Eleven Australian golf courses have been named in the 2022 US Golf Digest’s biennial listing of the world’s top 100.
Royal Melbourne’s west course topped the Aussie listings at No. 4 while in all six courses from down under appeared in the top 20.
The biennial ratings are for courses outside the US and are chosen by 350 panelists who also reside outside the US.
Northern Ireland’s Royal County Down was again rated as the world’s best. The 1889-founded course has always been rated as the top international course since the Golf Digest listings were first published in 2014.
Courses from 25 countries made this year’s ranking with Scotland leading the way with 17 entries, followed by 13 from England, 12 from Canada 11 from Australia and 4 each from New Zealand and Japan. China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea all charted three.
Some Australian golf pundits bemoan the fact that Golf Digest does not rank the Royal Melbourne composite course – a collection of holes from the West and East courses used for big events such as the Presidents Cup – saying it may well give County Down a run for its money.
They are also questioning the “eyebrow-raising omission” of the recently renovated Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club outside Melbourne, which has had one of its courses (North) ranked well inside the top 10 in Australia in recent lists.
Golf Digest does not rank Royal Melbourne’s composite course – a collection of holes from the West and East courses generally used for tournaments – otherwise it might well reach a No.1 world ranking.
AUSTRALIAN COURSES RANKED IN THE TOP 100
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4 – Royal Melbourne (West)
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11 – Kingston Heath
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12 – Cape Wickham
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14 – New South Wales
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16 – Barnbougle Dunes
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19 – Royal Melbourne (East)
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37 – Lost Farm
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57 – Victoria
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58 – Metropolitan
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70 – Royal Adelaide
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80 – The National (Moonah)