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BHoover

  • Karma: +0/-0
Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« on: November 14, 2012, 04:50:29 PM »
Anyone else really excited to watch this year's Australian Masters from Kingston Heath?  It's probably a combination of wanting to see the course and a total lack of interest in anything else on TV, but I can't wait to watch Golf Channel's coverage tonight.

Ryan Taylor

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2012, 04:56:21 PM »
I'm also excited. Who of note is in the field? Aus & NZ golf trip is on the bucket list.
"Bandon is like Chamonix for skiers or the North Shore of Oahu for surfers,” Rogers said. “It is where those who really care end up."

BHoover

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2012, 05:00:44 PM »
I'm also excited. Who of note is in the field? Aus & NZ golf trip is on the bucket list.

Aus & NZ is definitely on my bucket list too (quite possibly at the top).

I know that Adam Scott, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter are in the field.  Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby are too.  Looks like no Americans made the trip, which is a shame IMO.  I understand that it's close to Thanksgiving, but I would jump at the chance to travel to Melbourne.

Jason Topp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2012, 05:19:00 PM »
I'm also excited. Who of note is in the field? Aus & NZ golf trip is on the bucket list.

It does not matter.  I hope they have a feed of the Australian telecast.  You often get terrific architectural insight (Clayton), terrific player insight and some very strong opinions on golf or whatever else is on the commentator's mind. 

I will never forget the announcer grilling a tournament chairman one year when one of their championships had to suspend play because the greens had gotten so fast that balls would not stay in place.  The questions were along the lines of "Do you think your blunder has left a blight on Australian golf?"

In one other telecast the color commentator thought a player was improperly taking a drop.  He suddenly started yelling to the group.  It turned out the commentator was wrong. 

Tim Gavrich

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2012, 05:22:06 PM »
I'm also excited. Who of note is in the field? Aus & NZ golf trip is on the bucket list.

Aus & NZ is definitely on my bucket list too (quite possibly at the top).

I know that Adam Scott, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter are in the field.  Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby are too.  Looks like no Americans made the trip, which is a shame IMO.  I understand that it's close to Thanksgiving, but I would jump at the chance to travel to Melbourne.

Poulter tweeted last night or this morning that he wished more professional tournaments were played at places like Kingston Heath than at the "8,000 yard"-type courses that are overrepresented in pro golf.

Is the complaint that tournament golf courses are getting too long just a complaint that tournament golf courses aren't well-designed enough for the game's best in wolf's clothing?
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Mike_Clayton

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2012, 06:46:22 PM »
I'm just heading out to watch 18yo Oliver Goss  playing with Scott and McDowell. He was quarter finalist in US Am, won West Aust Open three weeks ago against decent field of pros and was then 3rd behind the Chinese kid in the Masters qualifying event.

Maybe the next big thing down here.
The course looks pretty much like the one the members play every week. Perfect.

Dane Hawker

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2012, 06:57:36 PM »
Good luck to the Kiwis :)

Jeff_Mingay

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2012, 08:05:41 PM »
The course looks pretty much like the one the members play every week. Perfect.

Add me to the list of those excited to flick the tv on at 830EST.
jeffmingay.com

Terry Lavin

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2012, 10:01:24 PM »
Looks like a bit o' magic on television.
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Dean Stokes

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2012, 10:11:40 PM »
Doesn't it just look awesome! Great bunkering and green complexes.hard to keep looking at all Poulters logos though....it's time the tour put a limit on sweater logos. He looks like a NASCAR driver.
Living The Dream in The Palm Beaches....golfing, yoga-ing, horsing around and working damn it!!!!!!!

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2012, 10:48:36 PM »
Just flipped it on and the golf course looks great. After watching Poulter tee off the announcer said the players are getting between 30 and 40 meters of roll. Sounds like optimal conditions.

Bruce Wellmon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2012, 11:56:43 PM »
Do all Aus courses look great?
Last year I was surprised by Victoria.
Today, Kingston Heath.
Road trip !!

Tim_Weiman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2012, 12:09:50 AM »
Don't think I could pick it over Royal Melbourne, but Kingston Heath has to be one of the classiest places I have ever visited in the world of golf.
Tim Weiman

Kyle Henderson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2012, 02:06:37 AM »
Kingston Heath represents one of the best courses ever created on a tiny, flattish plot of land. It's a bucket-lister for sure, even if it pales in comparison to Royal Melbourn-West.
"I always knew terrorists hated us for our freedom. Now they love us for our bondage." -- Stephen T. Colbert discusses the popularity of '50 Shades of Grey' at Gitmo

Scott Stearns

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2012, 08:47:38 AM »
Glad others are enjoying it as much as iam---got home and watched an hour or so, and it was so good i started e-mailing me friends. 

Watching Poults, Appleby and R Green tee off with three woods and see one go into the junk, one block himself out and one go way right told me i wanted to watch this.  Appleby's provo went into the centelrine bunker.

Anybody know what pouts and others get as an appearance fee?   

Jason Topp

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2012, 10:45:42 AM »
If anyone else was as confused as I was regarding the hole numbers, here is the tournament map

https://assets.imgstg.com/assets/console/document/documents/Course%20Map%20(A4)%20(low%20res)1.pdf

1 for the tournament is (7) on the regular course
2 (8]
3 (9)
4 (7)
5 (2)
6 (3)
7 (4)
8 (5)
9 (6)

10 (1)

11 (19)
12 (12) and the rest of the holes are the same as on the regular course.  Number 9 is out of the tournament course due to congestion problems it causes.  

The most famous holes are 6 on the tournament course which is 3 regularly and 15 which retains its original numbering.  Hole 19 was an extra hole added by Mike Clayton which fits nicely with the remainder of the course but is not as good as 9.

Mike_Clayton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2012, 11:02:49 AM »
Scott,

Assume the fee for the three main guys - Poulter,McDowell and Scott is 300+

It is the reason the tournament prize money is the same as it was in 1990 - and the reason the tournament is on at all.
Probably too it's the reason they are charging $49 at the gate - and that is the main reason the crowds are poor.

For me Adam Scott is one of the very few golfers I can happily watch for 18 holes - and is it unreasonable to ask that price to watch golf played so beautifully - even if it is with that awful putter?

Tom Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2012, 11:51:02 AM »
For me Adam Scott is one of the very few golfers I can happily watch for 18 holes - and is it unreasonable to ask that price to watch golf played so beautifully - even if it is with that awful putter?

I walked most of the round with Adam Scott on the Saturday in 2010. I couldn't believe how few people wanted to watch him, everyone in Australia was getting crushed trying to follow Tiger and seeing little or no golf when you could wander up to the ropes and get within a few metres of one of the best swings in golf with ease.

I was told all the Aussies were bored of seeing Adam which I didn't mind as it meant I had a great day out, I could never get bored of that swing.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2012, 11:52:39 AM by Tom Kelly »

David_Tepper

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #18 on: November 15, 2012, 12:02:21 PM »
Mike Clayton -

Your famous putt was mentioned on yesterday's Golf Channel broadcast. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl_Nny8TwNM

DT

Matthew Rose

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2012, 02:53:36 PM »
If anyone else was as confused as I was regarding the hole numbers, here is the tournament map

https://assets.imgstg.com/assets/console/document/documents/Course%20Map%20(A4)%20(low%20res)1.pdf

1 for the tournament is (7) on the regular course
2 (8]
3 (9)
4 (7)
5 (2)
6 (3)
7 (4)
8 (5)
9 (6)

10 (1)

11 (19)
12 (12) and the rest of the holes are the same as on the regular course.  Number 9 is out of the tournament course due to congestion problems it causes.  

The most famous holes are 6 on the tournament course which is 3 regularly and 15 which retains its original numbering.  Hole 19 was an extra hole added by Mike Clayton which fits nicely with the remainder of the course but is not as good as 9.

You have #7 twice..... I assume that Tournament 4 is regular #11 (with #10 being the removed hole?)

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Kyle Henderson

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2012, 03:06:12 PM »

You have #7 twice..... I assume that Tournament 4 is regular #11 (with #10 being the removed hole?)


Correct.


I believe the members often start with #7. During my visit, we played this altered sequence, but we kept #10 in lieu of #19. I prefer the oriiginal routing, as #1 and #6 occupy the most bland portion of the property and I thinks it's best to split them up.
"I always knew terrorists hated us for our freedom. Now they love us for our bondage." -- Stephen T. Colbert discusses the popularity of '50 Shades of Grey' at Gitmo

Ross Tuddenham

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Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #21 on: November 15, 2012, 07:53:07 PM »
I attended the event yesterday as a way to see the course and as a bonus got to see some good golf from the likes of Scott and Goss.  I really liked the way Goss hit the ball with some pretty effortless looking power.  On Tournament 9 Scott hit it will down over the crest of the hill and Goss was only 5 yards behind him. 

I was really blown away be the bunkering and I think some of the pro's were too, but for differing reasons at the time.  I just loved the scale and positioning of them while I saw many players having to take wedge from fairway bunkers just to ensure they cleared the lip.

How would number 6 (3 normal) play day to day for the members as I only saw one pro (Sven Puymbroeck) actually have a go at the green?  He ended up green high but quite a bit right playing from in front of the 7th tee, where he was left with an almost impossible pitch to keep the ball from rolling off the other side of the green or back into a swale and short. Not a shot a club player would fair too well on.

Most of the players were happy to hit a long iron or hybrid from the tee, would this also be the normal way for the handicap golfer to play the hole?

For what is essentially a flat site I doubt many players leave the 18th at Kingston Heath feeling like they have played a flat course, the undulations on the greens and fairways looked anything but flat.  Poulter used the steep slope on the back of 13 so well to bring the ball back to pin high.

David Davis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Australian Masters 2012 - Kingston Heath
« Reply #22 on: November 16, 2012, 05:58:35 AM »
KH is simply amazing, I think it's worth a trip to OZ just to play it no doubt. It was my favorite course in OZ although to be fair Royal Melbourne was suffering big time from the drought back then lacking it's own water supply. I was invited to join for men's day at KH and have never experienced any kind of welcome like that still to this day. I wish this was being shown on our golf channel here in NL. I'd happily watch Scott play 18 there anytime, I can close my eyes through the putting swing. It also had some of the fastest greens I've ever played I believe, maybe the fastest.

Definitely one of those rare courses I could happily wind down my last days of life enjoying. The shop also carried the best shaped and most unique pitchmark/ball marker combo I've seen. I still carry it on every round. (and yes I do realize no-one cares, so here's a photo).

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