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The Seaton course, widely acknowledged as ranking with the best in Australia, is in Adelaide’s western suburbs, less than 20 minutes drive from the city and less than two kilometers from the coast. Despite many alterations made since the first blow was struck in 1906, it retains its distinctive character of a comparatively open links course, an attribute by no means common in this country. It is this character which members and visitors alike recognise as a priceless asset in a golf course situated so close to a major city. Taken as a whole, the Seaton course, with its wide open spaces, poses more problems than appear at first sight, except under the most benign conditions. Most members are more than happy to complete their round having played to their handicaps.
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Playing TipsThe fairway of this quite short opening hole curves between some gentle mounds on each side. In the mounds on the right side are two bunkers clearly visible from the tee. The long hitting player will need to avoid the quite long grass on either side of this fairway and to take care not to go into a tongue of rough extending across the fairway 280 metres from the tee.The green lies obliquely to the line of play and is guarded by a bunker on its front left side. As a south westerly wind is often assisting this hole, players may have difficulty, even with a short iron, placing their second shots close to the flag.
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Playing TipsThe fairway bunker on the left of the fairway is 270 metres from the tee. The hole has a very attractive large greenside bunker on the right 30 metres short of the green and two smaller bunkers on the left adjacent to the green. It is the direction and strength of the wind which will determine whether a birdie four is a realistic expectation. The railway line which extends down the left side of this hole is an integral part of the course. An errant shot coming to rest among the sleepers must be played as it lies or a penalty taken.
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Playing TipsOften regarded as one of the best holes at Seaton, this is the only hole which remains faithful to the original design of Dr Alister Mackenzie. It has a green which can be described as being “leg of mutton” in shape. It has an oblique ridge on the left, while on the right is a knoll on the side of the green. Always surrounded by dense grass and rushes, it offers the possibility of an eagle 2 to the brave but with the possibility of a quite disastrous score. Norman Von Nida once took a nine while more recently in 1989 Colin Montgomerie required eight.
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Playing TipsThe crater which lies in front of the club tees presents little challenge to the Championship players. From the back tee the player has a blind shot to an undulating fairway. Pine trees guard both sides of the crater and 240 metres from the tee is a deep bunker on the left. To deter the adventurous there is another pot bunker a further 30 metres on. The right side of the fairway is heavily grassed and the fairway narrows sharply 280 metres from the tee. The green is relatively flat with a bunker on the left but there are some deceptive mounds on the right from which an accurate chip can be difficult.
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The championship tee brings the two existing right side bunkers into play as they are now 250 and 286 metres from the tee. The left side of this hole has been narrowed firstly by some quite deep grass and by increased mounding between this and the neighbouring sixth fairway.
The bold player with an assisting wind may attempt to play through this neck and be left with a wedge to the green. Prudence may dictate playing short of the bunkers. This presents a longer shot to the green which has a deep bunker in its right front edge.
This has always been a formidable hole from the members tee particularly when played into the generally prevailing wind. The back tee has added some additional teeth to the hole as the required tee shot from this championship tee will require a carry in excess of 230 metres. To the right are further mounds and some testing grass and rushes.
The green is generous in size. There is a deceptive slope from the back of the green. Care is required with any putt from above the hole. Two bunkers on each side of the green complete a very fine hole.
The player can choose to play short of a tongue of rough extending across the fairway from the right, 237 metres out. This side is reinforced by some steep mounds and a deep bunker. The left side is also heavily mounded 240 and 260 metres from the tee.
Alternatively the choice is a longer tee shot over the peninsula of rough to a narrow strip of fairway. This would leave a very short pitch to the green which slopes away sharply on the left and behind. The front right is protected by two mounds and a bunker.
A newly constructed bunker is 275 metres from the tee on the left, from which a gentle mound extends across the fairway to thick rough and a small stand of swamp oaks. On the right, the mounding has been increased and regular watering of the rough has encouraged thick growth, all of which enhances the two deep bunkers.
Both sides of the approach to this hole are lined with bunkers which lie in wait for any wayward second shot by the player who may hope to get up in two. The green has a quite definite step in it and a putt from almost any direction requires close attention.
This hole is regarded by most as Royal Adelaide’s signature hole and still plays as Alister Mackenzie designed it in the 1920s. A strong tee shot is required to ensure an easier second shot onto the green set within a sand crater. Three fairway bunkers make this task more difficult.
An interesting carry commencing 86 metres from the front of the green and features many native grasses. The green is protected by both a front left and a front right sand bunker and is framed by a stand of pine trees on the rear sand dunes.
The stand of pines on either side present little difficulty to top players. The left side of the fairway is heavily grassed requiring a carry of 270 metres. Another bunker is also situated on the right with a mound across the fairway. Shorter and to the right there is punishing rough. Although a short par 5, the drive must be well placed. The green is lightly trapped with shallow bunkers.
