Golf is growing in Australia. Participation rates are up, club memberships are up and general interest in the game is on the rise post-pandemic.
35. LAKELANDS GC
Merrimac, Queensland
DOWN 1
Judge’s comments: “The high-standard of presentation at Lakelands has been a trademark aspect of the layout since it opened 25 years ago. While the playing surfaces remain very good, they no longer have the title of being the best on the Gold Coast, but they’re on the podium.” – Gavin Hill.
“Lakelands has arguably the best collection of par-3s on the Gold Coast, with the heavily-bunkered and waterfall-flanked 14th being the standout.” – Scott Matthews.
34. PACIFIC HARBOUR G&CC
Banksia Beach, Queensland
DOWN 6
Judge’s comments: “Pacific Harbour is a wonderful course and Ross Watson needs to be congratulated for the holes he created from what I believe was a pretty flat piece of terrain. But with each return visit, there seems to be more and more houses lining just a little bit more of the course, taking away from the ambience you used to feel playing here in its early days.” – Christian Harris.
“I love Pacific Harbour’s wild bunkering and dramatic greenscapes, while the wave-like roll of the fairways have a linksy look about them.” – Debbie Walker.
33. JOONDALUP RESORT – Quarry/Lake Course
Connolly, Western Australia
UP 6
Judge’s comments: “The Quarry/Lake routing is widely regarded as the second best of the Joondalup combinations, with the less dramatic Lake nine nicely complementing the off-the-charts Quarry nine.” – Stephen Jackson.
“There are few more spectacular nines, without the ocean being visible, than
the Quarry. Jaw-dropping holes, like the par-4 2nd and par-3 3rd, are hard to forget.”
– Brett Oldham.
32. STONECUTTERS RIDGE GC
Colebee, New South Wales
UP 1
Judge’s comments: “Greg Norman and Bob Harrison’s final major design project together is an absolute beauty. It offers contrasting nines, with the outward half being generally flatter with wider playing corridors, while the back nine covers the most undulating terrain and asks different questions of your skill. Put simply, Stonecutters is a well-rounded, fun course to play.” – Joe Thomas.
31. LINKS LADY BAY
Normanville, South Australia
UP 20
Judge’s comments: “Links Lady Bay is one of the most improved layouts in Australia. Much of this improvement relates to its presentation, which is significantly better than it was half a dozen years ago. All the playing surfaces are very good, but it is the greater consistency of the bunker conditioning that is noticeably improved.” – Brendan James.
“This is no longer an underrated design and quite rightly is gaining wider praise for how good it really is.” – Phil Nicholls.
“Lady Bay has evolved as a diamond in the rough. It is a terrific links course with greens and surrounds that you might expect at a private club. My only criticism would be the location of some of the cart paths, particularly those weaving between bunkers.” – Anthony Smith.
30. THE VINTAGE GC
Pokolbin, New South Wales
DOWN 3
Judge’s comments: “Another design from the Greg Norman and Bob Harrison stable created in the early 2000s, with their trademark take on Sandbelt bunkering and interesting green complexes. The Vintage never fails to deliver.” – Hamish Walker.
“I have enjoyed every round I have played at The Vintage. But I get the impression the presentation has dipped a little in recent years. For example, there are several water hazards on the back nine choked with really high reeds that look unkempt and, if cleared, would enhance the look of the holes.” – Alex Georgiou.
29. SANDRINGHAM GL
Sandringham, Victoria
NOT RANKED
Judge’s comments: “What a transformation! The OCM (Ogilvy, Cocking & Mead) redesign has produced a ‘real’ Melbourne Sandbelt gem that everyone can play. The accessibility to all was part of the design philosophy, with each hole offering a range of playing options depending on your skill.” – Lucas Andrews.
“Sandy Links is such a fun course. It’s not long and demanding, it’s just fun, especially on and around the greens.” – Richard O’Reilly.
“A first-class strategic course, Sandy Links mimics the golfing experience to be had elsewhere in the world famous Sandbelt.” – Brendan James.
28. LONG REEF GC
Collaroy, New South Wales
UP 3
Judge’s comments: “Laid out across the Long Reef headland, it is a given that you will be seduced by the setting and its ocean views that accompany every shot.” – Susan Johnson.
“Long Reef has some of the best poa greens in the country. I can’t recall ever leaving there thinking the putting surfaces were less than superb.” – Hamish Walker.
“There are some funky holes at ‘Longy’, like the dogleg left par-4 5th threaded between two water hazards, but they are offset by the cool ones like the downhill par-4s played from the top of the headland.” – Sam Brooking.
27. ROSEBUD CC – North Course
Rosebud, Victoria
UP 34
Judge’s comments: “The North Course has always been a very good layout but
the remodelling changes made in recent times, as well as consistently good conditioning, have raised its standing among the courses to play on the Mornington Peninsula.” – James Walsh.
“It’s hard not to be impressed by the redesign work OCM (Ogilvy, Cocking & Mead) has overseen at Rosebud in recent years. The better undulating ground of the North Course was a good canvas to work with and the result is a challenging round with numerous highlights.” – Paul Wilson.
“The design changes of both Rosebud courses have been enhanced further by the great work undertaken by Ian Todd, the former long-time course superintendent at Victoria Golf Club, and his team.” – Nathan Burgess.
26. THE GLADES GC
Robina, Queensland
DOWN 2
Judge’s comments: “Generously wide playing lines, big greens and equally big bunker schemes tell the Glades story. That said, making par or better is a stiff challenge if you find yourself out of position from tee-to-green.” – Gavin Hill.
“Of all the Gold Coast courses I like how The Glades is allowed to play firm and fast (when the weather warrants). This brings all the strategic elements of Greg Norman and Bob Harrison’s design into play.” – Daniel O’Keefe.
25. SANCTUARY LAKES GC
Point Cook, Victoria
UP 5
Judge’s comments: “I recently saw a photo of Greg Norman surveying the site for Sanctuary Lakes before any construction started. It was a completely flat, desolate salt pan and far from ideal for golf. The rolling fairways, wonderful green complexes, expansive bunkering and birdlife-rich wetlands that lie there now, a few decades on, is surely evidence of one of the great transformations in the history of building golf courses in this country.” – Hamish Walker.
24. KALGOORLIE GC
Karlkurla, Western Australia
UP 8
Judge’s comments: “Kalgoorlie is the epitome of everything you might expect about outback golf.” – Scott Matthews.
“This is Graham Marsh’s finest design work. Strategically it is terrific, while visually it is absolutely stunning. It is a long course from the back markers so make sure you
pick the tee that is best-suited to your ability.” – Terry Anderson.
“Kalgoorlie’s greens – in terms of shape and slope – are crazy good.” – Deborah Hill.
www.kalgoorliegolfcourse.com.au
23. THIRTEENTH BEACH GL – Creek Course
Barwon Heads, Victoria
UP 3
Judge’s comments: “There is plenty to like about the Creek Course but the highlight for me is the green complexes, which are all very different and a lot of fun.” – Joseph Baker.
“The greens and their surrounds on the Creek Course are brilliant. The bunkering, cut tight into the putting surface, as well as close mown swales and mounds suggest designers Tony Cashmore and Sir Nick Faldo were heavily influenced by the best aspects of the Melbourne Sandbelt.” – Lucas Andrews.
22. MEADOW SPRINGS G&CC
Meadow Springs, Western Australia
DOWN 1
Judge’s comments: “Meadow Springs’ consistently high standard of conditioning coupled with Robert Trent Jones Jnr’s outstanding, strategic design ensures another ranking result among the top quarter of this country’s best public access courses.” – Brendan James.
“So many of Robert Trent Jones Jnr’s designs have hard, dramatic lines but Meadow Springs is much different. I really like how the fairways rise and fall ever so gently and the greens have far more subtle breaks than what you might find at Joondalup or Cape Schanck, for example.” – Richard O’Reilly.
21. CURLEWIS GC
Curlewis, Victoria
UP 4
Judge’s comments: “This Bellarine Peninsula layout continues its climb in this rank, which coincides with the ongoing design fine-tuning – under the guidance of Mike Clayton – it’s presentation and the overall golfing experience. I’ve never been a fan of club’s flipping the nines, but Curlewis’ choice to do so actually works as, in my opinion, its best holes now come on the inward half and play a more important role in the outcome of your round.” – Brendan James.
“There have been some fantastic changes made here in recent years. The best work has come on what is now the back nine, with improvements to holes like the 10th, 11th and the short par-4 18th hole. Throw in the always interesting 12th and you have all the elements for an unforgettable round.” – Hamish Walker.
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