Golf at Victor Harbor in South Australia
Golf at Victor Harbor in South Australia
By Paul Gueorgieff
When New Zealanders go to play golf in Australia it’s usually one of three states — Queensland, New South Wales or Victoria.
But that wasn’t the case last month for myself and seven friends, including one non-golfer.
Instead we went to South Australia but it wasn't in the state’s capital of Adelaide as you would probably expect.
Rather we played in a four-day tournament at a place called Victor Harbor which is south of Adelaide and about an hour’s drive away. Victor Harbor is a popular seaside town.
The tournament was at the Victor Harbor Golf Club which is more than 100 years old and an absolute pleasure to play.
The opening hole is magnificent. The tee box sits 39 metres above the fairway and provides a majestic view of the Southern Ocean in the background. Visitors to Victor Harbor Golf Club are immediately drawn to the first tee to watch whoever is hitting off.
Victor Harbor has many bunkers but the greens are soft and provide an excellent putting surface while the fairways are also excellent. The course provides a good test of your game.
But there was one amazing piece of history attached to the Victor Harbor Golf Club.
The golf format term of ambrose
was established at the club
during the early 1960s. It was introduced by Richard (Dick) Ambrose, an American from Michigan, and his wife Mary, who brought the "shotgun" format from their home club in the United States to Victor Harbor.
During a rest day of the tournament we played at The Links Lady Bay Golf Club which is about half an hour’s drive from Victor Harbor.
Once again another top class course with about 120 bunkers that makes for a difficult assignment. But great to play a true links-style course.
Like any golf trip, the golf is secondary. It’s about the company and having a good time.
We were the only New Zealanders in the tournament and we provided plenty of banter for the Australians which was returned in full.
Wth a good golf trip comes good accommodation which we also secured. We stayed at a three-storey apartment opposite the beach and it was spacious and had ample private bathroom facilities.
Our group of seven golfers are all from the Manor Park Golf Club in Wellington and none of us have the pin out when putting.
This is not generally the case with Australians, which I have noticed when playing the same tournament in previous years.
But on one day at Victor Harbor my three Australian playing partners also did not bother with having the pin removed. It was pleasing to see perhaps a change in the attitude to not having the pin removed, such as Adam Scott and Matt Fitzpatrick do on the PGA Tour in the United States.