My On Par Golf Blog has been strolling the internets virtual fairways for almost five years. In that time Ive posted almost 350 posts, predominantly about golf. The blog is a hobby about a sport that Im passionate about.
Now there is a rival On Par Golf Blog, published by none other than the New York Times. The NY Times first published on their ‘On Par” blog on April 5, 2010, so I am well and truly the first and the original On Par! I will drop them a line to let them know about the On Par from Down Under! Fore!!!!
Matchplay is the ultimate head to head format in golf, pressure is on from the very first hole as an early head start can be a crucial advantage, every mistake seems to be magnified and every good shot is rewarded. Matchplay is golfs version of chess, strategy can come into play as the opponents try to outwit and outplay (Yes, its a bit like survivor too, but without the bitchiness and backstabbing, mostly). Unfortunately for the weekend hacker, club golfer or professional, matchplay is a rarity. Pennant players and amateurs will play more matchplay than most.
My colleague Nige and I had advanced through to the Second round of the Herald Sun Matchplay pairs tournament, last month we had won our First round matchup with a resounding 6&4. We were matched with Paul and Nick from Yarrambat, both single figure handicaps, it was going to be a tough game. Neutral venue selected was Waterford Valley. Unfortunately due to a lot of rain over the previous 24 hours, the emphasis was on ‘Water’, a lot of casual water, some more formal water and rather muddy conditions. Luckily though, the weather had cleared and it was game on.
Our challenge got tougher after the second hole with Paul sinking a birdie to go one up. I parred the next to get us back to even, and then we halved the next five holes in a very close contest. Nige was hitting the ball solidly, and my swing was really dialed in, the driver was on fire and my iron shots solid. A par on the 9th gave us a handy lead into the back nine. Then another par on the 11th and we were 2 up. Our opponents hit back on the 12th, with another birdie to Paul and then wins on 14th and 15th put them 1 up. Nick and I both nailed approaches to the 16th and putted out for pars. We then won the 17th to draw level. Again, Nick and I hit great shots into the tough 18th and putted out to halve the hole leaving us all square after 18.
With darkness approaching, we ventured on to play our 19th hole, the dogleg 10th. Nick hit into the rough and was out, leaving Paul, Nige and I on the faiway. Nige found the bunker, I hit one of my worst approaches for the day and left it short, Paul saved one of his best for last and his par was enough for victory. A great game played in good spirits, but a sour end for Nige and I coming so close, yet falling at the first playoff hole. (We had agreed that if we were tied after 2 playoff holes, it would be decided by sudden death puttoff!!)
Recently spent a fantastic weekend with friends touring the Rutherglen Wineries on the Winery Walkabout. Amongst the excellent durif, shiraz, muscat and port vineyards lies Lake Moodemere Vineyard. The small winery produces some excellent wine including the Late Harvest Biancone. Set above Lake Moodemere, great views accompany the cellar door tasting. Winemaker Michael Chambers has also setup a unique golf hole tempting the visitor with the opportunity to score a hole in one and win $500 worth of wine.
The golf hole is the ultimate island green, forget the 17th at Sawgrass, the Lake Moonemere hole has a tee perched high on the bank of the lake with a very small pontoon with a landing area the size of a dinner table moored about 110 metres away in the middle of the Lake. The hole itself is generous, a bucket. The hole has been open for a year, and the prize for a hole in one, $500 worth of wine, is yet to go off.
Balls are $1 each, or as part of the Walkabout, 3 balls were provided for participants. We all had a go, most balls going into the water, though I did manage to land a shot on the pontoon, bouncing off into the water (no hold on the synthetic turf!). Winemaker Michael was kind enough to shout a bottle of Shiraz for hitting the target!
If you are in the Rutherglen area on a golf trip, or sampling the reds, stop in at Lake Moodemere and have a crack at one of the more unique golf holes in Australia!
Tiger Woods will return to Melbourne to play the 2010 JBWere Australian Masters at Victoria Golf Club. In Melbourne last November he was royalty, followed by massive galleries and media watching his every step. 106,000 spectators across four days at Kingston Heath, large numbers of interstate visitors, tee times booked out across Melbourne and the Peninsula, and a huge economic impact to the Victorian economy made the $1.5m investment by the Government look pretty worthwhile.
It all went pear-shaped for Woods after his Melbourne trip and though he is now back playing on the PGA Tour, he isnt the same player who won the 2009 Australian Masters. However he is still the World Number One, and he is still arguably the best golfer ever. Joining Woods will be Villegas, Garcia, Ogilvy and others will be added. Tickets will sell out once more, the lure of Tiger may be different, but he will still bring in the masses. Tickets are now on sale at www.ticketek.com.au, season pass is $179 to access the venue over six days and general admission to the tournament is $49 per day.
This years Masters will be held at Victoria Golf Club as part of the very smart rotation of the Masters venue between sandbelt courses, Victoria is a fantastic layout, the epic bunkering and tight fairways will test the pro’s.
Australians will now have the opportunity to see Tiger play three years in a row, as he will most likely return next year as well as part of the US Presidents Cup team.
Jamie and Mike, the two Kiwi golfers who are playing a round of golf every day for 2010, have finished their Australian leg of their epic adventure and have arrived in the USA. With over 17,000 courses to choose from the guys shouldnt have much trouble finding somewhere to play each day. And its true to say that they are doing the trip in style!
For a start, Jamie and Mike have purchased a Dodge Ram Van to travel across America. A Van that is the classic badguys getaway van in bad 70s cop shows. Complete with Star Trek style interior seats, the lads are definitely travelling in style.
Puregolf have also teamed up with Loudmouth, made famous by John Daley, and more recently, the Norwegian Curling Team. Luckily they have the game to match these in-your-face golf pants, the lads are definitely walking the courses in style!
Kangaroo gallery at the 15th hole
Nige and I ventured out to the Growling Frog Golf Course recently to partner up in the first round of the Sunday Herald Sun Golf Challenge. Ive played for the last few years in the Singles competition, but this year we are playing in the Pair’s competition. We were matched with Rob and Mick also regulars at the Frog. Pairs matchplay adds another dimension to the intricacies of Matchplay golf, with a decent score needed to halve a hole let alone win. Nige was also playing the Frog for the first time, so needed to help him with the layout.
The day was cool and windy, and after hitting a bucket of golf balls before the round (a rarity!), we started well. I parred 1,2,3,5,7 and with support from Nige, was even putting with confidence on the recently cored/sanded greens. Lipped out on the 8th and then Nige just missed on the 9th but went to the backnine +2.
The defining moment came on the Par 5 11th, Nige and I were well placed on the fairway, Rob had lost a ball and was out. Mick hit into a fairway bunker and we looked good for a win, but then Mick played a great recovery shot close to the pin. We sprayed our approaches and the game shifted again. I stood over a long putt from off the green and knocked it in! Mick then needed a birdie to halve, missed and we went +3. Nige turned on the A game from there and three holes later we had won, 6 & 4.
Ian Poulter is one of the better professional sports twitterers out there. He keeps his followers updated with tweets on where/when he is playing “Teeing off Thursday 1.28 with Tiger Woods & Hunter Mahan should be great fun & great atmosphere“, how he is feeling “Morning had some rehab this morning on the knee, some swimming pool walking this afternoon, start hitting some balls monday i think. : )“, interacts in the conversation with his followers “My friends at @cobragolf would like to know what you think of my new TV spot. Give us your feedback on FB http://tinyurl.com/36re32p” and shares some light hearted moments, such as this video of caddys teeing off on the notorious 17th at Sawgrass during a practice round for this years Players Championship:
Following Ian Poulter provides an additional insight into the life of a professional golfer, its personal, interesting and not produced content by a manager or PR agency, hence its real, authentic and a great way to build a loyal following. Good luck in the Players Championship Ian, may your putts be as good as your tweets.
Australian Golf Digest posed a question today, should bunker rakes be left in or out of bunkers on the course. There are some golfers who think that rakes shouldnt be allowed at all, and the bunkers are hazards and therefore should not be manicured or maintained. Though anyone who has finished in a footprint, divot etc in a bunker would beg to differ, unkept bunkers would quickly become unplayable.
The rakes left out of the bunkers argument takes a glass half full/empty conversation, personally I think rakes should not be left out of bunkers as Ive seen a well hit drive miss a fairway bunker but hit a rake and bounce in, but others will argue that the same rake can deflect a ball away from said bunker. But rakes should stay in the bunker and not be left dropped randomly in the near vicinity of the sand which could include fairway, green, rough, water or drinks cart! Keep the rake in the hazard and away from my ball (which normally finds the sand of its own accord).
On Friday Tiger Woods missed the sixth cut of his career in only his second tournament back from his extended self imposed break. His swing has major problems and he is unable to keep the ball straight even on the practice tee. This was big enough news on its own, however if Tigers star is starting to fade there are two rising stars of professional golf that staked their claims as the next big thing with supernova like wins.
In Japan, 18 year old rising star Ryo Ishikawa carded the lowest score ever on a professional major tour to win the Crowns Tournament by 5 shots. Ishikawa was trailing Maruyama by six shots into the final round before shooting a 58. He birdied nine of his first 11 holes, had three in a row on the back nine, and missed a 15-footer on the 18th for a 57.
Hours later on the other side of the globe, 20 year old Rory McIlroy blew away the field with a course record final round 62 at the US PGA Tour’s Quail Hollow Championship in North Carolina to win by 4 shots.
PGA Tour watchers have been predicting big things for both Ishikawa and McIlroy, as well as predicting Tigers demise, it turned out to be a huge weekend of professional golf with signs that these predictions may be coming to light soon!
Mornington Peninsula is a golfing mecca with ten of Australia’s top 50 courses (Australian Golf Digest 2010). The local golf tourism association is running a new event playing host to the inaugural Mornington Peninsula 54 hole amateur tournament in May. The tournament is open to all golfers with an AGU handicap and will be played on three courses, Moonah Links, Flinders Golf Club and Mornington Golf Club over three days from May 4th to May 6th.
The graded tournament features daily stableford competitions for both men and women, as well as overall winner and runner-up. Entry fee is $225 for the tournament which includes a welcome party, green fees for the three days, two lunches, a competitor showbag and use of a motorised cart for the first round.
