It was a pulsating day’s golf in the third round. Here are some of observations from on the ground.
‘Flight Deck’ solves logistical nightmare
Providing adequate practice facilities for 54 players to warm up simultaneously is a logistical challenge for the LIV Golf League with its shotgun-start format.
Event organisers had to think laterally for LIV Golf Adelaide given the practice range at The Grange Golf Club is just 60 metres wide – insufficient for 13 teams to prepare all at once.
For the tournament’s second edition, organisers erected a two-tier ‘Flight Deck’ [pictured] to give spectators a view of range as well as give players a 20-metre platform on which to hit from synthetic grass.
Beyond the short-game area, players have an 18-metre stretch of turf from which they can hit short irons onto the practice range.
Overall, that’s five separate practice areas: driving range, ‘Flight Deck’, short-game area, short-iron patch and practice putting green.
Can’t get enough of LIV
The merchandise tent at The Grange has been a constant flurry of activity with fans keen to get their hands on any type of LIV-branded product.
Popular selling items include second-layer of clothing, stubbie coolers and the Ripper GC rugby-style guernseys.
A number of products had sold out by Sunday afternoon, including hoodies and all ball markers. In fact, Ripper GC’s maroon, corduroy peak hat ($60) designed by Cam Smith sold out in the first few hours on day one.
Team branding is really strong, according to Rita Kim, LIV’s senior vice-president for retail and merchandising.
And what of the Ripper GC-branded swimwear priced at $75?
“The ‘budgee smuggler’ is a great ice-breaker and talking point. It brings a smile to everybody’s face,” Kim says.
On standby for LIV
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell spent the week at The Grange as one of three unused reserves for LIV Golf Adelaide.
It’s the sixth tournament this year Campbell has been on standby, most notably filling in for Australia’s Cam Smith when he withdrew from the final two rounds of LIV Golf Miami with food poisoning.
But how does it work?
If a player pulls out prior to the first round, one of three substitutes plays all three rounds. If a player pulls out during the first round, a reserve plays the second round.
However on the last day when all four team scores count, the reserves are on standby all day long.
“So if someone on the ninth hole, even the 17th hole, hit it out of the trees and hurt their wrist, then we’d have to go in and finish off from where they are,” Campbell says.
Effectively, the three subs – Campbell, Wade Ormsby and Laurie Canter – need to be ready to play all of Sunday. And they don’t even know who will be the substitute.
Prior to the tournament, each of 13 LIV team captains select their preferred reserve in a 1-2-3 listing. And the subs don’t even know the order.
Campbell describes the opportunity as a great experience, especially since they’re well compensated for their time.
“Obviously, if you do get in you want to play as best you can. I just use them as a big training week. You come here, you’ve got physios, normally the gyms are really good and things like that. So I just prepare like a normal tournament. You normally have a bit of an idea if there’s a few people running a few injuries or someone’s got food poisoning.
“The one thing that shocked me is just how hard the guys are working. About 6:30 this morning I was in the gym and there was probably five guys in there.”
