Column: You never tire of watching excellence in the flesh

No wet weather gear, no fundamental objective, just a notepad and the desire to watch some of the best go to work in the heat of battle.

Making their way to the 3rd tee was an extraordinary collection of players. Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai, Australia’s best player, Hannah Green and recent LPGA Tour ticket collector Cassie Porter.

From the get-go, these three went shot-for-shot; it was like I was watching a shootout.

Watching the best of the best is something you absolutely must do as a golf fan. I have watched my fair share, but something about today enraptured me. You know how good they are, but … 

Sometimes, you have to see something in the flesh to appreciate the artistry and beauty of a skillset you can only fantasise about being able to replicate.

Today, I had that exact feeling watching these three, two out of the three right in the mix to claim the Patricia Bridges Bowl, one an outside chance.

As they walked the sodden Sandbelt fairways, all three oozed confidence. Body language tells you a lot in this game, and all I saw was composure and self-assurance, and this is after watching them hit one golf shot each.

I was privileged to watch more, and this is what impressed me most:

Green has been Australia’s best golfer over the last 12 months and has one of the most simple and brilliant moves I have seen.

Everything looks dialled and clinical, from her routine to her address; you can sense the intensity of being in the cauldron of battle, but she emits a calm and relaxed persona. Everything had a purpose.

“The sound off the clubface is a decent indicator of a good ball striker, and the reverberating echo of the ball meeting the golf club was like a church choir at Christmas for a golf fan.” – Callum Hill on Cassie Porter.

I was mesmerised by her tempo and mindblown by her ball flight. Green maintains her posture all the way through her swing. It is an exemplary representation of swinging a golf club. The way Green goes about her business is methodical, but the ability to change gears and put her foot to the floor is what makes her world-class. Green made six birdies on the bounce today, in an electric display.

I was watching Cassie Porter in person for the second time. I had seen her play in the Webex Players Series Sydney at Bonnie Doon in 2023. I was impressed then, as I was again today.

I love to see top-echelon athletes enjoying what they are doing, and Porter plays the game with a smile on her face, which is always refreshing.

You can tell Porter has been playing in the States. She was launching her irons miles into the sky and was consistently the longest driver in her three-ball.

High and long is how Cassie Porter hits the golf ball. PHOTO: Getty Images.

The sound off the clubface is a decent indicator of a good ball striker, and the reverberating echo of the ball meeting the golf club was like a church choir at Christmas for a golf fan.

Porter has already had plenty of success in her young career, but with an LPGA Tour ticket in her back pocket, I’d be buying stocks because there is only one way she is trending: north.

At last year’s Australian Open, I sat on the deck of the media centre on Wednesday and watched Ashleigh Buhai come down on the 9th at The Australian. A back left flag backed onto water, and Buhai dropped three or four balls in the right-front bunker.

She routinely clipped all the balls flawlessly. None of which would have gone outside of three feet. She is immaculate out of the bunker, and as I have watched her over the past year, I have seen enough to believe she is one of the best going around, at least eye-test-wise.

Ashleigh Buhai is uncompromising and a phenomenal competitor. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Buhai is uncompromising in her approach to playing. She is a true competitor and a hard worker.

Today, when I watched, I was convinced she was the total package, although she missed a few putts throughout her round. I just think we are witnessing a special player who still has numerous big wins in her. From her tempo to the way she stalks the green when lining up her putts, the delicate touch to compliment her strength and length.

Watching excellence in the flesh will never get tiresome. These three different representations of quality made me appreciate the fine art of professional golf more than I did yesterday. And no doubt tomorrow will roll around, and I will have my breath taken away again.