Clayton, DeVries & Pont

A few more of @LukasJMichel's photos of Royal Perth taken last week...

Got to love Ludwig On golf in Sweden.

A gloriously sunny afternoon on the Wirral yesterday visiting CM @johnmac150 at Wallasey. He and his team have undertaken a huge amount of winter work including the building of a short game practice facility and the introduction of more closely mown areas within several green complexes. Kudos to him and the club for a relentless approach to driving improvement.

❤️ 7 Mile Beach

Taken this week by @LukasJMichel - phases 1 and 2 of our renovations at Royal Perth are growing in well.

7 Mile Beach - Mathew Goggin Course Walk youtu.be/OSSrvUJTsys?si… via @YouTube

Clayts and Lukas have been at Royal Perth in Western Australia this week reviewing the second phase of our renovation work in partnership with KruseGolf and discussing plans for the third.

The 16th fairway at @Eindhovensche is reasonably wide and straight, which is handy if you want to land your plane to have a game with Dai Rees, who was stationed nearby. On Dec 16 1944, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, Field Marshal Montgomery did just that, something commemorated by this plaque near the tee. After (landing) is always better.

Our suspension bridges do more than catch the eye. They're a testament to how Abercromby and Colt tackled the course's most severe terrain, proving the architects weren't shy about calling in engineers when the land demanded it.

Frank running through first drafts of @BerkhamstedGolf's course plan this morning with GM Dan Blesovsky.

A visit to Eindhovensche, one of HS Colt's Dutch heathland gems, to see the ongoing winter work and enjoy a course walk with former Chair of Green, Han de Wit.

This week, I got a request for Cape Wickham - good timing, since it was six years ago this week that I made my way down to King Island to play this spectacular links. There’s something special and unique about traveling 10,000 miles across four flights to the corner of a small island with a population under 2,000 to play golf next to the sea - it’s a wild, adventurous feeling to that adds significantly to the appeal of this faraway place. If I ever made a rankings list of the most beautiful courses I’ve ever played, Cape Wickham would be comfortably within the top 10, and of modern courses, it’s up there with Cabot St. Lucia, Kingsbarns and Pacific Dunes. 🇦🇺🦘

St. Andrews Beach 2005 - Tom Doak & Mike Clayton #18 in Australia $85 USD When Tom Doak said this was the course he wanted in his backyard, one could easily write it off as salesmanship of his work. (Understandable.) But after playing it, I get it. It’s the most natural course he’s ever designed. Most of the course was found in the land. Remove the old cover and bring in turf and the golf course was there, built by years of natural evolution. The turf and conditions are incredible. It’s hard to explain how good the turf is in the region, the climate and soil is the best on earth. Made for bouncy golf, which is the best golf. It’s very wide off the tee, but thanks to big natural contours where you land the ball matters. You can get lots of extra yardage or avoid a blind shot based on your drive placement. The greens are big with fun slopes. The green exteriors are usually tight so you can putt or take a wood from off the green, plenty of options. You can play the ground game all day. The bunker use is judicious. They are big and relevant, but avoidable. Generally the more you want to take them on, the better your next shot will be. St Andrews Beach is simply one of the best public courses you can play and a value that is unmatched. If you head to Melbourne and don’t play here, you are missing out. It provides a great contrasting style to the famous courses of the sandbelt. Get here!

@mgwp1 Tried to interview one of the mowing crew but they weren't prepared to comment.

Riversdale Cup-one of the biggest amateur events in Aust. First time I saw this par 4 5th hole was ‘70 Vic Open Kel Nagle hit the green with a 5i -the first time I’d seen anyone hit what was then a par 5 in 2. ⁦@LukasJMichel⁩ pitching his second shot with a wedge.

Of all the golf course lists this is the best. RM at the top. golfclubatlas.com/147-custodians/

Some snaps from this week's visit to Royal Hague. Many thanks to @Kingkwarko and his team for their kind hospitality. Colt & Alison were asked to create the Pine Valley of Europe. They succeeded.