Feature Interview with Darius Oliver is posted

[Ran Morrissett]

As with many things, one may not appreciate how good things are until they are gone.  And having been out of Australia for 3 1/2 years, I really appreciate the country's simpler approach to the game: save in Queensland, people walk, there is a general absence of cart paths to scar the landscape, the courses play firmer than in the US, people often change into their golf shoes in the parking lot, far less ornamental plantings dot the courses, people play quick and putt out without lining up the two footer from six different directions, the clubhouses are comfortable and not fancy, the game is affordable, etc. In short, the Aussie approach is refreshingly in keeping with how golf was/is played in the UK.

The country certainly deserves coffee table golf books that highlight its numerous charms as a golf destination and Darius Oliver's new book Australia's Finest Golf Courses delivers on all counts. In an interesting twist, Darius specifically compares and contrasts the design attributes of Australia's modern courses with the household name classics like Royal Melbourne and Royal Adelaide. The result is a completely up-to-date book that captures the best features of the country's best courses. Coupled with the stunning photography, one gets a real sense for the architecture that has occured in just the past few years such as at Ellerston, Moonah Links, the two at National Golf Club, Thirteenth Beach GL, Kennedy Bay, Mike Clayton's restoration work at Peninsula, etc.

For those interested, instructions on how to order the book from Australia are available at the end of the Feature Interview. Based on the other discussion thread on this book, I have yet to read a single bad word on this book and it's easy to see why.

Cheers,

[Scott_Burroughs]

Ran,

You might want to change the year of the interview to 2003!  

[ian]

I thoroughly enjoyed the interview, especially the commentary on the state of golf architeture in Australia. I left me wanting to go and see the courses and holes that Darius desribes in his commentary. I need to go find this book, since going there seems such a long way off.

[Tim_Weiman]

Ran,

Another excellent interview, the latest in a really enjoyable series. Your collection of interviews really is unsurpassed in the golf media - by a long shot.

Thanks for highlighting Darius Oliver's book. It is a worthwhile addition to any golf architecture book collection. Thanks also for highlighting Ellerston - it looks like one of the more interesting relatively unknown Australian courses.

[Mike_Clayton]

Darius

It's good to see you talking about architecture and our courses with knowledge few seem to have down here.
There is a lot of stuff in the interview that some don't particurally want to hear but I think you  are right and well on the way to establishing a really credible voice people will respect and take notice of.
We need more of it so better courses can be built and our existing ones either get back on the right track or better still, don't head down silly and dangerous paths.
Personally your support is always appreciated - we all need people batting in our corner.

[Norbert P]

 An excellent interview with confident and candid answers.  Could this be the Confidential Guide of Australian Golf?  

  And the introduction to   www.ausgolf.com.au/

 is also a nice discovery for this travel dreamer.

 www.ausgolf.com.au/book   for info about book and ordering it.  

  Is there an index available for courses covered in the book?  Or perhaps chapter titles?
 

[Darius Oliver]

Ran, thanks again for your support with this 'October' interview - your patience with its timing and my unfortunate delays was greatly appreciated.

I would also like to congratulate Ran and all his contributors on the success of GCA, this is a truly fantastic resource. I've heard plenty about the site and browsed from time to time but have really only just now sat down and read all the great interviews, reviews and forum discussions. I must say that I have noted a very definite interest in Australian golf from plenty of posters here which is great, ausgolf sales also support this with copies to the US making up around 1/3 of all sales - Hopefully my book can help encourage some of you to take the long trip to sample our great tracks first hand.

Although I'm passionate about the Australian golf industry (both good and bad) 'Australia's Finest Golf Courses' was written more as a celebration of our best courses than an overly critical 'Confidential' style analysis. The fantastic David Scaletti photography demanded this as his work truly showcases what is special about our premier courses.

To help with the index of courses and chapters, I've added a sample content list below - there are 67 courses reviewed in total, all of the well known tracks are there plus a few 'hidden' gems that are well worth a detour. If any GCA'er wants advice on Aussie courses or on their possible itinerary please feel free to email me at any time for assistance. A friend of mine from Chicago GC, Jim Noyes is organising a golf trip here for a few mates next year and has it about right I think - they are playing NSW and spending a day sight seeing in Sydney, then heading down to the Sandbelt for a selection of Royal Melb, Kingston Heath, Vic, Metro, Commonwealth, Woodlands, Peninsula etc then off to the Mornington Peninsula, over to Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania for a couple of days and then over to New Zealand for Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs.

As I said in the feature interview that really is quite a trip with the diversity of golf fighting the stunning scenery for top billing.

My thanks again to Ran, Mike Clayton and all other GCA users who have emailed or bought my book for your support with this project.

Best regards, Darius

Australia's Finest Golf Courses - sample of reviews and chapters
Introduction - From Mackenzie to Moonah, reviews Classic classics Royal Melbourne West, Kingston Heath, New South Wales and Royal Adelaide, also Modern masterpieces Ellerston, National Moonah, Kennedy Bay and Capital.

Victoria - The Sandbelt, Royal Melbourne East, Victoria, Metropolitan, Commonwealth, Woodlands, Yarra Yarra, Peninsula South.
The Mornington Peninsula, The Dunes, The National Old, Portsea, National Ocean, Moonah Links - also Thirteenth Beach, Barwon Heads, Huntingdale, heritage, Amstel (Ranfurlie) and Port Fairy.

New South Wales and ACT - Newcastle, Royal Sydney, Royal Canberra, The Lakes, The Australian, The Vintage, Bonville, Terrey Hills and Concord.

Western Australia - Lake Karrinyup, Joondalup, The Vines, Meadow Springs, Secret Harbour and Albany.

Queensland - The Grand, Laguna Quays, Glades, Brookwater, Royal Queensland, Hope Island, Coolum, Sanctuary Cove, Paradise Palms, Lakelands, Pelican Waters, Kooralbyn and Robina Woods.

South Australia - Links Lady Bay, Kooyonga, Grange West and Glenelg.

Also incl Ratings chapter with lists of Best Australian golf holes and best golf courses.

[spooky]

Hi Darius, I notice near the bottom of your feature interview you state that Barnbougle Dunes will "stun the golf world"  I walked around the course a few weeks ago and was really blown away by the place.  Have you been down there yourself for a look??

[Jimmy Muratt]

I just received Darius Oliver's new book and I highly recommend it.  I have really enjoyed going through the book and discvovering "hidden gems" that I had not heard about that do not receive much publicity outside of Australia.  

David Scaletti's photography really brings out the best that the courses have to offer.  

This book and Paul Daley's book, "The Sandbelt", are two musts for anyone who is a fan of the world class golf courses in Australia.

[Ed Morrissett]

In reading Ran's very interesting interview with Darius Oliver,reviewing his outstanding and comprehensive book and also reading the thread "The Spirit of Ran", I remembered my great trip to visit Ran in 1998 when he lived in Sydney.  Golfers owe it to themselves to play golf in New Zealand and Australia if at all possible.  Those who have played in the British Isles know how different the courses are but also feel the difference in overall atmosphere.  A third equally distinctively unique area is Australia and New Zealand.  The scenery is magnificent and the people are great but what I remember most about the golf is the different trees and other vegetation and the multicolor, loud chirping birds.

I was fortunate to meet Bob Harrison who does Greg Norman's work in that part of the world.  I played 4 courses on the North Island of New Zealand and 12 in Australia -- around Sydney, around Melbourne and south and around Adelaide.  Ran arranged all of this for me but could not accompany me throughout because of his work while I was retired.

Several things stood out beyond the golf courses.  The Australians hole out every putt.  Don't even think about a concession!  They trail a trolley across the middle of greens.  You can image what went through my mind when I was playing with a member at Kingston Heath and he walked across the second green pulling his trolley.  I was speechless.  The other interesting thing was the British influence.  When I played one fine course, there was a sign posted in the locker room saying the club was in a six month trial period in which for the first time knee length socks were not required with Bermuda shorts and white (only) socks (of the length we normally wear) with the club logo could be worn and they could be purchased in the golf shop.

I primarily played the classic courses and Ran got me on the best.  I also particularly enjoyed Newcastle and Barwon Heads among the somewhat lesser known courses.

Rather than take the third or fourth trip to the British Isles, you should go to Australia and New Zealand.  You won't regret it.  Darius Oliver's book is a great guide.

[Mike_Clayton]

Ed

Where else would you wheel a buggy - as we call them down here - but across the green?

I remember the first time I played at Metropolitan the member yelled at me for taking it around the fringe.

'If everyone took their buggies around the fringe they wouldn't have any bloody grass on them !'

[spooky]

Ed

Where else would you wheel a buggy - as we call them down here - but across the green?

I remember the first time I played at Metropolitan the member yelled at me for taking it around the fringe.

'If everyone took their buggies around the fringe they wouldn't have any bloody grass on them !'

I'ts funny that in Melbournes public courses you are encouraged to keep the buggies off the greens, but the private clubs allow you to wheel them accross them..

[Andrew Summerell]

I'ts funny that in Melbournes public courses you are encouraged to keep the buggies off the greens, but the private clubs allow you to wheel them accross them..

Very few Sydney courses allow you to walk across the greens with your buggy.

Of course, most of those courses have fringes that are dying.

[Matthew Delahunty]

Only if you have the wide wheels...

At our club it's only a relatively recent development (happened about 10-12 years ago). The result is that the club has removed most fringes between bunkers - but that's where everyone wheels and you get a slightly worn green surface. I still don't like wheeling my buggy across the green and try to avoid it most of the time, mostly because I don't like the site of a trail across an otherwise perfect surface.

I'd actually be interested to know there's been a study into any effects from wheeling across the greens. I've always thought that you probably introduce problem grasses through the practice, especially on dewy mornings after the fairways have been mown and the cuttings stick to the tyres.