They knew I was coming

Victoria Golf Club is another of the Sandbelt clubs and is highly regarded, sitting squarely in the echelon of clubs behind Royal and Kingston Heath in the Melbourne pecking order.  It hosted the 2010 and 2011 Australian Masters, the earlier of those being noted for the presence of Tiger Woods and the breaking scandal of the presence of one of his many mistresses at that tournament.

This game had been organised by Greg, who had been fantastically helpful in arranging some of the golf during my stay in Melbourne.  I had been hoping to meet him during the week but, sadly, that had proved impossible.  I arrived and was met by the Director of Golf (Australian clubs like a title or two), Paul who introduced me to two of the three members I would be playing with.  David ( a retired general in the Australian army), Peter and Matt were excellent company and, unusually for this trip, of a similar or lesser standard of golfer to me.  We played a very enjoyable match which I’m pleased to say David and I won, with the highlight for me being the half in birdie at the tenth where, after Peter hit his approach to a foot, I holed a ten footer for mine.

Victoria is an excellent course, without quite being in the class of Royal or KH.  There’s no doubt that the highlight of the course is its set of par 3s, which are really, really good.

The par 3 13th from the tee

All of these holes demanded carries over sand for the good player looking for a possible birdie but also offered a way in for the lesser player looking to make an easy (?!) bogey.

Like all the Sandbelt clubs I played the look of the course was wonderful, with sandy waste areas again prominent:

These really are a wonderful feature.  You can’t lose a ball in them.  You always get some sort of shot but it may be a very bad lie.  Much, much better than thick rough.

As we finished the 9th, David pointed to the Union Flag flying on the flagpole outside the clubhouse and told me it was in honour of my presence.  I laughed but he and Peter assured me that the flag was, indeed, flying because the club had a British visitor.

After we finished David, Peter and Matt insisted I join them for lunch and so that Peter and Matt could buy the drinks that were owed from the wager on the game.  Victoria is a very welcoming club and has several rooms allowing visiting golfers to stay on the premises.  Another very enjoyable experience on the Sandbelt.

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