q golf online - issues 1

Bagara Pro in US Open Triumph Jackie Marshall heads to the USDaniel Nisbet overseasHyatt Regency Coolum takes shape

PLUS:Slope HandicappingYour favourite Queensland courses revealedTravel: Jamaica Greens

Katherine HullGiving back to junior golf on the Sunshine Coast

www.golfqueensland.com.au

OnlineIssue 1 - September 2009

Q GOLF

2 Q-Golf Online September 2009 Q-Golf Online September 2009

Q-Golf Online

Editor: Phil Laurie

Golf Queensland PO Box 1518, Bowen HillsBrisbane, QLD 4001 P: (07) 3252 8155F: (07) 3257 1520E: [email protected]

Contributing Writers Andrew Marshall, David Newbery, Paul Marshall, Matt Cooper, Tony Webeck , Scott Wagstaff

Golf Queensland CEO Lindsay Ellis Golf Operations Manager Scott Wagstaff Golf Operations Coordinator Christian GillottGolf Operations Assistant Chris Evans Communications Manager Phil Laurie Finance Manager Matthew Sedgman Development Manager Adrian Hewat Development Officer Scott SimonsOffice Coordinator Monika Kutija

14 Walden Lane Bowen Hills QLD 4006

PO Box 1518Bowen HillsBrisbane, QLD 4001

P: (07) 3252 8155F: (07) 3257 1520E: [email protected]

Golf Queensland Ltd can not ensure that the advertisements appearing

in this publication comply absolutely with the Trade Practices Act and

other consumer legislation. It is the responsibility of the advertiser and / or

supplier to ensure compliance with all legal requirements. Golf Queensland

do not accept responsibility for incorrect information appearing in such

advertisements. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored,

transmitted or used in any other way without prior permission from Golf

queensland. Contributions including the contributor’s name and address

are welcomed by this publication, and should be addressed to The Editor,

GQ Quarterly, PO Box 1518, Brisbane, QLD 4001 or emailed to phil@

golfqueensland.org.au

COVER SHOT:Katherine Hull lines up a birdie put on the first hole during the second round of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock Golf Course on June 12, 2009 in Havre de Grace, Maryland. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

From the Editor’s DeskWith Phil Laurie

With a host of Forums and Conferences having been

conducted around the country over the last couple of months, there’s no aspect of golf industry administration that hasn’t been dissected down to the finest detail.

Of most significance to readers will be the October launch of Golf Australia’s new website portal and associated marketing campaign Play Golf.

At it’s heart, the website portal allows clubs, driving ranges and State Associations to promote their various clinics, programs and initiatives.

The Play Golf website will then channel consumers through to different sectors of the industry depending on their game requirements and individual information.

Designed to make the golf industry accessible, regardless of the consumer’s level of knowledge of the game, the Play Golf website portal (when complete) will feature not only the aforementioned ‘look up’ facility related to coaching and clinics (similar to what’s available through the AFL Aus Kick program), but also the ability to book online tee times and search for membership opportunities.

It’s a long overdue initiative, which

will be launched on 1 October to make full use of the extra publicity generated by the presence of a certain Tiger Woods when he visits Melbourne for The Masters in November.

In another significant boost for the sport, golf has also been short listed for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic program to be held at either Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janiero.

Golf was last played at the Olympics in 1904 in St Louis, and no doubt the additional funding finding its way into the sport from the Australian Sports Commission will ultimately go a long way towards fostering a new generation of elite amateurs and ‘trainee’ touring professionals.

On the profile front - things are definitely looking up for golf!

You may have noticed a subtle name change to this - our third edition of our online magazine.

It appears that our former masthead was a little too similar in name to a certain gentlemen’s lifestyle magazine which you may happen across while browsing your local news agent.

We hope then that you enjoy this - the ‘first’ edition of Q-Golf Online.

Phil Laurie [email protected]

Expect golf’s marketing profile to undergo a radical new face lift in October.

Q-Golf Online September 2009 3

Q-Golf Online September 2009

Course Rating should level the playing field As a social player, I can’t wait for the introduction of the Slope Handicapping and course rating system into Australia. I guess with all courses now being rated on their relative difficulty, golfing publications will be able to publish lists of the country’s courses in order of playing difficulty. My mates and I think this would make a great golfing trip - playing the

country’s top-10 hardest courses as rated under the USGA system that your publication outlined last edition. It will also be interesting to see if the harder ranked courses see this as a marketing opportunity to try and attract the more ‘gung ho’ golfer who fancies challenging themselves on harder tracks. On the flip side, I pity those poor courses rated at the easy end of the spectrum - will anyone be interested?Tony Smith, Caboolture

Rules knowledge ?A couple of months back Golf Queensland ran a web poll asking readers how good their rules knowledge was. I think over 50% answered that they ‘had a fair idea’ when it came to the knowledge of the rules of golf. (It was 64% - Ed)Judging by the number of rules infringements I see taking place at my club every week, I think these people are deluding themselves. Richard Devon, Sandgate

MAIL BAG

Tour of duty!I think Andrew Dodt (‘Familiar Surroundings’ - GQ Quarterly, May) was being quite polite when describing the farcical situation that now exists for some Australian professionals in relation to the Asian Tour and One Asia Tour. The fact that Dodt, and no doubt a few others, have had three or four events trimmed from their playing schedule because regional Asian events have swapped allegiances to the One Asia concept is quite ironic, given the support the tour has received from the Australian golf industry. What

happens to these Australian players when it comes time to choose between their Asian tour cards or risking fines or suspension to play the Australian Open or Australian PGA - both now One Asia events?The Australian industry is only hurting their own in their arrogant pursuit of this One Asia concept.

Dave Surridge, Lowood


Professional golfer Katherine Hull began repaying her debt to

stardom a couple of years ago, when she sponsored a junior tournament on the Sunshine Coast.Now the popular Queenslander has decided it’s time to step up her level of involvement by sponsoring a major junior girls’ event that carries her name.The Katherine Hull Classic is the new name for the Queensland Girl’s 54-hole Strokeplay Championship, which will be played at Horton Park Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast in September.“I think it was just a matter of time before I started to do something,” Hull said.“Obviously the Sunshine Coast and Queensland have been very kind

to me and I think kids deserve an opportunity to play in good events and play sport, whether it’s golf or whatever.“You have to give them as many opportunities as possible and just hope they enjoy it.“I think it’s important that todays professional athletes put back into the communities that they came from and show the kids it can be done if you want to make it work and you work hard at it. “Even for me growing up watching Greg Norman play and to be involved with his junior golf foundation was pretty special, so it’s amazing what kids reap from it. It means the world to kids.”The 27-year-old, who had a stellar year in 2008 winning the Canadian

Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters, would love the opportunity to attend the inaugural classic event, but a hectic international schedule will deny her the chance.“Unfortunately, I won’t be there because I’ve got a full schedule and can’t get home until December,” Hull explained.“I would actually like to get more involved once I get home in the summer.“Maybe when I get back in December or January I’ll be able to put on a junior clinic or help some kids out with goal-setting and direction with their careers.”Hull understands the importance of junior development and has fond memories of her own experiences growing up on the Sunshine Coast.

Hull’s Classic Contribution

“Even for me growing up watching Greg

Norman play and to be involved with his junior

golf foundation was pretty special, so it’s

amazing what kids reap from it.

It means the world to kids.”



A talented athlete, Hull excelled at most sports including netball, swimming, water polo, tennis, cricket, gymnastics and even touch football.“Both my sister Vanessa, who is 15 months younger than me, and I were always involved in sport,” Hull said.“We did it all so we were very fortunate that we could try a bunch of sports and represented the school in netball and other sports. It was fun.“I played netball up to grade 11 and I really loved it but gave up in year 12 because I wanted to focus on my golf and get good grades at school to get a scholarship.“I missed the team sports, but in terms of getting me prepared for a career in golf it was probably the best thing to do.”

Hull was 12 years old when she was introduced to golf by her father Frank, a talented pennant player.

“I actually caddied for my dad in a pennant match in Gympie when I was 12 and on the drive home he asked me if I wanted to try golf and I said yes,” Hull said.“I was playing tennis and cricket at the time and I was totally into sport.“He took me out one day after school and I just loved it and got involved in the junior clinics at Tewantin-Noosa Golf Club on a Friday afternoon and a Saturday morning and just got hooked.“I remember loving it and wanting to play and practice as much as possible.”

Hull – who comes from a small, close-knit family – said she had a wonderful childhood growing up first in Brisbane and later at Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.“I could not have asked for a better childhood or better parents,” Hull said.“I grew up in Brisbane and we moved to Noosa when I was seven.“We lived by the beach, but I never got into surfing or became a beach bum because I was always playing sport and into the school work.“My parents stressed education thankfully and that was one of the reasons I ended up coming to America to play golf and get the degree.

By David Newbery

Continued Next Page ......

“Even for me growing up watching Greg

Norman play and to be involved with his junior

golf foundation was pretty special, so it’s

amazing what kids reap from it.

It means the world to kids.”


“I knew that was going to be hard doing that in Australia and advancing the golf career at the same time

because there’s such a limited amount of tournaments you can play in Australia as an amateur.”With a good grade 12 certificate tucked in her suitcase, she headed for Pepperdine University in the United States where she excelled on and off the course.“I didn’t find it difficult at all leaving home and going to the States,” Hull said. “I am pretty much an extravert and outgoing so I was really excited to be there.“I was fortunate that Pepperdine was a smaller university and only has 3000 students. Had I gone to a bigger university I would have got lost in the crowd and probably not done as well.”Hull, who graduated with a BA sports administration degree, won eight collegiate tournaments, picked up the NCAA College Player of the Year award in 2003 and was an All-American in 2002-’03.“My teammates were fantastic and became my instant best friends,” she said.“I lived on campus for three and a

half years and loved that. I could literally roll out of bed and walk a couple of hundred yards to get to class.“I loved everything about college and I’d do it the exact same way if I had to do it again.“My college team in my last year was the number one ranked team and we won six straight tournaments.“That was a fun year because we were the hottest team and the team to beat. We had a lot of success and the hard work paid off.”Hull developed a good work ethic early in her career, instilled first by her parents Frank and Pauline and later by her college coach.When she arrived at Pepperdine University she quickly formed a close bond with her college coach and her husband.“They were like second parents and that helped me out tremendously with golf, study and life management,” Hull revealed.“And then I met a family one summer at a tournament in Kansas and they offered me accommodation after I graduated.“They too have been a huge influence in the last six years.”Hull said some of the other people who have contributed to her success include her coach, trainer and a couple of caddies.

“But my parents have always had the biggest influence on my career.“They are always a great sounding board and pretty much my mentors,” she said.“They don’t try and tell me what to do when it comes to golf. They know I’ve got it under control. “They have seen me grow up and know me better than anyone else on this planet.“I can talk with them about everything and I hope that never changes.

Katherine Hull - PROFILE

Born: Eyes: International Victories:

Brisbane Hazel 3

Height: Turned Pro: Pro Highlights:

177cm (5’10”) 2003 Canada Open & ANZ Ladies Masters

Hair: Joined LPGA: Amateur highlights:

Brown 2004 Eight collegiate victories, NCAA College Player of the Year and an All- American

The Katherine Hull Classic will be played at Horton Park Golf Club from September 27-29. The event is open to girls under the age of 18. Golf Queensland has introduced a separate 18-20 years division, however, the major winner will come from the under-18 girls’ section.

Visit the Golf Queensland website for all tournament

details.


You can now call him “Major Phil” Curd.Phil Curd, Queensland Club Professional of the Year and Bargara Golf Club professional, can now add “major winning coach” to his already impressive resume after guiding South Korean Eun-Hee Ji to victory in the US Women’s Open.It’s a remarkable story in a modern golf world where most professionals insist on having their coach at their beck and call.There’s none of that with Curd and his young protégé, who met five years ago and have formed a wonderful, albeit long distance, working relationship.Curd said he met Ji by chance after a close friend had visited Korea and suggested she travel to Bargara for lessons.“Her father owns a water-ski park and a golf driving range in Korea and a good friend, who is a water-

ski coach, used to go over there and coach the Korean water-ski team,” Curd explained.“Eun-Hee Ji was about to turn professional and they were going to bring her to Australia to get some experience playing the Australian Open and Ladies Masters and my friend said ‘why don’t you come and stay at Bargara and you can meet our professional who can get her ready for those events’.“It was a bit of a chance meeting really and we happened to hit if off,” Curd said.The chance meeting turned out to be a master stroke because Ji finished 20th in the Ladies Masters and went on to win the Malaysian Open and the Macau Open.“We just got off to a really nice start and then we had confidence in each other,” Curd said.Mind you, it took a lot of hard work to get her tournament hardened, but

Curd’s work was made somewhat easier as Ji was brought up by a strict disciplinarian dad and was prepared for anything – well, almost anything.There were a few stressful moments at the end of a long day on the practice fairway.She was an excellent ball-striker, but her putting was below average and Curd knew it.“By professional standards she was a very average putter, averaging between 32 and 33 putts per round,” Curd said.“We used to spend a couple of hours on the putting green and working on technique, distance control and that sort of thing and we used to finish up where I made her hole five 10-footers in a row.“It all started out as a bit of fun, but a couple of nights she just couldn’t get it and would get to three or four and have to go back to the start when she missed one.

Award-winning club pro in major breakthrough By David Newbery

Eun Hee Ji of South Korea poses with the trophy after her one-stroke victory at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open at the Saucon Valley Country Club on July 12, 2009 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Opposite: With coach Phil Curd



“She was tired from practicing all day and wanted to go home and so did I.“But I thought if we are going to make this thing work we are going to have to stick this out.“I’d have to turn the lights on and we’d be there until she did it and her father thought it was pretty good because that’s his style.“I said to her one night at about 7.30 after she finally did it that one day she was going to have to hole a 10-footer to win a tournament and you’ll remember this.“You are going to know you can do this under pressure.“All those things help and make you mentally tougher when you do get in that situation,” he said.Well, Ji must have had Curd’s words ringing in her ears because that’s exactly what happened when she needed a 20-footer on the 72nd hole to win the US Women’s Open.All the blood, sweat and tears paid off when she drained the putt to claim her first major.The 23-year-old now averages 28.5 putts per round.

Since turning professional in 2004, Ji has been a model of consistency.In her rookie year (2007) on the LPGA Tour she played just four events, made the cut in all of them and banked more than $250,000.In 2008 she scored her breakthrough victory winning the Wegmans Championship and made 25 cuts from 28 events. This year Ji has

missed only one cut from nine starts.Curd said he wouldn’t be surprised if she won a British Women’s Open.

In the past two Opens she has finished fifth and third respectively and seems to enjoy playing links-style courses.Curd and Ji talk on the telephone each week and get together two or three times a year.“It’s very different – I’ve never done anything like that before,” said Curd, who is used to coaching local members and running junior clinics.“We talk every week and she’ll go out and have practice rounds and we’ll talk about the course, how she’s feeling, how the ball-striking and putting feels.“She’s got a fairly sound action.“I get to see the stats every week and get to see how her ball-striking and putting is going and talk to her about that.“If she’s feeling down I remind her about all the good things that have happened and what’s going up and do we need to change the schedule.“Whilst it’s been difficult you’d have to say it’s been successful. We really don’t know any other way.”

“We talk every week and she’ll go out and have practice rounds and we’ll talk about

the course, how she’s feeling, how the ball-striking and putting

feels.”

10 Q-Golf Online September 2009

Prolific winner Dan Nisbet is on a steep learning curve.

After winning four successive major amateur events in Australia earlier this year, a confident Nisbet recently took his A-grade game to the United Kingdom and the America. As Australia’s number one ranked amateur golfer, he was keen to find out how his game stacked up against some of the world’s best amateurs.Nisbet, 19, knew he would come up against some classy players, but it was the Scottish weather that surprised him.

Even in the middle of summer it was cold and miserable.“I learnt a lot about the weather, how to play in the cold and on links courses where you have to work the ball a lot more,” Nisbet said.“You have to hit shots where you don’t aim at the pin, but allow the wind to take the ball to the target.“It’s a different game in the UK but it’s good to experience all of it like playing in difficult weather conditions and playing at St Andrews, which was enjoyable and a lot of fun.“You certainly have to think about your shots a lot more.”Nisbet played three events in the UK with his best result a respectable tie for fourth place in the St Andrews Links Trophy.From there he headed for the US to play three more events including the Players Amateur Championship, Porter Cup and the Sahalee Players Championship – an event he had a chance of winning.With two holes to play Nisbet was in a tie for the lead with American and world number one amateur Nick

Taylor. The pair came to the difficult 190m par-3 17th hole (71st) locked at four-under par.Taylor hit his ball over the flag, but 40 feet from the hole. Nisbet nailed his approach shot to six feet.The American, who had struggled with his putter through the tournament, proceeded to drain the monster birdie putt while Nisbet pushed his short putt to the right.Taylor, holding a one stroke lead on the 18th green, made birdie from 15 feet to seal the victory at six-under par 282. Nisbet also made birdie holing his seven-foot birdie putt to finish one back at five-under par.“I had my chance to win, but it

doesn’t matter now,” Nisbet said.“I was playing well and

just got beaten in the last few holes.”

Nisbet, who

has a scratch players ranking of 18 in the

world,

finished T11th in the Players Amateur and T36 in the Porter Cup.“It was a long trip, but a great trip and it was great to catch up with a few good friends in Seattle and spend a few weeks there with them,” he said.“Seattle is definitely my favourite part of the US.”Nisbet, who plays off a +4 handicap at Caboolture Golf Club, says he is enjoying the challenges of amateur golf and won’t switch to the professional ranks until he has achieved his amateur goals.“I’m not in any rush to get there,” he said. “I don’t want to do it until it’s the right time.“I have got a few things I have got to get done before I turn pro. Getting into the top-10 of scratch players in the world is one of those goals.”Nisbet is back at work at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) where he is preparing for the Asian Amateur Championship to be played at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Misson Hills Golf Club in China at the end

of October and the Hong Kong Amateur soon

after.The winner of the Asian Amateur will be invited to play in the

2010 US Masters at Augusta, while the winner and runner-up will gain a place in

international final qualifying for next year’s British Open to be played at St Andrews.

Nisbet’s mission possible By David Newbery


Jacki goes a fair way to fulfilling her dream By David Newbery

Queensland golfs’ loss will be the United States college system’s

gain when Jacki Marshall takes up a golf scholarship at Tyler Junior College in Texas.The 17-year-old is one of the state’s brightest young stars and her loss to the Queensland development program is a major blow. But Marshall, who plays off two, believes her decision to leave Queensland’s elite golf program and embark on one of the biggest golf journeys of her young life is the right one for her.“It might take a bit of getting used to, but it’ll be worth it and it’s what I really want to do,” she said.Marshall, voted Queensland junior golfer of the year, left Australia in August with a positive attitude and with a goal to complete the program.The sweet-swinging youngster acknowledges leaving Australia at such a young age is a daunting prospect and that the US college system pathway isn’t for everyone.But she knows what to expect after receiving some words of wisdom from fellow Queensland representative Courtney Massey.Massey, who attended Minnesota University, became disillusioned with the lack of golfing opportunities and was unprepared for the amount of study she was required to do and returned home after just three months.“I was at a division one college and I was studying six to 11 hours a day,” Massey explained.“We only did two or three hours of golf a week, which was pretty

disappointing because I come from doing about 25-plus hours a week.”Massey said when the college coach started tinkering with her swing that was the last straw.“My advice to Jacki is to stick with what she’s already been taught and don’t change your swing too much and keep working with your coach at home,” she said.“I didn’t have that choice and obviously it didn’t quite work out.”Both Massey and Marshall are coached by renowned Queensland teaching professional Ian Triggs.Marshall plans spending a year at Tyler Junior College before switching to Minnesota University.“I have got an open scholarship at Minnesota, but I will have a look at other colleges around there and hope to get another offer – hopefully somewhere a bit warmer,” she said.“I am looking forward to going over there and learning how things are

done and seeing what things are like.”Marshall said she would continue working with coach Ian Triggs.“I have already told the coach at Tyler College that Ian Triggs is my main coach and he respects that and is happy with that,” she said.“Basically, the college coaches will help me only if I ask for it.“We’ve got classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and we train in the afternoons of those days and play on Tuesdays and Thursdays.“And we have five major tournaments in this semester (August to December), which is really exciting.”Marshall, who will live on campus, has already got to know some of her teammates.“I have been talking to the girl I’ll be rooming with over Facebook.“She’s from Mexico and I have got to know her pretty well and I have also been talking to and getting to know a few of the other girls on the team through Facebook and e-mail,” Marshall said.The Pacific Golf Club member, who has ambitions of one day turning professional, said she would assess her goals once she had completed her degree.“After four years at college I’ll see where my golf is at and come home to play the Australian Tour and then try Europe or somewhere else.”Marshall will be back in Australia in December for the Christmas holiday period before returning to the US in February.


Wednesday:

This surely has to be the most exhausting and stressful week

of the year for the Course Manager at Turnberry? “Not really,” says Euan Grant, the man in the hot seat. “We sit about drinking coffee and watching TV! All the hard work comes before the Open so during the event itself we’re a bit like firemen – we’ve got nothing to do unless something goes wrong.”It’s not so relaxing for the hundreds of Japanese media who are following every move made by their wonder kid Ryo Ishikawa (pictured below). The 17-year-old arrived in Scotland fresh from a win at home and celebrates by kissing a haggis (does he know what is in it?).

Thursday: Official starter Ivor Robson spends all day, every day on the first tee. From the first group at 6.30 to the departure of the final group at 16.21 Ivor drinks nothing, eats very little and never has a toilet break. Rather him than me.A lame gag on tour states that you always know where Adam Scott is – you look for the giggling girls. This week, though, it is giggling boys who are following Scott’s three-ball. Why? Because his girlfriend Ana Ivanovic is walking the fairways and she is having a profound effect. One man trips down a sand-dune and another walks into a signpost, both whilst trying to steal a glimpse of Ana without anyone noticing. It didn’t work.

Friday: Mark Calcavecchia ends the day in third place and reveals the secret of his success. It’s a local brew that goes by the name of St Mungo’s. Too much medicine can be worse than none at all so the Calc is limiting himself to four pints a night.

Saturday: No tournament has as many volunteers as the Open and this week many are from the Forces. Media liaison officer Tim recently returned from service in Afghanistan. A plus-two handicapper he played in the Amateur Championship the day after arriving home (“no practice for six months though – I had other things on my mind”) and is now enjoying a week inside the ropes “pretending I made it.”

Sunday: Six years ago, in a pub near Sandwich during the 2003 Open, a drunken Tasmanian told me that Matthew Goggin would one day contend for the Claret Jug. I doubted him, but today Goggin plays in the final group with Tom Watson. He walks to the first tee looking relaxed and unshaven. “Get a shave, ya mug,” shouts a compatriot in green and gold. “Lucky whiskers, mate,” Goggin smiles, rubbing his chin. Not that lucky – he shoots 73 and finishes fifth.

When the press solemnly troop into the Tom Watson press conference he quips, “Cheer up, it’s not a funeral.” But it feels like one. The old men of the media slumped as one when Watson’s bid for glory failed. They look more ashen than he does because they were vicariously enjoying his rejection of Old Father Time but, when he failed, age caught up with the lot of them.

Behind the scenes at the OpenThe Golf Queensland budget didn’t quite stretch to making the trip to Scotland, so we called in a favour from Golf365.com resident blogger Matt Cooper to take a peek behind the scenes at

Turnberry.


Slope HandicappingOn 1 January 2012, Australia

will become one of almost 60 country’s worldwide to have adopted the USGA Handicapping System. In our last edition, we highlighted upcoming changes to the rating of Australia’s golf courses under the USGA Course Rating System. As a reminder to readers, the USGA Course Rating system and the USGA or “Slope” Handicapping System are completely separate issues. The USGA Course Rating System by definition relates to the relative difficulty of a golf course and the Slope Handicapping System is a widely used (but distinctly different) equivalent of Australia’s CCR-based handicapping system which players will be familiar with through their experience with GolfLink.This month we’ll take a closer look at the ‘Slope’ Handicapping side of the equation. Under the ‘Slope’ system, a player holds what is called a Handicap Index (which is similar to the exact Australian Handicap a player in Australia would currently hold).A player’s Handicap Index will serve as their official handicap reference point at every course at which they play, including of course their home club. However the handicap index will be converted to a Course Handicap relevant to the course and tee they are playing each time they set foot on the course. Those of you who have played overseas may be familiar with the process whereby a player will access their Course Handicap from an easily understood reference table that all clubs will be provided with after their course has been rated under the USGA System. Some software system will actually print the course handicap on the card for the round. These tables are in poster format, which will be displayed in a prominent position around the club’s clubhouse and Pro Shop areas.

So what handicap do I play off at any given course?

It all depends on the tee you are playing from and that specific courses’ Slope Rating, which can range from 55 (very easy) to 155 (very difficult). The neutral Slope Rating is 113. The player’s Course Handicap will be lower than their Handicap Index when the Slope Rating of the course they intend playing is below 113. Conversely the player’s Course Handicap will be higher than their Handicap Index when the Slope Rating of the course they intend playing is above 113. Refer to the table opposite as an example. Note that the higher the players Handicap Index, the greater the difference will be between their Handicap Index and their Course Handicap.Put simply, a golfer using the USGA ‘Slope’ System converts their Handicap Index to a Course Handicap that is higher on more difficult courses (that is, on a higher than average 113 Slope-rated course), and lower on easier courses (that is, lower Slope-ratedcourses). An example of this is that a player off an index of 15, on a difficult course may actually play off a course handicap of 18. On an easy course he may get 13.

So how is my handicap adjusted?

From 1 February 2010 a major change to the current system will take effect, as a prelude to the introduction of the USGA system in 2012. A player’s handicap will be calculated from a rolling sample of the player’s previous 20 scores. The calculation process involves averaging the best 10 of these 20 scores and then multiplying it by 0.96.

By Scott Wagstaff



The rolling average is better-geared to producing a more contemporary handicap and one that better indicates a player’s ability than is achieved by the incremental adjustment method currently used in the Australian systems.The USGA process allows for smoother downward adjustments and more rapid outward movement than is afforded in Australia (where an outward increase can only occur in increments of 0.1). It takes 30 consecutive bad rounds in Australia for a player’s handicap to reflect an outward correction of 3 strokes – which is patently unfair on a player who has one lucky round, an

occurrence more prevalent in the higher handicap golfer.The scores to be used in Australia under the USGA Handicap System will be attested stroke play scores only. This includes par and stableford events, competition and non-competition rounds. This will make official handicap golf far more accessible to the non-competition golfer.The calculation of a player’s handicap index will be drawn from a broader range of scores than is currently used in Australia. This will result in a handicap more reflective of a player’s current scoring ability.In summary, the current Australian model assumes a course will present an equal challenge to all skill levels, whereas the US model assumes the degree of challenge is not fixed but rather is dependent on the level of a player’s skill.It’s worth noting too that the USGA

Slope system does not have a daily rating component - the course’s

rating does not change regardless of the prevailing weather conditions on any given day. This may seem

a disadvantage to some, however the daily rating system’s success in Australia has been limited at best. Many regional areas with small fields have

been stuck with the course rating anyway, creating a second tier in a national system.One other advantage is that given players will be allocated a course handicap for the course and set of tees they are playing on, clubs will be able to run competitions with players using different tees. This will be especially relevant for older, or even newer golfers who may play off a short course tee, with others playing off a longer course but vying for the same prizes. It may just keep some of the older members playing longer!Given that the current Australian handicapping system has been around in one form or another since the early 1990’s, the transition to the USGA ‘Slope’ system over the next two years may seem like a radical change. In reality, Slope is a simple handicapping system to understand, and issues such as the phase in of the rolling handicap average from 1 February 2010 will only help assist in the implementation process While the US system is significantly different to what we are currently used to, it is a system that is more relative to the average golfer. No doubt many people will struggle to get their heads around the system initially, however the benefits long term will be worth the effort.

Handicap Index of Player

Slope Rating of Course the player intends

to play

Handicap to be used at Course

the player intends playing

28.6 86 2228.6 113 2928.6 135 349.2 86 79.2 113 99.2 135 11

SAMPLE HANDICAP TABLE


Queensland long-drive specialist Brent Kearney

warmed up for the Australian Long Drive Championships with a comprehensive win in the Queensland titles contested at Esk Golf Club recently.In the Queensland final, Kearney, who finished 16th in the world titles, smashed his ball 330 metres to finish well clear of former South African and Perth resident Nathaniel Barnes (290m).Barnes did his best work in the qualifying event when he recorded 308.3m – just a half a metre behind Kearney.In the seniors, Mark Sanford (278m) edged out Graeme McCurdy (270m) and in the super seniors Brendan Gorman (270m) was victorious over Ben Van Dijk (230m).Junior Jasmin McCurdy set a new Australian girls’ under-14 record with a 154-metre strike.In the wheelchair section, Dave

Sawtell won the day with a 150m drive.The competition will hot up even further when more interstate big guns arrive for the Australian Long Drive Championships to be played at Esk Golf Club from September 19-20.Championship organiser Tony Commins said the event was open to the general public.“Anyone can enter and spectators are welcome watch the events for free,” Commins said.Esk Golf Club president Michael Shields said spectators would be catered for with food and drinks during the event.The golf club has even erected a grandstand behind the hitting area so that spectators can watch the action in comfort. “Come along and see the best long drivers in Australia right here at Esk,” he said.

The categories for the Australia final are:

Open men’s•

Open ladies•

Wheelchair open•

Senior men’s (45-52 years)•

Super senior men’s (53 years plus)•

Junior (14 and under)•

Junior (15-17 years)•

Team of two (any age)•

Team of three (any age – must • be a member of a club)

Best trick-shot (open to anyone)•

For more information contact Tony Commins on 0407-480-663 or the Esk Golf Club on (07) 5424-1261.You can also visit the Long Drivers website at www.longdrivers.com.au

Smash and grab … long drivers set for showdown By David Newbery

Brent Kearney launches another thunderbolt at the Queensland Long Drive Championships at Esk Golf Club. The Australian Long Drive Championships will be played at Esk Golf Club from September 19-20.

In the Press

Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis, watched by an amused Dawn Fraser, accidentally hits a photographer on the manicured lawn of Parliament House.Kate’s lesson formed part of June’s visit to Canberra by delegates from the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) for a series of meetings with MPs.Throughout the day, AGIC delegates met with a range of Ministers and their representatives covering a diversity of portfolios including Regional Development, Trade, Women, Tourism and the Environment.

April’s Queensland Stroke Plan Championship and Men’s and Queensland Men’s & Women’s Amateur Championship received plenty of press attention (top), as did Daniel Nisbet’s remarkable ‘four-peat’ in winning both the Queensland events, as well as the South Australian Invitational and the Keperra Bowl.

Elsewhere, the Toowoomba Golf Club ladies program continued to attract strong local media support.


Master golf course architect Robert Trent-Jones Jnr has

three words for the redesigned Hyatt Regency Coolum layout – “distinctive, exciting and playable”.Work crews began work on the new holes immediately after the final putt dropped at last year’s Australian PGA Championship won by Geoff Ogilvy.And according to the Hyatt Coolum’s director of recreation Brett Braithwaite the work will be completed on schedule and in time for the $1.5m PGA Championship to be played from December 10-13.“The holes were finished before winter,” he said. “So they have all of winter to start growing and will have all of spring and summer to finish off. “We are very excited, but we won’t open the course until close to the PGA Championship.”The news holes are the first (522m par-5), second (161m par-3), third (472m par-5 tournament play only or 441m par-4 for members, fourth 319m par-4), fifth (500m par-5) and the sixth (125m par-3).“We believe that the golf course experience will be enhanced and the addition of these new holes will increase the reputation of the Hyatt

Regency Coolum Golf Resort,” Trent-Jones Jnr chief design officer Bruce Charlton said.Trent-Jones Jnr first visited Hyatt Coolum in 1988 when he crafted the original 18-hole championship course.

In 2005 he returned to personally inspect the course and the proposed redesign, subsequently making an amendment to the new layout.The new layout now includes two par-3s, two par-4s and two par-5s that blend with the existing holes two, three and nine to become a new front nine. The back nine (holes 10-18) will remain, but will be refreshed during the redevelopment.Trent-Jones Jnr described his vision for the new course as a place where the natural beauty of the landscape collided with the natural beauty of a game.“Rather than attempting to impose a design style or signature look on a new golf course, we carefully study the site to determine the most appropriate use of the existing landforms, plant palette,

site orientation, climate, geology and other forces that gave shape to the natural topography,” Charlton explained.“We are committed to maintaining the philosophy incorporated at the Hyatt Regency Coolum whereby the golf course appears to have

been shaped by the same forces that created the surrounding landforms.”Charlton said another

important difference in RTJ II courses was the “playability”. “The company’s design

philosophy calls for a course that caters to all levels of

play – from the average golfer to the world’s

best players.

Excitement surrounds Hyatt Regency Coolum redesign By David Newbery



The variety in play at Hyatt Coolum will be achieved through strategically placed tees and the provision of alternative lines of play.Low markers will have the option of taking an aggressive line of play in order to secure an eagle or birdie, but their chance of making the shot will be reduced through the strategic placement of bunkers and natural hazards.“I might take the driver out of their hand and put the nine-iron there instead,” Trent-Jones Jnr said.“There are 14 clubs in the bag and the driver is only one of them. The objective of the game still remains the same.”Sited around a mature rainforest, the new layout for holes 1 to 6 is expected to be a unique experience. “We have routed the new

holes with view corridors that aim golfers toward particularly beautiful panoramas,” Charlton said.“We also plan to create more subtle drama as well, varying the length, orientation and character of the new holes so they flow together as naturally as possible in the unique landscape.”PGA of Australia CEO Max Garske said the PGA supported the redevelopment of the golf course.“By working with the original designer, Robert Trent Jones Junior, it will maintain the integrity and quality of the finished product,” Garske said.“We’re confident it will provide a challenging layout for the professionals in the Australian PGA Championship whilst maintaining the balance required for the social golfer to enjoy their round.”

Ipswich Golf Club’s new golf course development has been

a work in progress, but the club’s board and members can now see light at the end of the tunnel.After more than two years, Wayne Grady and his design team are currently shaping the final four holes.“We are powering through construction with 11 new holes in play now, two holes have been planted and they are just growing in and will be ready at the end of October, one hole has been shaped and ready for planting and another four holes are being shaped,” the club’s general manager Paul Fitzpatrick said.“We should have the course, refurbished clubhouse and new car park finished in the first quarter of next year.”One of the features of the new Ipswich layout will be the playing

surface.“We are actually planting velvetene paspalum over the whole course,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’ll be the first course in Australia that has velvetene tees, fairways and greens over the whole course.”Velvetene, an environmentally friendly grass, is an exciting new variety of seashore paspalum that has a soft-leaf and tightly knitted texture.The grass creates a soft formal-looking surface that retains year-round colour. According to some members the new championship course is a lot tougher than the old layout.Grady was given a blank canvas and has weaved his magic by adding more bunkers, lots of water and narrower fairways.“We have gone from 25 bunkers up to 90 bunkers and water comes into

play on 11 holes,” Fitzpatrick said.The par 72 championship will have 10 par-4s, four par-5s and four par-3s and stretches to 6200 metres.Club president Paul Morris said some of the club’s older members had found the new course difficult and had stopped playing or moved to other courses.“But a lot of the younger members are quite excited by it and we have picked up quite a few new younger members,” he said.“But the feedback from people that have played the new holes has been terrific.“I played in the Veterans’ Challenge against Sanctuary Cove, Brisbane, Indooroopilly and Gailes and when we had home games every player I play with was astounded by the quality of the golf course.”

New Ipswich layout to test the best


Movers and shakersScouring the Greater Brisbane area for contenders for the next Australian Golf Digest Top 100 Courses ranking threw up some nice surprises for Australian Golf Digest Assistant Editor, Tony Webeck.

Traversing this vast country in search of courses worthy of our

next Top 100 Courses ranking is just part of my job, but it’s probably the part I love the most.Every course in Australia is doing its best to improve the facility they present to members and guests and it is our job, as a Top 100 judge, to see who is making the greatest advancements.Over the course of six days I visited seven courses from Pacific Harbour in the north to Southport on the Gold Coast, many of which I was visiting for the first time.I’d played Royal Queensland (pictured) in a previous life as a Brisbanite but playing Mike Clayton’s wonderful reworking was a second ‘first time’ at RQ.

Ranked No.57 in our 2008 ranking, RQ’s new configuration had only just been completed by the time our judging period finished and so it moved up just three places from its ranking in 2006.That will change in 2010 and I would expect it to climb well into the nation’s top 50 courses and in time push the Turtle Point course at Laguna Whitsundays for status as Queensland’s best golf course.It is an odd statement of a course so young but Clayton has given Queensland golfers a timeless classic that is different every time you play it. I could go on for pages about the shot-making opportunities, superb design strategies and those amazing green complexes but there are still six more courses to get to.

In complete contrast in style to RQ, Brookwater (No.26) is a punishing test that demands the golfer have full control of each of their clubs for the entire round. The sense of golf-ball claustrophobia is hard to ignore as you endeavour to navigate your way through the towering gums and it remains a fine test of golf in an idyllic setting.

Continued Next Page ......

Royal Queensland - on Australian Golf Digest’s Top 100 radar



Last edition we invited readers to submit their favourite

Queensland courses via the Golf Queensland website. With over 200 entries received we are delighted to announce that the readers top five courses were as follows: -

1. Brookwater 2. Gailes 3. Twin Waters4. The Glades5. Club Pelican

Amongst the numerous courses receiving multiple votes were Pacific, Laguna Quays, Tewantin Noosa, Hamilton Island, Rydes Capricorn, Royal Queensland, Club Pelican, Pine Rivers and Indooroopilly.

Our thanks to all those who contributed to the favourite course poll. Make sure you logon to the Golf Queensland website at www.golfqueensland.org.au to have your say every month.

Back in town and Brisbane and Indooroopilly (No.73) complete Brisbane’s ‘big three’ member golf clubs. To me, Brisbane was an intriguing blend of Melbourne sandbelt with resort-style golf holes and I found it an extremely enjoyable and challenging game of golf. Whether it can push into the Top 100 next March remains to be seen.Indooroopilly – with its unique habit of referring to each of the four nines individually – has undergone an extensive Ross Watson makeover to the West Course’s front nine.It’s without question a much tougher golf course, which I suspect is why the members I played with dislike it so much, but for every tough shot that you are faced with, Watson has provided a safer, more conservative route. That is all you can really ask of a course architect trying to please a

membership with handicaps ranging from 1 to 45.Although it opened in 2006, this was my first opportunity to visit Pacific Harbour (No.59) at Bribie Island and I left very impressed with the style of golf course Ross Watson delivered in a largely wetland environment. You need to work the ball into the optimal lines of play and the large slopes on the greens either reward a well-played approach or guide away from the hole shots which aren’t exactly on target.Having scooted around Pacific Harbour I popped in quickly at Bribie Island to see what the locals were up to. Again, this is not a course that will feature in the Top 100 but gee it looked like fun. And sometimes, as golfers, that’s all we need.Seventh and final stop on the whirlwind visit was to one that grows

on me each time I play it, Southport. I only discovered it a few years ago but it provides a golfer’s haven in the middle of the glitz and glamour of Surfers Paradise.The club has already instigated major changes across the front nine and is now working through holes on the back, the par-5 13th the latest to receive some attention from Graham Papworth.I wrote in the magazine a year or so ago that Southport just feels like a Top 100 course and while it may be a ranking or two away from achieving that, it is a terrific golf course that deserves greater recognition.All there is to do now is plan a couple of trips to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast for another round of judging of Queensland’s very best golf courses.I love my job.

Your favourite Queensland courses

Brookwater Golf Club - our reader’s favourite.

Congratulations to the following readers who have won a 12 month subscription to Australian Golf Digest. we will be in touch shortly with details on how to claim your prize.

Adrian Alzino • Sue Warren • Cassandra Elsden• Warren Clein• Dean Manton•

Q-Golf Online September 2009 G-Golf Quarterly September 2009

Jamaican GreensThe Caribbean’s largest English-speaking island Jamaica, is a feast of

many flavours, and the familiar fare of rum, reggae, jerk chicken, sugary sand beaches, aquamarine waters, towering palms and cheek-caressing trade winds are merely the appetisers – for the avid golfer there’s top shelf

golf sunny side up …Words: Andrew Marshall / Photos: Paul Marshall

This is the scene. We are at one of the Caribbean’s most stunning

golf courses, carved out of 600 acres of lush greenery and rolling countryside, with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea from 16 of the 18 holes. Golf clubs, balls, scorecard, tees, beverages and snacks are neatly arranged in our cart as we survey the surrounding landscape. “Yeah man. The line is the large tree on the horizon, just swing nice and smooth,” says our caddie at the White Witch’s stunning 550-yard, par-5 opening hole. For two pale English golfers who haven’t touched a golf club throughout the winter months, it doesn’t get much better than this. The par-71, 6,748-yard course was so named by its creators, golf course architects Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril, in reference to Annie

Palmer, the notorious ‘White Witch,’ who was mistress of Rose Hall Plantation in the early 19th Century on which the course is built. She was purported to be beautiful and beguiling and to have murdered three unsuspecting husbands.The course certainly casts a spell, as it spills up and down the hills high above the sea. Many holes demand long and scary carries over chasms filled with rocks and two of the par-three holes feature stomach-dropping shots from elevated tees to water-fronted greens far below.Says head golf professional Mike Cole, “The White Witch is a course that will give you a different experience each time you play, and we have done that by creating multiple tees throughout. Whereas the low handicapper might have to

carry a yawning ravine to reach the green, there are also tees allowing the shorter hitter to get there as well. The topography is unique, making each hole memorable and distinctive in its own right.”From pewter golf bag tags inscribed with each player’s name and a driving range to die for, to luxurious changing rooms and well-trained, white-suited caddies (golf concierges), everything about the White Witch is decidedly top-end. At every course the caddies add their own local flavour and at the Witch it’s no exception. The golf concierges are a unique service that provides traditional caddie services in addition to other services such as restaurant reservations, ordering flowers for loved ones or making spa appointments. “Their knowledge of

TRAVEL FEATURE

Cinnamon Hill’s aptly named “Majestic Blue” is the 453-yard par 4 5th hole, a classic with the green right next to the Caribbean Sea.

The signature hole at the White Witch


the golf course includes everything needed to negotiate the gusty winds, drastic elevation changes and deceptive greens,” says Mike, as we enjoy some frosty Red Stripe beers after our round. The elegant dining veranda of the clubhouse provides a superb and fitting 19th hole with views of the first tee and the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea beyond. The White Witch is situated on Jamaica’s north coast. It is one member of a quartet of premier courses that includes Half Moon, the Tryall Club and Cinnamon Hill, all clustered around the elite enclave of Rose Hall near Montego Bay. Although there are another eight courses on the island (including the historic 9-hole Manchester Club, founded in 1865 the oldest golf course in the Western Hemisphere), these four are the most varied and distinctive and provide a good focus for a Jamaican golf vacation. The following morning we have a tee time with Director of Golf, Ewan Peebles, at Half Moon Golf Club – a tropical parkland layout designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr. and located in the exquisite resort of Half Moon. For Scottish born Ewan, a qualified PGA-pro since 2001 and a professional golfer for more than 11 years, each course in the Rose Hall

area holds a certain charm. “To me, Half Moon is the most user friendly of the bunch and is more open and forgiving,” he says, after just missing a birdie putt on the par-5 first. Half Moon’s signature hole is the relatively short, 362-yard par-4 fourth, which offers a choice of going for the green in one or hitting

an iron down the open side to the green. It is guarded by a water hazard to the right. My caddy, 31-year-old Orville Christie known locally as the Jamaican John Daly, decides to tee one up and have a crack, but alas he

pushes it to the right. “The stretch of holes from 6 to 9, which are three long par-4s and a long par-3 into the prevailing wind, is the most difficult section of the golf course,“ says Ewan. “If you get through this section without a disaster you have the chance of making a reasonable score.” Despite expert caddie advice on reading the nuances of the confusing Bermuda grass greens and a few three putts, we manage to hold it all together until holing out at the last. After tipping the excellent caddies and enjoying a beverage at the 19th hole, we head back to Half Moon resort to enjoy the facilities and an afternoon siesta.Half Moon is one of the world’s best resorts and is so extensive that guests are provided with a map and golf cart to help them get around. Celebrity visitors over the years have included Clark Gable, Prince Charles and more recently David Bowie and Wayne Rooney. Georgian-style buildings are scattered throughout the lush tropical grounds, offering casually elegant accommodation, many with ocean views. In addition, 32 villas with private pool, which come with their own butler, cook and housekeeper, provide the perfect luxury home base for golfers.

“The elegant dining veranda of the

clubhouse provides a superb and fitting

19th hole with views of the first tee and the sparkling

turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea

beyond.”

Q-Golf Online September 2009 Q-Golf Online September 2009

Besides the golf, there’s tennis, a fitness centre, horseback riding and the award-winning Fern Tree Spa, the perfect place to unwind. Of particular interest to golfers are the one-hour stress management program, ‘Mental Fitness for Golf ’ and the ‘Up to Par’ massage, specially created to strengthen, stretch and stimulate muscles that are particularly important to golfers. It combines a variety of techniques including passive stretching, deep tissue massage and the use of heated golf balls. This is a wonderful treatment for the pre and post golf game and well recommended.

Jamaican Jerk.

Eating and drinking is an important part of any golfing trip and Jamaican specialities run the gamut from mouth-watering curried goat and mutton to delightful national dishes such as salt fish, ackee, escoveitch fish, peanut porridge and chicken or beef patties (around one million

of these Cornish pasty-like snacks are eaten by Jamaicans every day). While Half Moon’s collection of restaurants offer excellent dining, we soon discover that you’re just as likely to have a great culinary experience by eating local style - and here that means one thing, Jamaica’s trademark dish of jerk chicken or pork. Although there are thousands of jerk centres, - as they are known - in every village and town and at almost every crossroads or street corner, there’s only one place to go …It’s late Friday afternoon on the outskirts of Montego Bay and the queue inside Scotchies is already a dozen long. A reggae sound track combines with delicious aromas that waft on the balmy tropical breeze. A cool mix of locals and visitors rub

shoulders at rustic tables, opening tin foil parcels of tasty jerk chicken and pork accompanied by roasted breadfruit or sweet potato and washed down with a Red Stripe beer, the island’s tipple of choice. Scotchies was started seven years ago by Tony Rerrie from the back of his pick up truck, and has since become an island institution. “Everyone knows about Scotchies and there’s no doubt it’s the best jerk centre in Jamaica,” says manager Kim Cooper. “On Sunday afternoons we usually get a big crowd of golfers stopping by and Mike Cole, Ewan Peebles and Rob Ames are all regulars here. “Kim shows us round the back, where rows of chickens are splayed flat and whole backs of pig sizzle in jerk marinade over a low fire of pimento wood, that introduces a strong distinctive smoky flavour to the meat. Jerk chicken is believed to have been conceived when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak. The method of

TRAVEL FEATURE“Jerk chicken is believed to have been conceived

when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native

Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the

Arawak.”


FACT FILE

GETTING THERE (From Australia) United Airlines / Air Jamaica operate flights from Australia to Montego Bay via San Francisco & PhiladelphiaQantas / American Airlines operate flights from Australia to Montego Bay via Los Angeles & Miami

PLACES TO STAY & PLAY

Ritz Carlton / White Witch www.ritzcarlton.com• Half Moon / Half Moon www.halfmoon.com• Rose Hall Resort /Cinnamon Hill Golf Club www.rosehallresort.• com(Note: If you stay at any of these properties you can play all three • courses at a reduced rate) The Tryall Club www.tryallclub.com• Manchester Club +(876) 962-2403 •

Further Informationwww.visitjamaica.com

smoking meat for a long period of time served two practical purposes, keeping insects away from the raw meat and preserving it for longer once it has been cooked. Like most places, the recipe for jerk sauce at Scotchies is a closely guarded secret, but they usually contain peppers, onions, pimento, ginger and chili...Another good eating option is The Native in Montego Bay, serving up some of the finest Jamaican dishes - from divine smoked marlin to its fabulous boonoonoonoos native platter which has a little bit of everything, including spicy meats, fish and vegetables. Round off your meal with a slice of smooth creamy coconut pie or for something more local opt for duckanoo (sweet dumpling of cornmeal, coconut and banana wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed).

Jamaican Greens

After the Jamaican jerk, it’s back to the Jamaican greens as we tackle

the final two courses of our north-coast quartet – the Tryall Club and Cinnamon Hill. Located 12 miles from Montego Bay, the Tryall Club is a 6,772-yard Ralph Plummer beauty built in 1960 and features spectacular ocean panoramas and exotic tree-lined fairways, with nine level holes by the sea and nine rolling holes in the hills. It has hosted 13 international events including the prestigious Johnnie Walker World Championship and Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. Look out for the tee shot through the stone pillars of a historic aqueduct, part of a former sugar plantation and the par-3 fourth, with a shot over Flint River to a devilish putting surface. By contrast to Half Moon and the Tryall Club, Cinnamon Hill offers a real variety of terrain. The gently rolling front nine of the 6,798-yard par 71, Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril layout opens under the gaze of the 18th-century Rose Hall Great House, then rambles past the walled graveyard of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s family and down to the

ocean. Holes 5 and 6 are so close to the water that a cranky sea breeze can easily whip your ball into the deep. “Number 5 is a standout hole that will appeal to connoisseurs of the game, “ says Director of Golf, Robert Ames (and brother of PGA tour pro Stephen Ames) who is keeping us company for our round. “It’s aptly named Majestic Blue and it’s a big test. You tee off facing the ocean on this dogleg left downhill par-4, which plays anything from 453 to 420 yards. Watch out, the ocean borders the last 250-yards of narrow fairway on the right and the green is right by the beach.” In contrast, the back nine takes to the remote hills of the plantation, making its way through narrow canyons and across deep chasms with a handful of elevated tee shots. Johnny Cash’s mansion is right next to the 14th fairway and contains much of his memorabilia since the 70s. The par-3 fifteenth drops dramatically to a green next to a picturesque waterfall (James Bond was here in the movie Live and Let

TRAVEL FEATURE


Climb Dunn’s River FallsNo trip to Jamaica is complete without visiting Jamaica’s main attraction, the stunning Dunn’s River Falls. Climb the cascading waterfall and relax in the crystal clear pools at the base of the falls and come away feeling relaxed and refreshed. www.dunnsriverja.com

Jamaican JavaThe rich, black soil of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains (rising some 7,500 feet above sea level), coupled with mist and cool temperatures, make for an environment that produces some of the most sought after coffee in the world. Sample the famous brew, buy some to take back home and visit the region where it’s produced.

Spirit of Reggae - the Bob Marley ExperienceThe Legend of Bob Marley comes alive as you walk through the village of Nine Miles, his birth and final resting place. On the tour you are expertly guided through the very house that Marley lived in as a boy, Watch a film on his life and work and learn more about the life and times of this influential musician - his culture, his passion, and the unique religion of Rastafarianism www.bobmarley.com

Romantic River Rafting on the Martha BraeTake a tranquil and relaxing 90-minute trip on a bamboo raft down the Martha Brae River.

www.jamaicarafting.com

Kick back in NegrilRelax in Negril- the “Capital of Casual” with seven miles of stunningly beautiful white sand beach. This is Jamaica’s watersports centre where you can dive, snorkel, sail, water-ski, windsurf kayak or glide along the coastline by catamaran. Or do nothing but quietly work on you tan in a secluded cove.

Rose Hall Great HouseVisit this magnificently restored 1760 plantation house, where legend has it that Annie Palmer the “White Witch” ruled with cruelty and met a violent death. Tel: + (876) 953-2341

Appleton Rum ToursRum has been distilled on the Appleton Estate nestled in the fertile Nassau Valley in the parish of St Elizabeth since 1749. Take a tour to learn more about how rum is made and sample the portfolio of award-winning rums. www.appletonrum.com

www.appletonrumtour.com

7 OFF-COURSE SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

TRAVEL FEATURE

Die).Robert is great company and keeps us nicely entertained with facts about the course, his planned changes, stories about caddying for Stephen

during his famous victory at the Player’s Championship in 2006, and there’s even a few much needed golf lessons thrown into the mix. The late afternoon sun casts long

shadows across the final green of Cinnamon Hill, defining every undulation, bump and hollow. ‘’Hope you’ve enjoyed it lads, “says Rob, after we all hole out. “Maybe catch you later at Scotchies for some jerk


QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARDQueensland Women’s Stroke Play Championship Carbrook Golf Club

28 April - 1 May 2009

1 HEARD Ebony (Kooyonga) 62* 66 72 77 2772 BOLAND Julia (Pennant Hills) 70 73 70 69 2823 LEE Justine (The Australian) 71 71 68 73 283 KEATING Stacey (Victoria GC) 66 70 71 76 2835 HILLIER Whitney (Joondallup) 72 75 70 70 287* Course Record

Queensland Men’s Stroke Play Championship Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club

28 April - 1 May 2009

1 NISBET Daniel (Caboolture) 70 68 70 70 2782 ZUNIC Jordan (Bonnie Doon) 72 69 76 70 2873 FAIRFAX Gavin (Pacific) 70 69 73 76 2884 GRANT Kyle (Mona Vale) 71 69 77 73 2905 CHANG Eagle (Oxley) 68 78 75 71 292

Queensland Men’s & Women’s Amateur Championship Nudgee Golf Club

5 May - 8 May 2009

Men’s Final: Daniel Nisbet defeated Cameron Smith 4 & 2

Women’s Final: Justine Lee defeated Whitney Hillier 2 & 1



QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARDKeperra Bowl Keperra Golf Club

12 May - 15 May 2009

1 NISBET Daniel (Caboolture) 64 71 64 68 2672 SMITH Brendan (Pymble) 68 67 67 66 2683 JAGER Matt (Melville Glades) 65 70 69 69 273

Queensland Women’s Country ChampionshipsAtherton & Mareeba Golf Clubs

18 May - 20 May 2009

Division 1 Foursomes Gross (0 - 22) Gennai GOODWIN & Sarah KIRSCH 79Division 1 Foursomes Nett (0 - 22) Joy HOLLWAY & Dorothy KAHLER 68Division 2 Foursomes Gross (22 - 45) Pam BALDOCK & Merise RYAN 92Division 2 Foursomes Nett (22 - 45) Dianne MAXWELL & Jeanette TITMARSH 67.5

Silver Gross (0 - 18) GOODWIN Gennai (Mossman) 72, 77 149Bronze 1 (HCap 19-22) Gross BORNINKHOF Charlene (Rowes Bay) 86, 87 173Bronze 2 (HCap 23-29) Gross HAY Anne-Maree (Tamborine Mountain) 100,88 188Bronze 3 (HCap 30 - 45) Gross WEBB Mandy (Tewantin Noosa) 98, 99 197

Queensland Men’s Sand Green ChampionshipSt George Golf Club

6 June - 7 June 2009

1 EGAN Matt (Cobar) 64 69 1332 GEMMELL Adam (Ipswich) 69 66 1353 BARBER Alan (Roma) 68 68 1364 STEWART Karl (St George) 71 67 1385 MILLER Matthew (Barcaldine) 68 71 139


QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARDQueensland Mixed Foursomes ChampionshipsGailes Golf Clubs

21 June 2009

1 Maverick ANTCLIFF & Christina MEW (Hills/ Royal Qld) 77 73 1502 Tim HART & Sharee HASSON (Indooroopilly/Pacific) 76 75 1513 Blake MCGRORY & Bree Arthur (Surfers Paradise) 78 75 1534 Steve THOMPSON & Kristen EALES (Windaroo/ Brisbane) 79 77 156

Queensland Women’s Sand Green ChampionshipsBlackall Golf Clubs

4 July - 5 July 2009

1 CLAYTON Robyne-Lee (Charleville) 76 78 1542 O’KEEFFE Carmel (Springsure) 82 81 1633 CARSON Julie-ann (Springsure) 90 76 1664 CHAMPION Carol (St George) 91 78 169 MAURO Loretta (Ayr) 88 81 169

Queensland Men’s Senior Amateur ChampionshipsOxley Golf Club

14 July - 16 July 2009

1 Stefan ALBINSKI (1) (Monavale) 76 74 75 225

2 Brian SAMS (2) (Port Macquarie) 78 75 75 228

3 Christopher COATS (4) (Royal QLD) 76 73 80 229

Colin HALLAM (3) (Redcliffe) 72 77 80 229



QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARDQueensland Men’s Senior OpenNudgee Golf Club

22 July - 24 July 2009

1 Merrick Garry (P) (SA) 69 68 72 2092 Davis Rodger (P) (QLD) 71 69 73 2133 Stephens Roger (P) (SA) 71 71 72 2144 Ferguson Michael (P) (QLD) 75 69 71 215 Small John (Killara) 72 71 72 215

Queensland Women’s Foursomes Championship Horton Park Golf Club

26 July 2009

Emily MCLENNAN & Zoe FIELD Hills/City 77 37 114 Jacki MARSHALL & Sharee HASSON Pacific 78 39 117 Ashley BLACKSELL & Amy POLLOCK Mt Warren Park 78 40 118 Jillian JOHNSON & Jaimee DOUGAN Horton Park 81 39 120 Ali ORCHARD & Jasmine FINLAY Surfers Paradise/Windaroo Lakes 81 39 120

Queensland Men’s Foursomes Championship Gainsborough Greens Golf Club

9 August 2009

Simon Viitakangas & Nathan Kinch (Surfers Paradise) 74 74 148Steve Thompson & Brett Rankin (Windaroo/Pacific) 72 77 149Daniel McGraw & Cameron Powell (Gailes/Indooroopilly) 75 76 151Tim Hart & Karl Peters (Indooroopilly) 77 76 153Dylan Campbell & Greg Duduid (Gainsborough Greens/Arundel Hills) 82 73 155


QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARD

Amalgamated Pest Control Men’s Country Week ChampionshipsBrisbane

10 August - 14 August 2009

A Grade Gross JOHNSON Boyd (Surfers Paradise) 70 74* 144B Grade Gross COOK Peter (Ipswich) 78 79* 157C Grade Gross TUPAEA Ashley (Moranbah) 86* 90 176D Grade Gross LEWIS Paul (Moranbah) 90* 91 181

Senior Championship (55 years & over) Div 1 Gross COOK Peter (Ipswich) 78 79* 157

Senior Championship (55 years & over) Div 2 Gross FEATHERSTONE Arthur (Boonah) 92* 91 183

Foursomes (Div 1) MCWILLIAM, Jason / WEBSTER, Chris (Toowoomba) 78 39 117 BAZLEY, James / WHITTLE, Simon (Headland) 81 40 121 HANNAH, Peter / RICHARDS, Garry (Toowoomba) 83 40 123 NEILSON, Darren / WEBB, Jason (Toowoomba) 83 42 125 MELLON, Cliff / MELLON, Craig (Gatton) 82 44 126

4BBB Stableford CHOPPING, Peter / FERGUSON, Lachlan (Blackwater) 45pts FISK, Patrick / JUILERATT, Russell (Pittsworth) 44 CLEIN, Warren / SMITH, John (Black Springs/Clermont) 44 LINDLEY, Richard / WHITTLE, Simon (Headland) 44 HAMPTON, Ron / PORTER, Bob (Laidley/Gatton) 44



QUEENSLAND SCOREBOARD

Queensland Men’s & Women’s Mid Amateur Championship

13 - 15 September Club Pelican

Queensland Women’s Senior Open 14 - 18 September Bargara Golf Club Style Magazine Queensland Business Women’s Championship

20 September Beerwah Golf Club

Katherine Hull Classic 27 - 29 September Horton Park Golf Club Gary Player Classic 27 - 29 September Pacific Golf Club Paysmart Queensland Handicap Fourball Championship

12 - 13 October Club Pelican

Gertrude McLeod Winners Event 26 October Oxley Golf Club Queensland Men’s Interstate Team’s Event 08 - 10 November Caloundra Golf Club Queensland B & C Grade Championships 27 - 29 November Noosa Springs Golf

Club Schoolboy’s Championships of Queensland 09 - 10 December Nudgee Golf Club

Events Schedule

Web PollsAre you getting good value from your club membership?

Yes - I play frequently and get good value from money from my membership 44% Yes - I feel that I get good value for money although I’d like to play more 20% Yes - although I’d be happier if my club introduced a ‘pay-for-play’ style membership package 11% No - I’m not playing enough to make full membership economically viable 25%

Do you purchase Golf Equipment online?

Yes - I’ve purchased full sets of clubs online in the past 22%Yes - but I’ve only purchased individual clubs online 17%No - I always buy my equipment from a golf retailer or Pro Shop 61%

For all Queensland events information and web polls visit the Golf Queensland website

www.golfqueensland.org.au

q golf online - issues 1

Documents