NUFFIETHEGOLFMAN's trip to Sydney - Updates on courses played/events from 29/5 - 18/6

[Nuffie]

After spending two nights staying at the Intercontinental in Sydney and two days shopping with the family, here is the golfing schedule:

2/6: Cabramatta Golf Club - COMP - 25pts
4/6: Cabramatta Golf Club (my mates bucks and my 28th B'day hit, so good practice) BUGGER - CANCELLED on the day
6/6: Antil Park Country Club? - COMP (non-AGU with Fairfield RSL Social Club and good practice for Tues) - 33 pts.
8/6: The Links Shell Cove - 32 pts (course was diserted and wet enough to be shut, but still played)
11/6: Asquith Golf Club - 32 pts (a struggle with the short-game)
13/6: Magenta Shores Resort - 26 pts (this course is for the real pros)
18/6: Long Reef Golf Course - best round of the trip - 80 gross


Will try a place regular updates on here daily and answer any replies when I can, concerning the courses and the scores. Cabra, Magenta and Asquith will be interesting. I might need some scuba gear to play in if the ground doesn't dry out.

[adlo]

NUFFIE, please give us as much information as humanly possible, we all can't wait.

Cheers.

[Sydney Hacker]

Nuffie, who are you playing with at Asquith ? It is not far from my place so may be able to get down there for at least 9 holes if you are keen for some company.

[PerryGroves]

2 weeks, only 7 games of golf, its not cosmopolitan Brisbane, there is naff all else to do here unless you want to hit the sauce.

[Johnny Canuck]

NUFFIE, please give us as much information as humanly possible, we all can't wait.

Cheers.

:smt038:smt038:smt038

[Sydney Hacker]

Why am I getting all these pm's about playing with him ???

[TourFit]

Why am I getting all these pm's about playing with him ???

'Cos Johnny Canuck isn't in Sydney....???

[Topdog]

Hacker listen to the PM's

[Johnny Canuck]

and then be ready to listen to Nuffie.

[ParMaster]

Magenta is a super super hard test of golf. Holes like 2 and 14 will **** with your mind..

[Veefore]

Hey StrogaNUF, I think JC is missing you. He keeps talking aboot you. :)

[Golfnut]

Actually Veefore was telling us he couldn't wait for the next time you caddy for him again Nuff.

[adlo]

Sam Snead has got your number, JC

[Johnny Canuck]

Thread on ignore.

[Zeusgolf]

Sam Snead has got your number, JC

Veefore =

6820http://http://media.stracka.com/my/photos//3/8/5/5/385563_200917134847.jpg

[Golfnut]

Fail...too many http// in the link Zeus.

[Zeusgolf]

Fail...too many http// in the link Zeus.

What you talk'n about willis

[Golfnut]

:D Poor bugger died this week didn't he???

[Zeusgolf]

:D Poor bugger died this week didn't he???

Yep....God Bless but he was a grumpy little frucker


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCY0knyMLKY

[Golfnut]

4'6" of DY-NO-MITE..........whoops wrong show....

RIP GC you angry little frucker :lol:

[Veefore]

:D Poor bugger died this week didn't he???

WHAT!!! :smt103:smt059


Oh, Gary Coleman. The week aint over yet and I thought you knew something I didn't.

[Nuffie]

Here is an update from Sydney, good thing I have the GUSTBUSTER UMBRELLA....


Nuffie, who are you playing with at Asquith ? It is not far from my place so may be able to get down there for at least 9 holes if you are keen for some company.

Always keen for some company SH. I'm playing Asquith with two good mates of mine, Alan and Greg Kenny who are brothers and love their golf (almost as much as me). They have played most of their golf at Richmond GC. Alan is off 18 and Greg plays socially, off around 21ish. Greg has played Asquith once or twice previously.

I have a free spot atm if you'd like to join us Sydney Hacker. So pls send me a PM with your details, because I'm booking this in tomorrow and am trying to get us a deal, because it's a reciprocal course with my home club, Hartfield. I can only book this within a week of playing there. Also its a social game as no comp is played on Fridays. Am trusting also that a selection of WA ozgolfing members have provided a good background to the world of Nuffie :). You would have a ball next week.

Thanks for sending me your posts JC, Veefore (Sam Snead-inator), Golfnut and Topdog, it makes me feel a lot closer to sunny WA right now. Not sure if your keeping up with the news on TV but the whole east coast of NSW is being drenched by a low pressure cell and more is yet to come.... a waterspout/tornado ripped through Lennox Head this morning. AND Sydney metro area has received at least 50mm of rain today!

At Cabramatta yesterday at 7.30am in comp yesterday, I chopped out a demoralising 25pts - with an axe. It had only been 6 days since I'd touched a club so was expecting much better. However I started terrible and double-bogeyed the first 3 holes. It was also that wet under foot that the kikuyu rough would just strangle your club if you missed any greens or fairways. It played as long as ever with no run at all. Definitely got the test I was looking for.

It was a shame about the wetness, as I couldn't really gauge how much the course had improved, compared with 4 years ago. The course looked good though, with new bunkering looking a treat on the 14th and 5th. The greens were running as quick as I remember - their sloping was what brought me completely unstuck. I'd three-putted only once in 3 rounds coming into this game - off WA greens. But yesterday I managed to three-putt 7 times - I've never done that in years. My first putts were hopeless, I'd hit the ball to where I aimed and the ball would get within 3ft of the hole, then turn away and run in the opposite direction! When I was walking off the course I thought....maybe I needed that putter that Yoss won at Secret Harbour :)

So at this point with regards to my planned golfing itinerary, there's a bit of plan B going on which is a bit disappointing. The bucks game at Cabra is off tomorrow as the course is now flooding and could be closed. The other games are still scheduled as planned, but pending the weather situation. I'm a bit worried even about Antil Park for this Sunday as the weather forecast for next week is not encouraging. If worse comes to worse and it keeps pi$$in down, I may still play them but for fun only so I get the practice.

It's good to be in Sydney catching up with friends and family, but right now it looks like I'll be spending more money on shopping than golf. Least this will keep the girly satisfied :). Talk soon dudes.

Nuffie

[Yossarian]

It was a shame about the wetness


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXsKHjX3Y6g&feature=related

[TourFit]

NUFFIE, please give us as much information as humanly possible, we all can't wait.

Cheers.

Mission Accomplished.

Thanks Nuff.

Think I'll go get me some light reading on your FaceBook page...

[wazandnic]

Ashame about the weather Nuff.

You will probably find that Anthill won't be as bad as the inner city courses. Generally don't get as much rain out there. I could be wrong though?

[Dotty]

If he is playing off 18, can I put $10 on Alan to beat you at Asquith ?

And I'll go 'double or nothing' that he won't finish 18 holes in under 4 hours. ;)

[Nuffie]

Ashame about the weather Nuff.

You will probably find that Antil won't be as bad as the inner city courses. Generally don't get as much rain out there. I could be wrong though?

Yeah true Wazandnic, being at the foot of the Southern Highlands/Razorback Range it should drain reasonably well.

But even if it does keep pouring, Fairfield RSL Golf Club has grown a reputation of playing rounds in some horrid weather conditions over the last 20 years or so. Some vivid memories of wet/wintery rounds in their club spring to mind and I think this game will be no exception. It's a club made up of mainly 40-80 yr olds that play in rain, hail or shine, any temperatures and always hit off at daybreak.

They would definitely be the golfing version of the "Bondi Icebergs" thats 4 sure.

May need 4 layers of clothes and a few practice swings if I'm to get that first teeshot airborne :roll:

[Nuffie]

Put it this way Dotty, if I accepted your bet I'd definitely be in trouble after Wednesdays effort on a wet Cabra.

Still for the record, Alan had only 23 pts last Sunday where he last played, so he's also struggling with the boggy conditions.

At this point all bets are off, I'm just hoping I can enjoy the course and get my Asquith round in.

There's no way we'd be done in 4hrs I'd say as we are all walking on a hilly course and will prob be a heavy track/raining.

[Sydney Hacker]

Can't really commit to next Friday yet Nuffie, I have to wait and see how the wife and kid settle down, so I will give it a miss.

Ps. I just drove past the course and the 4th & 5th holes will be under water shortly.

[Nuffie]

No worries SH and thanks for letting me know.

I have another player on standby who may come for a hit with us - this will round out a group of 4 players for Fri. Hopefully it wont rain and the course stays open.

Playing Antil Park on a wet track yesterday, I managed 33 pts playing off 6 with Fairfield RSL.

Despite 3 doubles, I hit the ball reasonable. The rough was very juicy and the greens slow/rain affected, making scoring difficult. My gross of 81 was the best scratch on the day.

Given the conditions, I'll now prob just play socially for the remainder of the holiday, using the games as practice for pennants. Hopefully The Links - Shell Cove tomorrow isn't too wet under foot.

[Nuffie]

The Links - Shell Cove (formerly Shellharbour Links) yesterday was soaked so much from heavy rain that it should have been closed. Instead, I was one of a handful of people (and arguably stupid ones), that bothered to go round it all day.

I still managed a respectable 32 pts, with 9 over the front BUT 2 over the back. Good nine + bad nine/Bad nine + good nine was still happening, but there was good reason for the screw ups on the front side. I hit only 2/9 greens in reg, despite hitting it consistently well off the tee, which was unfortunate. A number of fat/miss-hit shots into the breeze and from poor wet lies cost me, but this was to be expected.

With no run at all on this course, playing to your handicap would have been extremely difficult. It was a lot like the condition of Antil Park last Sunday. It's a real shame that the weather has killed the chance of some good scoring opportunities whilst here in NSW.

The two doubles for my round both occurred on the front 9:

For my approach into the Par 4 - 2nd hole (after a good drive up the left side), I had a 180m+ shot for my 2nd, from a poor lie in the edge of the rough. With water at the front of an elevated green and wind also blowing into my face, I had no choice but to get on in order to make par. The juicy kikuyu rough made me turn the hybrid shot over and hit it into the deep grassy rough left. Bye bye golfball and made double-bogey.

Also for the approach into the par 4-9th, I had 190m+ left, uphill and ALL carry to get on. There was a large gully short of the green that always funnels the ball down into a grassy hazard everytime you come up short. I had to carry my 3w out of a sh**y lie into a breeze to get on - fat chance of this. This was unbelievable as in normal conditions, I often hit a mid-short iron into this green every week. But not today... I blocked 3w miserably out of the kikuyu rough, resulting in a massive cut that rid the breeze. It flew off high to the right and vanished into the long grassy hazard down below - gone forever. I dropped another one down and eventually scrambled home for a double bogey - 6.

The back nine was a lot better thankfully and it played much drier under foot. I parred seven holes, three of which I had shots on. This nine I hit 7/9 greens in reg, a big improvement from the front.

For the round I lipped out three times in total, twice for birdie which was annoying. However no 3-putting all day was a good thing on those hilly, links greens.

The Links SC have improved their bunkers and tidied up the thick rough a bit. The course is still being maintained by Shellharbour Council and they were out assessing it's condition yesterday. I still believe it's the best layout in the Illawarra, however it still in some ways comes across as a little "rough around the edges" compared with the other courses nearby. The course has come a long way since opening and I'd still be playing it over the next best local course. However it will need to keep improving as the other courses in the area are, like Port Kembla and Kiama. The layout is strong and boasts so much potential, I found it a real test yesterday. Off the plates it would be like playing Secret Harbour or Yokine on a tough day.

On Friday I head to Asquith. Stay tuned for the next update.

Nuffie

[Nuffie]

Last Friday I played Asquith with my mates Allen and Dave. It measured only about 5560m long, but was extremely hilly from the start to end. It was a par 70 kikuyu track - with "club strangling" thick stuff everywhere, given the amount of rain the course has received in the last month. I shot 81 off the bat, 8 over the front and 3 over the back. The two other guys struggled quite a bit with the thick rough and wintery fast greens.

It was a frustrating day for scoring all round. This was because the greens were firm, fast and slopey with lots of subtle breaks like Hartfield, however the grass around the greens all day was very long, thick and wet. So chipping the ball close to the flag was made very difficult by the grass if you missed any greens in reg. So as I missed quite a few greens, the card resembled a sea of bogies, some pars with no birdies at all. There were no doubles - frustrating as the scoring on my part should have been much better.

The par 4, 10th springs to mind as a highlight hole - hitting from a very elevated tee location. My teeshot had about 10 seconds hang time. The par 4, 11th is also a very elevated tee point, positioned high above a valley and hazard. This left me with yet another tricky wedge approach up a large hill and I didnt hold the green. The par 5, 13th - was a great 3 shotter that involved a reasonable carry for the 2nd. The green was double-tiered and it felt great just to 2-putt it. The par 3, 14th was a 120m hole that dropped about 30m from tee to green. It made the club selection tricky but I still managed to make an up and down par. Would I play Asquith again? Maybe. I'd probably compare it to a course like New Brighton or Cabramatta, reasonable but I'd make the trip to Castle Hill, Avondale or Muirfield if you wanted something harder. It's worth a look if you are in the Hornsby area of Syd, green fees are $25 on Friday's - the only day of the week that public access is granted all day.

AND yesterday I had the priviledge of playing Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club. Well well well... WOW! :)

It was the hardest course I've EVER played for sure, harder than Kennedy Bay and Secret Harbour IMO on a windy day. A stiff-southerly wind belted my dad and I all day long. Making pars, or even bogies (for half the holes) was a tough assigment. I somehow broke 90, shooting 89 - which was not bad for my first time. I'd had 4 games coming into this, for this reason I'd say this is the hardest I've played.

The Par 4 - 9th and Par 5 18th, played ridiculously tough. It took me a drive, hybrid and then a 5i to reach the 9th green. It took a drive, 2 x hybrids and an 8i to reach the 18th. I then proceeded to both greens and 3-putted each. Achieving par on these for me was truly impossible.

The first 7 holes were not all that picturesque. However, once we got to the 8th, the photo opportunities did not stop until the 18th hole! The three finishing holes destroyed my score - all played into the roaring southerly. I racked up triple-bogey, bogey and double bogey to finish.

This course deserved about 4 stars the front nine and DEFINITELY 5 stars the back. I recommend anyone who has not played it to give this a go. It measured about 6330m from the plates, however played much longer as the mounds across all the fairways killed any run. Where the drives carried to they generally stopped, bar about 2 or 3 holes that run over hills and down into crests. It was the test I was looking for to see exactly where my game was at. It is wider than Kennedy Bay from tee to green, but the greens were a nightmare to putt on and read - fast, firm and much smaller to hit in reg. I'll definitely be back there.

This Friday I venture onto Long Reef. I'm expecting it to be very windy, exhibiting similar conditions to Magenta Shores, though a lot shorter. I will update the scores and round out the thread at some stage once I've returned to Perth.

Nuff

[Nuffie]

Well the trip in Sydney is now officially over and I've returned to Perth.

Long Reef on Friday was great. The weather was fantastic, just a light breeze from the west blew for most of the day.

It turns out that as a reciprocal member, you can play Long Reef for free! Boy wasn't it worthwhile, as this was a stunning links-style course perched high on the headlands between the northern beaches of Collaroy and Dee Why. It was a shame about the 2.5 hr each way drives (in peak morning/afternoon) to get there from the western suburbs. But that's what you put up with in Sydney any day of the week. The traffic is way worse now than it used to be 3 yrs ago when I lived there.

With regard to the course, the greens were firm, fast and true. Some of the best greens I've putted on during this holiday in fact, a whisker behind Magenta Shores but much easier. I took more photos here than I did at Magenta Shores in fact, due to the stunning location. The Par 4, 17th was amazing - a little like playing the 12th at The Cut (just a lot more playable) and that famous hole at Pebble Beach, except the ocean is on the left side and not the right. This was the best hole on the course by a long shot. The 16th was also a lovely tough par 4, requiring a downhill approach to a small green with a mid-iron. I also enjoyed the 14th, another downhill par 4 that played into the wind. The course sort of reminded me of Wollongong, but it played a lot tougher and was about a 6000m - par 71.

I ended up shooting 34pts - 9 over. This was birdie free, despite putting for about 8 of them. The only double bogey I made was on the uphill par 5, 15th. I was only 40m from the front for my second, before airmailing my third with a gap wedge. It hit the green on the top tier in fact (where the pin was) but bounced about 6ft high and scooted over the back edge of the green and up into the long grass. After a chop and a chop and then another a chop, I finally putted out for a 7. I was happy with my round, considering it was my first time playing there and that it was the best score I was to have on my trip. It would eventually set me up for a +2 in par event - the next day at Hartfield - yes, no jetlag for me!

So to sum up the trip, playing Magenta Shores in the third week was by no doubt the highlight. It now sits as my 2nd best course played in NSW, behind New South Wales Golf Club but ahead of Concord and The Lakes. I recommend anyone heading over that way to give it a go. $75 with a cart might seem a bit steep but it is very exclusive - as the only private club in The Entrance/Terrigal/Gosford area. There are some great stay/play packages on offer from time to time and one of these was a birthday gift from my family. We all stayed up there the sunday night after the game. The apartments were beautiful, spacious and boasting wonderful views of the course and ocean.

I will put the photos of the courses either on my facebook page or somewhere on here in the coming days. In the meantime, all good things must come to an end and tomorrow it's back to work for me.

Nuff.

[Johnny Canuck]

Long Reef is just a treat to play.

[TourFit]

Long Reef is just a treat to play.

Is that all...

Nuffie goes to ALL that trouble, and that's all you give him... you heartless bastard !!!! :mrgreen:

[Zeusgolf]

Is that all...

Nuffie goes to ALL that trouble, and that's all you give him... you heartless bastard !!!! :mrgreen:

Nuffsaid....

[Johnny Canuck]

We try not to encourage the lad.

[TourFit]

We try not to encourage the lad.

I must say, a tactic that is obviously working very well.

[Nuffie]

I must say, a tactic that is obviously working very well.

Yeah, very funny boys. I've just been busy back at work the last 3 days - if not I would have replied sooner.

BTW, I've added about 10 more photo albums to my profile page, some from the last 2 years.

They include Long Reef, Magenta Shores, Araluen, Gosnells, Kennedy Bay, Binningup, Hartfield, Yokine and a few others.

I'll try get some captions on the pics, only labelled some.

[Johnny Canuck]

Just remember Nuffie, just because a picutre is worth 1000 words, it doesn't mean that the caption requires it.

[Nuffie]

Just remember Nuffie, just because a picture is worth 1000 words, it doesn't mean that the caption requires it.

:wink:...Good call JC :) I even got a kick out of that.... it took me over 7 hrs to get all my latest pics on here last night. My internet and laptop is slow as a wet week, so captions will be added later (brief ones).

[TourFit]

That laptop couldn't be as slow as a wet week in Sydney...could it???

[Nuffie]

That laptop couldn't be as slow as a wet week in Sydney...could it???

LOL...probably not but its still holds you up, I was up to 1am in fact.

[Johnny Canuck]

I would have thought that you'd had turned into a pumpkin at midnight, princess.

[Nuffie]

I would have thought that you'd had turned into a pumpkin at midnight, princess.

Nope. It's different when I have a bit to drink (as you've probably gathered) but when I worked in hospitality on Friday nights, I'd get to bed at about 4am, then get up a few hrs later - for Sat comp and often shot 75 around Cabra :wink:.

[Johnny Canuck]

Was that during the "Glow stick era"?

[Nuffie]

Was that during the "Glow stick era"?

Yes, it was during that crazy era during 2002-2005.

A great story for you JC... one day I shot a 73 around cabra. It was a Saturday evening where I called in sick and went to a rave called "Helter Skelter" coz I was feeling so great after that round that I really wanted to rave. I'll never forget this. I got dobbed in at the rave, by a work colleague who busted me - and almost got fired from the bowling club. 100's of people at work found out what I did. I also pulled an all-nighter and headed straight to another comp game the next morning at 6am. Only this time...it was to be the worst game I played that whole year of 2005. I guess that was burning the candle a bit too far, so Mr. Nuffie didn't do it again :)

[Pieface]

Love your trips down memory lane nuff-man :)

7574

[Nuffie]

Glad u enjoyed that Pieface, we will have to catch up soon for another hit, maybe the day at Mandurah pending if there's no other golf on that weekend.

Pics are now being labelled up in the holiday albums of Magenta Shores and Long Reef.