Golf: Tuross Head Country Club

A couple of weekends ago we played golf at Tuross Head Country Club. It is a pretty quiet little 9 hole course which can also be played as an 18 hole course because each hole has an alternative tee-off.

The pro shop and club house are located on a hill at the top of the course, so it is easy to survey the course before playing. My first impressions were of a pretty hilly course and these were reinforced as we stepped up to the 1st hole. The fairway for the first hole has a significant downhill slope from left to right, meaning that if you hit the ball straight you are likely to end up a couple of fairways across.

Some of the holes are very scenic, as you can see from the picture above. There are also a few old trees like the one to the right, but for the most part the rough isn't too much trouble. There isn't too much water either, aside from a couple of holes where you start by hitting over water. There also aren't too many bunkers, which means by comparison to some other courses Tuross is relatively easy to play, if you're able to handle the massive slopes. This is one of the few golf courses where I actually found more golf balls than I lost!

I found the best thing about the course was that it wasn't too crowded. We played as a group of four on a Sunday afternoon and the course was clear and we didn't hold anybody up. I guess this will probably change as we move into the warmer months and all the coast courses become crowded again.

In the picture to the right I'm about to tee off on a par 3. We're basically at the top of the hill that slopes across the fairways of the first few holes. The ocean is in the background and I'm hitting almost towards the club house.

One of my favourite holes (possibly because I got a par) was the short par 3 sixth, shown below. It is about 110 metres and is all downhill, with the smallish green protected by a bunker, large trees and the natural slope. I was lucky enough to land on the green and avoid all of these obstacles.

Playing at Tuross costs $15 per person and I think that is for as many holes as you like, although we only played 9.

Golf: Moruya

Last weekend we played golf at Moruya Golf Course, an 18 hole Par 72 course.

The View From the Clubhouse

The course is in very good condition and has fairly forgiving rough if you're able to avoid the many water traps and bunkers. In the shot above you can see the 9th and 18th fairways, which actually finish on a massive tiered green that is shared by both holes. It is very daunting to accidentally overputt and have to putt across what is effectively two greens to get to the hole.

The highlight of the round was when I managed to hit my way onto the par 4 tenth green in one shot, setting myself up for my first ever eagle putt. All the excitement went to my head because after a good first putt to get close I had to settle for two more putts to finish with a par.

Green fees were $27.50 per person on Saturday for 18 holes.

Golf: Mollymook Hilltop Course

On the weekend I played at the Hilltop Golf Course in Mollymook. Here I am winding up to hit on the 3rd hole which is a longish par 3.



The course was in pretty good condition, although there has been a lot of rain recently so some of the fairways were in need of some attention. Apparently the course was rated 83rd in Australia in 2004. For me one of the best things about the course is the view from some of the tees to the greens (the above 3rd is one example). Starting at the top of a hill you're able to see the green from the tee.

I've played there twice now and on both occasions I've finished the 18th in near darkness. The next time I'm hoping to finish a bit earlier. It was great playing in winter time because the course wasn't too crowded. In summer it is very difficult to get a tee off, and even the locals have to call up at seriously early times of the morning to make a booking.

The green fee was $35 for 18 holes on a Saturday. 9 holes was $25. These prices don't include buggy or cart hire.

IT: Goggles :: The Google Maps flight Sim

Goggles is an unofficial flight simulator which is written in flash and uses Google Maps for the background scenery. Pick a starting place and fly around. For example, I chose Sydney below and then flew over the Sydney Opera House.

This is an interesting use of the technology. I think it would be even more interesting if it were possible to write a similar app using Google Earth, which would enable even better graphics and for an in-cockpit style flight sim. Including highlights of the trip (e.g. labelling the Opera House below) would also be a good feature.