As you look down on a map, South Australia is bordered by all of Australia’s mainland States and Territories barring the ACT. It features stunning coast line and barren stretches of desert and most things in between. Oh, and they have some great golf too.
We've picked 7 of the best golf courses from the capital Adelaide and the surrounding regions. Putt your way to perfection with this must-visit list.
No matter where you venture on your holiday in South Australia, there’s a golf course that will suit you to a tee. We feature a magnificent 7 but there are so many more not featured here). Interestingly the Crow-Eaters boast the only golf club in the world that has reciprocal rights with St Andrews in Scotland! You can start at gorgeous city clubs before caddying to world-famous coastal, hills and Outback courses. It’s a safe bet that there are many great courses in this terrific southern state of Australia, so don’t just limit yourself to these options.
LINKS LADY BAY, FLEURIEU PENINSULA
Links Lady Bay in Fleurieu Peninsula's coastal town of Normanville is the number-one rated public course in South Australia and sits at number 38 in The 2020 Golf Course Guide’s Top 100 Rankings. Don’t be surprised if the occasional kangaroo joins your game; Links Lady Bay is a course surrounded by rugged cliffs, open-ocean and wildlife aplenty. Grab a cool drink or sit down for a sumptuous meal at the clubhouse or stay the night in luxury at the golf club’s four-star hotel.
You’ll find Links Lady Bay at Normanville; a 1 hour and 20 minute drive away from Adelaide’s CBD. If you happen to tee-off in summer, take a well-deserved break at one of the great Fleurieu Peninsula beaches.
ROYAL ADELAIDE GOLF CLUB, ADELAIDE
The Royal Adelaide Golf Club at Seaton is one of six Australian golf courses ranked in the World’s Top 100 and has played host to the massive ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open and Men’s Australian Open in the past. It's a majestic golfing experience, especially when sea breezes whip through the cypress pines bordering the course.
You’ll find the Royal Adelaide Golf Club at Henley Beach; a 15-minute drive away from Adelaide’s CBD. After the game, you can take a swing at some of Adelaide's best restaurants!
KOOYONGA GOLF CLUB, ADELAIDE
Designed by home-grown Adelaide golf course architect, H.L Rymill, Kooyonga Golf Club is a championship golf course that has played host to multiple Australian Opens. Close to the beach, Kooyonga Golf Club is a beautiful, undulating course, refreshed by sea breezes. The club officially opened on May 9, 1923 and by June 1924, had a full 18 holes ready for play.
You’ll find Kooyonga Golf Club at Lockleys; a 14-minute drive away from Adelaide’s CBD. And you can cool off after a round at some of the Best Beaches in Adelaide, many just minutes away.
THE GRANGE GOLF CLUB, ADELAIDE
The birthplace of Greg Norman’s professional career, picture-perfect Grange Golf Club combines two internationally-rated 18-hole golf courses in one of South Australia’s premier sporting venues. The Grange Golf Club offers a multi-award-winning function centre, pro shop and fantastic restaurant.
You’ll find The Grange Golf Club at Grange; a 25-minute drive away from Adelaide’s CBD. Post game you could treat yourself to a lunch at Henley Square's SeaSalt or Melt Pizzeria.
TANUNDA PINES GOLF CLUB, BAROSSA
The Barossa wine region’s Tanunda Pines is a beautiful golf club set among 100-year-old gums and rows of leafy grape vines. Combining three of life’s great pleasures – golf, wildlife and wine – it was judged as one of the world's top courses by US Golf Magazine and is adjacent to the award-winning Novotel Barossa Valley Resort. Tanunda Pines offers a package called Down the Fairway and into the Cellar in conjunction with Novotel Barossa. It includes two rounds of golf, two nights’ accommodation, two lunches and two dinners complete with hosted wine tasting.
You’ll find the Tanunda Pines Golf Club at Tanunda; a 1 hour and 10 minute drive away from Adelaide’s CBD, smack-bang in the centre of the Barossa, South Australia's food and wine haven.
COOBER PEDY OPAL FIELDS GOLF CLUB, OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Voted as one of the world’s most unique golf courses with its crushed rock fairways and sandy greens, the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club is the only golf club in the world with reciprocal rights to St Andrews in Scotland. The course traverses the Outback’s desert flats, boasting an otherworldly palette; golf greens are black and the fairways are white with red sun-baked earth in between.
You’ll find the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club in the heart of Coober Pedy; a 2 hour flight away from Adelaide, in the centre of South Australia's fascinating Outback region.
MOUNT COMPASS GOLF COURSE, FLEURIEU PENINSULA
Mount Compass leapt into Australia’s Top 50 best courses as ranked by the 2020 GOLF Course Guide and from all reports it was about time. By the hand of designer Neil Crafter of Golf Strategies – a long time devotee of Dr Alistair McKenzie – the course takes advantage of the sandy soils of the area. It is peppered with gorse, nearly 90 bunkers and some water features.
Located in the heart of the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula, just 50 mins from Adelaide, it offers a golfing experience that should not be missed when visiting this popular part of South Australia.
Article in part provided by South Aust Tourism. Images from courses.