Matthew Mollica's National GC (Moonah) profile...

[Ran Morrissett]

...is now posted under My Home Course.

The list of country top 10s in the United States and the UK is soooo strong that rarely will a modern course crack into its country's top 10.

Conversely, in Australia, the old guard courses like Royal Sydney, Commonwealth and The Australian are COMPLETELY ignoring their pasts - gone are the qualities that made those courses unique once upon a time. When coupled with some of the exciting coastal property that is now being used for golf, I reckon Australia's top 10 will almost certainly be half modern and half old guard courses prior to 2010.

Certainly, the Moonah Course at National deserves inclusion today, as many might agree once reading Matthew's My Home Course contribution.

I haven't played it since it officially opened but after a year or so of getting the mowing lines right re: the tall stuff and graduating the rough back from the fairway, it sure sounds like the Moonah Course is now realizing its potential amongst the rolling dunes. Certainly it was always going to be an inspiring place for a game, but now it sounds like it is both challenging AND fun and that the golfers are appreciating the flexibility and strategy that Bob Harrison built into the holes/course.

Matthew's analysis is candid, something that is tough for many members to be.  He acknowledges that the out and back routing  can make life difficult when you head for home from the 12th tee into a stiff 'breeze'. Still, Matthew points out that there is now plenty of width in the fairways so the golfer just needs to keep his wits about him. Also, I think I may even like the set of one shotters at Moonah a notch or so higher than Matthew.

GCA.com has been very fortunate with some of the My Home Course entries of late - keep'em coming! Matthew has promised to contribute within a month another profile, this time on the RTJ Jr. course up the hill from Moonah - stay tuned!

Cheers,

[RJ_Daley]

It is interesting to compare the photos of the 8th and 11th from the 'courses by country' write up and the new ones by Matthew.  The style of course presentation (particularly the bunker edging and shapes) are a departure from what we usually see on TV from OZ.  I swear I think of Nebraska in looking at the pictures.  I assume they value the firm and fast fairways that would seem to be natural in those parts of the windswept Australian coast on sandy base soil.  Can Matthew or Ran comment on how minimal the shaping effort was across that terrain?  It appears to be very little earth movement across the "cups" terraine, like our Wild Horse or Sand Hills. There are large areas of the pre-sand hills that have scrub cedar that is weathered and knarly as we see the Moonah trees in these photos.  But, you can't see the ocean at all in NE    

As Matthew points out, the choice of fairway turf species and cultivar is very important (GN1 Bermuda).  Like Wild Horse selecting a Kentucky Blue cultivar, they have to consider the response to relative humidity and avoid the suseptable fescue species that would be overly disease ridden. They will have to find the right maintenance meld over time through trial and error to achieve the playing qualities desired, although it sounds like they are zeroing in on what they want.  Native grass rough is the big problem.  Many superintendents are constantly experimenting with practices to keep it the right texture of penal yet not impossible to play from or find balls.  

[Matthew Mollica]

RJ_D,

Interesting comments on the various bunker styles.
What you see of Oz golf o/seas, is usually going to be a sandbelt layout (of characteristic bunkering style), or a resort-type course, which too will boast it's individual bunkering flavour. Both are very different to the style employed by Norman. Not too many courses in Australia share the rugged sandtrap style Norman and co. have adopted for the Moonah course. I don't know why.
 
Norman's team didn't have to move heaps of land to end up with their course.

They did 'create' several holes with heavy earth moving required. 14 in particular. All in all, not lots of shaping needed. I look at old pictures of Robert Trent Jones Jnr's effort at our old course, and wonder how on earth he ever managed to cut his way through the trees, let along move the sand he did, to wind up with a course, that really looks like it has been there all along.

Some don't like his greens, and I understand that perspective. Say what you like, but that old course is seamless, and provides some of the most enjoyable golf available in this country. Hopefully, I'll have an article for you to read on THAT course soon ....

Matthew  

[Eric Pevoto]

Matthew,

Great review.  Thanks for posting it and taking the time to point out what you see as positives and negatives.  Not an easy thing for the typical proud member to do.

I love the look in the closeup of the greenside bunker at the 18th.  I'm very interested in how the members reacted to that style.  Do they grumble?  Does anyone care?  Are they proud of them (as they should be)?

[Matthew Mollica]

Eric,

Thanks for the reply. Most members are quite proud of them, as they should be, (I agree).

I'd still love to know how they managed to achieve this look, what they did during construction that is different to others course constructors/designers etc, and how well they will stand up over time.

Matthew