Well if you were one of those people that thought that golf doesn’t need Tiger Woods, I think after his performance so far at the Masters 2010, we can safely agree – That golf is just better when Tiger is in it!
Yes he has some major issues, and yes he needs to spend a long time regaining peoples trust and admiration but sports people all over the world continue to play their sport and get less scrutinized.
For example, the number of Australian Rules Football (AFL or footy) players that have been charged or acquised of rape, and they continue to play! Is it because Tiger is a golfer and with that sport it has a different type of expectation?
The first round couldn’t have been better with Fred Couples in the lead, with Tom Watson, Sandy Lyle and of course Tiger Woods near the top.
With Round 3 completed, it is going to be a fantastic race to the finish with Westwood, Mickelson, Woods, Choi and Couples all with a shot!
If you liked this article, check out “Australian gets Tiger Woods before disaster strikes!“.
Or have a look at the golf courses around Australia.
In November 2009, just before everything fell apart for Tiger, Australia paid Tiger a hefty sum of money to compete over in Austrlaia. Good thing the meltdown in his career happened after Australia or else Australia plan to increase golfing viewers would have failed.
Now that we have had nearly 5 months without Tiger on the screen, what will happen now? All the golf channels have stated that golf viewing has decreased significantly since Tiger’s affairs appeared publicly.
Can Tiger recover? Can Golf viewing recover? Is it really true that one player can have that huge an impact and will it return?
Check out Moonah Links Golf Resort where a few of the PGA Championships have been held.
Rutherglen – VIC
The Rutherglen region was introduced to me as being famous for its Durif and Shiraz red wines. However, it’s pretty good at them all!
Unlike the wooden tasting benches that characterise most of Australia’s vineyards, in Rutherglen many places have a white counter to help you see the colour of the wine more clearly. This is a great feature to help those interested in seeing the characteristics of the wine as well as tasting them!
(PS. If you are looking for a game of golf, they get a bit more rain in Yarrawonga which is nearby and has a 45-hole public course near the holiday park to which you can pretty much just turn up!)
And Another Thing…
On the Queens’ birthday weekend (~June 10th) Rutherglen is the place to be with its Walking Wine Festival.
Rutherglen Tasting Experiences:
Campbell’s – has a massive tasting list; many inexpensively priced decadent wines. They had live jazz music and nice looking lunches on the lawn.
Jones – an aesthetically-pleasing quaint wooden shed venue, with an art gallery. Their tasty clean-skin cab-shiraz is $7.50/bottle so you can afford to get a case;
Bullers – quite liked, another big tasting list. Their Shiraz and Durif I’m told best characterise the flavours of the region’s famous grapes.
Andersons – Taste in a farmer’s shed and see their wine collection at which you can look but you can’t touch. The staff have lots of informative help to discuss character of the wines.
Pfeiffer –it’s cute little bridge over the river on site. They do have a very cute marketing scheme with their ‘Pfine Pfood…’
St. Leonard’s – this hilltop view is worthwhile alone. There is also a big eating room and many picnic tables beside the vines which have most picturesquely eucalyptus trees in the background.
ALSO: make sure you eat at Parker’s Pies—wow. I had the Tomato, cheese, bacon and chicken pie—nicest-ever pastry. And the Indian beef pie. Parker’s Pies will not disappoint you, even if you don’t like pies.
If you ever visit Melbourne, Australia and you enjoy playing golf, then you definitely have to visit Moonah Links Golf Course.
Hosting tournaments for PGA Tour Australia, it can be a challenging course. However, don’t worry, they have two courses so you have a bit of choice.
I played the Open course and it was incredible. I have never seen so many bunkers (sand traps) in my life! Although quite a lengthy course, I played in a four-some with a variety of levels including a beginning who really enjoyed her game!
Did you know that you can drive all the way up the Murray and camp for free on the river?
Over the summer holidays, I ventured up to Echuca from Melbourne to see the famous Murray River. To my surprise it was brown-which was a bit odd, people were waterskiing on this thin piece of water BUT camping was available all along the Murray for free which we couldn’t pass up!
Travelling up from Echuca, you can stop in at Swan Hill and all the way up to Mildura. Definitely worth a trip! AND, they have great golf courses too! See our next post for more on golfing on the Murray.
A fantastic route from Melbourne where you can get a bit of everything.
- Leave Melbourne and head past Yarra Glen to De Bortoli. Here you taste cheeses with your wines. Try the garlic goat cheese, yum! Don’t forget to experience the Sparkling Shiraz (yes red champagne!)
- Then to Yering Station Winery. Not only does this have a beautiful setting but they have a few good reds to try.
- Time for lunch? Train Trak is a fantastic place for gourmet pizzas, gnocchi and many other Italian dishes. While you wait for your food, head into the barn for wine tasting and don’t forget to ask where the moose came from?!
- Depending on how many more you can manage, there are quite a few on your way to Healesville but whatever you do, don’t forget Riverstone and Rochford on your way back to Melbourne. Riverstone is perched on a hill over looking the valley with a beautiful stone home and has a couple of great reds and awesome Tokay.
- Lastly, Rochford where you can taste some local fudge after sipping a number of their wines. Rochford also hosts outdoor concerts in the spring and summer.
Others to consider:
Stone Ridge – beautiful view; the ten-year aged Tokay is my favourite! They also have great-looking pies in the window but I haven’t tasted them (yet).
TarraWarra/Tin Cows – rolling up this leafy drive, you’ll see the tin cow sculptures responsible for this shared vineyard’s name. TarraWarra is in Victoria’s ‘hills’, near the Healesville golf course (a guest/business centre which is not quite completed yet, but looks like it will be awesome). This vineyard has the most famous Victorian vineyard view—it is one you will see in all the Tourist mags. They also have an art gallery on site, quite cleverly. On a Saturday, lunch is $55 for 2 courses…
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