I left for the Space centre about 9 and it took the better part of an hour to get there. Once I arrived I took a quick look around the museum cum kids playground part and then headed for the tram for the tour of the actual space centre. Outside it is particularly un-extraordinary. Not much different than a university campus or modern business park. Essentially just a lot of buildings with car parking and a bit of landscaping between them.Our first stop was the building that contains mission control. In fact there are 3 different control rooms. We sat in a theatre arrangement overlooking one of them and had a 10 minute presentatio0n. It was quite interesting. Lots of computer screens etc.
The next stop was the space vehicle mock-up building where they have full scale models of different space vehicles and structures for training purposes including a full sized shuttle and two part shuttles. We were fortunate to see the actual lunar rover - new version with 12 wheels and it was taken outside for some testing so we actually saw it in action.The final stop was Rocket park which has an actual Saturn V rocket in side. It was for Apollo 18 but the mission was cancelled so it was never used. It is huge but the capsule at the end (top) was so small. It wasn't much bigger than a 4WD car.
That tour took 1 1/2 hours. I decided to skip the theatre presentations but wandered through the mock up of the shuttle flight deck and through the museum. I also stopped in the shop and bought some NASA caps. I particularly liked the one that said "It's not Rocket Science (Oh wait, yes it is)"It was just after 12-30 when I left and my GPS predicted a 1-40 arrival back in the Woodlands. I called Tony who told me he'd already dropped his clubs at the hotel. Once I got back I put one of my camera batteries on charge, since both were flat, picked up the clubs and then headed out to a nearby shopping area where I picked up a chicken salad and smoothie for lunch. By the time I'd finished there was enough charge to take the camera with me.
I headed or the golf course and was told I could go right on. There was no-one else booked so I couldn't join up and that the last group had hit off 40 minutes earlier. After getting the cart organised I had some putts and chips. They actually just have dozens of balls on the putting green and chipping green. So you grab a handful and use them and leave them for the next people. Can't imaginer that working in Australia.The course was in very good condition, especially considering how much rain they'd had. Cart were strictly on the paths only but the greens were very dry but still quite soft so you throw the ball right at the green.
Tony's set consists of Taylor-made irons which I quite liked. Callaway hybrids which were ok as well, some weird wedges which I didn't like much. Ditto for the fairway wood. A Wilson putter which I got used to after a while and the Callaway FTi 9 deg Driver which I absolutely loved, once I figured out how to hit it.I had a 91 which is 5 over my handicap. More than acceptable with borrowed clubs on a strange course and to be honest the extra strokes were probably putts while I was getting to used to the greens and the putter and a couple of balls in the water. I lost 2 balls in Water hazards and 2 in the rough - 1 was a provisional anyway which I didn't need. While looking for the second one, I found 6 other balls.
The course is very picturesque and in excellent condition. I could not believe that a public course could be so good and yet so empty on a Saturday afternoon. I caught up to one group of 3 one the 10th tee who waved me through. I hit my drive over the sand trap on the right, cutting across the dogleg and put my second on the green for a par. Don't you love doing that when someone calls you through. It took me about 2 hours 45 to complete the round. I could probably have played the other course and still taken not much longer that a normal Saturday round back in Perth.
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