Google Earth surprise re Royal Melbourne

[PThomas]

killing time during a conference call i pulled up RM ...and unless i had the wrong course , it is surrounded by housing!?!!? is this correct?  do you see them while playing there?

[Andrew Bertram]

Paul yes you do

The housing around the west course is mainly behind the 8th green, across a road, along the LHS of 11, LHS of 13 and 14. The majority of these houses are semi hidden by native ti trees.

The east course has a couple of houses RHS of 2nd green. 3rd tee. I have have never felt they are obtrusive.
The east course has housing once you cross the roads onto the outer paddocks.

The RHS of 5 has housing, again this is farly hidden by native ti tree. 7 has trees on RHS and these a fairly visible.

The 8th tee, 9 the green have houses behind, again these are quite hidden.

RHS of 10 has housing and again very much in the background.

RHS of 12, behind 13 and RHS of 14 have housing set in behind the tree line.

having played hundreds of rounds on both I have never once thought that the housing intrudes.

The course is in a suburban area as the majority of Melbourne courses are.

[Mike_Clayton]

Paul,

The West course crosses a road and the East crosses two. It is right in the middle of Black Rock, a seaside suburb south of the city.
You do see as few houses on the west - back of the 5th tee, behind the 8th green, left of the 11th,  behing the 12th tee and left of 14.
All of the best courses on the sandbelt are in the suburbs and surrounding houses have always been a part of the golf.
RM, Commonwealth, Metropolitan, Yarra Yarra and Victoria have all had to change holes because of the houses.
Kingston Heath has been immune from boundary problems although even they added fairway bunkers left of the 17th to encourage players to play a little further right.

[PThomas]

thanks Andrew and Mike

i never noticed any houses in any pictures, which is why the courses' location surprised me i guess

hopefully i will see for myself in 2013, as thats my 25th anniversary and the wife and i are hoping to come down for our present to each other!