Golf in Australia - the Ashes Tour

[Ed Tilley]

Bill

I'll provide some real explanations about cricket later.

But James,
my 'explanations' are real! Well, sort of...

Re English Cricket. About in as parlous a state as I can ever remember. What is bizarre is how it is currently being reflected by both the Soccer squad and their Rugby XV. Dismal performances on both fronts recently. Beaten by ARGENTINA yesterday. How the mighty 'World Champions' have fallen.

Not gloating in the slightest ,
FBD.

Martin,

Not sure why 'World Champions' is in inverted commas. Last time I checked the next World Cup is in 2007 and we are therefore still World Champions, no matter how mind bogglingly awfully we play. No doubt there is some formula being used up there to show that Scotland are in fact 'unofficial world champions'  

Also, if you think English cricket is in as parlous state as it has ever been you are no cricket fan. 10 years ago we were officially the worst team in the world, today we are the second best team having lost once in 10 series - to Pakistan who we subsequently thumped last summer. We have won in S. Africa, beaten Australia. This is dreamland compared to those dark days of a decade ago.

We are absolutely awful at One day cricket, but I really don't care about that. Test cricket is all that matters. Roll on November 23 - I think it will be a lot closer than our hyper-confident Aussie cousins would like to believe. We need to be at the top of our game, but if we are we will take some beating.

Ed

[Chris Kane]

I think it will be a lot closer than our hyper-confident Aussie cousins would like to believe. We need to be at the top of our game, but if we are we will take some beating.

Ed, its not just the Aussies who are hyper-confident: the impression I get in St Andrews (which is an English town in Scotland) is that the English public is also hyper-confident - of losing.

I've spoken to dozens of people about it in the past couple of weeks, and almost without fail I'm more positive about England's chances than they are.  Its quite pathetic actually!

On Betfair Australia is 1.24, while England is 7.8 - at those prices you'd think it would be a pants-job, which I'm sure it won't be.

[Ed Tilley]

Chris,

We have an excellent and varied, if inconsistent, bowling attack. If it fires, particularly Harmy, then we are in with an excellent chance. Hayden, Gilchrist, Martyn, Langer - too old and ripe for the taking. If we can just get to Ponting again and put him under pressure then I can see us winning at least one and possibly two tests which could be enough.

We could also play badly and get stuffed!

Ed

P.S. Runs for KP and Freddy today. Things are looking up.

[Chris Kane]

Chris,

We have an excellent and varied, if inconsistent, bowling attack. If it fires, particularly Harmy, then we are in with an excellent chance. Hayden, Gilchrist, Martyn, Langer - too old and ripe for the taking. If we can just get to Ponting again and put him under pressure then I can see us winning at least one and possibly two tests which could be enough.

We could also play badly and get stuffed!

Ed

P.S. Runs for KP and Freddy today. Things are looking up.

Ed, I agree with you - the first time I've agreed with a Pom about the Ashes for months!  I'm usually the one talking up England's chances!

[Mark Chaplin]

We Brits always moan that American Football is very stop start and takes too long....An American friend pointed out cricket takes 5 days they stop for lunch and tea and often it ends in a DRAW...point taken.

I've yet to play NSW but will get there on my next trip downunder.

Ellerston looks fantastic but my question is thus....Is there a place in the ratings for Private courses, ie one built in the owners back yard and only available to the owner, friends and clients, etc??

[James Bennett]

Ellerston looks fantastic but my question is thus....Is there a place in the ratings for Private courses, ie one built in the owners back yard and only available to the owner, friends and clients, etc??

Mark

Ellerston is PRIVATE.  You may have seen photos of someone such as Paris Hilton (insert other desirable name here if you wish).  However, your chances of playing a round with such a private course are such that the rating is irrelevant to all but the minority.  Should such a course be rated -well the paparazzi say yes, but does it really matter?

To Ed Tilley (and Chris Kane)

wonderful posts.

I hope Australia has the ability to win 3-2 this series, but I won't underestimate England.  We like to take the mickey when England are losing, but don't underestimate England.  I recall some 25 years ago a single individual called Ian Botham (for the non-cricketers he had a touch of Severiano about him).  England has a similar player today, although he is being asked to captain as well. I hope this Ashes Series delives five rivetting tests.

James B

[Mark Pearce]

Chris,

We have an excellent and varied, if inconsistent, bowling attack. If it fires, particularly Harmy, then we are in with an excellent chance. Hayden, Gilchrist, Martyn, Langer - too old and ripe for the taking. If we can just get to Ponting again and put him under pressure then I can see us winning at least one and possibly two tests which could be enough.

We could also play badly and get stuffed!

Ed

P.S. Runs for KP and Freddy today. Things are looking up.

Agree with all of this.  Also, the average age of the most likely Australia side will be 33, the average age of the likely England side 27.  Australia will, probably, have one player under 30, England just one over 30.  England are an improving side with the best fast bowling attack in the world (even without the injured Simon Jones).  Australia will rely on two all time greats, McGrath (36) and Warne (37).  

Much will depend on what McGrath and Warne can squeeze out of their aging bodies.  My feeling is that if England get any sort of result in the first test then momentum will swing their way.  Australia are still the number one team in the world but this England team WILL overtake them sometime soon, it's just a question of whether this series in Australia is too early.

As to the golf - it would be good to see some pictures of the courses you're discussing.

[Jason Topp]

How badly is the drought affecting courses in Australia?

[Andrew Summerell]

How badly is the drought affecting courses in Australia?

It depends what area you are in. Some areas are harder hit than others, with rural areas suffering the most.

In regards to golf courses, Sydney has a predominance of over-watered courses, so a few water restrictions may be a good thing.

[James Bennett]

Jason Topp

If a course is reliant on town water or river flow water, then there is a string chance that hamd watering of tees and greens is about it.  The drought is certainly affecting the south-east (Adelaide and Melbourne, and country communities therein).  I think Sydney has similar issues, and Brisbane has been dry as well.

If you have you own dams and bores, then probably not a lot has changed.  The level of watering will depend on the club's preference.

In Adelaide, we have some reasonable second tier courses (Doak 2) where any fairway irrigation will come from the sky this summer, and greens may well be handwatered.  New restrictions are coming out soon.

Special exemptions have applied to places like the MCG (cricket ground in Melbourne) to enable that to be watered.

James B

[Jason Topp]

Thanks for the responses.  Do the big name courses have their own water?

One of my favorite memories of my trip to Astralia was being invited for lunch by a family at Kingston Heath.  The family was very entertaining, with conversation ranging all over the place and several arguments breaking out with vigor.

During lunch the two sons and their father kept reacting to the Boxing Day Test Match against England on TV.  I spent a good deal of time learning about the game, and then followed closely as the matches with England followed me from Melbourne to Sydney.   I thought it was funny that a team could be so far ahead that it would choose to retire, rather than have its entire team bat (I know that is not the correct term, but I cannot remember it).

[James Bennett]

Jason

declare, not retire.

And, if the opponents have batted really poorly and are still 200 runs or more behind after one innings, you can ask them to bat again even if it is not their turn.  Forcing the follow-on.

Re golf, I am not aware of any high standard golf course in Melbourne and Adelaide that has immediate water problems.  Some have been building small dams fed by urban run-off.  Here in Adelaide some use effluent which is still available and relatively inexpensive but not as cheap as it was.  Others are building wetlands and stormwater reclamation (transferring the stormwater into underground basins.  Grange have spent nearly $2.4M on such a project (with the club financing a third of this).  Glenelg and Royal Adelaide are also looking at this, presumably to improve the security of their underground water reserves.  One of the local councils (Salisbury) is a world leader on this technology for capturing urban stormwater for latter reuse.

Here is a photo of the Grange works.



James B

[John Chilver-Stainer]

James,

terrific idea of reporting the aussie courses on the cricket tour. Any reports of the scores of the cricketers playing on these courses?

Is it southern hemisphere anti clockwise reverse logic or are your scores always reported as you described?

A “dumb pom” interpretation translation of your report of the NSW match against England:

- no wonder they’re unbeatable with at least 311 players in their team – but only 5 runs -  could be enough considering England have only got 11 in their team.

[James Bennett]

John

it must be the corolois effect.  We do reverse the wickets/runs combination.  We get very nervous when we watch the ashes in England and see that we are 3/0.  We feel a lot better when we are 12/0 and our openers are still in.

James

ps  I haven't heard any scores, but I do understand that Ponting is a very good player, and loonnngggg.  In Adelaide I have played with  ex-Test cricketers Wayne Phillips and Greg Blewett who play club pennant golf.  But the best of all cricket/golfers was probably Sir Garfield Sobers.  A beautiful mollydooker (left-hander).  He played cricket in Adelaide one summer and played golf here at Glenelg.  He may have played at other clubs as well.

[John Chilver-Stainer]

I’m sure you’ll find Ian “Beefy” Botham O.B.E. out on the golf courses you're featuring.

He lists his greatest sporting moment as beating the aussies in their own backyard  – and his worst sporting moment as driving the Nr.10 at the Belfry and then 3 putting!!

[James Bennett]

John

I recall Beefy beating us up real bad in the early 80's in Australia.  My eldest nephew was visiting from Leeds, and taking polaroids of the TV as Botham delivered destruction.  My nephew is now married, and lives in Brisbane.  He'll be looking forward to the first test.

Others

I have attached an aerial of Royal Sydney.  Rose Bay and Sydney Harbour is on the right/north.  The Pacific Ocean and Bondi Beach (Borat was there yesterday, looking for a new wife!) is only a mile or two away to the east (bottom of page) and Sydney CBD perhaps 6 miles west (top of page).  La Perouse (NSW GC) is perhaps 10 miles south.  Sorry, can't tell you what is what on the aerial.  I haven't been there.  Ran has a write-up on the courses by country though.



James B

[Kevin Pallier]

James

The 1st hole is at the bottom right hand of the page and runs Nth / South as you have it ie: short P4 away from the clubhouse. The routing follows the extremities of the boundary from right to left and then up the far left hand side of the boundary South to Nth before going back in on itself. The 18th is the dogleg left back to the glorious clubhouse

The 9 holer Centenary course is in the middle of the page while the very public Wollahra course is at the top right of the aerial.

[James Bennett]

The first round of the OZ Open was played yesterday, and a few broke par.  The weather is best described as a southerly buster - flukey winds, showers of rain, waterproofs and occasional bursts of sun.

I think it was geoff oglivey who was commenting that when the wind suddenly hit a shot, 50 or 60 yards could be lost.

Another interesting point on the set-up of the course - a new pairing is looking after the set up.  Long time rules and Tournament runner Trevor Herden ahs been teamed with ex-player and golf architect Mike Clayton as the team.  Apparently, the emndments to the course were carried out with a rapier rather than a sword.  So, it appears that width of fairways has been retained.  It will be interesting to see how it plays over the weekend.  Sorry for the guys OS who will miss it.  

Speaking of TV, I saw some of Fanling last night on the TEEV in Hong Kong, and the greens look like they have recovered well from last years mis-adventure.  And appear to be a nice balanced combination of colour, firmness and pace.

The Sydney cricket ended in a predictable draw.  One of the England team (an opening batsman, Trescothick) has returned home with some stress/mental health problems (a real issue.  Aussie Stephen Bowditch has had this affliction this year, and spoke publicly about the problems he has faced with it.  This was in response to the Trescothick issue).  Interesting, I think England has selected and irishman as the replacement.  I could be wrong here.

Another three-day game starts in Adelaide today.  The local quick bowler Shane Tait is palying, with deliveries in the 150-160 km/h speed expected.  It will be a good lead-up for England prior to the Gabba test next week.  The second test is being played in Adelaide at the start of december, so we will probably discuss Adelaide golf at that time.  However, the Barmy army is in Adelaide, staying at the high-class digs in the back-packers.  It will be a colourful day here today, with good weather this weekend.  Bono played here in Adelaide last night (the U2 concert was delayed a year) in front of over 60,000 fans, including much of the barmy army.  Both were in Sydney last week, and both in Adelaide yesterday, although Bono goes to Melbourne - perhaps just to get away from the barmy army.

The first test starts on Thursday in Brisbane, so I expect we might start on Queensland courses next week (attention Thommo).

James B

[Anthony Butler]

I’m sure you’ll find Ian “Beefy” Botham O.B.E. out on the golf courses you're featuring.

He lists his greatest sporting moment as beating the aussies in their own backyard  – and his worst sporting moment as driving the Nr.10 at the Belfry and then 3 putting!!

I spent an Friday evening out in Sydney about 20 years ago with Ian Botham, Derek Pringle and a mate of Pringle's from Cambridge University.

Regarding Ian Botham, Beefy is a man who cannot be stopped, and only barely contained... the whole evening ended with some very questionable behaviour at around 3am at the Sebel Town House involving the above crew and a couple of cricket groupies that trailed along from a bar up in the Cross... If that is Ian Botham's typical night out, he's lucky he's still be alive... I was still hurting when I had to return to work on Monday.

[James Bennett]

The first test starts in about 12 hours.  Australia vs England, Brisbane, at the Woolongabba ground (the Gabba).  Perhaps 5 days of play, with three sessions per day of 2 hours each.  Broken up by a 40 minute lunch break, and a 20 minute (afternoon) tea break.

Played on a wicket that is the extreme of firm and fast, with a clay base.  No irrigation of the pitch for the match, just rolling, brushing,  lining.  A poor wicket will deteriorate and the play becomes more chance than skill. But that shouldn't happen in this series.  Clay supplies have been re-found (eg Sydney) and pitches have been improved (even Melbourne, with the 'drop-in' pitch).

Now, golf in Brisbane.  Most would say that you wouldn't venture to Brisbane to play great golf.  But there are good courses there (as there are in most civilised parts of the world) and so there are in Brisbane.

The 'old golf clubs' of note include Royal Queensland, Brisbane and Indooropily (the west is preferred to the more public accessable east).  RQ has been affected by the construction of cross-river freeways, and the course is undergoing an on-site recreation by Mike Clayton.  Other local clubs of note include Nudgee, Keperra, Paciific, Gailes and Oxley.  I'm sure there are others.

Recent builds near Brisbane include Brookwater (a Norman/Harrison design, complete with the par 5's expected from this team) which is perhaps an hour west of Brisbane.  There are other courses to the south (Gold Coast) and north (Sunshine Coast) that we could also discuss over the next five days.

So, a few 'players' to discuss as the Test progresses.

Oh, and by the way, I expect whoever wins the toss tomorrow will bat.  I hope Harmison's fitness is up to scratch - England need him if they are to retain the ashes.  Fortunately, 'old man' (according to some) McGrath seems to have recaptured his form.

James B

[Richard Chamberlain]

James,

Our firm (Ross Watson Design) have recently completed a Master Plan for the West course at Indooroopilly and have already commenced work on some additional water storage dams. There is concern with the future effluent water supply for the course and they need to make proviosion for more on site storage.

The course have serious aspirations of improving the West layout and hosting an Aus Open in a few years. If it was to have a shot in Queensland what else is on offer....not many I'm afraid.

PS...The aussies in total control after the first over. nunfa 9.