Kingston Heath #1 golf course in Australia
Australian Golf Digest have released there annual list of Australia’s Top 100 Golf Courses and Kingston Heath has taken top spot for the first time. It pipped NSW Golf Club by the barest of margins.
It is the first time that Royal Melbourne has not occupied the top spot but in past years it has always been the composite course in this position. Australian Golf Digest no longer rank the composite course to be played in next year’s Presidents Cup, as only the professionals ever play that design.
Combined with a few conitional problems Royal Melbourne West comes in at number 3 and the East at number 8. With conditions on the way up, expect these courses to rise back up the rankings next year.
My only gripe is the inclusion of Ellerston in the list. It is easier to find Tiger Woods than get a tee time on the late Kerry Packer’s private golf course.
I’ll list the top 25 below. For the full Top 100 you’ll need to buy the latest Australian Golf Digest magazine. Which is fair enough…..as they did all the “work”.
Anyone played many of these courses? Any comments? Add them below.
1 Kingston Heath (Victoria)
2 New South Wales (NSW)
3 Royal Melbourne (West) (Victoria)
4 Barnbougle Dunes (Tasmania)
5 Ellerston (NSW)
6 The National (Moonah) (Victoria)
7 Metropolitan (Victoria)
8 Royal Melbourne (East) (Victoria)
9 Royal Adelaide (South Australia)
10 Victoria (Victoria)
11 The Australian (NSW)
12 Lake Karrinyup (Western Australia)
13 Moonah Links (Legends) (Victoria)
14 The Dunes (Victoria)
15 Royal Sydney (NSW)
16 The National (Victoria)
17 The Lakes (NSW)
18 Newcastle (NSW)
19 Joondalup (Quarry/Dune) (Western Australia)
20 The Links Kennedy Bay (Western Australia)
21 Barwon Heads (Victoria)
22 Woodlands (Victoria)
23 Kooyonga (South Australia)
24 Commonwealth (Victoria)
25 Peninsula (North) (Victoria)
Played Barnbougle Dunes last week, it is by far and away the best course in the country, the place is amazing. I played the Old course St Andrews last year and te Barnbougle experience was better if you discount the historical value of St Andrews. I have played NSW 3 times and rate it highly but Barnbougle is better again. The best thing about Barnbougle is the relaxed vibe, no hoity toity members to tell u to tuck your shirt in and pull up your socks, its a golfers dream and a day pass is $120 so i played 2 x a day. I have also played Royal Sydney its great too, if you ever find a way to play ellerston let me join. haha
I never played the courses your listed above:) but i love to watch the game specially i never missed any tiger’s game….
As usual SA courses are rated poorly, in main part due to the fact that judges do not come out and play them. Judges have been quoted saying SA courses don’t do themselves any favours as they don’t “roll out the red carpet” and don’t “bring judges out to play”. What sort of rating system has such little objectivity? How can they rate a course if they have never seen it? Cleary the criteria for a top ten finish is the standard of dinner put on with top shelf wine to match and a nice fat envelope for dessert. Obviously the extra cash Kingston Heath generated after Tigers appearance at the Masters has gone to a good cause!!!!! Pay no notice to such biased ranking systems.
Leigh from Adelaide
Agree with you that Ellerston shouldnt be there, but generally happy with the rankings. No arguments with Kingston Heath as number one. Though course layout v condition is a tough one, Laguna Whitsundays condition is worse than many public courses at the moment, yet its layout keeps it in Top 100, is this right?
And I have to get down to Barnbougle!!!!!