The Greens at Kingston Heath

[Ira Fishman]

I am a good green reader (stroke execution is a different story), but the greens at Kingston Heath befuddled me. I found some threads and research about the bunkering (not surprisingly), but not much on the history of the greens, including any work/changes that may have been made over the years.


Thanks.

[Mike_Clayton]

Ira,


Graeme Grant noticeably changed the 6th, 13th and 18th greens (and surrounds) in the 1980s.  And I think the 1st and the very back section of the 10th green but both were much less noticeable.
That aside they haven't changed too much in the 55 (!) years since I first saw it. Bruce Grant (Graeme's brother) and I tweaked the back left corner of 15 to get a pin back there.

[Ira Fishman]

Mike,


Thanks.



Am I correct in thinking that the KH are particularly deceptive or was I just having a bad day?


Did Mick Morcom shape the greens initially?


Ira

[Thomas Dai]

Brilliant course.
Some rather fine drone course visuals here - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p7MQmBPwBWE&pp=ygUTS2luZ3N0b24gaGVhdGggZ29sZg%3D%3D
Roll on the Presidents Cup to be played at KHGC in 2028.
Some some nice overhead hole-by-hole photos on the Presidents Cup website here - [size=78%]https://www.presidentscup.com/course-2028[/size]
Atb

[Mike_Clayton]

Mike,


Thanks.



Am I correct in thinking that the KH are particularly deceptive or was I just having a bad day?


Did Mick Morcom shape the greens initially?


Ira

Ira - I wouldn't have said they were particularly deceptive - but I've played them a long time and you were seeing them for the first time. You probably have a better insight into the question than I do!


I'm not sure if Mick Morcom had much to do with the original greens. MacKenzie did 15 when he was in Melbourne and maybe that's why it's the most interestingly contoured green on the course.
Dan Soutar was the original architect - so likely he had quite a bit to do with them.

[Ira Fishman]

Mike,


Well, I had the same caddie at Kingston Heath as I did the day before at Royal Melbourne East, and when I told him that I would ask him again for green reads only when I needed, he gave me a bemused “Ok, if you say so” shrug. By the back nine, we both were chuckling about my mis-reads. So I am going with “particularly deceptive” for self-esteem purposes. In all seriousness, as you know, it really is a very special course. I only wish that my first play were not most probably my only.


Ira

[Matthew Delahunty]

Ira,


Mick Morcom built the original greens between 1923 and 1925 (to a design by Dan Soutar).  When Alister Mackenzie visited KH in 1926 to develop a bunkering plan, he was effusive in his praise for Morcom after seeing the construction work.  McKenzie's plan for the 15th hole was implemented by Mick's son, Vern Morcom who thereafter became superintendent of KH, a position which he held for 4 decades.  Vern also became a golf course  architect with a prolific portfolio.  It's likely Vern did some modifications to the greens.  The bunkering changed significantly between the late 20s and mid 1940s, so some greens may also have changed.  The old aerials show the 8th and 16th greens were originally separate entities but were eventually made into one large putting surface.


Mike has outlined the changes carried out by Graeme Grant in the 1980s.

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