People Under The Stars

Explorations of the Out-back Nine

by Dominic Wagner

If a national poll was taken to determine what the average American knew about Australia most of the responses would likely involve a description of the country’s wildlife. The bouncing marsupials, highly venomous snakes and beautifully colored birds capture the imagination of an American population that no longer celebrates the majesty of its own country’s native fauna—the bowel-shifting-stone-grey city pigeon or the rabid-yet-eerily-domesticated park squirrel. Just the idea of Australia’s overall diversity of animal life is a modern Darwinists dream come true.

Yankees endowed with broader knowledge of the southern continents identity might note some of the human contributions that have worked to shape the world’s overall understanding of Australia. The mass media has certainly been a harbor for some of the Aussies more notable film stars including Crocodile Dundee, and Mad Max. But outside of the fantastical limits of the terror domes inhabited by Tina Turner and the post apocalyptic shantytowns swarming with legions of unwashed nomads wielding 13-inch switchblades, a more tangible Australian drama plays out on the world’s stage.

The small group of American’s familiar with this particular layer of Australian culture would describe a country that, when compared to the United States, rivaled the creative efforts of the greatest minds in fiction. For example, imagine a brand of football that multiplied the area of the playing field and goal post used in the American game but subtracted the pads. Picture roads where the legal possession of open containers of alcohol in moving vehicles was okayed by the authorities. Yes Australia, a mystical land where the prime ministers can verbally bash political opponents on a daily basis and then let off some steam abroad at a Manhattan strip club.

Though moderately informative and wildly entertaining to the average American citizen these observations posses none of the intimate details that fully define Australia’s extraordinary nature. Such accounts do not capture the multitude of spectacular visions available to a witness who is present in the flesh. Visions of Southern Australia’s wine country and the emerald hills whose rolling summits mimic the crystal blue sea on the horizon. The soil of the interior desert, painted like a blood orange sunset, cannot be understood without the fine dust straining through one’s fingers. Even the twisting bodies of metropolitan Aussie youth reshaping their identity to the pulse of dance hall riddims would not endure the efforts of a simple retelling. Like most international locations, the information that is most readily available typically lacks much of the cultures original substance. But when trying to convey Australia’s national obsession with athletics (which dates back to the dawn of the nation) a humble pairing of select words will have to suffice. From football to golf, sport has found a home in the southern pacific. And if true identity can be found within the paradoxes of reality then it should come as no surprise why every state in the driest continent in the world loves its greens.

Western Australia
While Western Australia is best known for it’s car-free zones and acres of authentic unspoiled outback the developers of the beautiful Joondalup golf resort have already made their course a must see (and play) attraction. The renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. was quoted remarking how extraordinary the Joondalup Resort experience is and rightly so, he designed it. Just a short drive north of Perth, Joondalup is the perfect course to enjoy the quintessential outback golf experience. By integrating the natural flora and fauna within the design of the award winning 27-hole course, Joondalup offers the best that Western Australia has to offer. Even if the thought of free roaming Kangaroos doesn’t inspire a round of flawless fairway feats, perhaps the sea breeze off the beaches of the Sunset Coast will help golfers make peace on the green.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a land of contrast. The southern half of the state’s landscape is primarily made up of the red desert and is anchored by the world famous Ayers Rock.

It is in this region that the rich and dramatic 40,000 year-strong history of the indigenous population unfolds on the stone canvasses of the desert caves. Alice Springs, the unofficial capital of central Australia, maintains its own beautiful yet challenging 18-hole golf course. The Alice Springs course demands both accuracy and discipline with its rocky outcrops threatening power hitters at the edge of every fairway. The ancient MacDonnel mountain ranges border the course and at times make the green feel more like a sacred temple than a playing ground.

The upper half of The Northern Territory consists of lush tropics, world famous beaches and breathtaking surf. The areas most famous city, Darwin, possesses the youngest population in Australia. This abundance of energy translates directly to one of Australia’s premier courses. After spending an afternoon absorbing the flawless beauty of the Darwin Golf Club, it becomes hard to imagine that on Christmas day in 1974 the entire property was destroyed by cyclone Tracy. Today’s fully renovated club was spectacular enough to inspire some locals to rename cyclone Tracy, “Blessing in disguise”.

Queensland
If you ask any local in Queensland about the weather you’re likely to get the same answer, “beautiful one day and perfect the next.” The sunshine state hardly ever fails to live up to its name and luckily one of the state’s premier courses has adopted the same trait. The Royal Queensland Golf Club is indeed suited for royalty indeed. After being christened by King George V in 1921 the entire grounds has found a way to maintain its stateliness without jeopardizing the relax factor. After hosting three Australian open championships, the construction of a new highway in Brisbane forced the historic club to institute a brand new layout that will be completed by 2011. Given the pedigree of this club there is no doubt that the changes will only work to enhance the allure of a living legend.

South Australia
There are few places in the world that can facilitate a day of wine tasting, seal watching and natural world wonder gazing all within the same day. And even though most of South Australia’s visitors stay for the wine, some of the best golfing in the country is just around the corner from the Barossa Valley. The Grange Golf Club’s 18 holes are noted for ushering in the Greg Norman era. But as of late the most interesting characteristic of the course is its maintenance. Because the club is situated in a state constantly threatened by extreme drought, grounds keepers have implemented water sustainability and conservation initiatives to ensure the club does all that it can to be conscious of its impact on both the local and global environment. Perhaps it is easy being green after all.

New South Wales
While the Sydney Opera house will forever remain a powerful symbol for metropolitan Australia, the scenic views from the greens of the New South Wales Golf Club at La Perouse showcase how the coastline attracts second, third and forth looks from the most devout urbanites. To the left of the course the seemingly endless blue of the pacific stretches out to sunrise and to the right the Cruwee Bay national park houses some of the country’s beautiful scrub covered sand hills. These rare surroundings are just a portion of what puts NSW Golf Club among the top 50 golf courses in the world. But the buck does not stop there. The diverse range of challenges that arise over a single round on this course make it playable time and time again. The strong winds affectionately titled the “young guns” jet off the sea’s surface and keep even the most seasoned veterans on their toes. Some players might be intimidated by the riveted bunker walls, which are designed to prevent heavy deterioration from natural wear and improper swinging technique (aka digging ditches). But if properly raked a riveted bunker is often easier to hit out of than a non-riveted bunker, especially in windy conditions. Course details like these are just part of the daily business of maintaining the excellence of NSW Golf Club.

Victoria
The rivalry between New South Wales and Victoria is legendary and it extends far beyond the weekend Footy game or the historic Sydney versus Melbourne debate likely to spark up at any local pub. So why would it stop on the links? The Victoria Golf Club does it’s best to make a day on their course the best in all of Australia and the proof is in the putting. Members of this historic club have coined the phrase “a unique quality”, when measuring their club against the other clubs from around the world. Perhaps the light powdered sand that fills their bunkers is what sets the course apart. Many players regard their bunkers as some of the best they have ever come across, bar none. The lightning quick greens, carpet fairways and a balanced array of long and short holes ensure an exceptional experience if you’re the type of player who can appreciate a club rooted in tradition and absolute quality. With this degree of accomplishment, many of the New South Wales faithful looking for flaws are left scratching their heads and hiding their membership cards.