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