There are some great – and a tad unlucky – golf courses in this list of the 40 that ‘nearly’ made the Australia’s Top-100 Courses ranking for 2024 recently announced by Golf Australia Magazine.
As the mag says, there are many highlighted here that are superb layouts in their own right and will certainly be among the contenders for inclusion looking ahead to future rankings.
Having played many of the courses listed here we can certainly attest they are well worth a visit if you ever get the chance.
THE 2024 ‘Nearly’ made it list
101. JOONDALUP RESORT – Dune/Lake Course
Connolly, Western Australia
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1985)
The last of the three course configurations at Joondalup bypasses the excellent Quarry nine but it does take in two pretty impressive loops of nine holes. The Dune Course’s dramatic elevation changes flows seamless into the less penal lunar landscape of the Lake nine.
As is the case across the entire 27 holes, the conditioning is nothing short of five-star and is another reason why Joondalup (pictured above) is a ‘must play’ for any golfer visiting Perth.
102. KEYSBOROUGH GC
Keysborough, Victoria
Designer: Sam Berriman (1946)
Having formed in 1899, the Keysborough club moved to its current site in 1946 when Sam Berriman – who oversaw construction of fellow Sandbelt course, Huntingdale – was commissioned to create a layout for the club. His course covered open, grazing land but today’s course is tree-lined with five lakes coming into play.
The routing at Keysborough is very good and there is no mistaking the Sandbelt-style bunkering, large smooth putting surfaces and excellent couch fairways.
Keysborough’s one-shot holes are a standout, with arguably the best of them being the par-3 12th. The hole lays alongside a lake with a number of lakeside tees changing the angle of approach to the green. The angled green, with three bunkers left and one to the right, is a tough one to hit and pars here are well-earned.
103. ALBANY GC
Albany, Western Australia
Designer: Unknown (1899).
One of Australia’s oldest courses remaining on its original site, Albany’s popularity has seen a resurgence in recent years. And for good reason.
Dominated by holes that cover beautiful rolling sand dunes and are the basis for some of the most natural links holes in the country, Albany is a fun course for all golfers.
This is not a particularly long course, which suits the high handicapper, while better players can enjoy the challenge of playing a variety of shots from a host of different lies during a round.
And if your golf is no good on the day, enjoy the walk and the views across King George’s Sound.
104. ROSEBUD CC – South Course
Rosebud, Victoria
Designers: Jack Watson (1964); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking Ashley Mead – OCM (2018 & ongoing).
Rosebud has undergone a resurgence in recent years, much of which can be attributed to the implementation of the OCM redesign masterplan as well as work of course superintendent Ian Todd and his green staff.
While the neighbouring North Course has captured most of the accolades – courtesy of the wonderful land it lies across– the South Course is slowly gaining greater recognition as a well-designed, well-presented layout to play.
105. PACIFIC DUNES
Medowie, New South Wales
Designers: James Wilcher (2005).
If you are looking for variety in one round of golf, Pacific Dunes fits the bill.
The front nine is tight and bordered by thick trees or bush on both sides of most holes whereas the back nine is much more open with water in play for almost every full shot. This striking variation characterises Pacific Dunes and gives it a definite allure, which is important for a site with almost no elevation change.
106. PACIFIC HARBOUR G&CC
Banksia Beach, Queensland
Designer: Ross Watson (2006).
The conundrum of every course designer – you need to challenge better golfers, while not alienating the bulk of golfers from casual to mid- and high-handicap players.
It is a fine line but experienced architects like Watson have proven it can certainly be done, as you will find at Pacific Harbour – a fine island links course where golfers of all standards can play fun golf and not feel bashed up by the time they’ve reached the 18th tee.
107. TWIN WATERS GC
Twin Waters, Queensland
Designers: Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (1991).
Built during the resort course construction boom of the late 1980s, Twin Waters was an instant success on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
This is where links design and topography meet a tropical climate in a popular and playable melange of styles from opposite sides of the globe.
Each hole occupies a wide corridor of gently rolling terrain, but Thomson’s many pot bunkers have an infuriating way of narrowing the playing lines on several holes, while the green complexes offer a generous slice of challenging links golf.
108. THE COAST GC
Little Bay, New South Wales
Designers: Members and Jim Ferrier (late 1920s/early 1930s); Members (1973); James Wilcher (2007).
The Coast lies across some of the best golfing land in New South Wales, with the highly- ranked St. Michael’s and New South Wales Golf Clubs to the south, and the quirky Randwick Golf Club to the north.
The layout has rarely looked better and, as to be expected of a seaside course, the course is set up perfectly – the ground is firm and an absolute pleasure to pinch irons and wedges from, while the greens surrounds, too, are more receptive to a greater variety of approach shots to the putting surfaces.
109. RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT – Green/Gold Course
Ashmore, Queensland.
Designers: Tomojiro Maruyama (1990); Graham Marsh (2015).
What was previously a course characterised by large, flat and relatively open greens – with bunkers to match – was transformed nearly a decade ago by Graham Marsh.
It elevated what was a straightforward and largely uninteresting layout into a resort course that was far more intriguing and requiring thought during play.
Marsh always felt the old design benefited long hitters way too much and his redesign was based on giving more scope to players with less length to show off their skills.
The site is still relatively flat, but the green complexes are now far more dramatic.
110. SANCTUARY COVE G&CC – Palm Course
Sanctuary Cove, Queensland
Designers: Fred Bolton (1988); Ross Watson (2011).
Ross Watson’s complete rebuild of the popular Palms Course extracted the best possible golf holes from the land, while working within the confines of the surrounding residential community and the numerous lakes and water hazards that cover the property.
The result was a fantastic addition to the golf rich Gold Coast landscape.
The Palms is relatively short for a modern layout. However, that does not make it any less challenging, but golfers may find it more fun as the demands here are more about accuracy and strategy rather than strength and length.
111. THE FURROWS – Kingston Heath
Heatherton, Victoria
Designers: Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking Ashley Mead – OCM (2023).
The Furrows only opened for play in April 2023, and it immediately captured the hearts and minds of every golfer who has been lucky to play the nine-hole par-3 course at Kingston Heath.
OCM transformed land from flat market gardens (and sometimes media parking during tournaments) into dramatic Sandbelt holes – ranging from 50- to 140-metres – which have been inspired by the approach shots you face on the adjoining Kingston Heath championship layout, as well as classic courses found elsewhere in the world.
This layout is as enjoyable and challenging for beginners and casual players as it is for scratch markers and professionals.
112. HORSHAM GC
Horsham, Victoria
Designers: Sam Berriman (1946); Neil Crafter & Paul Mogford – Golf Strategies (2010 and ongoing).
No course in this country has undergone as much unplanned, dramatic change in the past 15 years.
But the bounce back after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires tore through Horsham in 2009 has been enormous. More than 90 percent (about 15,000) of the mature trees on the course were destroyed and as a result what was a narrow, tree-lined layout has now become sparser.
While the Berriman created course had won much acclaim over the years, the current layout, based on a masterplan prepared by course designers Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford, is a more interesting and strategic course for players of all standards.
The sand base is one of the key aspects that has been incorporated into the redesign with ‘new’ bunkers being a feature.
113. YARRAWONGA MULWALA GC – Murray Course
Mulwala, New South Wales
Designers: Sam Berriman (1957); Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1982 & 1986).
It says a lot about the high quality of golf courses to be found across this country when one of the best courses to be found on the length of the great Murray River narrowly misses a spot in the Top-100 ranking.
The Murray Course, with its huge river gums and natural lagoons bordering many of the fairways, is an acclaimed layout both in terms of design and presentation and offers great value for money golf for the travelling golfer.
More than 75 percent of the course was inundated by floodwater early in 2023, with water levels surpassing record heights set back in 1993. But within a few months, the layout was back to being ‘pure’ except for a few missing trees that had been damaged by water.
114. FRANKSTON GC
Frankston, Victoria
Of all the courses featured here, Frankston – once referred to as the Millionaires’ Club, but known as ‘Little Frankston’ to its members – is the most private and requires an invite from a member to play.
If you do ever get the chance, you’ll love the experience of this hidden Sandbelt gem. Few holes are better than the opener though. The short downhill par-4 affords players a view of Port Philip Bay in the distance as the fairway descends to the bunkered green.
Little has changed here in more than a century. All the greens were rebuilt after a massive bushfire in 1944, while the 9th hole was reconstructed in 1996 because of drainage issues. www.frankstongolfclub.com.au (members only)
115. THE EASTERN GC – North Course
Yering, Victoria
Designer: Greg Norman Golf Course Design (2016).
The Eastern’s North Course covers holes 10-18 and 19-27, and like the remaining holes on the property, the golf is played against the scenic backdrop of the Great Dividing Range.
The layout has been created to take full advantage of the natural undulations while other areas were raised during construction, presumably to protect the layout during periods of heavy rainfall and potential flooding.
Where it differs from the South Course is across holes 19-27, which are less interesting strategically than holes 1-9 but still offer a stern test.
116. FORSTER-TUNCURRY GC – Tuncurry Course
Tuncurry, New South Wales
Designers: Kel Nagle & Mike Cooper (1984); Craig Parry Design (2021 and ongoing).
This is one of the best five courses you will find between Newcastle and the Queensland border.
Tuncurry is always lots of fun to play and the natural landscape here, combined with the wind, ensures no two rounds are ever the same.
Laid out on rolling sand dune terrain just a short pitch from Nine-Mile Beach, each hole is relatively isolated and has been carved from thick ti tree, gums, banksias and melaleucas.
Most of the holes run predominantly north south, so the fairways tend to run parallel with the dunes, at least until a dogleg left or right takes the fairway up and over a gentle dune.
Former prolific tournament winner now course designer, Craig Parry, has provided the club with a masterplan and several improvements, including the remodelling of a few greens, have been completed.
www.forstertuncurrygolf.com.au
117. FLINDERS GC
Flinders, Victoria
Designers: David Myles Maxwell and others (1903); Vern Morcom (1950); Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (2001); Michael Henderson (2022 and ongoing).
Golfers, who are willing to travel beyond the great courses saturating the western side of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, will find an ‘old’ new wonder on the eastern tip of the peninsula.
Flinders never disappoints. There is an old-world charm about this seaside gem, which is not surprising as golf has been played there for 120 years.
The course is currently working through some very good upgrades as part of a masterplan by course designer Michael Henderson, who is looking to reduce the number of bunkers that have little impact on play, while some trees will also be removed to enable the course to reach its full strategic potential. Most greens will also be remodelled as part of the plan. Exciting times ahead.
118. NUDGEE GC – Kurrai Course
Nudgee, Queensland
Designer: James Wilcher (2021 redesign).
Since reopening for play in 2021, Nudgee’s Kurrai Course has become the home of the Queensland PGA Championship and James Wilcher’s transformative redesign has proven to be a challenging test.
Kurrai is far more strategic and demanding of good ball-striking than it ever was before the redesign. There are playing lines from certain tees that will provide the best approach into greens that angle in different directions. Undulations in some fairways partially obscure potential hazards ahead and the use of some quite dramatic and expansive bunkering sets up several blind approach shots requiring a little local knowledge.
The size and shape of the green complexes lie at the heart of the transformation. The old ‘pancake-flat greens’ are a thing of yesteryear with every green featuring varying degrees of movement and undulation.
119. LEONGATHA GC
Leongatha South, Victoria
Designer: Vern Morcom (1961).
Carved from magnificent bushland, Leongatha is the highest ranked course in Victoria’s Gippsland region.
The Vern Morcom-designed par-70 layout covers idyllic rolling terrain with fairways flanked by majestic trees, some of which are clearly more than a century old.
Morcom took full advantage of the topography, creating some truly memorable holes that dogleg left and right and across varying terrain. These risk-reward holes also feature smallish greens, which place a real premium on finding the right spot in the fairway from the tee and accuracy from the fairway.
The club has embarked on an improvement masterplan, which will be overseen by Lukas Michel working for course design firm, Clayton, DeVries & Pont (CDP). Much of the plan will see greens rebuilt as well as some bunkers remodelled where required.
120. CROMER GC
Cromer, New South Wales
Designer: Members (1929); Eric Apperly (1949); Al Howard (1994); James Wilcher (2005).
While the address places it in the heart of Sydney’s northern beaches suburbia, Cromer Golf Club feels quite hidden from the nearby residential area.
Bordered by Garigal National Park and the picturesque Narrabeen Lagoon, Cromer is one of the prettiest courses to be found on the peninsula and the quality of the course has been rising steadily for the past few years.
A major rebuild nearly 20 years ago – where all tees were rebuilt, 14 new greens constructed, and fairway bunkers added – laid the foundation for year-on-year improvement to the layout.
121. NOOSA SPRINGS GOLF & SPA RESORT
Noosa Heads, Queensland
Designer: Graham Papworth (1999).
Sitting alongside national parklands and the picturesque Lake Weyba, Noosa Springs is arguably the best conditioned layout on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The Graham Papworth design covers gently undulating terrain and winds through pockets of rainforest as well as small bloodwood forests before breaking out onto wide fairways flanked by imposing stands of melaleuca.
The signature 5th hole is not only the course’s most visually striking, but it is also its best test. A 329-metre par-4 that can be driven by long hitters in the correct wind, the hole features a large lake along the right edge that has to be challenged whichever way you play the hole.
122. EASTLAKE GC
Kingsford, New South Wales
Designers: Eric Apperly & Tom Howard (1932); Ross Watson (2012); in-house (2021).
On a sandy sliver of land between the two private Sydney clubs, The Lakes and Bonnie Doon, Eastlake provides a high-quality golfing experience for its members and the public.
Stretching away from the clubhouse for the entire front nine before returning along an adjacent verdant ribbon, Eastlake has benefited from the clearing of a lot of non-native vegetation, some redesign work and the creation of new and memorable holes.
The tree clearing has significantly improved the quality of the turf right across the golf course.
123. LAKELANDS GC
Merrimac, Queensland
Designer: Jack Nicklaus (1997).
Jack Nicklaus’ first full foray into course in Australia yielded an exceptional layout on a flat, flood-prone site on the Gold Coast.
The superior presentation of the playing surfaces would matter little if the design was ordinary. The fact Nicklaus’ work at Lakelands is very good ensures this layout should be on the ‘must play’ list of every golfer heading to the holiday strip.
The fairways at Lakelands, overall, are generously wide but the key to good scoring here lies in your ability to play to the edges of the short grass and, therefore, leave a straightforward approach into the angled greens.
124. CYPRESS LAKES RESORT
Pokolbin, New South Wales
Designer: Steve Smyers (1992).
American course designer Steve Smyers was able to turn what was a challenging site to build on and a drawn-out construction process into a good example of strategic golf.
With each nine boasting a distinct character – the outward half is relatively treeless, open and rolling, where the inward is more defined, with sharper falls and rises as it winds its way below the high point of the resort – the course contains a variety of hole types, from drive-and-pitch par-4s and reachable par-5s to stern, long par-3s and what was, at one point, the longest golf hole in the country.In every case, position is paramount, with golfers presented with the task of plotting rather than blasting – again, sipping, not quaffing.
Cypress Lakes opened for play little more than three decades ago and rarely has it been presented in such good shape as you will find it these days, which would explain why after a lengthy period away from lists like this, Cypress Lakes is finding its legs again.
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Designers: Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1985)
Early in the morning or late in the day are the best times to witness the complete colourful splendour of a round on Australia’s original desert course.
The well-maintained playing surfaces are various shades of green and wide of the fairways the tinder-dry undergrowth is surrounded by the reds and yellows of rocky and sandy desert soils. The ochre glow of the MacDonnell Ranges, which forms a majestic backdrop to the course, is particularly impressive late in the day. Having been warmed all day by the sun, the quartzite, granite and sandstone of the range glows even after the sun has disappeared beyond the horizon to the west.
Accuracy is of the utmost importance around this testing Thomson & Wolveridge layout, as missing any fairway or green can result in your next shot being played from a rocky or sandy lie.
www.alicespringsgolfclub.com.au
126. MOLLYMOOK GC – Hilltop Course
Mollymook, New South Wales
Designers: Bill Andriske & Ken McKay Snr (1977).
The undulating and visually stunning Hilltop Course includes a back nine to rival anything to be found in regional NSW.
Characterised by slick, sloping putting surfaces at the end of beautifully manicured fairways that wind through chutes of tall timber, Mollymook is an 18-hole tree-lined thrill ride.
Among the highlights is a brilliant stretch of holes encompassing the par-4 11th, par-3 12th and the sweeping par-5 13th holes.
Bunker renovations, selective tree removal and superior kikuyu fairways and bentgrass greens, have significantly improved the playing experience at Mollymook in recent years.
Portarlington, Victoria
Designers: Eric Horne (1963), Tony Cashmore (1996-2020), Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford – Golf Strategies (2020 and ongoing).
Portarlington is a much under-rated gem on Victoria’s golf-rich Bellarine Peninsula.
The layout is solid and well-designed for a course split by a road, and the often dead-straight fairways offer more variety and intrigue through mature tree lines and definite entry angles into the greens that give the straight holes more character than is apparent at first glance.
The fine condition of the couch grass fairways plus the imposing bunkers make this layout a little slice of the Sandbelt on the peninsula.
128. LONG REEF GC
Collaroy, New South Wales
Designers: Dan Soutar & Frank Eyre (1931); Eric Apperly (1946); Al Howard (1965); Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (1996); Craig Parry Design (2023 and ongoing).
Long Reef occupies a headland on Sydney’s northern beaches where every weather-exposed hole offers a multi-million-dollar view –there’s Manly to the south, with Collaroy and Narrabeen to the north.
Long Reef is not long by modern standards but what it lacks in length is more than made up for by the wind, which is hardly surprising given how exposed the course is to the elements.
The layout has recently undertaken a bunker program with some sandy hazards being removed and others being remodelled. Craig Parry has created a masterplan for the club which will be implemented in stages.
129. EYNESBURY GOLF COURSE
Eynesbury, Victoria
Designer: Graham Marsh (2007).
This lengthy creation from Graham Marsh is a solid design on what was a windswept, flat and barren site, which had been a sheep station in years gone by.
It was not ideally suited to golf but a massive amount of earthworks re-arranged the canvas and the course – which is the hub for a burgeoning residential community – features enough ground movement to give rise to some interesting and challenging holes.
The course boasts many thoughtfully designed and skilfully constructed green complexes, which keeps a round at Eynesbury among Melbourne’s best valued golf offerings.
130. THE SANDHURST CLUB – Champions Course
Sandhurst, Victoria
Designers: Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett (2008).
The Champions course covers more undulating terrain on the property at Sandhurst and, therefore, offers a greater variety of holes and shot demands, making it a slightly more memorable experience.
The wide-sprawl bunkering is typical Thomson and Perrett, while it is hard not to be impressed by the size and shaping of the greens on each hole, which have each been dedicated to a past winner of the Australian PGA Championship.
The presentation is first class, just like its North Course neighbour. However, it’s a very different golfing experience – moving away from the links game to a traditional Sandbelt-style with gentle fairway contours, open-fronted large greens and some fairways lined by ancient Red River gums.
131. BRIBIE ISLAND GC
Woorim, Queensland
Designer: Arch McArthur (1969).
Bribie Island is one of the biggest sand islands of Brisbane’s Moreton Bay, and this sandy base has given rise to a wonderful course that offers hints of the famous Melbourne Sandbelt courses.
This is evident from the 1st hole with Sandbelt-style bunkering lining the edge of the fairway. The rolling couch fairways thrive here, while the smooth rolling Bermuda 328 greens are superb.
Bribie Island has some memorable holes with the 172-metre par-3 16th, played across or beside a large lake, being one of the best.
132. GOSNELLS GC
Canning Vale, Western Australia
Designers: Murray Dawson (1962); Graham Marsh (1996).
Gosnells quite often draws comparisons with the courses of the Melbourne Sandbelt, which were undoubtedly the inspiration for the Graham Marsh’s redesign here in the mid-1990s.
The course generally plays firm and fast, the bunkering is plentiful, the putting surfaces roll wonderfully smooth and the lies well into the rough can be on sparse sandy ground beneath the trees. And, most importantly, the design asks plenty of questions of your game from tee-to-green.
133. GREEN ACRES GC
Kew East, Victoria
Designer: Gordon Oliver (1947).
It is a testament to the course design work of Gordon Oliver that the bones of his creation at Green Acres remain today.
While Green Acres has undergone extensive renovation and redesign over the years, these can be deemed more as enhancements as the original layout has changed little.
The club recently completed a major upgrade of its irrigation system, which will certainly enhance its already acclaimed Legends couch fairways and bentgrass greens. It’s next major project, to convert all its greens to the premium Pure Distinction bentgrass, has already begun and will certainly elevate Green Acres from its current status as a hidden Melbourne eastern suburbs gem.
134. ROYAL PERTH GC
South Perth, Western Australia
Designers: Club members (1908); David Anderson (1930); Terry Gale (1988-2020); Clayton, DeVries & Pont – CDP & Harley Kruse (2021 and ongoing).
Covering less than 80 hectares, Royal Perth rolls across flat terrain and measures little more than 6,000 metres from the tips. But its defence comes from the narrow fairways lined by mature trees and its relatively small greens.
Despite the course’s small footprint, there are interesting holes to be found and the conditioning is always a five-star.
Mike Clayton and Harley Kruse have been engaged to author a long-term plan for the course and advise on any major renovations that may follow.
135. PALMER COOLUM RESORT
Yaroomba, Queensland
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1988 & 2009).
Once a staple of this magazine Top-100 Courses ranking, Palmer Coolum slipped off the list a few years ago but has improved enough in recent times to climb back to this position.
The foundations of a Top-100 ranked course remain. There are still thrilling, fun holes, like the downhill waterside par-3 2nd, the short par-4 7th hole that finishes in the shadows of Mt Coolum as well as the iconic 385-metre par-4 9th hole (formerly the 18th) beside the lake and scene of so much tournament drama.
While the course is a long way from its glory days, its presentation has improved significantly.
136. LANG LANG GC
Lang Lang, Victoria
Designers: George Naismith & Bill Walker (1960).
The South Gippsland club will celebrate its Centenary in 2025, having moved to several locations before settling on its current site in 1960.
The course was designed by 1937 Australian Open Champion and long-time Riversdale Golf Club professional, George Naismith, who, along with fellow golf pro, Bill Walker, created the layout free of charge.
This par-70 offers hints of the Melbourne Sandbelt with its superbly maintained couch fairways and bentgrass greens, while the bunkering is also a memorable feature. The layout, at 5,710 metres from the tips, is not long but its predominantly narrow tree-lined holes demand precision ball-striking.
137. GROWLING FROG
Woodstock, Victoria
Designer: Graham Marsh (2004).
Routed through a sprawling rural landscape dotted with large River Red gums, dry stone walls and a meandering creek, this Graham Marsh design is fun and challenging for players of all standards.
While the rough beyond the first cut is brutal in parts, the fairways are generally wide and accepting of all except the wildest of drives. This width from the tee creates the option of finding all the angles required to take aim at the flags that can be tucked behind bunkers on the large rolling greens.
138. KOOINDAH WATERS GC
Wyong, New South Wales
Designers: Ross Watson & Craig Parry (2006).
Ross Watson collaborated with Craig Parry to create what can best be described as a short, strategic layout where wetlands and bunkers have been widely incorporated into the design.
These hazards more than make up for the overall distance (6,083 metres), which is short by modern standards, and forces you to plot your way around the layout. That said, there are several forced water carries to be wary of, especially for high handicappers.
One of the highlights of a round here are the creative green complexes, which feature plenty of bunkers, mounds and hollows in close to each of the putting surfaces.
139. TEVEN VALLEY
Teven, New South Wales
Designer: Craig Parry Design (2021).
Set on 10 hectares of stunning rolling terrain about 20 minutes’ drive west of Byron Bay, Teven Valley has been improving year-on-year ever since new owners took over in 2015.
A rebuild of the picturesque course overseen by Craig Parry Design saw the entire course upgraded with particular attention paid to the greens and surrounds. The layout now boasts 10 new greens, redone fairways and a host of new bunkers.
Combined with superior conditioning, Teven Valley has become one of Australia’s must-play nine-hole courses.
www.tevenvalleygolfcourse.com.au
140. QUEENSCLIFF GC
Swan Island, Victoria
Designer: Rowley Banks (1907); Members (1961).
Situated on the sandy Swan Island at the eastern end of the Bellarine Peninsula, Queenscliff is starting to lose its hidden gem status.
An incredible amount of renovation work has been carried out in recent times, which has seen fairways converted to Santa Ana couch grass, tees renovated and bunkers replaced.
The result is a course that presents hints of the Melbourne Sandbelt, is not overly punishing and is a lot of fun to play.
www.queenscliffgolfclub.com.au
THE ORIGINAL STORY BY GOLF AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE EDITOR BRENDAN JAMES IS HERE