Australia: Where to Play
New South Wales Golf Club
Location: La Perouse, 35 minutes from downtown Sydney
Cost: A$290 (USD $244) for international visitors. A letter of introduction from your home club is required. Restricted tee times.
Long considered among the top three courses in Australia and one of the leading courses in the world, New South Wales Golf Club offers not only an outstanding layout but, perched on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, it provides some of the most dramatic vistas in golf. The course, designed by Dr. Alistair MacKenzie, opened in 1928. The layout has undergone changes over the years, but MacKenzie's brilliant vision still shines through.
Australia: Where to Play
Long Reef Club
http://www.longreefgolfclub.com.au
Location: Collaroy, 30 minutes from Sydney
Cost: A$45 (USD $38) weekdays; A$65 (USD $55) weekends.
Built on Sydney's northern beaches and adjacent to the Pacific, Long Reef's links-style holes provide deceptively difficult challenges to golfers of all skill levels. It's arguably the best public golf course in Sydney, and a great value.
Australia: Where to Play
Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Location: Black Rock, Victoria, 30 minutes from downtown Melbourne
Cost: A$300 (USD $252) for international visitors. A letter of introduction from your home club is required. Visitors can only play on weekdays. Carts are not generally available except for those with disabilities.
Royal Melbourne is Australia's number one golf course facility and one of the greatest in the world. Dr. Mackenzie designed the West course, Alex Russell designed East course, and both tracks are as beautiful and challenging now as they were when the course first opened 80 years ago. Playing here may cost more than twice as much as most other top courses in Australia, but with holes like the 1st on the East course (pictured), you'll feel it was a bargain.
Australia: Where to Play
Eynesbury Golf
Location: Melton, Victoria -- 45 minutes west of Melbourne
Cost: A$50 (USD $42) weekdays; A$55 (USD $46) weekends
This course, designed by Graham Marsh, has only been around since 2007, but it's already considered one of the leading courses in Australia.
Australia: Where to Play
Brookwater Golf Course
Location: Springfield, 40 minutes from downtown
Cost: A$120 (USD $101) weekdays; A$140 (USD $118) weekends
This outstanding Greg Norman design is not for the fainthearted: challenging fairways, deep bunkers and contoured greens wind through a rolling landscape that showcases the rugged beauty of native Australian bush.
Australia: Where to Play
Indooroopilly Golf Club East Course
Location: Long Pocket, 20 minutes from Brisbane
Cost: A$40 (USD $34) weekdays; A$70 (USD $59) Sunday. Not available Saturday
Indooroopilly Golf Club has two courses; the West Course is for members only, but the East Course is hardly a poor cousin.
Australia: Where to Play
Joondalup Resort
Location: Joondalup; 30 minutes from downtown
Cost: A$139 (USD $117)
Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and opened in the late 1980s, Joondalup has three very different nines. The Dune, Lake and Quarry (pictured) nines can be played in any combination, but visitors should insist on having the magnificently sculptured Quarry nine incorporated into your 18. Just watch out for the local wildlife.
Australia: Where to Play
The Links at Kennedy Bay
Location: Port Kennedy, 45 minutes form Perth
Cost: A$45 (USD $38)
Overlooking the Indian Ocean, the Links Kennedy Bay course is one of a series of superb golf courses along the coastline south of Perth. At A$45, this is one of the best golf courses in Australia. The layout's design and its similarity to some of the great links courses in golf are sure to challenge and entertain.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Zan Aung, © All Rights Reserved
Gallery written by Bruce Young