The 10 best golf courses in Australia

Where: Melbourne, Victoria

Combining excellent topography and great design, the Royal Melbourne Golf Club is the oldest (est. 1891) and most well-respected golf course in the country. While the club boasts two 18-hole layouts – the East Course (designed by Alex Russell) and the West Course (crafted by Dr Alister MacKenzie) – it’s the West Course that steals the show. Long ranked number one in Australia and consistently sitting in the global top ten, this masterpiece famously formed the backbone of the Composite Course for the 1998, 2011 and 2019 Presidents Cups – most notably in 2019, when Tiger Woods led the US team to victory before record-breaking crowds.

Where: King Island, Tasmania 

While it’s only a fairly recent golf course opening in 2015, what Cape Wickham Links lacks in age it makes up for with stunning coastal vistas and some world-class holes. There are a whole heap of options for visitors ranging from nine holes to a full day pass for guests staying on Tasmania's rugged King Island. To reach this remote golf course, it's just under an hour’s flight from Melbourne, and there are villas with beautiful water views up for grabs if you'd like to stay. Be warned: King Island is no stranger to strong winds, so bring an extra box of balls or two to play it on the safe side. 

Where: Melbourne, Victoria

A collection of Australia’s best golf courses would be incomplete without the inclusion of this fantastic facility along the Melbourne Sandbelt region. The stretch of sandy soil makes for such good putting that there are more than ten courses spanning the land. Eight of them are considered premier courses, including Kingston Heath. It’s one of the most prestigious courses in the world and you’ll be following in the footsteps of legends like Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Gary Player. Best of all, the nine-hole course is only half an hour from Melbourne’s CBD.

Where: Bridport, Tasmania

Perched on Tasmania's rugged north-east coast, Barnbougle Dunes is a renowned yet relatively young links golf course, having opened in 2004. Once part of a humble potato farm, the 18-hole course was transformed by acclaimed US course architect Tom Doak and Australian Mike Clayton into a world-class golfing destination inspired by the legendary links of Scotland and Ireland. Rolling through sand dunes with sweeping views across the Bass Strait, every hole blends seamlessly with the natural landscape. Ever-changing coastal winds and firm fairways make each round both challenging and rewarding, while the spectacular scenery ensures an amazing experience. Psst! Barnbougle also boasts two other world-class golf courses: Lost Farm (20 holes) and Bougle Run (14 holes).

Where: Bridport, Tasmania

Barnbougle has a real Cinderella story – once a potato farm on Tasmania’s coastline, golf course architect Tom Doak worked his magic to create not one but three courses. The Dunes (18 holes), Lost Farm (20 holes) and Bougle Run (14 holes) may all be neighbouring, but they vary in length and complexity. What they all have in common is how their coastal dunes replicate some of the legendary golf courses in Scotland and Ireland. If a couple of hours isn’t enough to soak up the striking panoramas, stay the night (or two) at Barnbougle’s cottages, lodges or ocean villas. And, yes, Lost Farm is a public course.

Where: La Perouse, NSW

This gorgeous, links-style golf course, only 20 minutes from Sydney’s CBD, is an institution in the world of Australian golf. You can expect pristinely manicured terrain and good conditions all year round that consistently rank it in the world’s top 50. Established in the 1920s, the New South Wales Golf Club is the work of golfing architect legend Dr Alistair MacKenzie whose genius has inspired more than 60 courses around the world, including the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The course is a private one, but visitors will get their money’s worth touring the coastal stretch and perhaps stopping in at the enchanting clubhouse. 

Where: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

You can thank globally renowned golf architect Tom Doak for the pristine green at St Andrews Beach Golf Course. Responsible for designing many of the world’s most famous golf courses, like Oregon’s Pacific Dunes and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand, Doak’s course has bunkers galore and some pretty steep inclines (i.e. a cart might become your best friend). While it's just over an hour south of Melbourne, the course is advanced and the facilities are fairly limited (so lunch might involve a little drive to nearby town Rye).

Where: Dent Island, Whitsundays, Queensland

If touring a lush tropical island in the Whitsundays wasn’t opulent enough, Hamilton added the option for day trippers and guests to hop on over to Dent Island for 18 of the most challenging holes in the world. The steep terrain, wild winds and some unruly bushland are a recipe for an above-par experience (both figuratively and literally). Ferries will cart you over from Hamilton Island, which you can access by plane or boat from mainland Queensland. After your testing plays, settle in at the Clubhouse with panoramic water views. 

Where: Adelaide, South Australia

Top-tier traditional golf etiquette is still alive and well at this private golf club 20 minutes from South Australia’s capital. Royal Adelaide Golf Club is predominantly tailored to members with its playful and creative holes and renowned dining, but it also makes golf accessible through its women's and children’s programs, where amateurs will be brought up to scratch quickly through clinics and events. There are also options for visitors from partner clubs, interstate and overseas to hit a couple of holes, so be sure to enquire on their website in preparation for your visit. 

Where: Canberra, ACT

You might consider becoming a member at this little gem in Canberra for its whopping 27-hole lineup. In fact, you might forget you’re in Australia at all when your day on the green features row upon row of beautiful trees that are part of the Westbourne Woods. It’s a far cry from the rocky outcrops and rolling hills of some of the other features on this list, but it's a global championship venue. In 2023, Royal Canberra began some major work on a grass conversion project, changing from Bent grass to Santa Ana couch grass, and it looks pristine.