Fox Hills Sunday 2/4/06 11.15am one vacancy

[jimandr]

Jimandr's mystery tour of Sunday Open Days Part 2. There will also be a Part 3 the following weekend if anyone wants a game.

My home course greens aren't going to be worth playing on a few weeks yet, and I already know that Connico will join me next Sunday.

So, unless we get a good offer from another Ozgolfer to visit their home course, I'm going to look for some other Sunday options.

As I have never played there, I'm going to try to obtain a booking at Fox Hills first, then pick somewhere else the following Sunday. I'll alter the heading after I've made some calls on Monday.

I won't start a list until I've obtained a venue and tee time.

If any others are available, feel free to express your interest now, or wait until after I post Monday evening.

[connico]

as you know im interested, find a place that accepts credit...i pretty preaved that cumberland didnt take credit..thats just stupid..

[AndyP]

I've found a lot of places don't take credit card for green fees, as the pro-shop is a different business to the club, so the shop collects the fees on behalf of the club.
I always assume cash at local clubs, and credit for resort type courses.

[amanda]

as you know im interested, find a place that accepts credit...i pretty preaved that cumberland didnt take credit..thats just stupid..

I hear ya connico - I use an ATM once a month and take out enough for $30 cash per week - got stuck at Liverpool once because of that. However, Liverpool is the only place I've played rthat doesn't accept plastic (Bexley, Bardwell Valley, Carnarvon all do)

[zipptopp]

Jimandr,

I'd be happy to join you for a game this Sunday, Last round of club champs at my course so no chance of a game there.

[jimandr]

Zipp: What about the Sunday after, the 9th for Ashlar?

I actually had to do some work at my work today, so I didn't get a chance to ring any clubs.

I did get to do some quick internet searching, so I now have an interesting list of Sunday options to try sometime during the year.

The plan is to try Fox Hills first. My second preference is Dunheved, then places further away, such as Warringah and Asquith, then places with poor reputations like Barnwell Park and Massey Park. According to the web, all are Sunday Open Days, and I haven't played any of them, except for Dunheved.

Any good or bad experiences of those places?

[connico]

i dont really care where i play just as long as i play and they take credit lol...well this time i might have to carry cash..

Regardless... doesnt have to be a championship course, the people i play with will make the course more than worth while, whatever quality....but that doesnt mean i dont want somelike like maq...hehe

[zipptopp]

Jimandr,

Greens renovations at Ashlar next monday so I would give it a miss till Easter. I haven't payed Fox Hills for a very long time, I think I read a review of Asquith which wasn't negative, it's just a long way from you though.

[jimandr]

A booking has been made for 4 players at Fox Hills, at 11.15am.

1. Jimandr
2. Connico
3. Zipptopp
4. ??

There is big qualifying BUT attached to this.

The Fox Hills greens were sanded last Tuesday, so they will not be at their best. I'm still prepared to play there, but I'm also prepared to postpone Fox Hills for a week and search for another course if I am outvoted.

The guy who answered the phone assured me they would be cut fairly short and therefore would be alright, only a bit slow, but they all say that!

yes or no?

[zipptopp]

Jim,
It seems the time of the season (hey, that could make a good song lyric !) for renovations to greens, maybe we'll just have to put up with it.

[connico]

yeah im up for it jim i dont mind.

[jimandr]

Good, swift responding guys. Now we just need a fourth player.

We can always go there a second time later in the year if it is worthwhile.

I'm also glad to see Zipptopp hasn't thrown his clubs away and been too traumatised to return after his Liverpool experience. Could history also be made by the largest improvement from one game to the next?

[connico]

will not someone join a threesome and make it an awesome foursome??...

someone step up to the plate!!! its not to late!!! to get on this date!!!

[connico]

Well was an interesting day at fox hills, the weather was great, whether the course left us any chance of taking full advantage was doubtful. I have to admit, its not a hard course, but i tell you want, the greens do not help when they are rock hard, roll way to much and bumpy to say the least, actually comparable to putting on tiles. In any event was a great day.

Scored 31 off the bat with two wipes and a missed birdy...and a missed par, all in all a dismal day for me, and i think the rest of the fellas. Ill let them tell there stories.

[jimandr]

Connico got in first and summed it up reasonably well, but Fox Hills was the winner today.

Connico 31pts
Jimandr 29pts
Zipptopp 26pts.

I now understand why Ozgolfers are not enthusiastic about Fox Hills. It's not much of a course, with some very strange design features. It reminded me a bit of Riverlands (aka East Hills).

The course must've known who we were, as it gave us nothing. I was penalised for every off line drive I hit, and Zipp's worst penalty (apart from 2 out of bounds at the 12th) was spraying a drive two fairways across and never finding it again. Funny how another ball was abandoned on the same fairway.

For sanded greens 10 days previously, they were extraordinary. You'd think they would be soft, but they were rock hard, and just not receptive to spin at all. We found it easier to hold the green from 150m than from 50m.

Still, it was great weather, and good company.

[3oneday]

I was penalised for every off line drive I hityou mustn't have hit it off line enough then, the distance between fairways is less than 5 metres !!!!

Have you ever felt more like you were gunna get whacked in the head, than at Fox Hills ???

[jimandr]

you mustn't have hit it off line enough then, the distance between fairways is less than 5 metres !!!!

Have you ever felt more like you were gunna get whacked in the head, than at Fox Hills ???

Yes, and probably yes.

I possibly don't spray it enough to get away with wayward drives at FH.

There are some very strange routing and tee position decisions in the design of the course. I'd really hate to play there during a corporate day ambrose. I could imagine balls flying everywhere and once a year players walking right in front of you all the time.

A few positives though:

Cheap. Comp visitors fee was $17. A bacon roll (pretty good too) was $3.00.

On time. We hit off almost right on time, and got around the course in less than 4 and half hours. Hardly waited at all behind the group in front.

[Fishman Dan]

Fox is suffering from an apathetic board, who are struggling because of ownership wrangles. It could be a lot better, but the course lacks imagination. During my brief 6 month membership there, i think the pins were in the same place 90% of the time. And the course goes underwater in a heavy dew.

Hopefully one day someone will make an executive decision, and proceed to make the rest of the changes that have put on the drawing board.

[zipptopp]

I had a good day out with excellent company and even improved on my last game,so there's hope yet!

It was 35 years ago that I last played Fox Hills with my high school golf team. I think it might be longer before I play again. Some of those close fairways and shared tees were just plain spooky to play on. Not the safest of courses.