[Kevin Pallier]

Mark

Bob Harrison's work from the ex firm I believe.

I dont mind #4 - it's more of a breather hole for mine and there is a cool slope in the green from left to right and if one bails out right -the chip is still pretty difficult.

[Anthony Butler]

Mark

Bob Harrison's work from the ex firm I believe.

I dont mind #4 - it's more of a breather hole for mine and there is a cool slope in the green from left to right and if one bails out right -the chip is still pretty difficult.

#4 has turned into more of a risk/reward hole. The right hand side of the fairway is the only place you can see the pin from the fairway, so you could simply aim your tee shot at the edge of the rough. If you pulled it slightly, you'd be in the middle of the fairway and in pretty good shape. Push it a little and you might have a bare lie, but still a good view of the green.

With the hazard there now, it changes your thinking when standing on the tee.

[Kyle Henderson]

The 5th hole is the first true show-stopper of the round. In my experience, golf does not get any more visually spectacular.



Long hitters have a tremendous advantage on this hole, as anything which carries the crest ahead will be propelled forward. Shorter strikes from the tee will force this blind second shot from miles away.


The run down the hill also cants from left-to-right, such that tee shots over the crest must favor the left side to avoid being caught up in rough or shrubberies.


The green complex is set up to accept approaches from just off the right side of the short grass, and some (expecially right-handed) golfers may prefer this shot to the prospect of playing a draw with a long club off a tight, downhill lie with the ball below their feet.


The left-most bunkers are set well back from the putting surface. Further on, another sprinkling of bunkers and not-so-subtle slopes guard the green’s edges.


Here is a closer look at the green-side slopes and the rather attractive scenery beyond.

[Kevin Pallier]

This is where the "real" quality of NSW GC begins for mine - and the 5th may well be the most elastic hole I've ever played.

Kyle - what breeze did you play it in ? and clubs ?

[Mark Chaplin]

My first round was a slightly cut driver which stopped a yard from the big slope leaving me a 4 iron into the green (and 3 putts!) 

A couple of weeks later I made the slope and was rewarded with a 3/4 nine iron to the green for birdie. 

[Kevin Pallier]

Mark

Do I illicit from that you played it with a NE breeze behind your back ?

[Scott Warren]

Kyle, to be fair, only a lay-up drive would be played from where your second photo was taken. If a shortwer hitter hits driver and can't get to the top of the hill he will roll back, but not that far.

Though I will say I think the second from that spot is far easier than from part-way up the hill or from the very bottom of the hill.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle, to be fair, only a lay-up drive would be played from where your second photo was taken. If a shortwer hitter hits driver and can't get to the top of the hill he will roll back, but not that far.

Though I will say I think the second from that spot is far easier than from part-way up the hill or from the very bottom of the hill.

I didn't mean to suggest the shot would be played from EXACTLY where I stood when taking that photo.

Dare I ask how you know so much about the "slope of shame?"

[Kyle Henderson]

This is where the "real" quality of NSW GC begins for mine - and the 5th may well be the most elastic hole I've ever played.

Kyle - what breeze did you play it in ? and clubs ?

Just the slightest of hurting breezes. I pushed my drive just a touch, but hit it hard. Pup's immediate groan was unexpected, yet warranted. After punching back into the fairway from the right, I played a 5- or 6-iron that rolled on (one of my few good shots that day after two straight weeks of 36-hole days, an average of ~5.5 hours of sleep per night and a 3:30 am wake-up call at Barnbougle to catch a flight back to the mainland. Pup and I hopped to Melbourne and then Sydney before noon).

[Scott Warren]

Dare I ask how you know so much about the "slope of shame?"

I've actually not suffered too much from it since I reached an age and strenth that I had the ability to reach the top of the hill. But I have watched plenty of others get screwed by it!

Usually I push the drive and stomp around in the bush for a while looking for it, then wander down to join my playing partners on the green!

Somewhat embarrassingly for someone who has been playing that hole since he was 13 and has been a 10hcp or less since I was 15, I only birdied it for the first time in March (playing with Chappers and Pup). Driver down the LHS of the fairway, 8i to 35ft or so, lag to 3ft and then a knee-trembler for my four that went in the heart. The relief was palpable!!

[Kyle Henderson]

Pup asked to borrow the camera before wandering back to snap a wide angle image of the 6th. That’s me on the back tee in the red shirt.


The spectacular setting speaks for itself and has few equals.


Two bunkers on the right of the green collect shots played too safely away from the ocean. The single bunker on the left protects back pin locations and collects shots which might otherwise continue into the sea (Thankfully I didn’t test the speed of this slope).


From the shorter tees, the approach is made at a much less intimidating angle, with the fronting slope presenting more of an obstacle than the sand traps.


A view of the green from starboard reveals relatively tame putting contours and the gathering nature of the right-side bunkers.


Looking back, I cannot help but wonder what the hole would be like if the routing was reversed, placing the green out on the peninsula.

[Matthew Mollica]

NSW has always been a special place to visit. The images will do a good job of showing why. I'm keen to hear from one-time / occasional visitors if they think the course and Club have a different feel and atmosphere to most others.

MM

[Scott Warren]

The 6th hole has a new green since March when all you fine gentlemen visited. Three-tiered jobbie.

Pup has some (pretty sketchy) iPhone pics he might post if he sees this.

[Kyle Henderson]

Pup has some (pretty sketchy) iPhone pics he might post if he sees this.
[/quote]

Hmmm. I have a sinking feeling... 

[Scott Warren]

Just remembered I have them in my phone.

This is the best one:

[Michael Goldstein]

What!!! When / Why was this done? What other changes have they made??

FWIW, I adore the sixth and it is a special hole for me having made my first ever birdie there...

[Scott Warren]

And from the right:

[Scott Warren]

Michael,

It was done in May.

I am told the super did it of his own volition and it is not part of the suggested changes from GNGCD, but that may not be Gospel.

[Michael Taylor]

Sorry for my absence over the last 3 holes Kyle. I've been busy.

Quick comments about 4 and 5.

4 is a good transition hole. It is a solid par 4 playing 390m, the 2nd longest par 4 on the course. It is the first real chance you have to let a driver rip, and as long as you don't miss your tee shot left, its quite hard to make a 6. It is a very tough 2nd shot, seeing as it is completely blind. I would say that the 4th is one of my least birdied hole on the courses, and I reckon I hit the Green in reg less than any other hole.

From the tee.





All that room out to the right.





155m left to the green from the perfect position.



A picture of the abomination to the right hand side of the fairway. "Pigs face."



50m out.


Looking back. And the clubhouse perched on the hill. 





Pup

[Michael Taylor]

The 5th is an incredible hole. Playing 468m, taking wind into account, I have hit Driver just short of the green by 1m, all the way to Driver, 3 wood, 3 wood. If you hit your drive 260m over the left side of the hill you'll be left with just 140m into the green, gaining a MINIMUM of 60m roll!!

The green is very interesting. I've played the course probably 160 times now over a span of 24 months, and I'm still to decide if the green slopes front to back or back to front!

Tee shot.





Where your tee shot will roll back if you don't carry it onto the plateau, a 230m carry.




If feeling a bit uneasy standing over your tee ball, aim a little left cause there's more room over there than you think. A miss to the right will bound down into scrub.



You'll be annoyed if your tee shot stops here! 



Zooming in from the right side of the plateau.



Where your tee shot will end up should you get over the hill.



50m short from the left hand side.



Looking back.



Pup

[Michael Goldstein]

Scott, let me get this straight: the greenkeeper is having his way with some of the most famous holes in Australian golf?  He is building new greens on one of the greatest courses in the world? Wow.  I wonder what other changes are in the pipeline. 

I get the impression NSW doesn't appreciate how good it is.  Holes like the 4th are pure (disagreeing with you Chappas that it is merely a connecting hole).  Yes, holes like the 4th are a different style to modern courses, but NSW is subtle and generally is comparable with some of the classic links in the UK.  There is nothing wrong with a (relatively) flat natural green. 

[Bill Brightly]

Mayhugh attacking the 6th!

[Kyle Henderson]

Mayhugh attacking the 6th!

A driver! Head wind?

[Kyle Henderson]

The 7th plays markedly uphill through a sort of “half-pipe.” From my one play, I did not extract any real strategic elements from the hole. Perhaps those more familiar with the course can provide insight.
[img width =800]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/5849074229_088a7b7de3_b.jpg[/img]

Slight misses from the tee will be contained by the side slopes, but a sprayed ball will likely be lost.


From behind, one sees how effortlessly the back-to-front slope of the green fits in with the surrounds.


Here is wider view from behind the low-profile 7th green, sitting left of the raised tees for the 8th hole.

[Steve Kline]

Michael - why do you hate the Pig's Face hazard to the right of #4 so much? It looks like a really cool hazard to me.

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