Our Australia Golf Vacations Take You to the Home of Golf in the South Pacific

The land of kangaroos and kookaburras, the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback, begins in Melbourne for golf. Australia's second largest and most vivacious city offers easy access to the wine regions, the Grampians, fabulous coastal scenery, plus fifteen "sandbelt" championship courses within 30 minutes. Dr. Alister MacKenzie turned in some of his finest work at Kingston Heath, Royal Melbourne and Yarra Yarra. Metropolitan played host to the 2001 Anderson Consulting Matchplay, Huntingdale has hosted the Australian Masters. Just an hour south, around Port Phillip Bay, is the Mornington Peninsula with sensational new Moonah Links by Thompson/Wolveridge and The Dunes, a true links set stunningly beside the Bass Strait. Keep in mind as you play the Peninsula that 300 miles of Indian Ocean is all that separates you from Tom Doak's new work, Barnbougle Dunes, in Tasmania.

Australia's east coast gems start north in tropical Queensland where an average of 300 sunny days a year invite you to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef, white sand surfing beaches and all the world class golf you wish. Near Cairns you'll find The Links at Port Douglas, Paradise Palms crafted by Graham Marsh through lush tropical splendor, and Mirage Country Club by five time British Open Champion Peter Thomson featuring 6 par 3s, 6 par 4s and 6 par 5s. Just below the Tropic of Capricorn, near the year round coastal community of Noosa, is Greg Norman's exhilarating Club Pelican along with Coolum, home to the Australian PGA Championship.

South again to the Gold Coast is another new Norman beauty, The Glades, plus Australia's #8, Hope Island, a championship links layout inspired by Peter Thomson's love of the British Isles game. Now you are ready for Sydney, home to the Opera House, the Olympics and inimitable New South Wales. Dr. Mackenzie's jewel is Australia's #5, gracing the site of Captain Cook's landing with shimmering views of the Pacific. Camden Lakeside is a Peter Thomson links style design with gentle undulation reminiscent of some of the famous holes at St. Andrews and Gleneagles. The Lakes, situated in the city, was redesigned in the 70's by Devlin and Von Hagge and is renowned for its water hazards. Eleven holes feature water so the route is both picturesque and challenging. It has a long history of Australian Championships and is ranked 14th in Australia.

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Golf & Travel Editorial

Classic Courses: Royal Adelaide Golf Club by: Jeff Wallach

If banishment to Australia were still the common punishment for British felons, golfers in England would be embarked upon a continuous crime spree.  The island continent is home to a collection of the world’s best links courses, including Royal Adelaide Golf Club, located about eight miles outside the small city of Adelaide and two kilometers from the coast.  The history of this great sandbelt track ... Read more

Barnbougle Dunes, Tasmania (Recommended by Michael Clayton) by: Chris Santella

Links style golf has been successfully imported from the coastlines of Scotland and Ireland to points as far afield as Lake Michigan (Whistling Straits) and the Oregon coast (Bandon Dunes).  Perhaps its most unlikely export – and certainly one of its most successful – has been to the isolated coast of northern Tasmania, in the shape of Barnbougle Dunes. “A young entrepreneur named Greg Ramsay had ... Read more