Design Notebook: Garrett Is Off to Oz—Ask Him Anything

G’day and welcome back to Design Notebook, where we’re more or less wrapping things up for the year. I’m en route to Melbourne, Australia, to take a whirlwind tour of the many great golf courses in and around that city. I’ll also cover the Sandbelt Invitational, a unique and wonderful tournament put on by the Geoff Ogilvy Foundation. My return ticket is booked for the 20th.

To be honest, I may not have the wherewithal to complete another installment of Design Notebook before I go on holiday break with my family. We’ll call it a game-time decision, but I suspect I’ll be pretty knackered after my trip down undah. (How’s my Aussie jargon? Don’t worry, I won’t attempt it in the presence of actual Australians.)

Of course, in due time, I will write and talk a great deal—perhaps too much—about my first experience with Sandbelt golf. And I’ll give you, dear Club TFE readers, my most in-depth and unvarnished thoughts. As always.

→ Here’s my itinerary (as it stands right now):

Tuesday, December 10
Afternoon: Play the East Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club with Lukas Michel

The East Course at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. (Fried Egg Golf)

Wednesday, December 11
Morning: Play Victoria Golf Club with Geoff Ogilvy
Afternoon: Walk/see one or two courses at The National Golf Club, including the Gunnamatta Course

Thursday, December 12
Morning: Walk Portsea Golf Club
Afternoon: Play St. Andrews Beach Golf Course with Mike Clayton

Friday, December 13
Morning: Play the North Course at Peninsula Kingswood Country Club with Mike Cocking
Afternoon: Walk the South Course at Peninsula Kingswood with Mike Cocking

Saturday, December 14
Morning: Walk Metropolitan Golf Club
Afternoon: Play the West Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club

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Sunday, December 15
Morning: Play the Furrows at Kingston Heath Golf Club with Mike Cocking
Afternoon: Play the main course at Kingston Heath

Monday, December 16
All day: Cover the Sandbelt Invitational at Commonwealth Golf Club

Tuesday, December 17
All day: Cover the Sandbelt Invitational at Yarra Yarra Golf Club

Wednesday, December 18
All day: Cover the Sandbelt Invitational at Woodlands Golf Club

Thursday, December 19
All day: Cover the Sandbelt Invitational at Royal Melbourne

At some point during the week of the tournament, I’ll sneak out to Sandy Golf Links, the public course adjacent to Royal Melbourne. I had initially planned to do that on Saturday morning, but… look, I’m trying to pace myself! My endurance isn’t what it once was. Neither is my thoracic spine.

Anyway, what questions do you have for me about those courses or about Melbourne and the Sandbelt in general? I’ll answer those in a future edition of DN.

→ A slightly self-indulgent personal note:

I’ve dreamt of going to the Australian Sandbelt since I first read about Royal Melbourne in The World Atlas of Golf 30 years ago. I’m thrilled that it’s finally happening, and I’m frankly stunned that when I get there, I will be greeted and hosted by the likes of Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking, and Lukas Michel.

I’ll try to be worthy of the experience, and I’m excited to share it with you all.

A Course We Photographed Recently

Highland Links (North Truro, MA)—founded in the 1890s, designed by Willard Small in 1913, renovated by Hal Conklin in the 1950s

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Quotable

“That two players could hit almost the same shot and come up with two quite different results also was seen as being unfair and the result has been a sanitisation of the original game. Architectural quirks, the luck of the bounce and multiple ways of playing a shot and a hole make the game unpredictable and offend the ‘predictable’ crowd.

“The most important lesson of the Old Course is surely that the game isn’t fair—which is why it is not only the most important course in the sport, but arguably its best. And, if it’s not the best it’s at least in the final.” – Mike Clayton