Standing on the 1st tee at Capital, far removed from the cares of the everyday world, evokes a feeling summed up in an earlier, more sedate age by the great Australian poet A.B. (Banjo) Paterson:

"And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended..."

The undulating, perfect fairway extends into the distance, inviting the first shot of the day and holding the promise of a great round. It quickens the pulse, raises the spirits and begins the quest to discover if this course can really live up to its reputation. Brilliant white sand on the slopes left and right shows both danger and the way to the green. More bunkers define the approach to a flag set in a magnificent amphitheatre of sculptured mounding. The closer you get to the green, the more the background and the sky dominate and Melbourne could be a thousand kilometres away.