at Royal Adelaide.

TK

[James Bennett]

Shane

I don't really know.  I have played on and off at Glenelg for over 35 years, and I couldn't really say what the Glenelg bunker style is/was.  The sand and the way they play is unchanged.  They have a different appearance today than they did a decade ago.  But over the long term, remembering that the club had a large makeover 50 years ago because of the airport - I don't know.

Tyler's point is interesting.  I hadn't thought of it as he put it. but the slight revet effect does mimic the Melbourne sandbelt vertical wall somewhat.  Of course, Glenelg's red sand won't set like the Melbourne sandbelt bunker faces.  But the packed sand faces and raked bottoms, and the shapes are reminiscent of Melbourne bunkers.

The edges weren't packed enough for Lloyd - he managed to plug two shots near the lips of the bunkers, with Adolf Hitler results (two in a bunker).

James B

[Neil_Crafter]

Shane
Glenelg has had a few bunkering styles over the years as the course has been reworked a few times, but the new revetted face look is totally new and quite distinct from both Kooyonga and Royal Adelaide, which is part of the reason we went for it. As you can see we have combined small traditional pots with larger free form bunkers but all with revetting.
I'll post a few more pics when I get the chance.
cheers Neil

[Neil_Crafter]

View to 3rd green, 200m par 3 from tips


View to 7th green prior to our work, it was a short par 5 then


View to 7th green after. Green moved away from road boundary behind and screened from view, now a 400m par 4


View from side of 7th green showing couchgrass chipping area and fescues


Native grasses on Hole 12

[Rich Goodale]

Thanks, all.

From the pictures, easily the best restoration of a palindromic golf course by an antipodean architect.

Rich

Also Lloyd Cole gets an honourable mention for best imitation of Johnny Miller's reverse "C" swing finish by a not yet fading rock star.

RFG

[ed_getka]

bumping up Australia/NZ threads as there seems to be a lot of travelers heading down right now

[J_ Crisham]

What a natural beauty! Wish the distance was less -not sure if the body could handle the flight from O'Hare. Ed, what are the typical greens fees for a upper level club down under. Are they similar to those in the UK where access is allowed on certain days?

[ed_getka]

Jack,
   I don't have a good feel for green fees Down Under as we were hosted most of the trip. I think even unaccompanied though that Australian golf would be a bit cheaper than the biggies in the UK. If I remember right Royal Melbourne would be the exception at around $300, the rest were quite a bit less. In NZ Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs, neither is private, are huge chunks of change, but otherwise NZ is quite reasonable for green fees.
    It is a long flight, but if you start in NZ as I did you can save a few hours of flying. The bonus is that as you head west to Australia you don't even lose a day of golf due to the time change.

[Ash Towe]

Ed is correct about the green fees in NZ.  CK and Kauri Cliffs are the exceptions.  However if you are travelling all that way it is a shame to miss them.  The new course near Taupo, Kinloch, is $NZ 125 + cart and probably the best value is Wairakei at $NZ 80-90.
Club courses would be $NZ80 max in metropolitan areas, everywhere else much cheaper.