No lobster available at that Kingston SE seafood joint.
Robe - as tc and Maza have noted you may consider to skip the final 6 holes here or do a repeat of 6 of the first 12 if you want to play 18. Happily the club has a 6, 12 and 18 hole rate, a very good innovation.
The new holes 7 to 12 are certainly the pick of the property. A decent effort appears to have been made on the green complexes and surrounds but the playing corridors are perfunctory and don’t contain many great moments that I was hoping for, though the site of the 8th, a par 3, is very good.
The 7th (327m) is on land with the least movement of the 6 new holes, drive bunkers shorter left, longer right, a hole that sends you into the more dramatic ground. Of the new holes it feels most connected to the preceding hole, running parallel in the opposite direction to No.6. The green is situated at the base of a large dune that the 8th tee sits atop.
The steep walk up to the 8th tee is the first of 4 consecutive long treks that interrupt the flow of the course and was a big negative for me.
The 8th (129m) plays along the spine of a wide dune, slightly downhill.
Arriving at the 9th tee (418m) and terrific vista and an inviting downhill fairway corridor await. The tee shot is where any interest in this hole ends. The fairway turns left at the bottom of the hill and the remaining passage to the green is pedestrian. This green is also the least interesting (though not a bad green as they are generally very good) of the 6. After the thrill of the first 220m of the hole the rest of the hole just didn't remotely measure up.
10th (239m). This was my favourite hole of the 6, a short 4 that would present various challenges and solutions depending on the prevailing breeze, a drive bunker divides the fairway. The green is on a plateau that rises steeply just before the green starts and asks for a deft approach over 2 green front bunkers to get it near the pin.
For those that know the walk up to the 4th tee at National Old, multiply by 4 and you get an idea of what you encounter getting to the 11th tee. I'm guessing about a walk of 120m, with the last 70m being steeply uphill. And of course after your tee shot you walk straight back down the way you came up.
11 (450m) is a good par 5. There is a pinch point for the drive and the hole then bends slightly to the right. The further right your drive goes the more obscured your 2nd shot becomes.
Hole 12 (132m) points you almost towards the clubhouse and holes 13 to 18. It runs parallel to hole 7 and it would appear that the land between them is earmarked for future residential. It's an interesting 3 with large run off areas to test you should you not hold the green. Because the land between it and 7 has been set aside the walk from 12 green to the clubhouse is about 100m or so.
Course conditions were very good, the landscaping and plantings of new vegetation enhance the playing corridors.
As you may have gathered I'm not enamoured with how the holes are connected. Probably unavoidable as the dunes are high and wide, and undoubtedly budget constraints had a considerable influence, but for me it detracts from the overall experience.
Should more holes get built in the dunes hopefully the opportunity is there to utilise the ‘gaps’ between holes (especially between 10 and 11) thereby improving the flow.
It’s great that a regional SA course has gone ahead with such a large development, there has been plenty of talk but not much has materialised elsewhere
Thoughts on Millicent tomorrow
Last edited by marcel; 18th May 2021 at 11:44 PM.
"Golf makes different creatures of us all, some worse, some better, but all enthusiastic" Evening Journal, 1897.
Millicent - Nicely situated on rolling ground, mainly sandy soil.
Tree lined but not tight, the only tree that must go is about 100m out LHS of 1. From the right edge of the fairway about 150m out the left half of the putting surface is obscured.
Bunkers seem ok placed but many are of a fairly ordinary condition, no big surprise on a small town country course.
Of the par 4's and 5's on only 3 of them, 9,11 and 18 can you see the entire hole from the tee, lots of turning holes rather than sharp doglegs. 2 of the par 5's were 'S' shaped which is a design feature I enjoy.
I'd put it comfortably above Robe. If Robe ever replace their final 6 they may contend
"Golf makes different creatures of us all, some worse, some better, but all enthusiastic" Evening Journal, 1897.
It’s an interesting debate when you compare Millicent with the likes of Mount Gambier (Attamurra) and Naracoorte, most have mixed opinions. I rate Attamurra the highest but have not seen it for many years.
Planning to head down there early Dec depending on a number of factors
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Last edited by thecollective; 20th May 2021 at 09:20 PM.
Has anyone played the Pat lately? I'm keen to head down for a hit but I recall someone mentioning course works a few months ago..
WITB
Driver: Ping G430 LST 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
7 Wood: Ping G430 w Alta CB 65g S
4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag
I played a few months ago, one of the back 9 par 4s (15?) was being renovated, and the first par 5 (4?) Was playing as a par 4. There was a temporary ~110m par 3 added, but it was a proper hole with a decent bent grass green.
WITB
Driver: Ping G430 LST 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
7 Wood: Ping G430 w Alta CB 65g S
4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag
Don't remember exactly, but I think they were just relaying the tee box.
Waikerie looking in fantastic condition atm. Can’t wait to get out there and hopefully take some divots out of the fairways.
Is September a good time to play SA courses?
Ferrins
yes. The weather will be variable, and likely to be windy (spring weather).
Depending on where you play, the couch should just be coming out of hibernation.
Rough could be up.
Some courses may be undertaking some renovation work id mid to late September.
It depends on where you are going to play.
Overall, yes September is fine.
Benje
and Links Lady Bay.
Up here.
I'd probably play Blackwood instead of TTG, and Mount Compass instead of LLB, but they're all good courses.
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