Darwin Courses

[Micdeez]

Around May, I have been seconded into the state manager role for 2-3 weeks. Exciting stuff work-wise to get an on-the-grounds look at the NT operations, but know F-all about Darwin in general (1st time).

Will be staying in the hub of the capital I imagine, so would love to spend the weekends on a nearby course.
Welcome some advice, Northerners!

Mic

[benno_r]

Well your champ will be around then - I will be free 10th/17th and 24th.

Jiminy and Chapzzzz are flushers and they live up here and are top blokes. I have only had a carpark ho chat with Sheezymaneezy, but seems like a good bloke too.

Course wise, your options are:
Darwin GC - 18 holes - the best, but it is pricey for what it is. layout is pretty good, Right next to the airport. Best is best of Darwin. It's not the best of the NT, and it would rate middle in any other capital city (mainly to do grass and conditioning).

Palmerston - 18 holes - 2 seperate halves, front nine is enjoyable, back nine is weird, conditioning is very variable. 20min from the city.

Humpty Doo - 9 holes - An interesting little track with some interesting holes. Conditioning generally from average to decent. 35min from the city.

RAAF - 9 holes - Another weird little track, but I enjoy playing it. Conditioning generally decent. Walking only. 5min from the city.

Gardens Point - 9 holes - Well, it's a golf course. Dodgy layout, furry greens, a heap of pissed blokes in golf carts, some tee boxes are mats. Good for a shit and giggle, but, yeah. 2min from the city.

[Micdeez]

Thanks Benno, this is sensational bit of advice. I am trying to tee up some brokers up there for a visit and a round if keen, so I can write expenses as work related :)

Garden Points sounds like a stitch up.

[benno_r]

Thanks Benno, this is sensational bit of advice. I am trying to tee up some brokers up there for a visit and a round if keen, so I can write expenses as work related :)

Garden Points sounds like a stitch up.

Gardens Point is worth a hit - there are a couple of decent holes (mostly the Par 3's), and to say you have been there. My course guide (to get you excited):

Hole 1 - Par 3 150m.
Hit off the mats in front of a queue of 50 people. Water from 30-70m then paddock grass to front of green. Green is an upside down bowl, sloping front to back. Green always hairy and slow.

Hole 2 - Par 4 360m.
Hitting off mats again. Gunbarrell straight. Heavy trees and local population down the left, a few more trees down the right, and powerlines over the top. Flat round green with more fur than a 70's penthouse magazine.

Hole 3 - Par 4 290m.
Here is where the fun starts. No real fairway to the green. Tree about 120m out blocks the left. Trees 180 blocks the right. Culvert at 220ish meters. Raised green that generally is mowed decently.

Hole 4 - Par 5 450m
Raised tee mat here. Culvert running down the middle of the fairway all the way to the dog leg. Shot here is to spray it somewhere on the second fairway to give you room to clear the 30m high trees that block THE ENTIRE FAIRWAY. Another upturned saucer for a green that could pass as first cut anywhere in Sydney.

Hole 5 - Par 4 215m
Another raised tee box (mat) here. You can't see the green behind the massive tree. Just smash a hybrid down the right with a little cut, you'll have an eagle putt on a green that resembles Kate Winslets mound in the titanic.

Hole 6 - Par 4 260m
With a bit of tailwind, you can drive the green (even i can do it). Dogleg left, flat fairway, flat furry green (surprise surprise). Look out for the locals who use this hole as the Happy Gilmore launching pad. My suggestion is to turn left after the tee box and head straight to the Casino.

Hole 7 - Par 4 200m
Smash a fairway wood straight at the green to clear the culvert at 150 (another green I have driven). Still furry, but a little bit of shape to this green.

Hole 8 - Par 3 163m
Somewhere behind the trees that totally block out the green, is the green. I hate this hole. I don't have a club that goes high enough, quick enough to clear the trees and go far enough to make the green. Same greens on the grass, and another upside down saucer green.

Hole 9 - Par 3 162m
Straight forward here, biggest hazard is the powerlines. Go straight from here to your car, pack your clubs, and spend a bit of time asking yourself why you bothered coming here.

35056

[markTHEblake]

Amazing that some one asks for info about Darwin golf courses and we get a hole by hole review of Gardens :-)

But yea it's a lot of fun. Based on your description either the holes have got longer or i have got much shorter!
3 was drivable and 5 was a 4 iron but had to hit it very high, maybe tee it up an inch :-)

[3Puttpete]

One day I saw some blokes throwing half a brick at a goanna in the trees behind the 4th tee.

Then I took my shoes off because bare-footed was more comfortable.

[Micdeez]

So basically if I want to entertain a client, I should probably steer clear from Gardens :O

Love your work on the supreme hole by hole commentary though.

[benno_r]

Amazing that some one asks for info about Darwin golf courses and we get a hole by hole review of Gardens :-)

But yea it's a lot of fun. Based on your description either the holes have got longer or i have got much shorter!
3 was drivable and 5 was a 4 iron but had to hit it very high, maybe tee it up an inch :-)

3 is still probably driveable if you can carry 260, and you can keep it dead straight through a 5m wide chute.

5 may have had it's tee moved left up the top of the hill (tee looks recent).

It's worth a hit. Just 1 hit though. Actually, if you could go during the week, and miss all the bogans, I would rate it a little higher.

[jiminy]

3 is still probably driveable if you can carry 260, and you can keep it dead straight through a 5m wide chute.

5 may have had it's tee moved left up the top of the hill (tee looks recent).

It's worth a hit. Just 1 hit though. Actually, if you could go during the week, and miss all the bogans, I would rate it a little higher.

Bogans everyday of the week I'm afraid.....Micdeez - If it's a Tax Dodge your after either Darwin GC or Royal Humpty Doo.

PS: Loved your course synopsis Benno - pretty darn accurate....

[Micdeez]

So I am basking in the hot weather here in Darwin. Sunny skies and 32 degs. Can't complain!

Teeing up a social game with my colleagues here, and its looking like we are going to Humpty Doo this Sunday.

Benno, share us some insider tips on this course! Gotta get a level playing field vs these Northerners :)

[benno_r]

So I am basking in the hot weather here in Darwin. Sunny skies and 32 degs. Can't complain!

Teeing up a social game with my colleagues here, and its looking like we are going to Humpty Doo this Sunday.

Benno, share us some insider tips on this course! Gotta get a level playing field vs these Northerners :)

Humpty Doo is fairly straight forward but here are my tips:

Hole 1. Hit what you see - grip it and rip it!
Hole 2. Hit what you see - just short is better than long
Hole 3. Green is around to the right. If you can hit a controlled fade, curl it around the corner. Otherwise lay up with 3w / hybrid
Hole 4. Hit it long and straight
Hole 5. Tight! Hybrid or 4i unless you can rip driver straight.
Hole 6. Super tough Par 3, crazy raised tiered green. Hit what you see.
Hole 7. Long hole. Hit driver long and straight
Hole 8. Strange dogleg left - 3w or hybrid to center fairway
Hole 9. You need to pump it long to the left hand corner. If you are short, lay up short of the water.

General - greens are rough and grainy. Study the cup to see which way the grain goes. Grains runs furry side of cup to smooth side of cup. Factor that in (if greens are in decent nick).

It's a fun little track - have fun and don't take it too seriously.

Cheers,
Ben

[Micdeez]

That's gold Benno, thanks for that, I'll take a screenie of this and take a peek at every tee box :)

Team here is laid back and super friendly, so I imagine that it will be a great day nonetheless. I'll need a rental set though :(
Taking just a group of 4 in my team, so I can write the costs off with the company card. I am the interim boss here after all!

Ps. Our claims consultant here is a deadset hottie, with a sweet Irish accent and loves golf. I'm just saying.