If you had only one more round to play...
By J.J Keegan - Golf's answer to "Rainman"   

If you had only one more chance to play golf, which course would you select? 

In search of that answer I traveled recently to courses that were diametrically opposed: the famed and historic courses of Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath in Australia to the brand new visually stunning courses in New Zealand: Kauri Cliffs in Keri Keri and Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay and in Tasmania: Barnbougle Dunes. For those that skipped sixth grade geography, Tasmania is actually a "State" of Australia and not its own separate country like this geographically impaired writer thought. The trip in all encompassed twelve (12) different courses including Royal Wellington, Paraparaumu, Victoria, National, and Moonah.

Nirvana located?

Will one find in Australia and New Zealand the ultimate golf experience?

The general consensus among many experienced travelers is that New Zealand is the best country in the world and Sydney may be the most spectacular major city.  Nothing we saw dissuaded us that those conclusions aren't spot on.

What makes them so special, for economically they aren't much different than America?

In New Zealand the environment is temperate, the air clean, and the land uncluttered. The language is English. The tax system has a top rate of 39%, the sales tax is 12.5% but there are no capital gains or estate taxes. Insurance is no fault, electricity is inexpensive and 80 different companies provide phone lines and Internet to 99.98% of the population.

Want to move there?  No big deal. In an attempt to lure skilled workers, the New Zealand government just launched a new immigration program to help the country achieve its economic goals. See www.immigration.govt.nz to complete the application for migration. Or a mere deposit of $500,000 also gains you permanent access.  Why the deposit? They want to ensure you have the financial resources so as not to become a burden on their economy or FREE health system.

Golf is actually more expensive than in the US. Their currencies are rallying against the dollar to record highs of $0.80 AZ and $.75 NZ to the US dollar. Courses like Victoria Golf Club dinged us $280 AZ even though their greens were being top dressed. Robert Allenby shot a 67 just behind us so who are we to complain. Cape Kidnappers came in at $400 NZ, Royal Melbourne at $300, Kingston Heath at $280 - though they had two alternate holes in play and the National was $200 AS. Thus, one doesn't travel to Australia to save a few quid.

The golf industry is also in depression in Australia just like the US.  In the December 2004, The Golfer, (www.thegolfer.com.au) the headline read, "Clubs selling the farm?" Golf courses across Australia are engaging in many activities to keep themselves afloat including:

     - Golf courses shortened with the land vacated sold.
     - Assets offered for sale.
     - Golf course swap deals offered.
     - Golf courses offered for sale.

If the economy is the same, the golf is expensive, the industry is in decline and those pesky environmentalists are frittering about, why is golf down under so special?

It's All About the People

One will not meet more genuine, humble and service oriented individuals anywhere. They also have a zest for life that borders on irreverence.

In our culture where sex is often protected as though we live in 1600 English puritanical community, the Aussies love life and have an incredible wit that gets incorporated into their advertising that makes one laugh. A billboard on the Melbourne expressway has a advertisement for a sexual enhancing performance drug with graphic pictures and the tag line, "Longa, Stronga, Donga."

In the December 7, 2004 article in Melbourne's leading newspaper, The Age, titled "The sweet taste of ecommerce success," an entrepreneur, Bert Werden who had built an online wine cellar commented "I designed our first website in Excel but we still found people actually using it, which amazed us because we were just 'piss-farting' around at this stage."

I am amazed that a respected publication would use language that I personally find questionable and incorporate journalistically in this article only to make a point as to the difference in our cultures.

Down under they have a command of the English language often employing the double entendre or pun to such effectiveness that it makes such an impact that you not only remember the ad but recall it to others. Virgin Blue, a discount airline, has the slogan:  "Keeping the Air Fare."

Because of these differences in the use of the language and the variance in mores our camera turned from pictures of the great holes to their advertisements.  A billboard for a red dinner wine had the tag line, "Superb with a little lamb, Mary." 

What is the Secret to Their Societies That Makes Them So Alive?

In life there are essential three fundamental laws: the law of gravity, biological laws, and the law of human nature or the rule of "fair play". Of these three universal laws, man is only free to disobey the rule of fair play.

Perhaps conflict in societies occur due to individuals in varying ethnic groups being raised on their own definitions of what is "right" and "wrong" based on their  common ancestry, language, religion, history, customs and cultural traditions. But because these definitions vary among ethnic, perhaps what one calls decent behavior is simply the behavior that happens to be useful to us.

Thus, as societies become melting pots and cultures diverge, the chance for misunderstanding and mistrust increases not intentionally but merely because the expected standards of behavior become too divergent that without understanding and compassion, conflict results. In Australia & New Zealand, their cultures are fairly homogeneous, hence, little conflict.

From this writer's perspective, perhaps we can learn to relate to others not from own perspective but from theirs. 

The value in playing courses from around the world may not be to find the ultimate golf course but to acquire an appreciation for the culture of others so that we can become more tolerant, compassionate and understanding. The variances in courses' topography, strategy, bunkering, conditioning, green contours and difficulty only provide topics to encourage discourse and to establish a common ground. 

Thus, the value of the game of golf in is the friendships it creates. So as for the last round, where would it be?  It really wouldn't matter. The game, the friendships and some great wine and food afterwards would make it all very special.