What makes Royal Melbourne so special? Cam Smith’s fascinating answer

Cam Smith has been the first to admit it: 2025 has not been his year.

Look no further than his major record: MC, MC, MC, MC. In fact, Smith entered this week’s Australian Open without a single made cut in seven tries this year. He spoke at length after last week’s Australian PGA about feeling lost and confused.

But Royal Melbourne has brought out the best in him.

All week we’ve heard pros rave about the host course, considered one of the best in the world. But when you haven’t visited a course in person it’s always interesting to try to puzzle out from TV, from comments, from expert reviews — what is it that makes a great golf course great?

I found Smith’s answer particularly illuminating.

Smith was beaming after a second-round 65 pulled him within shouting distance of the lead.

“I think that’s what I needed mate, to be honest, was a bit of momentum,” he told his post-round interviewer. What, the interviewer asked, was the best part of his game?

“I don’t think I’ve shaped the ball like that for a very long time,” Smith said. “I think it takes a good golf course for me to commit to that. You get on a few bland golf courses and it’s just kind of target golf and it’s definitely not like that out here, I think you have to ride the wind some shots and flight it up into the wind to get close to pins [on others], you have to be creative, you have to hit shots and I was able to do that, especially with the irons.”

What’s fascinating about that answer is the implication that a good golf course can bring out good golf. Smith’s alternative — bland golf courses — bring less memorable golf shots. For a creative type like Smith, his best chance to contend is when everybody has to play off-schedule.

Smith explained his mindset shift further; he said that rather than getting stuck on his figurative back foot, he’s been trying to stay out front.

Smith backed that round up with a third-round 66 and sits tied for second entering Sunday’s final round. He raved about Royal Melbourne again after the third round.

“You just have to hit the right shots. It’s such a cool golf course,” he said. “There’s so many ways on so many holes to get close to pins, you can really get as creative as you want or kind of hit it straight to the middle of the green all day; it’s such a cool place.”

That has been my experience watching on television; the Australian Open has been a terrific nighttime option for anybody on Pacific Time. Two factors — Rory McIlroy’s appearance and Royal Melbourne as host course — have jacked up the attention and drama around the event. The Aussie stars have taken things from there; Smith, Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee all enter the final round inside the top six. (McIlroy is just outside contention.)

Smith is now primed to finish his 2025 with his best and most meaningful result of the year. He said his phrase of the week has been to “let it go” as he steps over each shot.

All he can do is make a good swing, after all. The golf course will take things from there.