Allthego has now completed the first nine. It has not been a great start. Readers will recall that after the first five holes he was 20 over par.  The next four holes have continued to be a challenge. Now Allthego tries to stay low to the ground in windy conditions. This can be a handicap though where the fairways are a bit rough and ragged. Those who can get the ball up in the air (as well as straight, or pull a draw/slice) are at an advantage. They can skip all the stuff in between the tee and the hole. But then they miss the fun!

Hole 6 was at Fraser Range Station, a par 3 141 metres. Called the ‘Sheep’s Back’, for good reason too. The grass was calf high down the fairway. Allthego managed a 4 here, after a very nice approach shot to the green out of the rough.

Each hole on the course has a name plate with a brief description of the area’s history or the main features near the hole.

A great start at Sheep’s Back at Fraser Range Station

Ballladonia is another par 3, 175 metres. Called ‘Skylab’ after the NASA space lab that dropped here in 1979. Like the Skylab Allthego also dropped here and was 5 over for the hole.

Balladonia fairway, quite good if you kept left here.

Bunker guarding the green at Balladonia

Caiguna is at the end of or the start of the 90 mile straight along the Eyre Hwy, depending upon whether you are going from east to west or the other way. Anyway the wind was going the wrong way and on this 310 metre par 4, called ’90 Mile Straight’ Allthego was 3 over.

’90 Mile Straight’ at Caiguna, threading the gap through to the green.

A good approach at ’90 Mile Straight’ is keeping Allthego competitive, even if it’s in his own mind.

The  ninth hole is at Cocklebiddy, a par 4 347 metre hole called ‘Eagles Nest’. Alas 4 over! Even though the fairway had recently been mowed and manicured.

The green keeper is at work on Eagle’s Nest at Cocklebiddy.

Hitting up to the green at ‘Eagle’s Nest’

So after 9 holes Allthego is on 69, 33 over par.

Now, it has just occurred to Allthego that he has not allowed for his handicap in all these calculations. Homealone has suggested that the handicap is himself, this was a bit churlish. But being a generous fellow Allthego has agreed on a handicap of 27, for 18 holes of course. This was agreed after long disputation with himself, originally starting at 36 but being beaten down to 27.

Readers will see that there is much to be gained from an improved performance on the next 9 holes, if there is not to be a strong sense of under achievement.