Daily Golf - Where you are playing and how you go

[carey]

With a handful of Pale Ales I assume?

[Booney]

With a handful of Pale Ales I assume?

You assume right.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Times for McCracken sent out for the weekend
Nice early 7.20 start both days.
Chance to be top of the leaderboard.... if only just for a brief moment in time
Forecast also looks ok.

[Corona Man]

With a esky of Pale Ales I assume?

EFA

[Corona Man]

I made the move to "Malbin" near on 9 years ago now. During those 9 years I have probably averaged 6-10 rounds a year. Just playing here & there really. I believed I would hold off joining a golf club over here until I retired, to be certain I could play enough to justify the membership fees.

I had kept myself busy in the summer months with old fools cricket. At 59 now, and the only thing keeping me interested in cricket, was the thought of pulling on the Big V, in the over 60's carnival, made me realise, I was playing cricket for the wrong reasons. With the summer upon us, I have no enthusiasm at all to pull on the whites.

I have a number of golf clubs within a reasonable distance of my home to choose from, so I started the research in earnest over the past month or so.

A couple of private clubs (Northern, Rosanna & Heidelberg) all around the $2.5 to $3.5k per annum, and most with around the same in a joining fee to boot. All very nice clubs, with some great facilities (clubhouse, practice ranges etc). I played Rosanna a few years back, and it's a good track, they stuck the membership forms in front of me. I was very tempted!

Then there is a number of Semi Private clubs (Growling Frog, Club Mandalay & Hidden Valley). All around the $1,200 - $1,500K per annum, no joining fee (that I am aware of) and pretty good facilities. The practice area's at Growling Frog are particularly good. My knock on the "Frog"..... it's always blowing a ******* gale. It's a Links setup, but stuff me it's always insane the wind there. Mandaly can be much the same, but it has bugger all, in the way of a practice range.

So I have settled on Hidden Valley. It's a 35-minute drive up the Hume, heading North. 3 speed cameras to be aware of, so careful on the speed.

I have played the course probably 5-6 times now, & I bloody love it. The clubhouse is super impressive, and membership includes access to the gym (although I am a member of a Gym 500 meters from home) and to the indoor heated pool. Also included is bowls, tennis & pickle ball..... Not ready just yet (4 more years) is the opportunity to buy a home, that backs onto the actual course. Oh my glory filled days..... imagine driving your golf cart out the back gate, playing 18, then a few hours negotiating the 19th hole. Just drive the golf cart (hic) back home, through the course, and do it all again the next day!

So bugger it, Im not waiting to retire then join a club, I am doing it this bloody weekend.

www.hiddenvalleyresort.com.au