AusGolf - Australia’s Top 100 Public Access
Australia's Top 100 Public Access Golf Courses - 2012
from the Golf Course GuideAusgolf and The Golf Course Guide is proud to present our annual assessment of Australia’s Best Public Access Courses in the most informative format we can devise – separate lists showing how our judges ranked the candidates in each of three key criteria: Design, Conditions and Aesthetics.
Top 100 Public Access Courses 2012
2012 RANK COURSE 2011 RANK1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 BARBOUGLE LOST FARM new
3 THE DUNES 3
4 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 2
5 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 4
6 KENNEDY BAY 5
7 BARWON HEADS 8
8 MAGENTA SHORES 6
9 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 7
10 ST ANDREWS BEACH 10
11 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 9
12 THE CUT 13
13 PORTSEA 12
14 PACIFIC HARBOUR 11
15 BROOKWATER 15
16 HOPE ISLAND 17
17 BONVILLE 16
18 HAMILTON ISLAND 14
19 HYATT REGENCY COOLUM 18
20 PELICAN WATERS 19
21 GLADES 21
22 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 20
23 CAPRICORN - CHAMPIONSHIP 22
24 LAKELANDS 23
25 VINES - LAKES 24
26 SANCTUARY COVE - PALMS new
27 KALGOORLIE new
28 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES 27
29 HORSHAM 30
30 SORRENTO 33
31 VINTAGE 25
32 ROBINA WOODS 38
33 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK 29
34 PACIFIC DUNES 26
35 RANFURLIE 39
36 EYNESBURY 31
37 TASMANIA Top 100
38 CAPE SCHANCK 34
39 MURRAY DOWNS 40
40 ST MICHAEL'S 35
41 PORT FAIRY 28
42 PARADISE PALMS 37
43 TWIN WATERS 44
44 NOOSA SPRINGS 43
45 ROYAL HOBART 45
46 MEADOW SPRINGS 32
47 ALICE SPRINGS 41
48 SANDS TORQUAY Top 100
49 HERITAGE - HENLEY 42
50 CURLEWIS nr
Next 50 alphabetic
Top 100 ALBANY Top 100
Top 100 ARALUEN Top 100
Top 100 BALLARAT nr
Top 100 BELMONT Top 100
Top 100 BRIBIE ISLAND Top 100
Top 100 CAMDEN LAKESIDE Top 100
Top 100 COBRAM BAROOGA - OLD Top 100
Top 100 COLONIAL Top 100
Top 100 COROWA Top 100
Top 100 CRANBOURNE 50
Top 100 CRESWICK FOREST Top 100
Top 100 CYPRESS LAKES Top 100
Top 100 EAGLE RIDGE Top 100
Top 100 FEDERAL Top 100
Top 100 FLINDERS Top 100
Top 100 FORSTER-TUNCURRY - TUNCURRY Top 100
Top 100 GOLD CREEK Top 100
Top 100 GROWLING FROG Top 100
Top 100 HORIZONS Top 100
Top 100 KEPERRA Top 100
Top 100 KINGSTON BEACH nr
Top 100 KINGSTON LINKS Top 100
Top 100 KOOINDAH WATERS Top 100
Top 100 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 36
Top 100 LAKES ENTRANCE Top 100
Top 100 LINKS LADY BAY 46
Top 100 LONG REEF 48
Top 100 LONSDALE nr
Top 100 LYNWOOD nr
Top 100 MOLLYMOOK - HILLTOP Top 100
Top 100 MT BROUGHTON Top 100
Top 100 NAROOMA 49
Top 100 NORTH LAKES Top 100
Top 100 OCEAN SHORES Top 100
Top 100 PALM MEADOWS nr
Top 100 ROSEBUD - NORTH Top 100
Top 100 ROSEBUD - SOUTH Top 100
Top 100 ROYAL PINES - GREEN/GOLD Top 100
Top 100 SEATEMPLE Top 100
Top 100 SECRET HARBOUR Top 100
Top 100 SHEPPARTON Top 100
Top 100 TALLWOODS Top 100
Top 100 TOCUMWAL - CAPTAINS Top 100
Top 100 TOCUMWAL - PRESIDENTS Top 100
Top 100 TURA BEACH Top 100
Top 100 ULVERSTONE nr
Top 100 WARRNAMBOOL Top 100
Top 100 WATERFORD VALLEY Top 100
Top 100 YARRAWONGA - MURRAY Top 100
Top 100 YERING MEADOWS Top 100
Comments by Guide Editor Selwyn Berg
Everyone was waiting for the second course to open at Barnbougle on Tasmania’s north coast and Bill Coore’s Lost Farm hasn’t disappointed.
Jumping into our rankings at Number 2, Lost Farm provides 20 holes amongst towering sand dunes, even larger than those on its neighbour, Tom Doak’s Barnbougle Dunes, still ranked Number 1 for design and overall, but clearly challenged by the new kid next door. Our judges were split, but the majority gave it to the original Barnbougle course.
Coore has created a fascinating routing that runs in all directions through these huge hills, east and inland of the original course, that is simultaneously different and complementary, challenging, and yet highly playable for all, with very wide fairways and greens that are gentler than Doak’s. There are coastal holes, beside the Forester River and inland holes, rather then the typical ‘out and back’ along the coastline with and against the prevailing wind for the original links. The fairways are already good, with scope to improve as they mature.
The Dunes just edged out The Legends this year – both well-established favourites with our judges, and the many visitors to the Mornington Peninsula - otherwise little changed amongst our top 25 courses.
Ross Watson’s redesign of The Palms at Sanctuary Cove has entered our list at Number 26, just ahead of The Pines next door, to join his courses at Magenta Shores and Pacific Harbour.
Ross is incredibly proud of this latest work, especially the creation of the rugged bunkering style, which complements the palm trees and is a welcome change from the pristine white sand at many Gold Coast resort courses.
Garry and I flew to WA to sample Graham Marsh’s desert course at Kalgoorlie, Number 27 and were highly impressed with this oasis. What a winner for the locals, who gave up their 9 hole sandscrapes so that this magnificent fully watered layout could be built by the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and managed for them by Prime Golf WA. As course rankers we try to assess what we find on the ground, but in cases such as this it is difficult not to provide an additional design point to the creators of such interest from a flat and ‘boring’ canvass. The new fairways and greens contrast dramatically with the red earth that forms the rough, and generally presents an easily found wayward ball and the chance for a recovery, albeit from a tight lie. There are several tee options (up to six) on each hole, and with generous fairway widths and gentle undulation, the course is definitely playable for all.
It’s sad to report on the continuing decline at Laguna – ranked as high as No 2 by this Guide in 2004. Clearly lack of money has led to a reduction in maintenance and hence conditions, but we’ve also ranked the course lower in the Design category. The two are related, as poor playing surfaces can, in cases, defeat the intent of the architect to provoke a strategic approach to a hole, as can poor greens that are either too soft and slow (so that a lob from anywhere will stick) or too unreceptive to spin to reward a skilful shot. And, I must admit, at least some of our judges are human, and simply cannot appreciate all the beauty or design brilliance on a track that has been sorely neglected – where balls wind up in unsodded divots and putts veer off due to bumpy greens.
Major improvements at Curlewis (50) and a new course at Ballarat saw them enter our Top 100 list, along with Kingston Beach and Ulverstone hidden away in Tasmania, and the Tasmania Golf Club at Barilla Bay, with its ‘Pebble Beach’ 3rd hole has been elevated to Number 37. It may well be true that Barnbougle’s brilliant courses have attracted attention to some of the Apple Isle’s other gems.
Other newcomers are an improved Lonsdale, re-opened Palm Meadows and the new Lynwood Country Club northwest of Sydney.
Looking at the individual categories that add up to the overall ranking, it is clear that the brilliance of their designs, coupled with stunning aesthetics accounted for the Barnbougle placings. Subtle movements on the Design table for other courses usually reflect minor course work, or the preferences of the individual judges, as it is not possible for every panelist to see every course each year.
Conditioning at many courses was seen to improve this year, as the drought broke in most areas or as water supplies from other sources were secured. Our panel particularly noted improved conditions at Hope Island, moving up to 4th place. Other small changes most likely reflect the luck of the draw with the timing of our visits. For the new courses, there is both the opportunity to move up the list as surfaces grow in, and the challenge to maintain conditions despite user traffic.
BEST DESIGN
2012 COURSE 2011
1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 BARBOUGLE LOST FARM new
3 THE DUNES 2
4 ST ANDREWS BEACH 3
5 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 4
6 KENNEDY BAY 6
7 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 7
8 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 5
9 MAGENTA SHORES 8
10 BARWON HEADS 10
11 PORTSEA 9
12 THE CUT 12
13 PACIFIC HARBOUR 11
14 GLADES 15
15 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 17
16 PELICAN WATERS 13
17 BROOKWATER 16
18 HOPE ISLAND 14
19 SANCTUARY COVE - PALMS new
20 VINES - LAKES 21
21 CAPRICORN - CHAMPIONSHIP 19
22 KALGOORLIE new
23 HYATT REGENCY COOLUM 22
24 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 18
25 BONVILLE Top 50
Next 25 alphabetic
Top 50 EYNESBURY 25
Top 50 HAMILTON ISLAND Top 50
Top 50 HORIZONS Top 50
Top 50 HORSHAM Top 50
Top 50 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 20
Top 50 LAKELANDS Top 50
Top 50 LINKS LADY BAY Top 50
Top 50 MEADOW SPRINGS Top 50
Top 50 MURRAY DOWNS Top 50
Top 50 NOOSA SPRINGS nr
Top 50 PACIFIC DUNES 24
Top 50 PARADISE PALMS Top 50
Top 50 PORT FAIRY Top 50
Top 50 RANFURLIE 23
Top 50 ROBINA WOODS Top 50
Top 50 ROYAL HOBART Top 50
Top 50 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES Top 50
Top 50 SECRET HARBOUR Top 50
Top 50 SORRENTO Top 50
Top 50 ST MICHAEL'S Top 50
Top 50 TASMANIA Top 50
Top 50 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK Top 50
Top 50 TWIN WATERS Top 50
Top 50 VINTAGE Top 50
Top 50 YERING MEADOWS Top 50
BEST CONDITIONS
2012 COURSE 2011
1 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 1
2 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 2
3 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 3
4 HOPE ISLAND 8
5 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 4
6 THE DUNES 6
7 BARBOUGLE LOST FARM new
8 LAKELANDS 5
9 THE CUT 14
10 MAGENTA SHORES 11
11 KENNEDY BAY 7
12 BROOKWATER 12
13 BARWON HEADS 10
14 PACIFIC HARBOUR 9
15 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 13
16 SANCTUARY COVE - PALMS new
17 HYATT REGENCY COOLUM 15
18 PORTSEA 17
19 HAMILTON ISLAND 16
20 ST ANDREWS BEACH 19
21 KALGOORLIE new
22 PELICAN WATERS 21
23 GLADES 18
24 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES 25
25 BONVILLE 23
Next 25 alphabetic
Top 50 CAPE SCHANCK Top 50
Top 50 CAPRICORN - CHAMPIONSHIP Top 50
Top 50 CRANBOURNE Top 50
Top 50 CURLEWIS nr
Top 50 EAGLE RIDGE Top 50
Top 50 EYNESBURY Top 50
Top 50 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 20
Top 50 HORSHAM Top 50
Top 50 MURRAY DOWNS Top 50
Top 50 NOOSA SPRINGS Top 50
Top 50 NORTH LAKES nr
Top 50 PACIFIC DUNES Top 50
Top 50 PARADISE PALMS Top 50
Top 50 PORT FAIRY Top 50
Top 50 RANFURLIE Top 50
Top 50 ROBINA WOODS Top 50
Top 50 ROYAL PINES - GREEN/GOLD Top 50
Top 50 SANDS TORQUAY Top 50
Top 50 SORRENTO Top 50
Top 50 TASMANIA nr
Top 50 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK Top 50
Top 50 TOCUMWAL - PRESIDENTS nr
Top 50 TWIN WATERS Top 50
Top 50 VINES - LAKES 24
Top 50 VINTAGE 22
BEST AESTHETICS
2012 COURSE 2011
1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 BARBOUGLE LOST FARM new
3 BONVILLE 2
4 HAMILTON ISLAND 3
5 THE DUNES 4
6 BARWON HEADS 6
7 KENNEDY BAY 5
8 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 8
9 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 11
10 ST ANDREWS BEACH 7
11 PORTSEA 10
12 MAGENTA SHORES 9
13 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 19
14 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 13
15 HYATT REGENCY COOLUM 18
16 BROOKWATER 22
17 THE CUT 16
18 NAROOMA 17
19 CAPRICORN - CHAMPIONSHIP 14
20 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 15
21 ALICE SPRINGS 21
22 PACIFIC HARBOUR 12
23 CAPE SCHANCK 23
24 PORT FAIRY 20
25 ST MICHAEL'S nr
WHAT ARE PUBLIC ACCESS COURSES?
Courses must be available for play by public, green fee paying golfers for most of the year. Courses available only to members, interstate or overseas visitors, or holders of official handicaps are excluded. The list includes:Public Courses –the best courses are mostly privately owned these days, although a few are council owned. These courses have no members and are available to anyone who pays a green fee and conforms to a few simple requirements such as dress codes and owning or hiring a set of clubs.
Resort Courses – privately owned, with additional facilities on site such as accommodation.
Private Courses – most golf courses throughout Australia are private clubs. An annual fee, and often a joining fee, is required, and members then do not usually pay green fees. Most clubs have tee times when the public may pay green fees and play the course, sometimes including club competition times. Such courses are considered “public access” in this Guide if they permit green fee players several days per week. Some private courses are only accessible to the public whilst they stay in on site accommodation. These courses are included in the list.
Other clubs are more exclusive, requiring guests to be introduced by a member, or permitting unaccompanied non-members access only if they are club members visiting from interstate or overseas. These courses are excluded from this list.
HOW THE LISTS WERE COMPILED
The Golf Course Guide has published a list of Australia’s best Public Access Courses every year since 2001. Our list differs from those found in other publications in some important aspects. Clearly, we are focused only on those courses that encourage green fee players (see details under “what are public access courses”). Our judges have a range of ages and golfing abilities and are instructed to reward course designs that cater for golfers of every level. For the Design category in particular, courses that offer higher handicappers an exciting test will find themselves rated better in this Guide, and courses that are really only playable by low markers will be ranked lower. We are extremely proud of the methodology that we have developed over many years. We strive for transparency, with clear criteria, and we offer separate lists based on course design, conditions and aesthetics to enable readers to select courses that will most readily appeal to their own preferences.
Panellists were asked to score only courses they had played. Colleagues who play certain courses frequently were consulted to more accurately assess year round conditions. The judging period is from September 2010 to August 2011 in order to print the Guide and have it on sale well before Christmas. This unfortunately penalises courses that have made improvements too late to be judged. All scores were standardised to compensate for any particular harshness or leniency, and spurious high or low results were rejected.
Course Design (40% weighting): How each hole presents an enjoyable, even thrilling challenge to golfers of all abilities from scratch markers to high handicappers and shorter hitters. The variety of different holes that make up the course, and the variety of shots that they require to test every facet of your game. The strategic design of each hole - where hazards come into play, reward for risk takers plus the existence of a safer/easier option, maybe with an additional stroke, for those who choose not to take the risk.
Courses with two separate 18s considered as two courses; where 27 holes available, the “best” 18 selected.
Course Conditions (40% weighting): Year round playing conditions (from best to worst season) and course maintenance of greens (greatest weighting), fairways, tees, roughs and hazards.
Course Aesthetics (20% weighting): The obvious beauty of the setting and also that very subjective quality of ambience and tranquillity that allows the golfer to lose himself in his environment. For some golfers, the thrill of playing golf in a stunning (eg coastal clifftop) environment can far outweigh lacklustre design strategy, and even mediocre fairway conditions. For these players, our allocation of only 20% weighting will seem inadequate, and they should seek out courses from our Best Aesthetics list, rather than the overall rankings.
Accommodation: The quality of the rooms, the range of suite sizes, appointments, room service and in-room facilities; accessibility to golf and dining.
Food and Beverage: Quality, choice and service in restaurants/clubhouse/on course (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Resorts that do not offer full meal service 7 days were penalized, even where there were nearby restaurants.
Other: Quality and range of on site activities - tennis, pool, spa, beach, gym, barbecue, gaming, shopping, walking, fishing etc. For resorts featuring more than 18 holes of golf a small bonus was applied in this category. Services that may be available from nearby providers were NOT considered. Golf practice facilities were NOT rated.
Each element was weighted equally (ie one third of total score for each).
We recognize the subjective nature of our rankings, and suggest their use as a guide only.
The Judges
George Begg is Secretary of the Australian Golf Writers Association and writes for several publications. Handicap 20 at Sanctuary Lakes, also a member at Corowa, Eagle Ridge and Altona Lakes.
Selwyn Berg is the Managing Editor of ausgolf and the Editor and Publisher of The Golf Course Guide. Handicap of 13 at Commonwealth.
Graeme Bond is Sports presenter on 3AW Fairfax Radio network where he has covered all the major Australian golf events for the past 15 years. A member at the National and Settlers Run, handicap 11.
Rohan Clarke is a Senior Writer for Australian Golf Digest, handicap 8 at Beverley Park.
Steve Keipert is the Editor of Australian Golf Digest, a role that takes him to golf courses across Australia. His handicap is 9 at Ashlar Golf Club, Sydney.
Garry Kennedy is Editor and Publisher of Hacker Golf Quarterly and General Manager of The Golf Course Guide. His current handicap is 14 at Howlong.
Peter Nolan is a keen golfer who plays off 10 at Rosanna.
Kevin Pallier is a panellist for a number of golfing publications including Australian Golf Digest and Golf World (UK). He is a member at Wollongong Golf Club with a handicap of 10.
Leon Wiegard OAM is a member at Commonwealth, handicap 14. Ambassador for Heritage and Moonah Links, Hon Life member Portsea and Patron at Clifton Springs.
David Worley is a member at Commonwealth, Sorrento and Moonah Links who plays off 11. Author of comprehensive books on British Links.
We gratefully acknowledge the input of all judges and additional contributions by Jeff Blunden, Darius Oliver, Bill Parker and Graham Holmes.
