World-famous for its fast greens, the beautiful West Course at Royal Melbourne demands unusual accuracy. It's hosted more international events than any other Australian course.

Royal Melbourne is Australia's best-known club. It has two courses,an East and a West, which are laid on excellent golfing turf in the district of Sandringham.

Built on a sandy sub-soil, the ground drains easily to provide superb playing conditions the whole year round. The west is the more famous of the two courses although both are of high quality.

Variety of shot

There is plenty of roll on the dry sand-based fairways of the West Course - which at 6,009m is not long by any means. But dont't be deceived by its lack of length.

Although not a slogger s course, it is a challenge to any golfer's skill and nerve. To score well you must have a wide repertoire of shots. You need good placement from the tee, accurate approach work and skill at stopping the ball quickly on the green.

An outstanding feature of the course is its fast putting surface. For the average putter it is difficult to avoid three stabs from long range. The key to low scores is to leave yourself an uphill first putt.


Leading architect

Founded as Melbourne Golf Club in May 1891, the prefix Royal was approved by Queen Victoria in 1895. The club moved to its present site in 1931, when the West Course was opened.

Alister Mackenzie, a leading architect of his generation, was commissioned to design the West
Course in 1926. He was helped by former Australian Open Champion Alex Russell who designed the East Course.

Mackenzie had a series of principles which he always tried to follow when designing a course - and Melbourne was no exception. His code was:

•    Greens and subsequent tees should be close together.

•    Two loops of nine holes should start and finish near the clubhouse.

•    The character of each hole ought to vary.

•    All constructed features must look natural.

•    Avoid blind shots to the green.

•    Give the long hitter a number of challenges but provide alternative routes for lesser players.

•    Test the ability to use every club in the bag.
•    Test golfers with long par 4s but include a few drive-and-pitch holes and four par 3s.

Apart from only one drive-and-pitch hole - the 10th - you can see these principles applied to the West Course.

CHAMPIONS AND COMPLIMENTS

The West Course has received many compliments over the years. The late Henry Longhurst, distinguished golf writer, described it as one 'that sifts champions from mediocre players'.

Peter Thompson, five-time British Open Champion, said 'Royal Melbourne was in many ways Mackenzie's masterpiece. By any judgment it must have strong claim to equal anything on earth'.

Mind you, not everyone praises it. Lee Trevino was particularly discourteous -although his opinion of the course did change with his form. Before playing in the 1974 Chrysler Classic he noted, 'It would be hard to name a better course anywhere in the world than Royal Melbourne'.

However, after taking a 9 on the 4th hole during the final round he snorted, 'The people of Royal Melbourne are proud of their greens - they can have them'. Trevino continued to fume, 'The greens are the  biggest joke  since Watergate. You'd better get a picture of me going out through these gates because I won't be coming back'. And he hasn't.


Joining forces

The West Course hosted its first big professional tournament - the Australian Open - in 1933. It continued to hold major events until 1959, when a composite championship course, using 12 holes from the West and 6 from the East, staged the World Cup.

The West Course is challenging enough to host important championships on its own. But the problem is that public roads intersect parts of the course. Modern tournament golf demands above all that spectators can easily move around.

The composite layout is compact and efficient and there are no roads to restrict the crowd flow. This course is only used during tournament weeks.

Melbourne remains the only club to have hosted three World Cup tournaments. It is Australia's foremost club, hosting the National Open on most occasions. Most of the world's top players have competed here.

Australia's finest golfing hour happened at Melbourne in 1959, when Peter Thompson and Kel Nagle demolished the United States by 10 shots to win the World Cup.

Hole by hole
Championship tees: 6009 metres, Par 72. Ladies tees: 5231 metres, Par 73.

1st hole
(Champ 392m Ladies 326m Par 4) Try to avoid a long first putt - or you may take 3 on the fast green.

2nd hole
(Champ 439m Ladies 388m Par 5) Hit your tee shot down the left to avoid bunkers.

3rd hole
(Champ 324m Ladies 283m Par 4) Take care to judge the run on your second.

4th hole
(Champ 430m Ladies 360m Par 5) Blot from your mind the many fairway bunkers when teeing off.

5th hole
(Champ 161m Ladies 131m Par 3) Hit a strong tee shot or you face a tough second.

6th hole
(Champ 391 m Ladies 340m Par 4) Shorten the hole by carrying the dog-leg angle.

7th hole
(Champ 135m Ladies 118m Par 3) Play to the left half of the green to avoid the sand.

8th hole
(Champ 346m Ladies 311 m Par 4) Aim left from the tee for best angle to green.

9th hole
(Champ 370m Ladies 358m Par 4) Keep right for the best view of the green.

10th hole
(Champ 279m Ladies 242m Par 4) Play safe from the tee down the right-hand side.

11th hole
(Champ 402m Ladies 359m Par 4) Drive down the left for a short second shot.

12th hole
(Champ 430m Ladies 359m Par 5) Play your second shot down the right-hand side.

13th hole
(Champ 139m Ladies 115m Par 3) Take enough club -better to be long than short.


14th hole
(Champ 335m Ladies 290m Par 4) Play left from the tee for a straight second.

15th hole
(Champ 427m Ladies 311m Par 5) Hit your second down the right side of the fairway.

16th hole
(Champ 197m Ladies 165m Par 3) Drive straight to avoid the sand.

17th hole
(Champ 416m Ladies 389m Par 4) Play down the right side from the tee.

18th hole
(Champ 396m Ladies 348m Par 4) Keep left from the tee or you're blocked by trees.

Four holes to watch

4th hole
(Champ 430m Ladies 360m Par 5) From the tee you're faced with an upslope, set with a number of threatening bunkers. Drive down the left side from the tee or you'll be blocked by the dog-leg. Unless you are long from the tee, hit your second short of the rough that lies just in front of the green.

10th hole
(Champ 279m Ladies 242m Par 4) A classic short par 4. If you can clear the large bunker that blocks the shortest route to the green - across the dog-leg -you may be rewarded with an eagle 2 for your bravery. If you're confident of getting down in no more than 3 from the sand then you might as well go for it! The alternative is to play safe by knocking a 5 iron short and to the right. Then chip on.

16th hole   
(Champ 197m Ladies 165m Par 3) An uncompromising hole that requires a long, straight tee shot. If you aim at the left-hand side of the green be sure to take enough club.The green is virtually an island in a sea of sand. Getting the ball to stop quickly on this green is no mean achievement.

17th hole
(Champ 416m Ladies 389m Par 4) A blind tee shot. Beware of the large bunker that lurks at the left-hand edge of the fairway. However, if you play safe down the right your second is both longer and more tricky. Don't under hit your second or you might be in sand. Your troubles don't stop on the treacherously fast putting surface.