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View Full Version : 3 of the big 4 in Adelaide.......



Speirsy11
21st November 2006, 10:57 PM
So I just got back from a week of golf and U2 in Adelaide. Got the chance to play 3 of Adelaide's big 4 courses in comp conditions.....Lots of fun was had by all.......Some thoughts.......

First up is Kooyonga.

I've said it before, I'm a big fan of this course. The collection of par 3's is among the best in Australia, especially the back to back 14th (135m) and 15th (220m). Both are testing par 3's for different reasons 14 fo the bunkering and angle the green sits on, 15 for the brutal length and false fronted green. A lot of "half par" holes, good examples being the par 3.5 15th and par 4.5 16th, and the par 4.5 8th and par 4.5 9th..........10 is among the best par 4's in the country when it's into the wind as well.

We played on Wednesday morning in the same weather that hit Sydney on Thursday. Cold, wet and WINDY..........I played about as well as I can and shot 76 with a double on 8 and bogeys on 16 and 17......all in all a good start to the week.

Thursday began on the par 3 14th and started better then I could have dreamed, going 2, 2, 4 (birdie, birdie, birdie) then missing a 6 footer (hit it through the break) on 17. Eagle on 2, 2 putt birdie on par 4 5th, birdie on 9 and hitting the flag in 2 on the 13th (6" birdie) left me with 67 from the tips. Easily the best round I've played in 5+ years, likely the best overall round I've ever had. I've gone lower, but not on a course as tough as Kooyonga, in a comp from the tips. Thursday night was U2 which got the better half in a very good mood....Lets just say Thursday was a good day in the life of Rob.

Friday was Royal Adelaide. WOW. Royal Adelaide form the tips in a stiff breeze is one of the best tests of golf around. Some great par 4's of many lengths, holes that appear wide open but offer no shot if you hit the wrong spots, fantastic par 3's and perfect conditions made for a great day. Royal is one course that I could play every day for the rest of my life and not once get bored of. The routing is superb, with diabolical little greens, beautiful rolling fairways and some of the best bunkering I've ever seen. The 11th should be on anyone's list of greatest holes in the world too.

Played well here too, was still very much hyped to play after Thursday but the putts didnt fall the way I'd have liked......Managed to scratch it around for 74 (+1). I am a little choked at RA as they haven't posted that card on my golf link yet though.........

Saturday was reserved for beer and beach so Sunday was the day for Glenelg.

I've played here a few times and every time I seem to find new ways for it to surprise me. Of the three I played, it seems as if it wuld be the easiest to score on, yet every time you walk off you feel as if you left about 5 shots out there. Driving accuracy is tested more than at RA, the greens are tougher to hole putts on than Kooyonga, and the green complexes, while seeming like they were designed by someone trying a little too hard, test many different shots depending on where you miss the green. Holes like #2 give you the option of rolling it on, but holes like 11 and 15 need to be flown onto. Miss on the left of 15 and you'll need a killer flop shot, miss to the right and it's bump and run all the way......A few holes really seem goofy to me, most notable being the par 5 12th with it's huge mound on the left side of the green that looks like a bunch of ground that they forgot to remove after the last renovations............Of the three, Glenelg feels the least like a great course but always proves to be the toughest of the three to score on. It's one of those courses with 6 great holes, 6 good holes and 6 that make you go "?????" but each proves to be a different challenge.....Highlight holes are the driveable par 4 4th, 430m 6th, 168m 11th....

Played rough on the front here, more than a little hung over but had 4 birdies on the back for 77 from the tips (non-comp).......

So yeah, thats my little bit on Adelaide.......Hope you enjoyed it.....

Speirsy

miro
22nd November 2006, 06:59 AM
Thats some serious golf you are playing at the moment. Of the three I have only played Kooyonga and would have no hesititation going back there. Need to play Royal Adelaide and RM to complete my "royal flush".

Courty
22nd November 2006, 07:11 AM
I saw that 67 in your Golflink Rob. That's some damn fine shootin' there, son. :shock:

Speirsy11
22nd November 2006, 07:56 AM
Thats some serious golf you are playing at the moment. Of the three I have only played Kooyonga and would have no hesititation going back there. Need to play Royal Adelaide and RM to complete my "royal flush".

Of the Royals, those are the best two. RM is far and away the best around, IMHO, but RA is as good as anywhere else in Australia that I've played. It is the equal of NSW and Kingston Heath. Worth begging borrowing and stealing to get on.

I'm playing this weekend at my home course.....Can you say let down and bad score? :p

Speirsy11
22nd November 2006, 07:57 AM
I saw that 67 in your Golflink Rob. That's some damn fine shootin' there, son. :shock:

Thanks. Going to be interesting to see what I fire this weekend........

chappy1970
22nd November 2006, 11:42 AM
Speirsy,
I have reciprocal rights at Glenelg and played when I was in Adelaide for work. Enjoyed the walk, however had some factors against me and the course which probably soured the experience: -

Hire clubs with graphite shafts through the whole set....Yuk.
Fairways had been recently scarified.Hope to play it again when I am over there next, with my sticks and when the course is at its best.

Chappy

Chris32
23rd November 2006, 09:02 AM
Next time any of you blokes are over give us a shout, and I will try and get out for a hit

I have never played RA or Kooyonga, as I have only just been a member of a club for a few months now.

I'd love to have a round at those courses one day

Some nice scores there Spiersy! Well done!

Speirsy11
23rd November 2006, 06:40 PM
I won't be back before March next year. I plan on playing in Kooyonga's Open event, not likely to be back before that.

marcel
25th November 2006, 12:18 PM
Spiersy,

played RA yesterday, by the time you're back they may have the new tiger tee in on #2 which I'm sure you'll love. 80 years after paying some dodgy Brit doctor to do a re-design and cut out having to play across the railway line there are now two tees that play across it, I guess 80 years isn't a bad warranty period