Playing every golf course in Melbourne Australia Rd 10: Devilbend Golf Club Competition

I accidently played in my first golf competition and I finished 12th overall. As you know I’m playing every golf course in Melbourne and today I went down to Devilbend golf course to visit a friend and play his local course. If you know any good courses, I should play let me know in the comments and I will play them.
Devilbend is an hour from the city, down at the Mornington peninsula. So, to all the people who recommended I head this direction to play golf, you were correct, the courses down here are beautiful and this is probably the best course I have played so far.
And yes, my golf ball choice today definitely added a new meaning to the term blue balls.
I actually didn’t realise I was playing in a competition until the 10th hole. But now that I have an official handicap, a whole new golf world has been opened up to me and it definitely igniting my competitive spirit.
Hole 1 is a Par 5 477m. I drove into the tree and whipped a 5-wood back onto the fairway. My pitch landed on the green and I three putted for a bogey to start the day.
Hole 2 is a Par 4 330m. Again, I pulled my drive into the trees and had to whip a 5-wood back towards the fairway. I had a tough lie and pitched it to the back of the green. My chip back went well and left me close enough to tap in another bogey.
Hole 3 is a Par 3 128m. I hit a 9-iron and it went long and over the back of the green. I hit a pitch back towards the flag and it left me with a decent shot at par. Unfortunately, I misread the green and left myself with another bogey.
Hole 4 is a Par 4 364m. I hit a good drive but again it veered left and into the trees. I clipped a tree root while hitting my 4-iron out of the trees but it worked out okay and left a short chip to the green. I had a 10m putt for par, but it didn’t sink and left me with another bogey.
Hole 5 is a Par 5 444m. Again, my drive sent me left and into the trees. I hit a 5-wood towards the green and tried to progress, but ended up in the trees again. I pitched out with a 7-iron to keep low under the tree line. I had a chip from 35m and should have got it closer but it just caught the lower level of the green. I had a long putt for par but managed to get it close enough for my fifth bogey in five holes.
Hole 6 is a Par 4 353m. My drive went straight down the fairway and left me with a pitching wedge to the green. I hit my best shot of the day and it landed right beside the hole. And I had an easy tap in for a birdie. I’m starting to get one every round now.
Hole 7 is a Par 4 337m. I drew my drive into the middle of the fairway and then hit an 8-iron at the green. It pushed right and landed in the bunker. I got it up and out of the bunker but didn’t catch any spin so it rolled past the hole. I had a long putt for par which came close enough to tap in a bogey, but I lost my concentration and pushed it right, leaving myself with an avoidable double.
Hole 8 is a Par 3 157m. I’m not sure what exactly happened here but I duffed my 6-iron and it rolled into the trees. I recovered well with my sand wedge and left myself with an opportunity to save par. Like the last hole, I basically had a tap in bogey and just didn’t sink it for no good reason.
Hole 9 is a 290m Par 4. My drive landed in the middle of the fairway. I had a pitching wedge to the green and it came up a bit shorter than I had expected. Nonetheless it was still a birdie putt from 15m. I came up way too short and left a tough par putt. Which also came up short and I ended up taking a bogey.
Par for the front nine was 36 and I shot 45 which is 9 over par. With a handicap of thirteen that equates to 16 points. The two bogeys were really unfortunate here and were a blemish on what could have been a solid front nine despite some wayward driving.

[@lifewithg7139]

Hole 10 is a Par 5 461m. Again, my drive leaves me in the bushes and I am forced to play out from the trees. I just barely make it back to the fairway and I hit a 6-iron at the green. It just veers left of the bunker and I have a tough chip at the hole over sand. I makes it over I have a long putt for par. It goes close enough that I can tap in a bogey.
Hole 11 is a Par 3 151m. I hit a good 6-iron at the tee and it land is a good spot on the green. I hit a putt with good speed that lands beside the hole and lets me get back on track with a par.
Hole 12 is a Par 4 36m1. Thankfully, I manage to avoid the water hazard here and end up in the middle of the fairway. I hit an 8-iron at the flag and it lands on the green. I have a long putt for birdie and it nearly went in. But I was able to close it out for another par.
Hole 13 is a Par 3 146m. I hit a 7-iron and it takes an unfortunate hop into the sand trap. It comes out easily enough and leave myself with a decent shot at saving par. It’s right beside the hole for a bogey and for whatever reason I push it right and end up with a double bogey.
Hole 14 is a Par 4 324m dog-leg-right. I’ve been practicing hitting fades for this exact moment. However, I don’t catch it right and lose my ball in the trees on the left. I hit my provisional down the middle of the fairway and an 8-iron to the green. I have a decent attempt at bogey, and then a terrible shot a double bogey. Leaving me with a seven on fourteen.
Hole 15 is a 375m Par 4. I hit a good drive down the middle of the fairway. And then I hit my 8-iron to the green. My putt is under hit, but it still leaves an easy enough par putt. It doesn’t fall and I have left at least five easy putts behind me today. At least I know where I need to focus my practice.
Hole 16 is a Par 4 370m. I pull my drive left into the trees and have to hit a 5-wood back out. It clips the tree branch on the ground but it works out okay. I hit a good chip to within 5m of the hole and have a chance to save par. But again my putting lets me down and I end up taking a bogey.
Hole 17 is a Par 4 322m. I smash my drive right up beside the green. I hit a flop shot over the bunker to the right of the flag. I have a decent chance at birdie that comes up short and I manage to tap this one in for a par.
Hole 18 is a Par 4 298m. I hit a decent drive but it just rolls into the trees. I can’t go over the trees here, so I use my 4-iron to run it towards to the green. Thankfully it works out and I make the green in two. I manage to two putt from here and finish out the day with a par.

I had 43 shots on the back nine leaving me with +17 overall with a 13 handicap. That leaves me with 32 points overall and I ended up finishing 12th in the Sunday competition. Which I am happy about for my first every competition, but I have nightmares about all the easy putts I left behind and the lost ball on Hole 14. I am looking forward to playing in another competition and this time moving further up the leader board.
Devilbend is definitely up there with one of my favourite courses so far and I can’t wait to play here again. If you know any courses in Melbourne that I should play comment it below, and if you made it this far give the channel a follow to see more of Melbourne’s golf courses.

[@jkturtle6384]

Hey G, what app do you use to get a graphic of the golf holes?

[@lifewithg7139]

Golf+ app . It’s really helpful to use while playing because it gives you distances the same as a ranger finder would, but on your phone or Apple Watch.

[@jkturtle6384]

@@lifewithg7139 is it a free app?

[@jordanchipp8817]

can you play malvern valley golf course

[@lifewithg7139]

Yeah Jordan I’ll definitely be playing there. Have you played there ?