Par for the course in Sydney

Deputy Head of Sport·Herald on Sunday·

7 Dec, 2014 02:00 AM6 mins to read

The exclusive private Concord Golf Course — with a world-class fairway — available at a steep price. Photo / Supplied

If you're going to be whacked by a golf ball, it may as well be hit by one of the greats, finds Cameron McMillan.

The world's best golfer almost hit me. An errant hook from Rory McIlroy was heading straight in my direction before shaping further left at the last second and nestling itself in pine needles a few metres from my feet. Yes, even the best in the world can have a bad day at the golf course.

Despite being a multi-millionaire and a four-time major winner with his own private jet, I still had sympathy for my near-assassin. Only two days earlier and a few kilometres away from Sydney's the Australian Golf Club, I was also stuck in the trees - from my opening shot.

Flying into Sydney, the easiest things to spot are the courses. Aussies love their golf and with nearly 100 courses in the greater Sydney region there are plenty to feed the obsession.

But this number of venues was a bad thing on my flight into the city, in which I'd wanted to use the vantage point to get an aerial view of the Concord Golf Club where I'd be teeing off a few hours after landing.

Maybe the bird's-eye view would have helped my game, which happened to be all over the place once I got my feet on the ground - but I did still manage to visit all corners of the immaculate Inner Western Sydney course.

Concord is a private club. It has a waiting list just for the privilege of paying a A$12,800 ($13,800) joining fee, plus an annual membership fee of more than A$4000.

So how did I and another journalist even get onto the course?

LuxGolf, an Australian company eyeing expansion into New Zealand, allows you to pay for a round of golf at courses such as Concord and the exquisite New South Wales Golf Club, both of which usually only allow owners of the latest-model BMWs or Audis past the front gate.

Pick your favourite famous golf course at Sydney's Golf in the City simulator. Photo / Supplied

LuxGolf can open the gate and get you on the tee from just $195. It probably doesn't hurt that Travis, the owner of LuxGolf, drives a Porsche.

To help with the pretence that we belonged there, Travis gave us each a set of fancy Callaway Legacy clubs that can set you back $4000.

So not only was there the pressure of playing on a pristine course where you're afraid to even make one divot, there was also the fact we were using very expensive drivers. The clubs were maybe a bit too rich for my taste. It took me a few holes to get used to them - hence the early visit into the trees.

If the members suspected we were outsiders they didn't show it. They were welcoming and patient as we took a few extra shots to find the slick greens.

The fairways and fringes were of the highest quality I've seen outside big tournaments. I've used a cart in the past but I wasn't aware that GPS, course graphics and shot distances were the latest thing.

They enhanced my experience but not, unfortunately, my game.

The next day I found my form and was eyeing an eagle putt on the par five fifth hole at the St Andrews Old Course.

No, I didn't take a direct flight to Edinburgh. I was playing at the Golf in the City simulator in the middle of Sydney's CBD, where you can size up a number of the best courses in the world, from Pebble Beach to our own Kauri Cliffs.

You smash a ball into a screen and two lasers project the flight and distance, tracking your shot all the way down the fairway (or out of bounds). Apart from the putting, I found it fairly easy to get the hang of, meaning my eagle opportunity turned into a three-putt par.

The place had a great set-up. Bar and leather couches gave that traditional clubhouse feel, although it seemed a bit weird to play golf indoors with a stunning Sydney day outside. I could hear my mother's wise words: "It's a beautiful day out there. Stop playing PlayStation and head outside."

We were about to do just that with tickets to the final round of the Australian Open where McIlroy almost felled me.

Attending a golf tournament is not too different from going to a big music festival. You need to take good shoes, prepare for all weathers and plan your schedule so you see all the best performers.

McIlroy was the top act on my list but he wasn't exactly on song. Par five fifth at the Australian, the world number one hadn't had the best start to his final round and was already out of contention to defend his crown.

But I still thought I was in a safe position under trees 180m from his second shot. I was trying to keep ahead of the pack and predict where the Northern Irishman's next shot would land.

I didn't expect it to be near my feet.

Rory McIlroy tees off on the 14th hole of the Australian Open. Photo / AP

Being first over his ball, I got a pretty good look at McIlroy as he sent his third shot out of the woods, just clipping the final branch and landing in the rough.

As he walked away, someone muttered, "He's much shorter than I thought he was."

This was the most popular phrase I heard in Sydney, just edging out "it's gunna be a hot one" and "the traffic isn't always this bad".

My plan was to follow McIlroy as much as possible so I got almost as close on a number of tee shots. Seeing the best in the world smash a driver is equal parts amazing and soul-destroying for a hacker like me.

I also wanted to see Jordan Spieth, a young American who is rightly being labelled the next big thing in the game. He posted arguably the greatest final round at an Australian Open, shooting a 63 to win the tournament by six strokes.

A round of eight-under on one of the toughest courses in Australia - staggering. It was a privilege to watch as the Texan showed how golf is meant to be played: hit the fairway, find the green and sink the first putt.

And then it hit me like a wayward Rory McIlroy four iron - why hadn't I used that approach to my round a few days earlier on the Concord course?