Tiger Woods on Kingston Heath

[Rob Rigg]

Anyone have a snappy of Mike's 19th hole?

Why did they create the 19th?

10 was hella-weak?

[Mike_Cocking]

Rob,

The 19th was built to help ease the disruption for members when the club were resurfacing greens - which was completed over a number of years earlier this decade.  As good as the result has been (especially since the area was essentially an old tip site) I think its a tragedy not to be playing the 10th - one of the best short three's in the world - for the sake of a few extra metres at the 4th (the tournment 7th). 

[Scott Warren]

Rob, if I am not mistaken (and I am sure the Ausies will correct me if I am), they are using the 10th tee to lengthen the 4th hole (4th on the normal routing, not Masters routing - so the 7th this week, according to Jason's post above).

[Scott Coan]

Here is a slightly better perspective as to how claustrophobic the 9th (3rd at the KH Masters) is from the tee.  You feel like you are completely surrounded by tea tree.  Very easy to over-cook a draw and end up under tea tree bushes and be completely stymied from going anywhere near the green.

[Chris Kane]

Here is a slightly better perspective as to how claustrophobic the 9th (3rd at the KH Masters) is from the tee.  You feel like you are completely surrounded by tea tree.  Very easy to over-cook a draw and end up under tea tree bushes and be completely stymied from going anywhere near the green.

Thanks - great picture.  As Tiger has Steve Williams rather than Kevin Pallier on the bag  , I might back him this week!

[Kenny Baer]

What is that just short of the green on a direct line from the tee?  

Can you play out of that or is it hazard?

Kenny, here's a link to a photo of 9 on David Scaletti's website.
http://www.sportscapes.com.au/portfolio/aust/03/KingstonHeath9.htm

That is great thank you.  From those pictures Driver is not an option; it has to be more than a 300 yd carry w/ not one place to miss.  As F&F as the course will be playing it looks like it would be impossible to put the ball on the green minus hitting the flag.  

What a great looking golf hole.  Is the smart play to hit it as far down the left as close to the fway bunkers as possible to give yourself a little bit more room both left and right on your approach shot?  It looks like the green is deep and wide enough that even a drive up the right side still gives you (pro's especially) a chance to hit it close w/o much concern about the green being to narrow.  

For those that have played it what is the smart play?

[Chris Kane]

3-4 iron then a wedge.  I've never had a problem with coming in from the right. 

[Kevin Pallier]

Here is a slightly better perspective as to how claustrophobic the 9th (3rd at the KH Masters) is from the tee.  You feel like you are completely surrounded by tea tree.  Very easy to over-cook a draw and end up under tea tree bushes and be completely stymied from going anywhere near the green.

Thanks - great picture.  As Tiger has Steve Williams rather than Kevin Pallier on the bag  , I might back him this week!

And I'll bet he's glad he doesn't have one Chris Kane on his bag as well

Mike

I've hit driver on 9 (3) but of course I'm a nobody 

[Shane Gurnett]

I've hit driver on 9 (3) but of course I'm a nobody 

Did you knock it on the green? 

IMG must be certain no one would dare attempt the 300 metre carry requiring a 60 metre snap hook to find the green, because they have put sponsors advertising right on that line from the tee!



And the view from the fairway across the bunkers, with the heath/scrub/signs beyond



Tiger hit 4 iron / wedge today by the way.

[Jason Topp]

Here are a couple of other angles of 9 from four years ago.  Driving the green was not something that crossed my mind.

[Dick Kirkpatrick]

Move the tees up and tempt them to have a go.

[Dieter Jones]

Rob,

The 19th was built to help ease the disruption for members when the club were resurfacing greens - which was completed over a number of years earlier this decade.  As good as the result has been (especially since the area was essentially an old tip site) I think its a tragedy not to be playing the 10th - one of the best short three's in the world - for the sake of a few extra metres at the 4th (the tournment 7th). 

I would have thought the reason for using 19 instead of 10 was to allow them to have two loops of 9 holes starting near the clubhouse. That means they have to use 1 and 7 as the starting points for each side. 7,8,9,10,11,2,3,4,5,6 = 10 holes / 8 holes split. Drop the 10th out. The location of the 19th connects the first hole to the 12th perfectly and balances out to two nines starting at the clubhouse.

Does any one know if this was the reason for locating the extra hole where it is or is it purely the only place they had left to build another hole on the tight layout?

[Scott Warren]

-7 through 17, -4 the last 5... wow!

[Mac Plumart]

It's live on TV, right now!!

 

[Matthew Delahunty]

A question for those who have walked the course this week - have the fairways been overwatered?  I know it's only November and you expect slower fairways in Melbourne per-Xmas but the course looks too green to me following a week of 30plus temperatures.  The greens will firm up quicky over the weekend but I sense the fairways won't. (Having said that, when guys are bombing it within 100m of the 18th green perhaps they don't need any more run in the fairways)

It looked as though the players in the afternoon round had a problem with some of the forward pins - land it on the putting surface and the ball might release but land it short and it holds on the fringe.