[Jeff_Lewis]

First - Royal Sydney.   Haven't been there in beyond a dog's age.   Does it have too many trees?? Have they done any clearing?   Thoughts from the locals?


Next- World Cup from Kingston Heath.   Haven't looked forward to televised golf so much since RCD was radiantly broadcast during recent Irish Open.

[Greg Gilson]

Jeff, plenty of locals (I am based in Melbourne) will comment on Royal Sydney. It actually looked pretty good on TV, IMHO. Its a great club & facility but an unremarkable course as it stands. There are plans for Gil Hanse to rework it....but there seems no urgency. It already looks like an old woman who's had a couple too many facelifts.


The Heath on the other hand will never disappoint. The course looks great & is playing F & F. Enjoy this week because the PGA the week after is played over a pretty basic resort type course at Royal Pines. Orlando transplanted down under.

[Gary Sato]

Haven't looked forward to televised golf so much since RCD was radiantly broadcast during recent Irish Open.

First, I rarely watch TGC anymore for fear of the anchors or other smily face misfit like Lauren Thompson pushing Golf Now or some other complete nonsense.


With that said, Royal Sydney looked OK.  I couldn't help but watch and hope that Gil does something spectacular.

[BHoover]

What happened to the Australian Masters? Instead of just watching the World Cup from Kingston Heath (which I'm really looking forward to), why is the Masters also not being played?


I will ask the same thing about the Perth event from Lake Karrinyup?

[Greg Gilson]

Hi Brian, more knowledgeable folks than me will give you the economics behind the disappearance of The Aussie Masters etc. The fact is that The Masters has struggled for field quality & consequently sponsorship (& consequently field quality in that death spiral) for many years. Rotating the event away from Huntingdale to the great Sandbelt tracks gave it an injection, especially  that incredible year of Tiger's last win as a white knight. However, televised tournament golf in Australia is on life support. This is especially sad given the quality of the potential venues, the history of the events and the long list of great winners - Nicklaus & Player, especially, were wonderful & regular visitors back in the 60's. My hope is that its a temporary dip in line with the other temporary dip in in interest in golf generally.

[BHoover]

So will they ever move the Australian Open back to Melbourne?

[Greg Gilson]

Yep but not for the foreseeable future:


2017 Emirates Australian Open - The Australian Golf Club, NSW, Nov 23-26   2018 Emirates Australian Open - The Lakes Golf Club, NSW, Nov 22-25
   2019 Emirates Australian Open - The Australian Golf Club, NSW
   2020 Emirates Australian Open - TBC
   2021 Emirates Australian Open - The Australian Golf Club, NSW

[Chris Kane]

So will they ever move the Australian Open back to Melbourne?

I hope not - the New South Wales Government and the people of Sydney have been great supporters of the Australian Open. Big crowds and a real sense of occasion which has been missing from Melbourne tournaments of late. Going to Melbourne would put it back on the death spiral; just look at what happened to the Australian Masters.


Melbourne just won't support pro golf anymore, unless its a big once-off thing. It is very disappointing, and I say this as a Melburnian.

[Matthew Rose]

For a city with the sporting culture that Melbourne has, it never seemed real crazy about tournament golf, at least when I was there 10-12 years ago. It doesn't seem to have improved any.

I went to two Aus Opens as a spectator as well as a Masters, and my recollection is that tickets were cheap, easy to get, and the events themselves were modestly attended. It kind of felt a little like going to the Greater Milwaukee Open. I didn't really feel like I was at a national open.

[Sean Walsh]

The contract with the NSW Govt has the Aus Open in NSW through 2023. As part of the contract two years may be moved if certain targets are not met.

[James Bennett]

In February 2017, the women are playing their Australian Open at Royal Adelaide.
Last year, it was played at Grange West (which Mike Clayton did work on a decade ago).
Next year in 2018, the event will be at Kooyonga.

James B

[David_Tepper]

Kingston Heath video tour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD5VsTSsM8U

Further comments:

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2016/11/22/getting-in-the-mood-for-kingston-heath-2016-world-cup.html

[BHoover]

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Kingston Heath tomorrow evening.

[RJ_Daley]

With regards to comments on sparsely attended golf events, whilst I srely don't know the spectator culture, the crowds seem pretty heavy for a first day.  Perhaps more impressive given this weeks outbreak this week of the rare and potentially deadly "thunderstrom asthma" that has indeed taken three lives and hospitalized over 1,000. 

But,  I am very much enjoying the broadcast this evening, bringing back special memories of K.H.  I have the 2D to 3D conversion on my TV and although it doesn't convert to true 3D, it does give more sense of those lovely contours and curvecious bunkering.  Good stuff. 

[RJ_Daley]

Continuing to enjoy the broadcast, but it is like Andy Sullivan of England is determined to get the sound track on course microphones eliminated all by himself with his continued potty mouth.  Of course the Aussie commentators just say he is a very colorful player, refreshing really... 

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