ROYAL MELBOURNE GC (West) Melbourne, Victoria

A great course (pictured below) for strategy. To get the best results, you need to think in reverse. Looking at the pin position determines where you need to be on the green to have a good putt, which determines where you need to be on the fairway to have the best angle to achieve this shot.

PHOTO: Brendan James

KINGSTON HEATH GC Melbourne, Victoria

I think the Royal Melbourne strategy is the same for Kingston Heath and Metropolitan, which is why I rate them highly.

MUIRFIELD East Lothian, Scotland

My favourite of The Open rota courses (which was recently taken off for not allowing female members). Muirfield (pictured below) is a classic links with challenges on every hole.

PHOTO: David Cannon/Getty Images.

BATHURST GC Bathurst, NSW

This is where it all started for me. Growing up as a kid I knew every blade of grass on the course. Then I started working there as an apprentice greenkeeper. It’s still one of my favourite places to play.

SUNNINGDALE GC (Old) Berkshire, England

An old English classic heathland golf course (pictured below). It is in the area where I was based for all the years I played the European Tour. If I could play only one more round of golf in the UK, it would be here.

PHOTO: David Cannon/Getty Images.

METROPOLITAN GC Melbourne, Victoria

Along with the two mentioned Sandbelt courses, possibly the best conditioned courses in the world.

PINE VALLEY GC New Jersey, USA

Always ranked in the top-three in the world. A classic tree-lined course with a lot of sand (and no rakes). A great experience to play. I played eight rounds in five days and each one was subtly different. There’s not many courses I’ve played you could say that about.

OAKLAND HILLS CC Michigan, USA

I played my first US Open at Oakland Hills (pictured below), in 1996, so it holds great memories. It’s one of the hardest but also playable courses because of great design.

PHOTO: Getty Images.

NEW SOUTH WALES GC Sydney, NSW

There’s never a day when you don’t want to play NSW. One of the best settings for a golf course and one of the few courses to have its par-3s and par-5s running to each point on the compass.

ST ANDREWS (Old Course) Fife, Scotland

The history of the course and the town are just remarkable. It is truly one of the most unique experiences for anyone to play. I was underwhelmed the first time I played it on a calm windless day, but after that I couldn’t wait to play my next round.

THE O’MALLEY RÉSUMÉ

  • Won eight times in Europe and Australasia during a lengthy career noted by precise ball-striking.
  • Represented Australia six times at three different team events: the Eisenhower Trophy (1986), World Cup (1992, 1998, 2000) and Dunhill Cup (1999, 2000).
  • A fixture in the 50-to-100 bracket of the world ranking, reaching a career-high of 60th in 1999.
  • Played 16 majors, twice finishing in the top-ten at the Open Championship (T-7 in 1997, T-8 in 2002).
  • Recently elected Chairman of the PGA of Australia board.