Some years ago the itch to travel Downunder found its way into this old folk singer’s “swag”.  The Guitar Case, long been replaced with a Golf bag, the entire itch was scratched to a bleed by an Aussie, with whom friendship came easy.  Met him in Ireland one morning playing Royal Port Rush. The connection he and his traveling buddy with me and mine built fast was founded in the golfer’s test of character, “don’t tee it up in the rough, add ‘em all up, go to the next  hole, and drink together a pint when it’s over”.

As for the reason to go play golf in Australia in particular, check out this Golf Blog, well placed online by some fellow peripatetic’ing his way around the planet playing the world’s best 100 courses. It is well done, and clearly indicates to one who loves true linksland golf why Downunder is absolutely a place one must chase the dimpled ball.

 http://top100golf.blogspot.com/

 This website is proof that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the decision I made four years ago to ABSOLUTELY go Downunder for golf was the correct one.  Quite frankly, the travelogue “In A SunBurned Country” took the vision beyond golf.

It has taken some time to arrange business commitment dates and assuage my strong desire to be home most every night with my Bride of a few years to be free of guilt about the long holiday. After 38 years of building a Commercial Real Estate business in Laurel, Mississippi, and holding a family close while doing it, it’s hard to just take off.  Yet the “Swagman” within me lives on.  I am very lucky that She keeps the light on.

I bet you don’t realize just how BIG Australia really is.  Well, it’s big, bigger than the lower 48. It’s also empty, parts still unexplored, almost.  97% of the people live within 30 miles of the sea. All that came from details gleaned from the Travelogue mentioned above.  It made me wonder where else Downunder the dusty roads might lead me.  Having convinced myself that the tour was appropriate, it seems reasonable to stretch out and enlarge the “golfabout” into a “walkabout”.  

For the next few months the trip will be planned.  A C Clark’s script dialogue on the last “Space Odyssey” movie is a favorite quote that spurs me on some days. Dave asked “What’s gonna happen?”  The PC replied, “Something wonderful.”