It was my great pleasure to host the 2010 tourney in Adelaide. Ten other gentlemen of distinction participated in this years' tourney. Regrettably, Wardy got stuck in Gladstone and was a late withdrawal. We lamented his absence with a minute of silence as we knocked the top of several beers on Wednesday evening. As usual, the PDC-eve banter focused on Team selection and match set up. This process has been honed from the inaugural 5-hour argument at the 2007 PDC International to a 2-hour discussion by the end of which Tom and Doc were selected as captains by virtue of a birthday and recent fatherhood, respectively.
Round 1 kicked off on Thursday morning at the superb Kooyonga golf club. Chief and I had the great pleasure of tackling this wonderful course in the company of Bellringer and Damien. We had a ding-dong match based on a multiplier stableford format. Chief and I never really looked like winning but had a couple of massive holes to keep some parity. The tough par 4 17th was pivotal with Chief uncharacteristically letting a tough 5-footer slide by the hole. Bellringer typically shone on the last nailing a 15 footer, the last shot of the foursome, to win the match by a point. Jeez, he is seriously good in a tight spot!
It was hard to fault this course - superb fairways, great bunkering, most holes contained and separated from others. A great example of how length ain't everything. A bit of local knowledge wouldn't go astray with blind drives etc - I think all 4 of us hit it in the crap on the right of the 9th, thinking it was OB only to find it was a water hazard, but it didn't really matter because it was completely impenetrable to hit out from. Highlights of the round for me were the short par 4, 4th (normally the 5th), par 3 19th (a spare hole played as the 11th), par 5 16th with a massive dip in front of the green and pin tucked on the precipice, and the par 4 17th with the shaved fringe leading to the water. Diabolical. The bloke who cuts my hair played the day after the Kooyonga clubbies and said the greens were insanely slick and he had millions. He also told me about the tv expose on Tiger, including his carpark shenanigans with some scrubber from Dunkin' Donuts, all caught on camera. Ouch! Anyone see that?
In the afternoon we trotted off to Royal Adelaide for Round 2 and were presented with an entirely different type of course - very links in style, slick greens and multiple blind driving holes. I was chatting with Colin from across the road, a 40+ year Kooyonga member, who commented that Kooyonga members go to Royal Adelaide when they want a 'easy round'. He also mentioned that they pulled out heaps of trees in the last 5 years or so to emphasise the links-feel.
Barnsey and I played Shirls and Bellringer. Cant say that anyones' form was much good but it was an extremely enjoyable game and match, which I think we won. Although going by Shirls' form getting out of the big bunker on the 6th, this probably wasn't a surprise... He insisted that a buried lie was most effectively played by closing the face so the toe pointed to the ground. Yeah, right!
Royal Adelaide hole highlights for me were the short par 4 3rd, a blind drive, but a beaut little hole with all sorts of danger lurking; the par 4 8th, down the hill to a green sitting at an angle so that approach needs to be perfect; and the super 11th over the rise to a green tucked into a half cauldron. I quite liked the par 3 16th too, it was the scene of the most memorable shot of the day: Bellringer with a tricky 35 footer, downhill, darkness and rain approaching, he inexplicably overshoots and ball disappears 15 feet off the green. His return rockets 30 feet or so past the hole. Oh dear. Then he bins it! Absurd. The 17th and 18th are probably quite good holes but it was dark and raining and I was tired and consequently lost a bit of interest...
Some footage from the 1st tee includes Tim, Doc, Tom and Craw, Shirls, Bellringer and Barnsey
The post-match de-brief began in earnest at the Exeter Hotel in Rundle St. Damien threw a hand grenade into the discussion declaring Royal Adelaide wasn't as good as St Lucia! Ouch! Birthday boy, Tom, succumb to traditional adolescent male behaviour and sculled an ale with musical accompaniment of 'Here's to Tommy, he's true blue...'. Beers were followed by woodfired pizza and a plentiful supply of fine red wine at an intimate restaurant around the corner. As the rain tumbled down the iPhone weather app was deployed and confirmed a shit Friday weather forecast - rain, possible hail, maximum temperature of 14 degrees. Votes were called and it was agreed to give the 7.30 a.m. hit off at the Grange a miss. I think we had a nightcap back at the Exeter. Shirls, Damien and Barnsey kicked on...
I awoke at 7.31 a.m. and was grateful for the rain, although a tad disappointed not to play the Grange. It really was shit weather tho... Instead of golf it was convoy through the less than delightful southern suburbs of Adelaide and onto the McLaren Vale. First stop was at Primo Estate followed by the marvellous d'Arenberg cellar door then lunch at some place with poles out the front, before heading further south to Links Lady Bay. A late 9 holes ensued, much to the chagrin of the bloke in the pro shop who was probably keen to get home for an early Friday arvo bong. The weather turned to custard by the 2nd hole, but soon turned relatively pleasant, but cold.
Following the lazy nine holes, beers were opened and a putting comp commenced on the massive 3-tiered putting green. Fuck it was cold. Inexplicably, Shirls won the comp, resplendent in his fireside footwear - yep, there's a man who has slipped seamlessly (perhaps even gracefully?) from wild party world to domestic nirvana. The putting comp was followed by a curry feast (thank you Lisa).
Saturday morning dawned and those on early afternoon flights hit the course. I teamed up with Craw to take on Shirls and Doctor. Jeez, wasn't there a bit of niggle going on there!? Craw came from 3 or 4 down at the turn to blitz the good Doctor while I edged out Shirls 2 up on the last, an effort made even more impressive, in my humble opinion, following a blistering barrage of sledging and attempt at psychological destruction from my opponent on the walk from the 17th green and onwards. Deep down I knew it was working as I stood over the ball thinking and praying 'You have barely missed a drive for 3 days, for fuck's sake, please dont tug this left...' I needn't have worried, as soon as Shirls missed the green I knew his short game jitters would kick in and the match would end in favour. Sorry, Shirls, cruel, but fair.
Links Lady Bay is a cracking course, I reckon. I think I prefer the front 9, with the 6th, 7th and 8th my favourites. I probably would have enjoyed the back 9 better had I not lost all confidence with my irons - might as well have been trying to hit the ball with an axe handle for all the good they were, except off the tee. The par 4, 14th - 3 wood off the tee, long-mid iron over the piss, and beautiful par 3 17th back into the breeze were real highlights. One unfortunate moment was on the short par 4 13th, where Craw and I had an accidental clash of 3 metals while standing around - the ensuing 'PING' took place at a critical point in Doc's downswing and he carved it 130 metres right into the shot. Sorry. Then he cold-topped the next. Bugger. No hard feelings, mate!
In the end Tommy T was declared the victorious captain and let loose with a tsunami of congratulatory SMS. Well done! Ben took out the prestigous individual PDC International following in the footsteps of previous winners - Craw and John (2007), Jeff (2008) and Coolsa (2009). [BTW, Jack took the PDC trophy to 'show and tell' at school and was king of the kids for the day!] Craw, Shirls, Doc and I went back to my place, necked a few more beers and took Jack for a kick of the footy - which he LOVED!
Thanks boys - I had a brilliant time. See you in 2011!
PS, forgot to find a place in the story for this lovely drive and Craw's trouser trumpet.
