Royal Melbourne (West), Australia   

5^th hole, 175 yards: One of golf's finest green sites, the green is nestled into its own lovely amphitheater framed by native Australian bush and deep bunkers that edge within one foot of the putting surface itself. MacKenzie very much had the Eden hole at St. Andrews in mind when he built this green complex and it shows in the severe back to front tilt of the green. Surely this is the finest one shotter in a city known for its superlative one shot holes?

The beautfully-framed fifth green.

6^th hole, 430 yards: The quintessential dogleg. The closer the golfer hugs the inside of the dogleg, the easier his approach shot. The matter is complicated because the inside of the dogleg is were the scrub and bunkers are to be found. Unlike too many doglegs that are overgrown with trees, the challenge here is not driving around the corner as it is going over the corner. Selected by Golf Atlas as the greatest sixth hole in the world - there is no reason to argue. This hole has it all. The elevated tee shot is to an immense fairway that doglegs right. The farther the golfer steers his tee shot away from the fairway bunkers, the more he must confront the deep bunker guarding the left side of the green. The approach can be with anything from a two iron to a nine iron to a  nightmarishly contoured green.

The uphill approach to the wildly undulating sixth green.

7^th hole, 150 yards: A rare one shotter that is both uphill and superb, this one rivals the world famous 15th at Kingston Heath for its playing merits. Again the green follows the land; this time sloping back down the hill toward the golfer standing on the tee. A little seven iron up the hill must stay below the flag. If successful, a straightforward uphill birdie putt awaits. Anything missed long left or right will age the golfer in a hurry as the best players in the world found out during the 1998 President's Cup.

The troublesome seventh.

10^th hole, 305 yards: A drivable short two shotter where anything is possible. The decision is made on the tee; does the golfer take on the pit bunker in the crook of the dogleg and draw the ball onto the green, where a score of eagle to double-bogey awaits. Or does he aim straight ahead and try for a three with a tidy pitch, where a birdie to bogey awaits. Mike Clayton considers it the finest hole of its length that he has ever seen.

The threat from the tee is obvious to the first time golfer.

However, the green complex is so multifaceted, it gives the golfer fits about which is the best way to play the hole.

17^th hole, 440 yards: This green complex highlights what makes the West Course so special, even among MacKenzie's other work in the sandbelt area. First, the greenside bunker is massive in scale and beautifully ties the green into the surrounding bush. Second, the green is bunkered only on one side; thus, the club golfer can always bail to the left and achieve a straightforward bogey while the hole remains a bear for the good player.

Note the bunkers are only on one side of the 17th green.

All the holes included above could reasonably make anyone's list of the eighteen finest holes in the world. A great course does indeed have great holes.

Certainly more than the sadly tinkered with version of Augusta National that now exists, the West Course at Royal Melbourne best embodies the design philosophies of the finest golf course architect of all-time, making the West Course a must for any student of architecture to see. It is worth the effort to come study this course from any point on the globe.

The approach to the 15th, shows the many textures that Royal Melbourne possesses.

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