Australia’s Front Nine – Check out top courses

  Australia’s challenging and well kept golf courses have produced some of the best golfers in the world. Continent’s mild climate, luxury resorts and access to top-rated courses …

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Australia’s challenging and well kept golf courses have produced some of the best golfers in the world. Continent’s mild climate, luxury resorts and access to top-rated courses makes it an obvious choice for planning a golf vacation. Here are 9 courses that will make golfing trip in Australia unique and memorable.

 

1. The Metropolitan Golf Club

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 

Metropolitan is a part of the renowned sand belt of courses in the Melbourne area.This place is over 100 years old but holds its own today. The design uses the natural topography to aplomb. Tom Lehman once said it was just half a club behind Augusta National.

If you are over with the challenge of the course, bird watching may capture your attention as a plethora of native birds are pleasure to watch.

 

2. The Victoria Golf Club

Location: Cheltenham, VIC, Australia

The last two Australian Masters were played here, this is another of the stunning sand belt course. Varied green complexities test every level of golfer and once again, the ability to use the natural sandy areas makes the course visually appealing.

The challenge on the course lies not due to length but elevation changes, greens and sand traps will sort you out. Starts with a great 260yard par 4 enticing you into risk/reward golf from the get go.

 

3.Royal Melbourne East

Location: Victoria, Australia

 

Royal Melbourne showed the golfing world its class during the 2011 President’s Cup but what many are unaware of is the fact the course played was actually a composite of the east and west courses.

 

The East course may be a ittle brother of the two but challenge of golf worth playing for. The starting and finishing holes particularly are beyond world class. The greens are a little smaller than the west course and still boast some slick tests and undulations.

 

 

4. The National Golf Club, Moonah Link

Location: Victoria, Australia

 

This Greg Norman designed, Moonah Course, running through the rolling paddocks is based in south of Melbourne. The course has gorgeous wispy long grass as a signature… just remember to stay out of it and on the short grass.

 

 

5. New South Wales Golf Club

 Location: Henry Head, Botany Bay National Park, La Perouse

 

Far from Melbourne, towards the southeastern side of Sydney the New South Wales Golf Club is a gem by the sea. The views are spectacular, especially as you hit across the Pacific on the signature par 3 sixth. New South Wales is one of the toughest testing courses in the golfing world when the wind blows. The multi directional holes mean you are tested a variety of ways within your round.

 

 

6. Barnbougle Lost Farm

Location: Bridport, Tasmania, Australia

 

In Tasmania, you will find a small golfing Mecca called Barnbougle Lost Farm. Here is this brilliant links style golf.

Lost Farm is unique in many ways, one of which is the fact it is a 20-hole course. The minimalistic design complements the natural terra firma rewarding strategic and traditional golf. The course hits the coast and the hills to give you a diverse challenge.

 

7. Barnbougle Dunes

Location: Bridport, Tasmania, Australia

 

The first of the Barnbougle courses in Tasmania is a stunning visual pleasure and a breathtaking test of your links style golfing prowess. The holes amongst the natural coastal dunes rival anything seen in Scotland and Ireland and has you stunned throughout the experience. The course is walk only to preserve its beauty but you wouldn’t want to waste the time on a cart anyway. Plus caddies are available.

 

 

 

8. Kingston Heath

Location: Victoria, Australia

 

Another remarkable course in the sandbelt region of Melbourne the course has some of the best natural bunkering in the history of golf. It is counted among the premiere courses of Australia .

One need to play strategic golf to counter the course challenge here. If you think you can overpower her and you grip and rip it, expect to get stung. It’s a classic design that will forever stand the test of time, having been a classic since 1925.

 

9. Royal Melbourne West

Location: Victoria, Australia

Alister Mackenzie designed this in 1926. At just 6628 yards the not-so- experienced might scoff at its pedigree, but if you saw the President’s Cup you would know the greens produce some of the greatest golfing challenge here.

If not given the due respect it deserves, and as the Aussies would say, it will fair dinkum bite you on the bum. The bunkering is superb and if the wind blows, the course becomes a real brute. Do not plan a golfing trip to Australia without considering a trip to one of the world’s greatest courses.

 

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