Matthew Staines, Jason Magoci, Dane Sutcliffe and Josh and Barry Stapleton will tackle the challenging Murrumbidgee course set up in Canberra tomorrow, with all wary of the course’s ability to bares its teeth.

Magoci, who won the Griffith Golf Club scratch championship recently, said he was hoping to keep his emotions in check if he was to challenge for the lead over the two-day tournament.

“I’m feeling pretty good at the moment,” Magoci said.

“I definitely like playing at these types of courses, but I am always seem to get a little overawed at these occasions because it is Country Championships.” The course is a familiar one for most of the troupe, with only Stutcliffe not having seen the course before he tees up in the junior section of the 36-hole tournament.

Josh has played the course five times before and said it requires concentration the whole way round, or a player risks being devoured by the numerous cleverly placed hazards.

“It’s a bit hilly and very wide in parts and there is a lot of water and you need length off the tee and to be good around the greens,” he said. “There are also a lot of doglegs around 240 metres which can be annoying,” Staines said.

Despite the challenges ahead, all of locals have tasted some success at the championships in past years, but maintaining that high standard for two days will be the key to an overall win.

“We’ll just be going away to try and shoot low numbers and enjoy the trip away because it doesn’t happen very often the way golf is going,” Barry said.

The Griffith representatives are not the only ones from the region heading away today, with another three golfers travelling to the nation’s capital for the prestigious tournament.