Metropolitan is a mostly flat course apart from its green sites. From the tee you are given ample room, any searches for balls are quick, and for the shorter player you can usually lay up short. The greens are then the layout’s main defence – along with Victoria, Metro had the best example of no fringe-bunkers which I’m sure many putt into from its glassy surfaces. I didn’t, but I did find myself chipping into them from the linksy falloffs on the other sides of greens. Hard-pan bunkers are also an awful miss.

The front 9 is solid, maybe a little less photogenic. It changes direction a lot, making the most of the rectangular property. You also see the short 19th, which some call the best par 3 on property. I’d go for the 13th (third picture) but I understand this spare hole will soon be included in the main 18. I can see why as Metro’s 3s aren’t quite up to the high levels of similar Sandbelt clubs. It also lacks the short 4s, though I found scoring hard in Australia as there usually aren’t visitor tees – you are put with members then courses play 500 yards longer than standard UK visitor tees. Melbourne is wet at the moment too, though Metro was only showing a few signs of record rainfall. The finish is appropriately stout, with two long 4s playing into the prevailing wind.

Few would argue Metro is the best course in Melbourne but I would argue that of the seven courses I saw, it had the most typical Sandbelt architecture and made the best use of its land. If planning a trip, take the train to Huntingdale then it’s an easy walk.