So the question asked, why are you doing a 2023 year in review, when we are nearing the half way point of 2024? Well with the website being offline for over a year, there were a couple of big events which had to be shared.
Firstly, a few interstate trips to play golf. Beginning with Tasmania, but this time the smaller King Island. After seven years, it was time to head back to Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes. A different group this time, but the company was just as good. Not a lot had really changed, although we did stay at the accommodation at Cape Wickham, which was not there last trip. With so much talk around Cape Wickham over the last month, NLU Tourist Sauce and Golf Digest Top 100 rankings, I’m glad we had the trip back when we did for some perspective.
Aerial view of the 16th green at Cape Wickham
Also managing to get a game in at Royal Adelaide G.C. between a stint with work. This course is easily in my top 10 of Australia and always a joy for a round. If it were in Melbourne, I would gladly play there for the rest of my life.
Previous years had seen the Gold Coast in Queensland, RACV Royal Pines, Lakelands and Links Hope Island, get all the attention. But this trip changed that, with a long overdue revisit to The Glades. Not sure why this had taken.
A Christmas road trip to my home state of NSW, saw a few more first time and return visits occur. These were:
- Mollymook G.C. (Hilltops)- first time visit to this South Coast course
- NSW G.C. – A final visit before the renovations got into full swing
- Moore Park G.C. – Over 15 years between rounds, it was an opportunity to look before nine holes are potentially lost
- The Vintage – Another course with a long time between rounds
- Cypress Lakes – First time visit and was pleasantly surprised
There were a couple of return visits to some of the Victorian gems, Peninsula Kingswood’s North course and The National Moonah course.
But one of the biggest highlights of the year, was an around the world trip, taking in mostly the USA and UK. Unfortunately only one game could be managed in the US, a public nine hole course in Winter Park, Orlando, Florida. I had heard so much fanfare over the years and it did not disappoint.
From the tee box of the 18th on St Andrews Old Course
The UK trip was split into two, Scotland and England. I managed to catch up with Brian Knoetze of top100golfquest fame, at Royal Dornoch G.C. (competing to be one of my favourites on the globe) Then a bucket list game at St Andrews Golf Links Old Course. The experience in getting a tee time was something in itself and will be discussed in a post at a later date.
Lastly down in sunny England, the final weekend of my trip was spent in the Birkshire and Surrey heathland area, playing at Woking G.C and Swinley Forrest. The later being my first chance to play a Harry Colt design. If only I had a month to play in the UK. So many more courses to play, but alas, that will have to occur sometime down the track.
So whats planned for 2024?
- Biennial trip to Barnbougle Dunes
- Playing Royal Melbourne G.C. West
- Getting to a few Victorian courses which are long overdue for a return visit
Keep on golfing!
