[Ben Jarvis]

Playing at Victoria tomorrow. Very much looking forward to it!

[Mike_Clayton]

There is a sameness to 2,3 and 5 with the tees being in the corners by the fence,fairway bunkers down the right and that feeling of playing left.It helps with the boundary problem - but the line of Kyle's photo is not from the main tee (which is further right) but from the line of a small tee behind the 4th green.
It is rarely used but it is by far the best line and it is higher up that the lower tees.
Our suggestion to to use this tee position - which is about 30-40 meters forward of the back tee - and take the green back.
Originally the green here was down by the 12th green but was moved forward and up the hill.
The best line into the green here from the left half of the fairway and away from the fairway bunker on the right - something that does not make a lot of sense.

Kevin,

Ian Todd has been instrumental in that short grass from green to tee policy and it is both unique, elegant and successful.
It has really improved holes like 16 where it used to be horrible over the back of that green - and it wasn't like the shot back to that green was easy.
it would be good to see a photo of that spot because it was where Ogilvy said he learned to play that shot he hit from the front of the 72nd green at Winged Foot when he won the US Open.

[Matthew Mollica]

They've recently sanded the entire surrounds of the 16th, in preparation for the Masters in December - but you get the idea.

[Kevin Pallier]

Mike

Kudos to Ian - I'd much prefer to see more of that than long grass. Cheers for that as well as the addition of the photo MM - I do see the resemblance to Winged Foot's 18th from down there.

[Kyle Henderson]

Here's a view of the slope behind the 16th green as viewed from the left, with the grass trimmed all of the way to the 17th tee on the left edge of frame, and I added a shot of the 5th tee above as well, for reference.

[Kyle Henderson]

#6:  398 yards. Par 4.
 
Ogilvy says, “A much stronger hole with two straight shots required to reach in regulation, a three shot hole for most. Trouble won’t end there though, the green may be the most sloped on the course. Short will always be the best miss.”

Tracking in the opposite direction and turning the opposite way (but equal in length) to the 5th hole, golfers will face a tee shot that favors a draw.

With the wind at my back for the first time since the opening hole, I piped one over the temporary water hazard (more evidence of the wet summer down under) to short-iron range.


These fine gentlemen waived me up to play the remainder of the front nine with them, and I managed to cozy my pin-seeker to about 10 feet directly past the flag position near a deep, port-side bunker.


One of my new playing partners was not so fortunate as I, but he played a nice recovery. After my 1st putt lipped out for the 4th time in 6 holes (!!!), we both made par.

[Kyle Henderson]

#7: 165 meters. Par 3

Ogilvy says, “The second one shot hole will play a similar club to the fourth. Here though aim to hit the ball through the gap at the front left of the green. With that route almost every pin on the green is accessible.”

Curiously of the same length and compass orientation as the 4th(from the tips), the 7th is still an altogether different beast.  The green is not quite so elevated, narrow, or deep as its predecessor and the trapping is mostly confined to its front half.

Having caught the pack, I chatted quietly with my new playing partners about the group ahead – the hatless fellow was the reigning British Amateur Champion at the time this photo was taken and the other two are young touring pros.


The area in front of the tees has been nicely groomed to balance playability with natural ruggedness.


Being slightly elevated, the green makes it difficult to discern the exact pin location before making a swing. Likewise, the result of your effort may not be readily apparent until after a brief walk.

[Kyle Henderson]

#8: 448 meters. Par 5.

Ogilvy says, “A long straight hole that will be a birdie hole for the longer hitters, and a nice wide hole shouldn’t present too many problems for most. The right of the green is some of the best bunkering on the course.”

Though wide, the fairway also slopes to the right and can quickly sweep fades into precarious lies.


Another temporary pond is seen 80 meters short of the green. Sadly, it swallowed both of my playing partners’ chances for par. Up ahead, the green is guarded by sand bilaterally -- there is some room to miss in front and behind.

[Mike_Clayton]

This plays as a par 4 in the tournaments nowadays.
It was a case of a taking an easy 5 made harder by tree planting down the right. Before the removal you would not have seen the green side bunkers on the right.
There was a fairway bunker on the left - between the two shadows. We filled that one in and added one further along.
It's a long way off the tee - maybe 300 yards - but Tiger Woods carried it in the Australian Masters last summer - staggering.
The further left you drive the better the angle - but the slope is always wanting to take the ball to the right.
It is an easier hole now - but a better one and as a quite difficult par four.

[Kyle Henderson]

#9: 559 meters. Par 5.
Ogilvy says, “A true three shot par 5 for all but the very longest hitters. It will take 2 great shots to get over the hill for most, and tree or bunker trouble on the way will result in a lost shot, and from there a short iron to a green very hard to hit it pin high (sic). Par is never a bad score on 9 for anyone.”

This is a very good piece of property used very well to create a very good golf hole.

View from the tee.


Landing area/2nd shot.


Approach.

[Kyle Henderson]

10th hole: 348 meters. Par 4.

Ogilvy says,  “A nice dogleg left to head away from the clubhouse again. Aim over the left bunker if you can carry, slightly right if not. A big advantage her to hit a good drive as the 2nd shot can be played from a flat lie to a green abve your feet. An underrated green with short beingthe miss, as long will prove to be trouble.

[Kyle Henderson]

11th hole.: 348 meters. Par 4.

Ogilvy says, “A tough hole that needs to be respected. Give the right of the hole some respect and head up the left side. From there it is tricky to get the right club for the second shot. Short again here is the miss as the green is heavily sloped back to front.”

Bunkers separate the 15th green from the beginning of the 11th fairway.


Longer tee shots must thread the needle between bilateral sand traps to set up a shot, uphill approach.

[Kyle Henderson]

12th hole: 370 meters. Par 4.

Ogilvy says, “Perhaps the most dramatic tee shot here at Victoria. Hit left of the right bunkers as there is plenty of room over there. A downhill second will be semi blind for all but the best of drives.”

From the tee, one might be uncertain as to which way they should proceed. The line of play turns right past the starboard fairway bunker.


The green is guarded by a back/left bunker. Behind the 12th green is Reserve Road, a motorway that separates Victoria Golf Club from the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

[Kyle Henderson]

13th hole: 390 meters. Par 4.

Ogilvy says, “I think the hardest hole on the course. A tee shot to avoid the right bunkers is a must, and from there a very long second to a very hard green to hit to (sic). Longer hitters lose some advantage here as it narrows and there seconds are played from a downslope.  A tough green where respect is required all around. Short probably the miss (sic).”

Long hitters will blast drives well over the crest and should favor the left side, as the fairway slopes away and to the right.


Bilateral greenside bunkering favors directional precision over distance control.


From the downslope, approaches are often “fatted” short of the green or skulled into the bushes behind. Par will win the hole in most matches.

[Patrick Kiser]

Geez Kyle...

This looks awesome!  No wonder you have it up there on your short list of preferred courses down under. 

I'm kind of kicking myself for not finding a way to play it  ...

I'm pretty impressed overall thus far.  Really looks good.

That 4th really does it for me.  I love the invisible false front there with the bunkers playing camouflage.  That's inspired.  I can't remember seeing one like that on the trip.  Can you?

[Kyle Henderson]

That 4th really does it for me.  I love the invisible false front there with the bunkers playing camouflage.  That's inspired.  I can't remember seeing one like that on the trip.  Can you?

Not to the same degree. Certainly, there are several short holes in the sand belt that feature fronting bunkers which mask the front of the green (e.g. Commonwealth #15, Woodlands #17) and false fronts are a common staple of greens for holes of any length in that neighborhood, but the combination and "amplitude" of those features do stand out for this particular hole.

I quite enjoyed Victoria, but I'm not sure that you should have left another course off your itinerary to include it (maybe Metropolitan?).

[Kyle Henderson]

14th hole: 142 meters. Par 3.

Ogily says, “A tricky short hole as the heavily sloped green is surrounded by some of Victoria’s toughest bunkers. Consider one more club as it will play long and the ball will roll off the front if not well onto the green."

Playing uphill, the 14th green is hardly visible, congruent with most of the greens on Victoria’s short holes. Due to the shallow landing angle of approach shots, a strong tail wind adds considerable difficulty.

[Kyle Henderson]

15th hole: 289 meters. Par 4.
Ogilvy says, “Another of the sand belt’s wonderful short fours. Be as aggressive as you dare as reaching in one is possible for the long hitters, and eagles have been made. The smart play is a shot well to the right and perhaps level with the first bunker. From there, a short iron, and maybe a putt for birdie.”

Tee shot.


An expansive bunker complex challenges the shortest line of attack.


The short approach faced by those that choose the “smart” play.

[Bruce Hardie]

The advice about 14 to 'take one more club' is probably more to do with the fact that there is nowhere in the front third to place a pin.

15 is one the greats. Everything from D to 6I is an option off the tee. Even a man of slightly longer than average length is a chance to make this green if he can get the right shape and kick down the fairway.

[Kyle Henderson]

16th hole: 178 meters. Par 3.

Ogilvy says, “The toughest par 3 on the course. A long iron for most to really a very small flat area of green. Long is completely horrible, but must be taken on a little if you want a makeable putt for two. Otherwise short right is the only real place to miss.”

The imposing uphill view that defines the 16th tee shot.


Fronting bunkers are flush against the green’s margin.


A photo taken from the green’s left side illustrates the vexing slopes found at the green’s rear flanks.

[Kyle Henderson]

17th hole: 550 meters(!). Par 5.

Ogilvy says, “Like number nine, this will be out of range in two for all but the longest. A tee shot played short of the left bunkers, with a second played up level with the bunkers on the left will leave the best third. A tricky green, where short once again is the correct miss."

The tee shot now includes views of an odd-looking lake (well above the level of the fairway) installed by the club within the last few years in response to drought concerns. The water hazard seen in the fairway’s right/center is of the casual variety.


Bunkers protect the outside of the dogleg, for those that swing wildly or steer away from the water.


Those going for the green in two may be required to shape their shots from left-to-right to avoid the starboard bushes and port-side sand traps.


Low-running shots must negotiate fronting undulations to stay online, while the green’s frontward tilt makes a long miss quite penalizing.

[Kyle Henderson]

Hole 18: 461 meters. Par 5.

Ogilvy says, “A wonderful par 5 to finish.  A birdie chance for the long hitters, but a tough slog for those who won’t get to the top of the hill. Bunkers to be avoided all of the way there and a green that slopes from front to back makes your shot in hard to get close, from any distance.”

The drive is played up and over the crest of a crowned fairway that feeds toward lateral bunkers on either side.


Viewing the approach, the first bunker on the right is set more than 30 yards short of the surface (obscuring one’s view of paired bunkers that guard the green’s right flank), while the left bunker is flush against the green’s front edge. Happily I was able to play a soaring 7-wood that came to rest 15 feet beyond the pin for a two-putt birdie – a nice end to my first day “down unda.”


From the right side, one can perceive the green’s rearward tilt.


After a 20-hour journey and a walking round on an empty stomach, I was relieved that I’d be spending the night on property.


To make matters even better, my playing companions and ~25 of their friends were kind enough to share libations, a delicious meal (shrimp on the Barbie), and war stories until 11:30 that night. I could not have imagined a better introduction to the Australia golfing experience.

The last few “stragglers” of the evening insisted on a group photo before their departure.

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