The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open is just over a month away from officially getting underway, and one of the stars of the show is coming into its own as the final preparations continue.

Although many will be lining the fairways to catch a glimpse of of Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Hannah Green, Cam Davis, defending champions Ashleigh Buhai and Joaquin Niemann and more, the players and fans alike will be licking their lips in anticipation to return to the Melbourne Sandbelt.

Once again showcasing golf as a sport for all with the men’s and women’s Australian Opens played alongside the Australian All Abilities Championship, the tournament returns to Kingston Heath Golf Club and The Victoria Golf Club from November 28 – December 1.

Kingston Heath hosting the Australian Open for a combined 10th time (eight men’s, one women’s, one combined), and in top condition as the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tours arrive.

“Everything's going to plan,” Course Superintendent at Kingston Heath Hayden Mead said this week.

“We've had a fairly good spring compared to 2022 when we co-hosted, we had a lot more rainfall, so that really slowed us down.

“This year the soil temperature is up a little bit more compared to what it was in ‘22 for the same time. So that's why we've got the couch grass growing now a lot more than what we usually would.

“So really in a good spot heading into the tournament, just fingers crossed we don't get too many more storms and then we'll do our final sort of polishing of it over the last two to three weeks.”

That final polishing will again remind Australia, and the rest of the world, why Kingston Heath is considered one of the finest courses in world golf that has drawn praise from the likes of Rory McIlroy, while it is a similar story down the road at co-host Victoria.

Showcasing the layout known colloquially as ‘The Heath’ as part of the launch of the ‘Cross Code Challenge’ that will take place on The Furrows short course the Sunday prior to Australian Open week, when star athletes will compete for a spot in the pro-am, Kingston Heath looks ready to host an Australian Open tomorrow if needs be.

“I have no idea what they are today,” Mead said when asked for a stimpmeter reading Thursday.

“We only stimp them probably every sort of three weeks. We don't take too much into that.

“Try and sit around about the 12 foot mark for the tournament, depending on what Trevor Herden (Tournament Director) wants. But usually, we're round about the 12 foot and it's probably more trying to marry it up with Victoria as well.

“Last tournament we spoke every day, every morning and we just compared notes from where we're with speeds and cutting heights and we try and mimic them as best we possibly can.”

Certain to again remind of the quality of Melbourne Sandbelt golf across both venues, the other matter of interest for those who have had the benefit of playing Kingston Heath, will be the format of holes.

Unlike most days when the first tee can almost be found on the patio of the clubhouse, the Australian Open will use one of the many varied layouts on offer at Kingston Heath.

“We have about six or seven alternate layouts we can actually play for the Australian Open for a two tee start,” Mead said.

“For an Australian Open, we always have to have one hole out of play because we've got the 19th and it gets quite confusing. A lot of people say, ‘Why is the 10th always out of play?’

“But as it is playing today in the layout starting from seven, the front nine has 10 holes. So we've always got to lose one hole on that front nine.”

This year’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open set to run using the club tees of 7, 8, 9, 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 19, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Tickets to the ISPS HANDA Australian Open are now on sale via Ticketek, with tickets from $36 and kids 17 and under go free.