Tiger Woods on Kingston Heath

[Scott Warren]

"It's an unbelievable golf course, as I've always said and always alluded to, I've always been a huge fan of the sandbelt golf courses, the bunkering is just phenomenal," he said.
"You would never get a chance to see bunkering like this any other place in the world.
"I just love coming down here and playing these golf courses, it's a treat.
"You don't need a golf course to be 7,500 yards to be hard, you can build it just like this and having it nice and tricky and it's just a treat to play."

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

It will be interesting to see how many times he pulls the driver out in the Tournament. What's the talk at the moment - less than a handfull ?

[Andrew Mitchell]

"It's an unbelievable golf course, as I've always said and always alluded to, I've always been a huge fan of the sandbelt golf courses, the bunkering is just phenomenal," he said.
"You would never get a chance to see bunkering like this any other place in the world.
"I just love coming down here and playing these golf courses, it's a treat.
"You don't need a golf course to be 7,500 yards to be hard, you can build it just like this and having it nice and tricky and it's just a treat to play."

Reading those quotes you'd almost forget he is getting a reported $3 million appearance fee  

[Scott Warren]

KP: I just want to see him pull it on 9. That'll do me

[Bill_McBride]

KP: I just want to see him pull it on 9. That'll do me

Scott, those of us unfamiliar with Kingston Heath    would like to know more about #9!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Regarding the 3M appearance fee: It's taxed at about 50% so he's really helping the AU tax coffers.

[Scott Warren]

It's a long story, Bill, but there was a spirited exchange on an Aussie gawf forum a while back about whether driver is an option on 9 for those who can reach the dance floor. Suffice to say, Kevin will be hoping a few of the boys pull the big dog on 9 (playing as the third this week seeing #10 is not being used).

330m - par 4

[Bill_McBride]

It's a long story, Bill, but there was a spirited exchange on an Aussie gawf forum a while back about whether driver is an option on 9 for those who can reach the dance floor. Suffice to say, Kevin will be hoping a few of the boys pull the big dog on 9 (not sure what its hole number is this week seeing 10 is not being used).

330m - par 4

That looks a lot like #16 at Dora'sl Blue course, where Tiger has pulled driver and carried it on the dance floor several times.  It's also about the same length, it's flat and no idea if the 9th at KH is.  He's liable to go for it!

[Kalen Braley]

I think its this hole....

[Kalen Braley]

A course aerial... 

It looks fantastic!!

[Bill_McBride]

I think its this hole....

Thanks, Kalen.  It looks like a slope leading up to the fairway so not flat hole.  With the trees in the corner, it may be out of reach even for the Tiger!

[Kalen Braley]

A different view..

[Tony Weiler]

That looks really cool.  I'd love to get there someday. 

[Mike_Clayton]

No one ever hits driver at 9 - which is playing as the 3rd hole this week.

[Kenny Baer]

What is just over the green and what is just short, at what would be a direct line from the tee?

It kind of looks like some junk in which case I can't even see it contemplated. 

[Bob_Huntley]

Mike,

Thanks for the definitive take on the hole.

Bob

[Mark_F]

"You don't need a golf course to be 7,500 yards to be hard, you can build it just like this and having it nice and tricky and it's just a treat to play."

Sounds like he already knows more about design than Peter Thomson.

[Jason Topp]

No one ever hits driver at 9 - which is playing as the 3rd hole this week.

Are they starting on 7?

[Jason Topp]

No one ever hits driver at 9 - which is playing as the 3rd hole this week.

Are they starting on 7?

I answered my own question.  Here is the link:  https://console.clubsonline.com.au/customitem/attachments/Kingston%20Heath%20Overall%20Map1.pdf

For those watching at home, it appears they will be playing

7 (1)
8 (2)
9 (3)
11 (4)
2 (5)
3 (6)
4 (7)
5 (8 )
6 (9)

1 (10)
19 (designed by Mike Clayton) (11)

12 -18 as ordered on the original course

[Rich Goodale]

Cool that they're including Mike's 19th.  It's a super golf hole.

[Scott Coan]

It's a long story, Bill, but there was a spirited exchange on an Aussie gawf forum a while back about whether driver is an option on 9 for those who can reach the dance floor. Suffice to say, Kevin will be hoping a few of the boys pull the big dog on 9 (playing as the third this week seeing #10 is not being used).

330m - par 4

It would be absolute madness to hit driver on this hole.  The overheads provided don't come close to showing you how closed in this hole is from the tee.  You have a narrow chute of tea tree to hit down and off in the distance all you see is more tea tree.  5,6,7 iron at most and then a wedge around the corner.  Nobody can control the rope hook you would need to wrap around this corner!

This hole left the biggest impression on me when I first played KH.  All closed in off the tee and you really don't know what to expect around the corner and then when you walk out of the chute are presented with this awesome setting of a green.

[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?

[Chris Kane]

With the very fast conditions I expect he'll be hitting mainly 2-irons from the tee - correct position is absolutely critical to score well.

There is absolutely no prospect of Tiger taking driver on 9 (3 this week).

[Matthew Delahunty]

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

[Chris Kane]

Reading those quotes you'd almost forget he is getting a reported $3 million appearance fee  

You nailed it Andrew.  He's such a huge fan of the sandbelt courses (of which he's played two) that it took him eleven years to return!