Kingston Heath the Winner

I haven't watched much golf of late, but tuned in to the World Cup being played this week at Kingston Heath down under. What a wonderful golf course by Alistair McKenzie; fantastic, natural-looking bunkering, firm faurways, firm, fast greens, and still a great test of golf for the world's best players. Remember the good old days when golf courses were built to walk and not to sell real estate? 

Playing alternate shot the first day we saw the American team of Rickie Fowler and PGA champion Jimmy Walker, despite some iffy ball-striking, put on a short-game clinic to be one back of the Spanish team at two under along with the French, the up-and-coming team from China.

In his post round interview Jimmy Walker summed up the beauty of great designs like Kingston Heath when he said, "That's what's fun about this place; you've got options. It's however you want to play." Great courses give you options. They force you to think and strategize. And they demand a great short game if you are going to score. 

There are some terrific players assembled in Melbourne. And it's likely going to be a battle to the end. But the real winner has already been established; and that is Kingston Heath. I hope some day to be lucky enough to get down under and play some of those wonderful sandbelt courses around Melbourne. Until then, I've always got Pinehurst within driving distance.