AusGolf - Australia’s Top 100 Public Access
Australia's Top 100 Public Access Golf Courses - 2009
from the Golf Course GuideAustralia's Top 100 Public Access Golf Courses - 2009
2009 COURSE 2008
1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 5
3 DUNES, THE 4
4 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 3
5 MAGENTA SHORES 9
6 CUT, THE 8
7 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 10
8 BARWON HEADS 12
9 PACIFIC HARBOUR 14
10 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 11
11 BROOKWATER 6
12 PORTSEA 16
13 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 7
14 HOPE ISLAND 13
15 BONVILLE 15
16 CLUB PELICAN 19
17 GLADES 18
18 COOLUM 22
19 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 21
20 CAPRICORN - NEW 23
21 LAKELANDS 20
22 VINES - LAKES 17
23 VINTAGE 25
24 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES 24
25 MEADOW SPRINGS 28
26 ROBINA WOODS 42
27 PACIFIC DUNES 29
28 HORSHAM 34
29 LINKS LADY BAY 27
30 PORT FAIRY 49
31 SORRENTO 45
32 ST MICHAEL'S 33
33 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK 26
34 EYNESBURY 35
35 CAPE, THE 31
36 ALICE SPRINGS 46
37 ROYAL HOBART 50
38 BONNIE DOON 41
39 SANDS TORQUAY 39
40 MURRAY DOWNS 32
41 NOOSA SPRINGS 43
42 KOOINDAH WATERS 37
43 TWIN WATERS 36
44 HORIZONS 38
45 YARRAWONGA - MURRAY 44
46 LONG REEF 47
47 HERITAGE - HENLEY Top 100
48 NAROOMA Top 100
49 CRANBOURNE 40
50 RANFURLIE Top 100
Next 50 Alphabetic
Top 100 ALBANY Top 100
Top 100 ARALUEN Top 100
Top 100 BELMONT Top 100
Top 100 BRIBIE ISLAND Top 100
Top 100 CAMDEN LAKESIDE Top 100
Top 100 CAPRICORN - RESORT Top 100
Top 100 COBRAM BAROOGA - OLD Top 100
Top 100 COBRAM BAROOGA - WEST Top 100
Top 100 COLONIAL Top 100
Top 100 COOLANGATTA - RIVER Top 100
Top 100 COROWA nr
Top 100 CYPRESS LAKES Top 100
Top 100 DUNTRYLEAGUE Top 100
Top 100 EAGLE RIDGE Top 100
Top 100 FEDERAL Top 100
Top 100 FLINDERS Top 100
Top 100 FORSTER-TUNCURRY - TUNCURRY nr
Top 100 GAINSBOROUGH GREENS Top 100
Top 100 GOLD CREEK nr
Top 100 GROWLING FROG Top 100
Top 100 INDOOROOPILLY - EAST Top 100
Top 100 KEPERRA Top 100
Top 100 KINGSTON LINKS nr
Top 100 LAKES ENTRANCE Top 100
Top 100 LIVERPOOL Top 100
Top 100 MCCRACKEN Top 100
Top 100 MIRAGE nr
Top 100 MOLLYMOOK - HILLTOP Top 100
Top 100 MT BROUGHTON Top 100
Top 100 NORTH LAKES 48
Top 100 OCEAN SHORES Top 100
Top 100 PALM MEADOWS Top 100
Top 100 PARADISE PALMS 30
Top 100 ROSEBUD - NORTH Top 100
Top 100 ROSEBUD - SOUTH Top 100
Top 100 ROYAL PINES - AROONA/WANGARA Top 100
Top 100 SANCTUARY COVE - PALMS nr
Top 100 SEATEMPLE Pt Douglas Top 100
Top 100 SECRET HARBOUR Top 100
Top 100 SHEPPARTON Top 100
Top 100 SUN CITY Top 100
Top 100 TALLWOODS Top 100
Top 100 TASMANIA Top 100
Top 100 TOCUMWAL - CAPTAINS Top 100
Top 100 TOCUMWAL - PRESIDENTS Top 100
Top 100 TURA BEACH Top 100
Top 100 VINES - ELLENBROOK Top 100
Top 100 WARRNAMBOOL nr
Top 100 WATERFORD VALLEY Top 100
Top 100 YOWANI Top 100
Barnbougle Dunes once again tops our annual ranking of Australia’s Best Public Access courses, courtesy of a world class links designed by Tom Doak and Mike Clayton in a stunningly beautiful setting right on Tasmania’s northern coastline. Barnbougle easily ranked ahead of its rivals for both Design (which scores 40%) and Aesthetics (20%) Despite slipping a few notches down the Conditions (20%) table. Last year we mentioned the possibility of further courses for the magnificent dunescape that lies nearby, and now there are serious plans for a second links to be designed by renowned architects Coore and Crenshaw.
The Legends Course at Moonah Links has jumped into second spot with immaculate course grooming (Conditions topped only by its big brother, The Open Course next door) and a rise up the Design ladder as our panel of judges this year placed it just behind perennial favourite The Dunes (Third spot overall), Joondalup, Thirteenth Beach and Magenta Shores by the narrowest of design margins. The important design criteria here is playability and enjoyment for players of all standards, which explains why we place great courses such as Brookwater and Moonah Links Open course further down our list, as they can be brutally penal for all but the strongest golfers.
The closure (temporarily we hope) of The Golf Club Kennedy Bay (ranked No. 2 last year) is a sad loss for public access golf in this country. Equally sad is the closure of Kooralbyn Valley in the Gold Coast hinterland, the course that pioneered resort golf in this country.
Magenta Shores, a private club with access for resort guests only debuted at No. 9 last year and is now ranked at No. 5 as conditioning further improved and also as more of our judges have seen and endorsed Ross Watson’s stunning design featuring massive man-made dunes in a truly beautiful setting.
Traditional layouts Barwon Heads and Portsea improved their rankings slightly, as our judges reflected just how good these two timeless designs really are, and with great year-round conditions at both courses, particularly the green surfaces at Barwon Heads. Once again, as with all the top courses, a good score for aesthetics is also required.
Pacific Harbour, another new Ross Watson course on Bribie Island jumped from 14th to 9th, largely due to further improvement in its excellent playing surfaces. Its pristine beauty gives it a solid aesthetics ranking, an element that may be adversely affected in future as residential development makes its mark. We felt the same about The Cut, but so far so good as this breathtaking oceanside course in WA by James Wilcher moved up to No.6.
Turtle Point at Laguna Whitsundays, long a top ranked course with exceptional playing surfaces dropped down the rankings largely as a result of deterioration in course conditioning. It is to be hoped that finances will permit this layout to return to its former glory and the proposed second and third courses to be completed at this tropical paradise.
Other noteworthy movers were Robina Woods, up from 42 to 26 as it entered the Top 50 for Design and improved its position on the Conditions table; Port Fairy also entered the Design Top 50 and with great Aesthetics moved from 49 to 30 overall; Sorrento moved from 45 to 31 as the judges awarded slightly better scores in all categories.
As in past years, scoring was extremely close, and a small change in points awarded under any of the three criteria resulted in a significant move on the ladder. Whilst Barnbougle held a clear lead over second-placed Legends, all top 10 courses scored over 92%, the top 20 over 89% and a score above 80% was required for the Top 100. Many other courses missed the lists by narrow margins, and several layouts are listed for the first time or returned after missing out in 2008.
BEST DESIGN
2009 COURSE 2008
1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 DUNES, THE 3
3 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 4
4 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 7
5 MAGENTA SHORES 9
6 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 10
7 CUT, THE 8
8 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 5
9 PORTSEA 13
10 BARWON HEADS 16
11 BROOKWATER 6
12 PACIFIC HARBOUR 12
13 GLADES 14
14 HOPE ISLAND 11
15 CLUB PELICAN 18
16 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 20
17 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 17
18 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES 21
19 CAPRICORN - NEW 15
20 HERITAGE - HENLEY Top 50
21 BONVILLE 22
22 COOLUM 23
23 VINES - LAKES 19
24 VINTAGE Top 50
25 RANFURLIE Top 50
Next 25 Alphabetical
Top 50 BONNIE DOON Top 50
Top 50 CAMDEN LAKESIDE Top 50
Top 50 CRANBOURNE Top 50
Top 50 CRESWICK THE FOREST nr
Top 50 EYNESBURY Top 50
Top 50 HORIZONS Top 50
Top 50 HORSHAM Top 50
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 OCEAN SHORES Top 50
Top 50 PACIFIC DUNES 24
Top 50 PARADISE PALMS Top 50
Top 50 PORT FAIRY nr
Top 50 ROBINA WOODS nr
Top 50 ROYAL HOBART nr
Top 50 SECRET HARBOUR Top 50
Top 50 SHEPPARTON nr
Top 50 SORRENTO nr
Top 50 ST MICHAEL'S Top 50
Top 50 TASMANIA nr
Top 50 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK 25
Top 50 TWIN WATERS Top 50
Top 50 YARRAWONGA - MURRAY Top 50
BEST CONDITIONS
2009 COURSE 2008
1 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 1
2 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 4
3 LAKELANDS 3
4 DUNES, THE 8
5 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 2
6 PACIFIC HARBOUR 20
7 MAGENTA SHORES 11
8 CUT, THE 9
9 HOPE ISLAND 10
10 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 7
11 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 13
12 BARWON HEADS 14
13 COOLUM 18
14 CLUB PELICAN 19
15 BROOKWATER 6
16 VINTAGE 16
17 HERITAGE - ST JOHNS 17
18 GLADES 21
19 VINES - LAKES 12
20 ROBINA WOODS Top 50
21 MEADOW SPRINGS 22
22 BONNIE DOON Top 50
23 BONVILLE Top 50
24 PORTSEA 23
25 ROYAL PINES - AROONA/WANGARA Top 50
Next 25 Alphabetical
Top 50 ALICE SPRINGS nr
Top 50 CAPE, THE Top 50
Top 50 CAPRICORN - NEW Top 50
Top 50 COROWA nr
Top 50 CRANBOURNE Top 50
Top 50 EAGLE RIDGE Top 50
Top 50 EYNESBURY Top 50
Top 50 HORSHAM nr
Top 50 KOOINDAH WATERS Top 50
Top 50 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 15
Top 50 LINKS LADY BAY Top 50
Top 50 LONG REEF Top 50
Top 50 MURRAY DOWNS Top 50
Top 50 NOOSA SPRINGS Top 50
Top 50 NORTH LAKES Top 50
Top 50 PACIFIC DUNES Top 50
Top 50 ROYAL HOBART nr
Top 50 SANCTUARY COVE - PINES 24
Top 50 SANDS TORQUAY Top 50
Top 50 SORRENTO nr
Top 50 ST MICHAEL'S Top 50
Top 50 THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK 25
Top 50 TOCUMWAL - CAPTAINS nr
Top 50 TOCUMWAL - PRESIDENTS nr
Top 50 TWIN WATERS Top 50
BEST AESTHETICS
2009 COURSE 2008
1 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 1
2 BONVILLE 2
3 DUNES, THE 4
4 MAGENTA SHORES 5
5 BARWON HEADS 6
6 LAGUNA - TURTLE POINT 3
7 CUT, THE 7
8 PACIFIC HARBOUR 9
9 JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES 12
10 MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS 11
11 PORT FAIRY 13
12 MOONAH LINKS - OPEN 10
13 CAPRICORN - NEW 16
14 PORTSEA 18
15 NAROOMA 17
16 BROOKWATER 15
17 THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH 14
18 COOLUM 20
19 ALICE SPRINGS nr
20 LINKS LADY BAY nr
21 LONG REEF 19
22 CAPE, THE 22
23 FLINDERS nr
24 HOPE ISLAND 21
25 TASMANIA nr
We recognize the subjective nature of our rankings, and suggest their use as a guide only. Our weightings (40% design 40% conditions and 20% aesthetics) will not match the preferences of every golfer. However, by presentation of essentially three lists, we attempt to guide users to those courses that they will find most pleasing – whether their preferences are for design strategy, immaculate playing surfaces, or simply beautiful surroundings.
JUDGES FAVOURITES
We are acutely aware that our chosen criteria exclude many other factors that contribute to ‘the golfing experience’ - considerations such as on course food, beverages and accommodation, practice facilities, service levels and staff friendliness. With this in mind, this year we gave our judges carte blanche to nominate their five personal favourite playing experiences, and we opened up the options to include private courses as well, so that there were no restrictions at all, provided the course is in Australia. As one judge put it, “my criteria was simple for this...would I cancel all appointments, kiss the wife and kids goodbye at a moment’s notice to jump a plane or car to any of these places? Yes.”
Over thirty courses were nominated. The only courses to receive more than one vote were:
Barnbougle Dunes – 10 votes
The National – 5
Barwon Heads, Kingston Heath, New South Wales– 4
Bonville, Peninsula, Royal Melbourne – 3
Commonwealth, The Dunes, Heritage, Joondalup, Port Fairy, Victoria – 2
(not all judges submitted five courses, two judges are members at Commonwealth)
Destinations with on course accommodation featured strongly – and not surprisingly. Although for some ‘it’s all about the golf course’ many of us like a total getaway and the chance to dine with our golfing partners and then sleep it off without driving home. Clearly this is a special experience to be had at Barnbougle, Barwon Heads, Bonville, Peninsula (two courses), Heritage (two courses), Joondalup (three nines) and Victoria – and although there are dozens of resort courses throughout the country, these would appear to offer something extra in both the golf and the on-course stay. The National with its three courses clearly appeals largely for the golf, as there is no on course accommodation, and interestingly Kingston Heath and New South Wales (both golf only) pipped Royal Melbourne’s two course layout (perhaps the current less than perfect conditioning at Royal counted against it). Interesting too that The Dunes and Port Fairy scored more mentions than the dual courses at Moonah Links.
WHAT ARE PUBLIC ACCESS COURSES?
To be considered for this list 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. Such additional facilities are NOT considered in ranking the courses, but are described in the course listings in this book.
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. However, since some of our readers qualify to play, we have printed the course rankings from Australian Golf Digest (Mar 2008 was the latest available) as a guide. These rankings are based on slightly different criteria from those outlined below, principally with a lower weighting on conditioning, so they are not strictly comparable.
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. 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. They were asked to rank courses in each of the three categories – design, conditions and aesthetics. Colleagues who play certain courses frequently were consulted to more accurately assess year round conditions. The judging period is from August 2007 to July 2008 in order to print the Guide and have it on sale well before Christmas. This unfortunately penalizes 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, rough 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.
The Judges
George Begg is the golf writer for Star Newspapers and the Geelong Independent. A member at Sanctuary Lakes and Corowa Golf Clubs, handicap 16, he is the Secretary of the Australian Golf Writers Association.
Selwyn Berg is the Managing Editor of ausgolf and the Editor and Publisher of The Golf Course Guide. Handicap of 11 at Commonwealth.
Jeff Blunden is the Director of Business Development for Troon Golf Asia Pacific. He is a member at Bonnie Doon, playing off a handicap of 8.
Graeme Bond is Sports presenter on 3aw Fairfax Radio network where he has covered all the major Australian golf events for the past 12 years
A member at the National and Settlers Run, he plays off a handicap of 12.
Rohan Clarke is a Senior Writer for Australian Golf Digest. His handicap is 8 at Beverley Park, Sydney.
Brendan James is the Editor of Golf Australia Magazine and travels extensively to review and photograph courses. His handicap is 7 at Riverside Oaks.
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 12 at Heidelberg.
Michael King is a member at The Grand and Kingston Heath, handicap 11.
Jonathan McCleery is a golf author and investor who plays off 7 at Riversdale.
Peter Nolan is a keen golfer who plays off 7 at Rosanna.
Bill Parker has traveled and played extensively throughout Australia. Currently based in both SA and WA he retains membership of Kooringal GC VIC playing off 7.
Kevin Pallier has played golf extensively throughout Australia and the British Isles. He 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, NSW with a handicap of 10
Antony de Vries is a Chartered Accountant traveling extensively throughout Australia, sampling many great golf courses. He is a member at Royal Hobart, TAS and Oatlands, NSW. His current playing handicap is 6.
Leon Wiegard is an honorary member of the PGA (Australia) and MD of Sportgard, organisers of corporate golf and tours. Handicap 11 at Commonwealth.
David Worley is a member at Commonwealth, Sorrento and Moonah Links who plays off 11. He has recently written a comprehensive book on British Links.
With additional assistance from Darius Oliver, author of books including Australia’s Finest Courses and Planet Golf, and co-editor of ausgolf and from Graham Holmes.