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Feature Course
Barwon Heads Golf Club
One of Australia's best golf courses
| Description | Established in 1907, The Barwon Heads Golf Club is considered by many to be Australia’s first true links course. And right next to the renowned links, the Clubhouse has a unique atmosphere that brings more than a hint of old Scotland to Victoria. Nestled amongst the coastal dunes just metres from the spectacular Bass Strait, this exceptional course offers 18 holes of genuine links golf. Undulating fairways, strategic bunkers, slick greens and testing winds all combine to present both a challenge and a visual delight. Dress code. Golfing visitors welcome. Bookings essential. |
| Address |
Golf Links Road
Barwon Heads VIC 3227 Australia |
| Club Phone | (03) 5255 6255 |
| info@barwonheads.golf | |
| Website | www.barwonheads.golf |
| Director of Golf | Ashley Andrews |
| Hire | On-Course Golf Shop: A must-visit with experienced staff offering premium fitting services, quality clothing, tuition, Trackman technology and equipment hire. |
| Practice | Practice driving range, short game facility, Par 3 course and tuition available. Practice facilities are for members and house guests only, or for use prior to green fee play on the main course. |
| Club House | After an extensive restoration and renovation, the iconic heritage-listed clubhouse and its accommodation is expected to reopen in August 2025. Guests enjoy its views of the course and its highly regarded dining, wine list and billiards room. Tennis courts are also on site and the clubhouse is within a stroll to the village, river and beaches of Barwon Heads. |
| Green Fees | Weekends & peak $250, midweek $195. For a limited time, (while the clubhouse is closed for renovations) green fee players can access the course seven days a week. A temporary marquee is available for after-golf refreshments while the clubhouse is closed. |
Course information sourced from the 2025 edition of The GOLF Course Guide, Click here for details
2024 GOLF Course Guide OUT NOW!
Course Details
| Course | BARWON HEADS |
| Holes | 18 |
| Length | 5886 |
| The GOLF Course Guide Rank | 5 |
| The GOLF Course Guide Design Rank | 7 |
| The GOLF Course Guide Conditions Rank | 4 |
| The GOLF Course Guide Aesthetics Rank | 8 |
| Designer | Victor East |
One of Australia's best golf courses
BARWON HEADS GOLF CLUB
Golf Links Road, Barwon Heads VIC 3227
Click here to visit the Barwon Heads Golf Club web site.
Above - 4th hole overlooking ocean
For many golfers, the grand prize on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula is a game at Barwon Heads Golf Club. Barwon Heads, is a club that oozes class, where a certain decorum - not unlike Muirfield - must be maintained. The club is vigilant in regards to its dress code.
Barwon Heads is famous in Australian golfing circles and, erroneously, is often referred to as a links. Starved of true links, we tend to lazily assign the tag to anything that remotely looks like one. Any course by the beach, of undulating sandy loam gets praised as such. The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th are authentically ‘links-like'. As a part of the course development plan much of the tea tree has been removed over the past few years. Architecturally, the non-links section is highly appealing but totally unconnected to the holes mentioned. Interestingly, the links flavour returns strongly with the long 12th hole and for one of Australia's finest par threes, the glorious 13th hole. Afterwards, the course winds back through wooded terrain.
However, the constant undulation, which really is nature's gift to golf, is present throughout the entire layout". (Noted golf writer and "links aficionado" Paul Daley)
The present course was established in 1920, but the opening sea-side holes were not constructed until 1929.
The first, a 305m par four usually plays shorter with the prevailing westerly wind at your back. There’s out of bounds left that is a real worry on the opening drive for any hooker or left handed slicer. Anything on the fairway that misses the pot bunker on the right presents a simple enough pitch shot to the elevated landing area. The third is a wonderful, long par four at 380m, hopefully down wind! A vast area of sandy hollow lies in wait for anything sliced or struck short in an attempt to cut too much off the dogleg. Again, the green is elevated, and the challenge is provided by natural slopes and undulations all around rather than artificial bunkering. There are ocean glimpses to be had from the beautiful two tier green on the par three fourth.
Perhaps the thirteenth is the signature hole, but words can never describe just how inspiring this "simple" short little downhill par three of 133m really is. No bunkers – just wind and wicked undulation all around the target. The vista of tree-less rolling links-land from the tee says it all.
The heritage-listed clubhouse at Barwon Heads has 19 rooms; a few that share a balcony and some with ocean or course views. For those truly serious about their game it is "the" place to stay, with many groups returning annually. Whilst even the tastefully decorated rooms are somewhat "Spartan" in their accoutrements – the grand dining room downstairs along with the billiards facilities provide the ultimate in après-golf indulgences. Check the website for special stay and play packages including free golf with B&B stays during winter.
CLUBHOUSE and ACCOMMODATION to REOPEN AUG 25
After an extensive restoration and renovation, the iconic heritage-listed clubhouse and its accommodation is expected to reopen in August 2025. Guests enjoy its views of the course and its highly regarded dining, wine list and billiards room. Tennis courts are also on site and the clubhouse is within a stroll to the village, river and beaches of Barwon Heads.