Victoria: Big day out on the greens

The gallery watches as Adam Scott of Australia putts on the 18th green during day four of the World Cup of Golf at Royal Melbourne Golf Course. Photo / Getty Images

Cameron McMillan spends a tiring but fascinating day walking the fairways with golf legends in Melbourne.

I've never seen a hole-in-one in person, but I can now say I've heard one.

I was following Australian Jason Day up the par four second hole at Royal Melbourne on day three of the World Cup of Golf. He had a smallish gallery early into his round so it was very quiet as I waited for the world No.11 to address his second shot and eye his approach to the green.

Suddenly there was a "Whoooaaahhhhhh" from the gallery at the par three next door, which means one thing, someone just sunk an ace.

From where I was I could see Welshman Stuart Manley tapping the Mercedes-Benz behind the third tee (he'd find out at the green that it was only awarded for aces on Sunday - so close). Manley was on cloud nine and a buzz was in the air. He was brought back down to ground on the next hole when he shot a septuple-bogey 11.

That's the great thing about watching professional golfers. One second they pull off the seemingly impossible, the next they miss one metre putts that a weekly hacker could make.

Attending a golf tournament it's not too different to going to the Big Day Out. You need good shoes, prepare yourself for all weather and plan your schedule carefully so you see all the best performers. You always have a tee-time list handy as you plan your day.

"If I follow Adam Scott through his opening four holes, by the time he's at the fourth green Matt Kucher will be teeing off at one."

Then again you want to see as much of the course as possible instead of being trapped in a four-hole loop.

Our own Michael Hendry was teeing off in one of the earlier groups with Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman. The fans following were mostly friends and family of Hendry, who had a mixed first nine holes, but it was a good chance to get very close to the action without standing on your tiptoes and having other spectators breathing down your neck.

No offence to Hendry, but I could see him play at the NZ Open. I was here to see the big boys - Scott, Kucher, Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjorn and Ryo Ishikawa to name a few.

And again, if you started following the bigger names earlier in their rounds, there's a good chance to get good viewing spots before the galleries grew.

Golf spectators, like tennis fans, are a respectful bunch. They know their place - they can be heard but only to praise the players. Any other time it's hush hush.

So it was surprising and yet quite amusing to come across the Fanatics. Australia's answer to the Barmy Army, all dressed in Australian gold and green, they were in full song supporting Day and Scott and created a nice atmosphere greeting Day with the Happy Days theme song as he stood on the first tee. They only grew in voice as Day surged into the outright lead.

It was a big day for Day and a long one for me. After more than eight hours of watching birdies, bogeys and just missing out on seeing an elusive ace, my feet were sorer than after playing 18 holes myself the previous day.

CHECKLIST

Getting there: Qantas flies daily from Aucklandto Melbourne. Avis car rental at Melbourne Airport will get you to Bellarine Peninsula (roughly 80-minute drive).

Further information: See the Barwon Heads Golf Club website.

The writer travelled to Melbourne as a guest of Tourism Victoria..