[Jason Topp]

I encourage all to watch some of the coverage this weekend.  I caught about an hour tonight and it was a treat to see a tournament on a quality course and there was a Nationwide tour player providing guest commentary (Ewan Porter) that really did a nice job explaining the architecture of Victoria and contrasting the design and conditions from the typical American tournament course.

[Matt_Cohn]

They're gonna show Tiger Woods tomorrow, right?   

[Brett Morris]

They're gonna show Tiger Woods tomorrow, right?   

Coverage starts at 12.30pm local.  Tiger tees off at 12.34pm.

[RJ_Daley]

I'm still waiting for an American design and maintenence meld to come along that adequately presents the Austrailian style of golf course presentation.  My recent trip to the Prairie Club I saw 'some' bunkering (particularly on the Lehman course) that slightly approaches the 'fall-in' bunker look, but not really because the edges of greenside Bs were not as cut into the bowels of greens, nor the mowing HOC right up to the edges in the same crisp fashion. 

Even the non-MacKenzie courses in OZ have that styling, that just renders them unique.  Maybe, it is good that we don't mimic here, even in soil that would otherwise be amenable to that technique, and OZ keeps their look exclusive.  It just looks like an alluring presentation that captuires ones imagination and adds to the quest of the intrepid golfer. 

[Bill_McBride]

Dick, please tell us more about "the bowels of greens."   

[Jason Topp]

I'm still waiting for an American design and maintenence meld to come along that adequately presents the Austrailian style of golf course presentation.  My recent trip to the Prairie Club I saw 'some' bunkering (particularly on the Lehman course) that slightly approaches the 'fall-in' bunker look, but not really because the edges of greenside Bs were not as cut into the bowels of greens, nor the mowing HOC right up to the edges in the same crisp fashion. 

Even the non-MacKenzie courses in OZ have that styling, that just renders them unique.  Maybe, it is good that we don't mimic here, even in soil that would otherwise be amenable to that technique, and OZ keeps their look exclusive.  It just looks like an alluring presentation that captuires ones imagination and adds to the quest of the intrepid golfer. 

I would like to see that as well in the US.  One of the courses we played at the Kings Putter in Palm Springs (I think the Plantation) came the closest in playing characteristics that I have experienced but did quite not have the unique look of the Australian bunkers. 

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

RJ.
I agree 100%, when playing Bally neal and Sand Hills one cannot avoid thinking how cool it would be if that bunkering was the same as on the snadbelt..no fringe just cut "into" the green.
I am sure there is a very good reason..soil type, expense etc that prevents that and I would love to hear from Tom D if that is the case.

[Bob_Huntley]

Does this read as though written by a golf writer?

I don't think I have ever seen "hit a birdie" before.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-11/tiger-woods-trails-first-round-leaders-by-four-shots-at-australian-masters.html


Bob

[Tom_Doak]

Michael:

The soil in the sand belt is quite a bit finer and darker than what you find in the Sand Hills of Nebraska and Colorado, and the bermudagrass holds it together better than any cool-season grasses, hence the unique sharp lips of the bunkers in Melbourne.

The other factor is that it's much windier at Sand Hills and Ballyneal than at Kingston Heath ... we would be afraid that a bunker cut right up into the green would just keep chewing away until there was no green left!

It looks like I will get back to Australia in December to study the issue again, and I can't wait.

[Alex Miller]

I feel like if they wanted to Riviera could emulate the Aussie look. Similar climate with bermuda/kikuyu throughout and deep clean faced George Thomas bunkers could provide a similar look if maintained the same way.

[Mike_Clayton]

I was out at the course yesterday and it looks fantastic. The greens are not that quick or that hard but probably they are just enough of both.
The forecast is horrendous - hot desert winds from the north today followed by a change from the south and inches of rain on the weekend.

[Gary Slatter]

I'm still waiting for an American design and maintenence meld to come along that adequately presents the Austrailian style of golf course presentation.  My recent trip to the Prairie Club I saw 'some' bunkering (particularly on the Lehman course) that slightly approaches the 'fall-in' bunker look, but not really because the edges of greenside Bs were not as cut into the bowels of greens, nor the mowing HOC right up to the edges in the same crisp fashion. 

Even the non-MacKenzie courses in OZ have that styling, that just renders them unique.  Maybe, it is good that we don't mimic here, even in soil that would otherwise be amenable to that technique, and OZ keeps their look exclusive.  It just looks like an alluring presentation that captuires ones imagination and adds to the quest of the intrepid golfer. 

When I played The Medalist Course (Vero Beach) the year it opened the bunkers were quite similar and cut right into the greens.  However I thought the greens were a bit too small and difficult at the time.  Not sure if the course is still the same.

[Jason Topp]

For those without the Golf Channel or in other countries, I caught some of the play online last night through this web address:


http://www.bigpondsport.com/Home/LiveStreaming/tabid/129/Default.aspx

[Andrew Bertram]

Good luck today boys!

30 to 35mph winds from the north with gusts up to 55mph

I don't think we will see any 65's today!

[Jeff Spittel]

If only the soil weren't predominantly clay down here in South Texas, this would be a suitable spot to design an homage to the Sandbelt.

[Peter Ferlicca]

This is my favorite tournament of the year to watch, yes that means better than Masters or any other tourney.  It could be a field full of 10 year olds and I would still watch it.  The courses on the sandbelt just look SOOOOOO much better than the lush green grass courses you see in America.  The fact that you gnarly unkempt rough that can provide sporadic lies, the slick hard greens, the fairways cut ridiculously tight right into the bunkers, the fast and firm conditions throughout the course, the beautiful trees, and possibly the best looking bunkers in the whole world are in the sandbelt.   Any PGA tour golfer that has any interest in golf course architecture is stupid not to play in this tournament.   I am hoping since the fields keep getting better that hopefully more tournaments in Australia are televised.  Maybe we will see something like the Kiwi Challenge for Cape Kidnappers, down at Tasmania for Barnbougle Dunes, how cool would that be.


I am counting down the days for the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.

[Tim Liddy]

Mike Clayton has done wonderful work at Victoria, on golf hole #1 and a few other areas.  If he has time it would be great to hear his thoughts. Is Mike playing in the tournament?  Is that a statue of him at the entrance? Golf course looks a bit green. I assume they have had a good Spring. 

[Pat Burke]

I had some great experiences at Victoria, while playing in Aus.
Just a very cool place.
I felt there was a lot of variety in the shots required, and just a great sandbelt course.
Big winds today will create some  serious nightmares
Man, I miss Aus

[Mike_Clayton]

Tim

No I am not playing this week - just spectating.
It was a difficult day with the north wind but Sergio did an early 65 which was an impressive comeback after bring 4 over after 13 on the first day. He birdied the final two holes for 73 and now must be favoured to win. Tiger has been decent but that's all - 141 at half-way.
There has been an amazing amount of rain here in the last month and that after a wet winter. After 15 years of drought it has been a welcome relief for all the clubs on the sandbelt.
One of the features of recent work at Victoria has been the removal of big areas of tea-tree and the resulting return of the native heaths that make some of the roughs look so good. The best two examples are to the right of the 7th hole and over the right fairway bunker on the 13th.
The almost complete absence of long grass around the greens is so unusual now in the professional game but I doubt anyone in Europe or America with the power to try something different is paying much attention.

Pat,

You won the Vic Open at Victoria didn't you? - 1994??

[PCCraig]

Watching the Australian Masters (and most of the tournaments held in the sandbelt) is a total blast, especially in HD. I'm a little tired this morning after keeping my self awake a little too late watching some live coverage last night on the Golf Channel.

[Pat Burke]

Clayts,
Yes, 1994.  Sick as a dog all week, and still couldn't wait to get out and play
that course!

[Brett_Morrissy]

You guys in the States/Europe - whose television coverage are you getting?
Is it a feed of the Channel 9 footage? who is commentating?

[Brian Stewart]

You guys in the States/Europe - whose television coverage are you getting?
Is it a feed of the Channel 9 footage? who is commentating?

We get a weird blend of Australian and US based commentators on the Golf Channel.  It might be the Channel 9 video feed but unless Dave Marr is involved for Channel 9 something is different.  If they hole previews have a Nikon logo that would be my guess.  The course looks nice despite all of the rain. 

As an aside Australia is one place I really need to go.  I've played golf in 20+ countries but just haven't had the time to make it to Australia yet.  It is most certainly on my to do list in the very near future.  I'll be in Asia again in January but I don't know if I'll be able to make it down.  I just never seem to have time to make it work.

[Kevin Pallier]

Well done Mike. The course looks great.

[Shane Gurnett]

Some good photos from Mark Ferguson in here:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,39041.0/

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