Flying Trip to Melbourne - Lonsdale Links and Kingston Heath

[Shadesy]

Was lucky enough to do a mad dash to Melbourne last week with fellow WAnker @simmsy...

Lonsdale Links


We heard a bit about this place and studied up on the "classic" architecture this place claims itself to be. A robust discussion with another fellow OG'er (who will appear later) about how it was more marketing than an actual template rang true... As a marketer, it has certainly positioned itself as something different in Australia's home of golf, and the $79 green fee plus comp fee was well worth the 95-min drive and speeding ticket.


Actually playing the courses, the Biarittz, The Reverse Redan, and the square greens were more of a letdown than a drawcard, but the thrilling 11th with its "eyebrows" and Punchbowl green was one of the best of a good bunch. The 14th is a fun hole to play, but at a little over 115 meters when we played it, meant it was just a stock standard PW... We all tried to use the slopes aiming the left side, but in reality, it was nothing more than a regulation par 3. The 2nd was playing to a front pin and thus a little knockdown 7... Certainly not the risk and reward of running one through the valley, with death all around it. It didn't seem to have enough room at the top shelf either to try and stop a running shot from ending in certain death.


We got to play it in absolute benign conditions, which either added or extracted from the course. The holes 3-5 all play on the lowlands next to the lake and felt much tighter than advertised. I imagine those shots being very difficult in the wind. The course was short, around 5,200m, and the teeing grounds are an absolute joy... No contrived tee boxes, just flags in the ground, and leisurely strolls between holes - except the 200m walk between 17 and 18, which just felt really odd. I did love how the fringe blends seamlessly into the green complexes, and with several "false" fronts, it was hard to know where you were playing your shortish approach.


The 15th was the best hole IMO, with the use of an amazing vista heading to the green site, with a well-placed shot close to the marshland on a medium dogleg, a really good chance to knock one... A big drive trying to shape one will work but was a little more difficult approach.


The 16th Road hole was super fun, but the firmness of the greens and gimmicky nature of the OOB... I hit a little pitch and run to a front-left pin and had no chance of stopping it close, made the hole a memorable one, and can't wait to play it again, but not sure about it.


The course was an absolute blast, such fun, recommend for the price of admission you go and have a crack. The first is a blast, and there are good golf holes littered throughout. Green sites are amazing and can be great fun to play running shots, although 9 and 18 are probably letdowns.


GA has this course ranked 20th, the controversial GD at 36 - I would place it closer to GD, easy top 50, not sure it's worth all the hype. That's probably unfair as if it was in WA, it would be a clear top 3-4. Loved it, huge fun, and even more so from coming from behind to take Simmsy cash, after he kindly leaked gas 14 through 18 - 80 for Simmsy, 77 for me (Par 70).

Take it as a great new golf course as it should be celebrated, trying something new, bold and getting away from the stock standard Australia golf architechture (outside Melbourne). I would suggest making it part of a bellarine trip, it is a good distance from Melbourne.

[Shadesy]

The Furrows

Joined by OG legend and all-around good guy @PetethePilot, we headed out for a 10.30 tee time at the 9 Hole Furrows. What an amazing area, idea, and execution of a little 9-hole track, incorporating all the design elements of the Sandbelt: large bunkering (more on that) and big, bold green complexes, firm and fast and hugely countoured greens.


First of all, I didn't need more than a PW down... We carried those clubs around and left the bag on the first. Next time I would play a PW, a 54, and a putter. The fun of the place is the ability to hit high floating pitches, to low ground runners, so hard spinning hop and stops... the choices are endless, and the most fun you'll have if you had a group of blokes, a 6-pack, and 3 hours.


I would never use the range if this was available to me, as this offers everything you need to practice your 100m and in-game and get used to the Sandbelt greens and bunkers. However:


1. It is nowhere near the clubhouse. It's a 6-7 minute walk, and while we had great company in PTP, it's not somewhere you can just rock up and go play for 45 minutes, or have it to settle the bet at the end of the day, or just take your kids down to have a hit. I know it's built on land that's available, and I believe there is a members' entrance and there was a coffee van (unattended), but it just felt like it is a planned mission to go play it rather than a "let's go play 3 holes before our round."


2. It's $60 as a guest... sure it's Kingston Heath, sure it's incredibly fun, and sure it's designed for the members, but it was way too much for a round of 9 holes that took about 60 minutes. If playing a round on the main course, I think $20 would more than suffice.


3. It's more Peninsula Kingswood than KH, with some decent ability needed to have serious fun around there. It would be super hard for a beginner or junior, which I would think was the main reason for making a course like this more accessible. The large single bunkers and Bold green sites are more inline with what OCM did in Frankston, than the multiple bunkers and elegant subltey of KH.


However it was so fun to use the contours, make 4 on a 65-meter hole, and hit a back foot low flighted 50-degree off the right slope and let it feed in.


Go play it if you can, and don't worry about the $60... but if money is an issue as you've blown $350+ plus flights, etc., go spend $90 and go to Rosebud.

Simmsy and PTP with a couple of lovely birds to get a free lunch from me and my partner.

[Shadesy]

Kingston Heath
Now, this is the second time around this place in 14 months with @Simmsy . There was something magical about this place (and it wasn't our scoring) the first time around. Whether it was the HEATH in the name, the use of the land available, the Southerly Buster, or the fact it wasn't a golf course in Perth, had us wanting to come back and play it.


I know it's not Royal Melbourne West... but there is something about the playability of this golf course that doesn't feel as intense as RMW. One that has me questioning not what the better course is, but which one I enjoy playing more. Maybe what I value in a round of golf is more than what is socially acceptable. But it also has me hanging out to get back to RM for a third look. The “good” holes rather than “great” holes probably answer the question I’m looking at…
Having the fountain of knowledge that is Petetheformerpilot was a great joy, to really delve into the nuances that make this course great. The first is a great opener but is sneaky long if you don't get the drive down the hill.


The 10th was out of play, our second was the 19th... awesome to get to play that hole. 2 is the hole that I vividly remember, with the options endless from the tee, and the 3rd might be my favorite hole on the course... although I'm yet to register a point on it through 2 tries (similar to Simmsy on hole 2) ... I'm planning to come back to just play that hole. It will be attacked with hitting a driver as far as I can so I don't have to play a half-shot pitch, into the grain, to a severe sloping green, over a large deep bunker.


4/5/6 are all decent holes but can be a bit unremarkable as it plays on the flattest bit of the property. Then it gets fun.


14-17 would be up there as the best 4 holes of golf in the country, but then that doesn't give justice to 8-9-(normal 10) and 11... but also the centerline bunker on 12 just makes you want to thread it towards the hazard, where just a simple driver to the right makes it an easy way to make 5 (or 4 in my case) was a great hole... 13 gets you to 14.


The last hole is probably the least memorable except the green complex finishes under the amazing clubhouse and in full view of the journey you just came from.


To go around with Pete and look at the transitions between 12 and 13, which are not only the teeing grounds but ground hazards for any misdirected shots, to the knowledge of 15 and Mackenzie, and how the walk from 15 green to 16th tee is not seen as a bad walk because of the hole that preceded it and the thrilling blind shot that comes next are well worth the short inconvenience.


The biggest part I have always felt at KH was that it's a small bit of property but I never feel it’s closed in or tight. The amazing view from the clubhouse shows what's to come, but you are always getting sneak peeks of other green complexes and tee boxes as you wind your way through. Taking the cash from Simmsy again with a strong back 9, 37 in the dying light and drizzle, for a tidy 78.

I love the joint and can’t thank the hospitality of Pete to show us around, share lunch, and just impart his knowledge of the place… Thanks @petethepilot

[Shadesy]

3 great shots onto 15... Our 4th made par from the deep greenside trap.

Pete and I twinning outfits as well.

Only one of us made a 2 though

[simmsy]

Yeah nicely summed up Shadesy. Was a great couple of days. I especially love how LL charged you $88 and me $70 for green fees.
Kingston Heath just tickles me in all the right spots. I've not played well there either time but damn i'm well and truly in love with that place. PTP, thank you so much for all you did for us last week. Am in your debt should you ever be silly enough to ever play golf in WA again.

Thanks Shadesy. Till next time, onto Rocko(Stinks)Links

[Shadesy]

I bought a ball marker 😂

[petethepilot]

It was a pleasure to have the 3 of you there!
Shadesy is a flusher who somehow plays off 7…and Simmsy has come along way with his ball striking.
Yoss must do his shirt each time he plays both of them.

Shadesy, your comment above…

I know it's not Royal Melbourne West... but there is something about the playability of this golf course that doesn't feel as intense as RMW. One that has me questioning not what the better course is, but which one I enjoy playing more

gets to the heart of why one plays golf and what is a better course between A or B. At the end of the day, it is what challenges you, interests you and what you remember for many years to come! KH is a wonderful course but a better club! I delight in going there and look forward to a rematch with you guys in years to come!

[Yossarian]

More than my shirt!

KH is my favourite golf course, I love that place so much.

[Shadesy]

I play Yoss for his shorts usually

[3Puttpete]

I play Yoss for his shorts usually

If you played his brother for his shorts you’d only win half as much.

[LeftyHoges]

If you played his brother for his shorts you’d only win half as much.

Bravo.

[virge666]

How much did KH set you back ?

[simmsy]

Shadesy? i think he got in for a wink and a handshake.

[Shadesy]

If you played his brother for his shorts you’d only win half as much.

Having played with Junior Yoss, he either has the same pair or bought multiple pairs….Brilliant

[Shadesy]

How much did KH set you back ?

Members guest was $155 I think.

[virge666]

Members guest was $155 I think.

Glorious, Melbournites are just so spoiled for choice.

Even the worse sandbelt course is better than 99% of the courses in Sydney and the QLD set.

[Shadesy]

Glorious, Melbournites are just so spoiled for choice.

Even the worse sandbelt course is better than 99% of the courses in Sydney and the QLD set.

Dont get me started on WA. Meadow Springs and Rosebud North are bascially ranked the same... Rosebud North would easily be top 5 in WA.