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The Australian and The Lakes - Course updates

Tuesday 14, Nov 2023

2023 ISPS HANDA AUSTRALIAN OPEN: 30 NOV-3 DEC
THE AUSTRALIAN AND THE LAKES - COURSE UPDATES

The Australian Golf Club assistant superintendent Marlon Johnston and The Lakes Golf Club assistant Jackson Nicholls continue their 2023 ISPS Handa Australian Open course updates as the tournament countdown continues... 

 

MEET THE TEAM - THE AUSTRALIAN GC's GUN CREW

In this edition of The Cut we would like to introduce the team that has been instrumental in course preparation, not only for this event, but every day for member and guest golf at The Australian Golf Club. The group has risen to all challenges over the past two years and we’re looking forward to enjoying the fruits of our labour in the week of the 2023 ISPS Handa Australian Open.

We have asked five questions that will give you some insight into each of our team members. Highlights include the diversity within the group, the types of people we would like to have dinner or play golf with and some vantage points on the property that people should keep an eye during the event. We hope you enjoy the read...

Marlon Johnston, assistant superintendent, The Australian GC

 

CALLUM MIZEN

Hometown: Chertsey Town, Surrey, UK
Ideal 4-ball: Peter Crouch, Harry Redknapp, Tyson Fury
Favourite motivational quote: “The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 12th hole (pictured below). My favourite hole when I drive round and look down from the top.

            

 

FLYNN EARLEY

Hometown: Botany, Sydney
Ideal 4-ball: Luke Aram, Gordon Ramsey, Usain Bolt
Favourite motivational quote: “Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: I like playing 6, but looks-wise, can’t beat standing on the Black Tee looking down 2.

CONNOR MIZEN

Hometown: Chertsey Town, Surrey, UK
Ideal 4-ball: Gareth Bale, Paul Gascoigne, Ange Postecoglou
Favourite motivational quote: “To dare is to do.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: View from the 1st Tee (pictured below).

 

KEATON LINDSAY

Hometown: Coffs Harbour, NSW
Ideal dinner guests: Douglas Adams, Caroll Spinney, Philip K Dick
Favourite motivational quote: “Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 2nd Black Tee, for the complete golf experience from tee to green, over the vista of a compact garden.

BECCA CODY

Hometown: Uxbridge, London, UK
Ideal dinner guests: Margot Robbie ‘Barbie’, Ryan Reynolds, Puss in Boots
Favourite motivational quote: “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 2nd Black Tee, because of the pink flowers and the tiered tees. Pictured: The 2nd at The Australian

 

SCOTTY COWELL

Hometown: Westhoughton, Bolton, UK
Ideal 4-ball or dinner guests: Steve Ballesteros, Tony Jacklin, Nick Faldo, Gary Player. Dinner Guest – Elvis Presley.
Favourite motivational quote: “Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 12th Black Tee. One hole Picasso would be very proud to paint. Such a great picturesque hole.

MARLON JOHNSTON

Hometown: Stanley, Tasmania
Ideal 4-ball: Kane Latham, Ben Williams & Bhodi Johnston
Favourite motivational quote: “When the road gets narrow, you either feel that pressure or you apply that pressure, I prefer to apply it. It is my job, to make sure everyone in our organisation shares that sentiment”. Coach Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club: 1st tee, the whole golf course is in front of you. The opening and final hole both staring back at you, 2 holes either side of the turn if you look left or right, the clubhouse at your back and driver in hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          

JOSH PRESLAND

Hometown: Titirangi, Auckland, NZ
Ideal 4-ball or dinner guests: David Goggins, Mike Tyson, Richie McCaw.
Favourite motivational quote: “Bravery is not the absence of fear, bravery is feeling fear and moving forward anyway.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: Vantage point from the Putting Green. A full view of the tee to green through holes 7-9. A view down the 1st showcasing the Nicklaus design. The intimidation of the 10th and 18th tee shots. The risk reward approach into the 18th green.

Pictured: The 10th at The Australian

LUKE ARAM

Hometown: Guelph Ontario, Canada
Ideal 4-ball: Flynn Earley, Wayne Gretzky, Gord Downie
Favourite motivational quote: “You miss all the shots you don’t take.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 1st hole, beautiful panoramic view of the course with a wide-open tee shot in front of the clubhouse.

SAM COURT

Hometown: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK
Ideal 4-ball: Ian Poulter, Jack Nicklaus, Elton John
Favourite motivational quote: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a golf ball.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: Putting on 7th green with the lake and clubhouse behind.

DAN COOK

Hometown: Terrey Hills, 2084
Ideal 4-ball or dinner guests: Dr Alister Mackenzie, Thelma Cook (Grandmother), JL Collins
Favourite motivational quote: “Good things happen to good people”!
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 4th Tee. A good look at the 3rd & 4th hole.

 

 

 

 

JAMES ‘CHOPS’ LAMB

Hometown: Young, NSW
Ideal 4-ball: Tiger Woods, John Daly, Phil Mickelson
Favourite motivational quote: “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 75m from the 7th green with the 9th green (pictured) and clubhouse in the background.

KINGSLEY MCCONNOCHIE

Hometown: Timaru, New Zealand
Ideal 4-ball: Shaquille O’Neal, David Bain, Christian Bale
Favourite motivational quote: “Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow death comes.”  Up the Wahs!
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 2. It reminds me of my hole in one.

SHANE GEORGE

Hometown: Sydney
Ideal dinner guests: Eddie Murphy, Kerry O’Keeffe, Jennifer Aniston
Favourite motivational quote: “Stop! Remember to breathe.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: The 12th, looking from an elevated tee down to the fairway and seeing all the hazards and the green.

JAMES COCHRAN

Hometown: Woolooware, Sydney
Ideal 4 ball: Chubbs Peterson, Michael Newman, Donny Berger, Paul Crewe
Favourite motivational quote: “If you ain’t first, your last.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: 14th hole, middle of the fairway, in line with the fairway bunkers.

VINCE DEMARZO

Hometown: Bexleyheath, London, UK
Ideal 4-ball: Seve (Billy Foster on the bag), Phil DeMarzo (Father), Peter Crouch
Favourite motivational quote: “Put the work in until it works out.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: Black Tee on 2.

CRAIG YOUNG

Hometown: Titahi Bay, Wellington, NZ
Ideal dinner guests: Robin Williams, Keith Richards, Nelson Mandela, Muhammed Ali
Favourite motivational quote: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club and why: Hole 12, elevation, vista.

BRADLEY SIMPSON

Hometown: Thornaby, UK
Ideal dinner guests: Noel Gallager
Favourite motivational quote: “Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?”
Favourite hole/vantage point at the Australian Golf Club and why: Looking down from 12 Tee, because it is stunning, like a young Bert Reynolds.

CHARLIE HOWARD

Hometown: Bellingen, Northern NSW
Ideal 4-ball or dinner guest: Ricky Ponting, Jeremy Clarkson, Jimmy Carr and would happily have Marylin Monroe and J F Kennedy over for dinner.
Favourite motivational quote: “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard”
Favourite hole/vantage point at The Australian Golf Club: The 12th provides great views from the tee and a challenging green complex. Seven bunkers on this hole all in play every shot.

 

 

 

 

STEPHEN CROSS

Hometown: Shelly Beach, NSW
Ideal 4-ball: Paul Cross, Steve Jobson, Luke Combs
Favourite motivational quote: “Precision beats power, timing beats speed.”
Favourite hole/ vantage point at The Australian Golf Club: The crane in the workshop

pictured below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

80MM OF RAIN HELPS TO FRESHEN UP THE LAKES

Tournament preparation is well and truly underway at The Lakes Golf Club. Another busy week has concluded and the course is starting to take shape nicely. We received 67mm of rain last Saturday night/Sunday morning which was followed by another 13mm on Thursday afternoon. The rainfall has given the course a timely freshen up, with all surfaces ticking along nicely.

The golf course was closed until 10:30am on Monday which allowed the maintenance team to complete numerous tasks over the day. These included;

  • Light dusting on greens;
  • PGR and fertiliser application on fairways/surrounds; and
  • Granular fertiliser application on tees.

We also have labour hire staff in for the next two weeks to help clean/weed sandy waste areas. This is a yearly task to expose more sand that gets covered with banksia pods and leaf debris.

Greens received a dry cut on Wednesday afternoon at 3mm. This was then followed with an application of fungicide, insecticide and PGR on Thursday morning. Nematode-affected areas on fairways and tees were sprayed with nematicide and fungicide on Wednesday morning. Fairways and tees are currently being cut at 8mm and next week we will bring them up to 10mm. Our mechanic Lance Hahn has been grinding/sharpening our fairway and tee mowers over the past week. This will be finished by the end of next week and we will have nice sharp mowers to operate. We look forward to sharing more details over the next two weeks, as we start to fine-tune the course ahead of the tournament.
 

Jackson Nicholls, assistant superintendent, The Lakes GC