Australia Round-up: Mornington Peninsula Courses

Thanks to Darius Oliver for arranging a whirlwind two-day tour of the Mornington Peninsula region south of Melbourne, home to some of the sweetest golf terrain imaginable along with some world class designs and the exquisite vanilla slice in the lovely resort town of Sorrento.

There really is no terrain quite like it, so picture the Hampton's melded with a seemingly endless view of linksland, ancient trees, shrub-covered hills and you have some idea what the second home area for Melbourne's elite looks like.

The standout courses are featured, with images below or on the Photos page (the course website links below have much better shots than my quick snaps captured in between shots).

The National, Moonah Course

This Greg Norman Bob Harrison design is held back only by a routing that finishes with a long, uphill stretch, and I'm told that this is more a product of the land planning done by another architect who divided up the plots at this 54-hole complex. Otherwise Harrison's mix of holes, green complexes and opportunities to hit some wildly fun run-up shots makes this the stand out design on the peninsula. The club has two other courses and from the glimpses I saw, they are no match for the world-class golf found on the Moonah. Norman gets the credit, but the vision behind the architecture, beautiful bunkering and overall fun is Harrison.

Stand out hole: short par-4 11th with a beautiful exposed sand area off the tee with a semi-blind second to a punchbowl green. Pictured in the slideshow below, which also shows the fantastic bunkers on this beautifully maintained example of firm, fast golf.

St. Andrews Beach

In immaculate condition, this Tom Doak-designed public course with input from Mike Clayton would be a standout gem in any other reason, but because of its checkered financial history, eccentric design touches and the more straightforward golf in the region gives the impression that this one is (unfortunately) is all too forgotten about. As with some of Doak's early work, a few greens struck me as too small for the contours and slope, but that shouldn't overshadow the many fascinating holes found here. Also note the small, temporary clubhouse. It's probably all most courses need: a pro shop, bathrooms and a nice place for a post-round beer.

Standout hole: the par-3 16th, played from the forward tees. A stunning Redan-like downhill three also features a "Doak" tee 235 yards away, which negates the fun of playing the run-up approach shot. (pictured in gallery)

Portsea Golf Club

This is the real heartbreaker of the region. The scale and beauty of the property is ideal for golf--think Royal Dornoch meets a heathland course). Unfortunately, the club has sold key plots of land to raise money, causing changes to the 9th hole and now the beautiful first. This should be a course on the top of all Peninsula lists but because of its lack of distance in the modern era and the recent changes to the property lines, will likely lose relevance with many. But even with the changes, Portsea still features plenty of super holes and should be celebrated for its smaller, more intimate scale as compared to the courses at The National. It's a must play and the kind of place you'd like to play everyday thanks to the variety, terrain and beauty.

Standout hole: short par-4 13th set atop a knob with a wide area to play to but trouble on all sides, with an exposed green making second shots tricky.

Peninsula Country Club - North Course

Technicaly closer to the sandbelt courses than the peninsula, this 36-hole facility features the longer South and more intimate North, which plays over ideal territory and featured what you'd expect to find in a region influenced by MacKenzie: interesting greens rewarding well thought out angles of attack and cleverness around the greens. It wasn't always that way, as Peter Thomson's work has been modified by Mike Clayton to better reflect the sandbelt values. A few more trees could be removed and the rough (so gladly seen after years of drought) trimmed, but all in all this is an ideal members course in that it will test an elite player while proving playable for the average member.

Standout holes: the par-3 second and par-3 14th are both stunning to look at and fun to hit shots too, while the par-4 18th makes for a solid finish.

Olympic Format Claims Another Victim

Bernie McGuire gets confirmation from Mission Hills' Ken Chu that the two-man World Cup will go to 72-holes of stroke play and world ranking points starting in 2013.

"The World Cup will change format, and it will begin enjoying world rankings points, and it will still be held biennially and at around this time of year," he told Reuters.

"But with golf to be in the 2016 Olympics the equation in golf changes, and these changes to the World Cup will be having the Olympics in mind."

Chu, along with his younger brother Tenniel, Mission Hills vice chairman, held meetings earlier this week at Haikou with the Federation of Golf Tours heads, including PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and his European Tour counterpart, George O'Grady.

Chu indicated the Federation would release a joint statement shortly confirming the changes.

Ah no need now!

Great Time To Buy Tiger!

The NY Times's Ken Belson talks to merchandising and packaging experts who say Tiger's a good buy right now. Naturally, I just enjoy reading quotes about a product that doubles as a person.

“He was brought down, but he’s rebuilding again and rebuilding a different way,” said Ira Mayer, the publisher of the Licensing Letter, a newsletter than tracks merchandising deals. “At this point, he’s the underdog, and that’s a strategy, too. Bill Clinton survived worse, and Tiger is not a head of state.”

This year, Woods has won $660,000 on the PGA Tour, a far cry from the $10.5 million he earned in 2009.

But whatever his troubles, he remains the highest-paid athlete in the world. Last year, he earned more than $62 million from prize money and endorsements, 51 percent less than in 2008, according to the annual study by Sports Illustrated. In the wake of his personal and professional difficulties, Nike, EA Sports and other sponsors did not walk away.

Rolex partnered with Woods until 2002, when he switched to another watchmaker, Tag Heuer. When that deal ended this summer, Rolex re-signed him. Rolex was motivated to work with Woods not just because it competes with Tag Heuer, but also because he remains a popular figure overseas, particularly with wealthy consumers, branding executives said.

“Internationally, he’s been forgiven more quickly,” said Bob Dorfman, who writes the Sports Marketers’ Scouting Report. “It’s a good time to buy Tiger in that sense.”

The story goes on to quote Tiger talking about the Fuse product and how he had scientists independently verify the validity of the product claims. Let's just hope he doesn't get accused of cheating with another power drink like he did during the Gatorade days.

Daly Adds A No-Show To Latest Run, Has His Banishment Begun?

An AP report quotes organizers of the South African Open saying John Daly did not "snub" their event, believed to be his final appearance anywhere for a while after intentionally dumping balls in the lake at The Lakes.

Promoter Mbali Ngqula dismissed reports that Daly had refused to play the European Tour event after his fiery exit from the recent Australian Open, where he hit a string of shots into a lake and then quit saying he had run out of balls. Ngqula said on Thursday "it is wrong to suggest that John snubbed our invitation, he did no such thing." Ngqula said Daly was "very willing" to play the South African Open but had been unable to make it in time.

"In short, we still don't know if Tiger will really be back. But Australia gave us some strong evidence that he is finally feeling accepted."

I rarely disagree with my colleague Jaime Diaz, but in the case of his Golf World column on what Royal Melbourne proved about Woods game, I don't agree.

The Royal Melbourne Composite course may have been a beast, but it played to Woods' strength. For all the hosannas raised to the Alister Mackenzie masterpiece, at less than 7,000 yards, to hold up, it had to be tricked up. Only carefully crafted and supremely struck iron shots were well received by the rock-hard and crazy-fast greens, and Woods can still hit more of those than anyone. What the layout didn't require was the driver, and that's the club that will tell where Woods really is with his swing. Finally, Woods got a relatively easy singles draw against Aaron Baddeley, who was shaky after his Calcavecchian miss off the 18th tee on the opening day set a negative tone for his team.

In short, we still don't know if Tiger will really be back. But Australia gave us some strong evidence that he is finally feeling accepted.

Other than some silly rough, I don't think Royal Melbourne was tricked up. As I noted in my story for the same issue of Golf World (not posted), the PGA Tour staff did a super job backing off the pedal to ensure that the course was not tricked up during Friday's potentially Shinnecockian day.

Furthermore, the conditions were major-championship-like in terms of crowd presence and speed of the golf course, making the kind of golf Woods and several others displayed pretty telling about the level of one's game.

Now, as for the driver issue, it is true that Woods didn't have to hit a lot of drivers. But a quick look at the 2012 major schedule will show that the driver will not be an important club at two and perhaps three of the venues. Stingers will be a golfer's friend in 2012, which bodes well for Tiger.

Hackel Speaks On Prez Cup Fashion; Spares Wives

I was a little disappointed that Marty Hackel opted not to highlight the International team decision to have player wives wear their last names on the back of certain clothing items or to display caddie names on bags, but even more alarming is the U.S. team photo that includes embedded journalist Bob Verdi!

Five Really Minor Royal Melbourne Quibbles

As I continue on in the land where Internet access went to die, a few final reflections from Tasmania on the Presidents Cup week at glorious Royal Melbourne. The week wasn't without a few minor hiccups worth noting for the next time championship golf returns there.

• The horrifying, absurd and totally unnecessary rough in several places that could be replaced by firm, sandy scrub, maintaining the challenge while returning the beauty. Golfers might also be able to see the sixth hole (West) fairway bunkers again. (Example of sandy look, left photo.)

• The dreadful landscaping effort down the 15th fairway (17 East). New mounds and out-of-place landscaping need to be replaced by the new consulting architect who presumably replaces the person that came up with this.

• Using the first and second holes of the West Course as the Presidents Cup finishing holes. Even though they were not reached a lot, I still wonder if they should have been the openers and the 18th on the East the finisher (instead of playing as the 16th on the Composite). The course might have had a slightly kinder opening flow, and a stronger finish.

• That the bunkers being so groomed during the Presidents Cup. Instead, go for the look seen at the rest of the sandbelt and rake 'em just a couple of times a week, leaving the floors nice and firm.

• That we won't be returning to this magnificent, endlessly fascinating and ideal venue for championship golf anytime soon, or for a major championship. But the women will be there in February and we'll get another fix of this amazing place.

10 Great Things About Royal Melbourne

With the holiday week and my need to inspect Tasmania's finest golf, not to mention a 15 hour plane ride home, posting will be light. Still, I just can't let go of Royal Melbourne yet, so there's my Golf World Monday item with a few player quotes and here, in a stunning world exclusive, a few more thoughts on the course.

Frankly, it's morbidly depressing to think we won't see a tournament golf course this fascinating for a while. I could have filed a book on what I saw out at Royal Melbourne this week, but I'll only bore you with a few observations.

• The course gets more interesting, more fascinating and more beguiling each day you study it. I watched five days of golf there and feel like I hardly know it.

• The greens are complex, yet the key features are easy to remember. This is vital in attracting the affection of players who want to shape shots off of the contours (and therefore, makes the strategy so much more interesting.)
• The conditioning. So firm, so fast and so pure, yet not too green or unnatural in appearance.

• The bunker faces are firm with little-to-no sand on them while the floors are raked. There is simply no excuse for not doing this in the United States and elsewhere.

• The club has the best members-only logo in golf. I'd post it, but what's the point. We aren't members.

• Not all of the best holes on the property are on the Composite course, meaning the tired suggestion that it's not great because it requires a Composite 18 is, well, tired.
• The par-3s. Tiger said it after the round, and it was echoed by several players: par-3s do not need to be 250 yards to be interesting. They can be 150 yards and still all the best players can handle...assuming the architect did his job. And to think they left out several others on the property that would have been just as fascinating to watch.

• Every Presidents Cup match played the most interesting holes on the course. Yes, many of RM's standout holes came early in the round, but every match passed through the first through sixth holes, and for that matter, the seventh through thirteenth. It was considered an unusual flow, but it worked well.

• They open their doors to professional golf. The Presidents Cup this week, the LPGA in February.

• The Composite course features three of the best short par-4s in the world. As in, top 10 on my or most sane individuals' list of favorite short par-4s: 1, 6, 10 on this year's Composite, better known as 3 West, 10 West and 1 East.

R.I.P. Ted Forstmann

IMG's chairman and CEO passes.