By Ian Callen
To close out the segment on playing the RACV golf course, I was waiting at the 18th tee last Tuesday, as the Karl Hrandsky was leading a foursome, Steve Cubela and Rob Reid from the bus stop green.
Hang on, there’s one missing I thought.
Then from out of now where, speeding up the cart path the easy rider Alan Davidson appeared on his electric golfing scooter.
“What are doing here Scribe?” He asked.
“Well you’re the lead character in playing the last and the pressures on, Davo”, I replied.
Walking onto 18th tee, golfers turn into an easterly direction towards Riddell and Donna Buang, the mountains along with Juliet, making up part of the Great Dividing Range that backdrops the course and the Healesville township.
Lowering the eyes, you then begin to take in the wide open fairway where the left side of the fairway is lined by native grass land that separates the 18th from the 10th. On the other side, the right is defined by a tree line that follows the bitumen driveway to the Club house.
But it’s about the centre of the fairway that needs the most attention; a bunker formation, directs your gaze to the elevated green sitting across a gully, some 300 metres away.
The traps are positioned on the up slope out of range for most, depending on which tee block is in use. The first lays across the left side of the fairway encouraging traffic to the higher right. Another takes it’s place, running up the middle and the last bites well into the centre of the tiered green giving it a horse shoe shape.
The dance floor creator has given the ground crew carte blanche, when it comes to setting up difficult pin positions. His creativity provides entry to the short grass from either the lower left or right sides, with steepish slopes leading too or from the higher putting area. Here a golf ball needs little encouragement to roll away from the cup and back down to the fairway.
But Clayton, the designer, must have thought again, placing bunkers to the back left high side and another beside the lower right virtually surrounding the right side of the green in sand… and for those wanting to attack the flag, it gives you plenty to think about.
Back at the tee block, Davidson has dismounted and is waiting to hit off. His strategy, well that was worked out years ago, but it’s a given that he’s already taken note of the lower right pin position.
Karl Hrandsky had already hit his ball into the centre of fairway on the up slope; a good position, Cubela had miss hit and the left handed Rob Reid, punished his out to the higher right side.
Davidson is another of the RACV experienced golfing brigade who’s been able to maintain a healthy handicap and with a minimum of effort he eases into his swing sending his ball flying towards the mountain range before it disappeared into the gully.
And down there on the gully floor it can be a different world, especially during the wetter months. Golf balls have literally disappeared into the water table, never to be seen again.
Cubela’s second, flew over the traps to put him back in the competition. Davidson had struck his second to a plateaued area just a metre from Reid’s second and just before the green.
It was now up to Karl who’d decided to take on the pin. His well struck shot, flew towards the green hoping for an up slope to stop it dead, allowing it to roll back towards the cup, but it hit short kicking left to fall away into deepest part of the sand trap and unfortunately for Hrandsky, he would not be seen again.
On the green, now covered in sand, Reid had already tapped in for par and Steve Cubela; so close but no cigar, lipped out. This left the honour of closing out the 18th to the “Easy Rider” and as he’s done a thousand times before, Davo calmly and confidently rolled his ball into the hole for regulation.
