Here are the latest rankings from Golf Australia Magazine as published Jan 2020
Feel free to send any feedback you have to info@ausgolf.com.au
2020 RANK | COURSE | State | 2018 RANK |
1 | ROYAL MELBOURNE - WEST | Victoria | 1 |
2 | CAPE WICKHAM | Tasmania | 2 |
3 | BARNBOUGLE DUNES | Tasmania | 3 |
4 | BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM | Tasmania | 5 |
5 | PENINSULA - NORTH | Victoria | nr |
6 | KINGSTON HEATH | Victoria | 4 |
7 | ROYAL MELBOURNE - EAST | Victoria | 6 |
8 | VICTORIA | Victoria | 12 |
9 | ROYAL ADELAIDE | South Australia | 10 |
10 | NATIONAL - GUNNAMATTA | Victoria | nr |
11 | NEW SOUTH WALES | New South Wales | 9 |
12 | ST ANDREWS BEACH | Victoria | 13 |
13 | NATIONAL - MOONAH | Victoria | 11 |
14 | ELLERSTON | New South Wales | 7 |
15 | OCEAN DUNES | Tasmania | 8 |
16 | THE LAKES | New South Wales | 14 |
17 | METROPOLITAN | Victoria | 15 |
18 | PENINSULA - SOUTH | Victoria | nr |
19 | WOODLANDS | Victoria | 16 |
20 | BARWON HEADS | Victoria | 19 |
21 | LAKE KARRINYUP | Western Australia | 18 |
22 | KOOYONGA | South Australia | 25 |
23 | NATIONAL - OLD | Victoria | 21 |
24 | THIRTEENTH BEACH - BEACH | Victoria | 21 |
25 | ROYAL CANBERRA | Australian Capital Territory | 20 |
26 | ROYAL QUEENSLAND | Queensland | 23 |
27 | NEWCASTLE | New South Wales | 26 |
28 | COMMONWEALTH | Victoria | 22 |
29 | THE DUNES | Victoria | 27 |
30 | BONNIE DOON | New South Wales | 34 |
31 | PORT FAIRY | Victoria | 43 |
32 | CONCORD | New South Wales | nr |
33 | KENNEDY BAY | Western Australia | 24 |
34 | PORTSEA | Victoria | 39 |
35 | BROOKWATER | Queensland | 29 |
36 | MAGENTA SHORES | New South Wales | 37 |
37 | JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES | Western Australia | 31 |
38 | GRANGE - WEST | South Australia | 28 |
39 | GLENELG | South Australia | 30 |
40 | THE AUSTRALIAN | New South Wales | 36 |
41 | SPRING VALLEY | Victoria | 42 |
42 | BONVILLE | New South Wales | 45 |
43 | GRANGE - EAST | South Australia | 35 |
44 | HAMILTON ISLAND | Queensland | 44 |
45 | MOONAH LINKS - LEGENDS | Victoria | 33 |
46 | LONG ISLAND | Victoria | 50 |
47 | THE VINTAGE | New South Wales | 40 |
48 | ELANORA | New South Wales | 38 |
49 | ROYAL SYDNEY | New South Wales | 41 |
50 | THIRTEENTH BEACH - CREEK | Victoria | 53 |
51 | TERREY HILLS | New South Wales | 48 |
52 | MEADOW SPRINGS | Western Australia | 51 |
53 | HUNTINGDALE | Victoria | 52 |
54 | CURLEWIS | Victoria | 68 |
55 | EASTERN - SOUTH | Victoria | 67 |
56 | LINKS HOPE ISLAND | Queensland | 58 |
57 | RIVERSIDE OAKS - BUNGOOL | New South Wales | 54 |
58 | THE GRAND | Queensland | 59 |
59 | THE CUT | Western Australia | 46 |
60 | SANCTUARY LAKES | Victoria | 62 |
61 | HEALESVILLE (RACV) | Victoria | 57 |
62 | SETTLERS RUN | Victoria | 63 |
63 | STONECUTTERS RIDGE | New South Wales | 49 |
64 | GLADES | Queensland | 77 |
65 | MOONAH LINKS - OPEN | Victoria | 56 |
66 | RANFURLIE | Victoria | 69 |
67 | KALGOORLIE | Western Australia | 66 |
68 | CRANBOURNE | Victoria | 64 |
69 | ST MICHAEL'S | New South Wales | 61 |
70 | LINKS LADY BAY | South Australia | 70 |
71 | MOUNT LAWLEY | Western Australia | 65 |
72 | AVONDALE | New South Wales | 61 |
73 | BLACK BULL | Victoria | 78 |
74 | PELICAN WATERS | Queensland | 60 |
75 | SUN CITY | Western Australia | 75 |
76 | MAROOCHY RIVER | Queensland | nr |
77 | SANCTUARY COVE - THE PINES | Queensland | 72 |
78 | TASMANIA | Tasmania | 80 |
79 | JOONDALUP - QUARRY/LAKE | Western Australia | 71 |
80 | NAROOMA | New South Wales | 87 |
81 | MOUNT COMPASS | South Australia | nr |
82 | PACIFIC HARBOUR | Queensland | 73 |
83 | PACIFIC DUNES | New South Wales | 76 |
84 | EASTERN - NORTH | Victoria | 67 |
85 | WARRNAMBOOL | Victoria | 84 |
86 | SORRENTO | Victoria | 86 |
87 | MURRAY DOWNS | Victoria | 83 |
88 | CAPE SCHANCK | Victoria | nr |
89 | ROYAL PINES - GREEN/GOLD | Queensland | 74 |
90 | ROYAL HOBART | Tasmania | 98 |
91 | LAKELANDS | Queensland | 82 |
92 | COTTESLOE | Western Australia | 85 |
93 | THE VINES - LAKES | Western Australia | 79 |
94 | BELMONT | New South Wales | nr |
95 | TWIN CREEKS | New South Wales | 93 |
96 | SANCTUARY COVE - THE PALMS | Queensland | 89 |
97 | BRISBANE | Queensland | 92 |
98 | EYNESBURY | Victoria | 88 |
99 | KEW | Victoria | nr |
100 | YARRAWONGA - MURRAY | New South Wales | 95 |
ROYAL MELBOURNE - WEST (pictured below) remains at the top of Golf Australia’s latest list, followed by CAPE WICKHAM and BARNBOUGLE DUNES as in 2018, whilst KINGSTON HEATH has fallen two spots to #6. Many consider KH either Australia’s best or second best course, including the authoritative Ran Morrissett, Architecture Editor of golf.com.
The revamped PENINSULA - NORTH debuts at #5 whilst rejuvenated surfaces at VICTORIA elevate the course to #8. Pure Distinction grass the selection for new putting greens at both locations. NATIONAL - GUNNAMATTA redesigned by Tom Doak debuts at #10. NEW SOUTH WALES drops a couple of places as a consequence, and some would argue deserves better than #11.
The respected Golf Magazine publishes the most credible World Top 100. These judges agree that RMW is our best course, but place GA’s #6 KH second; concur that CAPE WICKHAM is third, but place GA’s #11 NEW SOUTH WALES fourth.
For the Public Access courses which are the focus of The GOLF Course Guide, both lists name the Top 3 as CAPE WICKHAM (pictured right) BARNBOUGLE DUNES and BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM. The Guide ranks THE DUNES at #4 (#9 for GA) and ST ANDREWS BEACH at #8 (#4 for GA), possibly reflecting more emphasis on conditioning with the former. A similar explanation may account for The Guide ranking JOONDALUP - QUARRY/DUNES more favourably.
As usual, GA judges BONVILLE, THE CUT and LINKS HOPE ISLAND more harshly whilst The Guide applauds the fun factor and conditioning. GA ranks NEWCASTLE, PORTSEA, PORT FAIRY, THE VINTAGE, SETTLERS RUN, CRANBOURNE, RANFURLIE and CURLEWIS more highly, in each case purity of design probably the main contributor. Resort layouts KOORALBYN, CAPRICORN, TWIN WATERS and NOOSA SPRINGS are all omitted from the GA Top 100 – Kooralbyn and Capricorn do not even make their ‘next 25’. Both courses at SANCTUARY COVE are ranked a little lower by GA.
GA Criteria:
35 Judges over 2 years to Nov 2019 were instructed to place primary importance on design, followed by conditioning and visual appeal. GA do not mention their previous weightings of 60% design, 20% conditions, 20% visual. Instead, the magazine allocates 100 points to each top course, 99 to second and so on.
Surely this method of ranking is not scientific. It firstly assumes that the ‘gap’ between every pair of courses is exactly one point on each judge’s list. It then assumes that all judges either see every course, or are ‘uniformly’ distributed across all courses. A judge who played all his golf in WA and put Lake Karrinyup atop his list would be giving that course a very undeserved 100 points! A judge who plays only 25 courses awards 75 points to his ‘worst’ course whilst a judge who plays 80 courses awards 20 points and this might be the same course!
So much for the absence of strict criteria, and perhaps more importantly, a great case for the practice of The GOLF Course Guide in publishing separate lists for Design, Conditioning and Aesthetics. Both The GOLF Course Guide and Golf Digest spell out to their judges how many points (in each category) represent ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’ etc.
Feel free to send any feedback you have to info@ausgolf.com.au
The following is a list of Australia's Top 100 Golf Courses according to Golf Australia magazine in their January 2016 rankings.
2. Barnbougle Dunes
3. Kingston Heath
4. Lost Farm
5. Cape Wickham
6. Royal Melbourne East
7. New South Wales
8. Ellerston
9. National Moonah
10. Royal Adelaide
11. Victoria
12. Metropolitan
13. St Andrews Beach
14. Lake Karrinyup
15. Lakes
16. Woodlands
17. National Old
18. Newcastle
19. Commonwealth
20. Peninsula North
21. Barwon Heads
22. Kennedy Bay
23. Royal Queensland
24. Thirteenth Beach
25. Glenelg
26. Kooyonga
27. The Dunes
28. Grange West
29. Royal Sydney
30. Joondalup
31. The Australian
32. Brookwater
33. Moonah Links Legends
34. Yarra Yarra
35. Grange East
36. Portsea
37. The Cut
38. Bonnie Doon
39. Magenta Shores
40. Stonecutters Ridge
41. The Vintage
42. Elanora
43. Spring Valley
44. Hamilton Island
45. Terrey Hills
46. Huntingdale
47. National Ocean
48. Port Fairy
49. Concord
50. Healesville
51. Long Island
52. Thirteenth Beach Creek
53. Bonville
54. Riverside Oaks Bungool
55. Hope Island
56. Avondale
57. The Grand
58. Pelican Waters
59. Meadow Springs
60. Ranfurlie
61. Settlers Run
62. Glades
63. Mt Lawley
64. Cranbourne
65. Vines -Lakes
66. Moonah Links Open
67. Sanctuary Lakes
68. Kalgoorlie
69. St Michael's
70. Pacific Harbour
71. Pacific Dunes
72. Sanctuary Cove Pines
73. Lakelands
74. Cottesloe
75. Sanctuary Cove Palms
76. Manly
77. Eynesbury
78. Curlewis
79. Sorrento
80. Tasmania
81. Links Lady Bay
82. Black Bull
83. Royal Fremantle
84. Sun City
85. Murray Downs
86. Sandhurst Champions
87. Horsham
88. Royal Perth
89. Warrnambool
90. Narooma
91. Riversdale
92. Yarrawonga Murray
93. Twin Waters
94. West Australian
95. Brisbane
96. Yering Meadows
97. Twin Creeks
98. Indooroopilly
99. Heritage Henley
100. Keysborough
PREVIOUS RANKINGS
Here are the Top 100 Golf Courses according to Golf Australia magazine in their January 2014 rankings.
(numbers in brackets 2012 rankings)
1. Royal Melbourne West (1)
2. Barnbougle Dunes (3)
3. Lost Farm (4)
4. Kingston Heath (2)
5. NSW (5)
6. Ellerston (n/a)
7. RM East (6)
8. National Moonah (7)
9. Victoria (8)
10. St.Andrews Beach (11)
11. Royal Adelaide (10)
12. Lake Karrinyup (14)
13. Metropolitan (9)
14. Woodlands (12)
15. The Lakes (13)
16. Commonwealth (19)
17. Newcastle (16)
18. Peninsula North (17)
19. National Old (18)
20. Links Kennedy Bay (15)
21. Barwon Heads (20)
22. Royal Queensland (26)
23. 13th Beach Beach (22)
24. The Dunes (25)
25. Peninsula South (28)
26. Kooyonga (23)
27. Royal Sydney (21)
28. Glenelg (29)
29. The Australian (31)
30. Moonah Links Legends (24)
31. Grange West (30)
32. Portsea (32)
33. The Cut (34)
34. Joondalup (33)
35. Stonecutters Ridge (n/a)
36. Brookwater (36)
37. Yarra Yarra (37)
38. Bonnie Doon (n/a)
39. Grange East (n/a)
40. Elanora (39)
41. National Ocean (35)
42. Magenta Shores (27)
43. The Vintage (46)
44. Hamilton Island (38)
45. The Glades (43)
46. RACV Healesville (53)
47. Terrey Hills (50)
48. Links Hope Island (48)
49. Concord (45)
50. Spring Valley (44)
51. Huntingdale (40)
52. The Grand (51)
53. Port Fairy (54)
54. Pelican Waters (55)
55. Bonville (64)
56. 13 Beach Creek (49)
57. The Heritage St.John (61)
58. The Vines Lakes (47)
59. Meadow Springs (62)
60. Mt.Lawley (65)
61. Avondale (68)
62. Long Island (57)
63. Settlers Run (56)
64. Moonah Links Open (41)
65. Amstel Ranfurlie (60)
66. Pacific Harbour (58)
67. Sanctuary Lakes (52)
68. Sanctuary Cove Pines (59)
69. Cranbourne (69)
70. Royal Canberra (42)
71. Pacific Dunes (72)
72. Sanctuary Cove Palms (63)
73. Kalgoorlie (79)
74. The Heritage Henley (85)
75. St.Michael's (78)
76. Cottesloe (71)
77. Links Lady Bay (66)
78. Palmer Coolum (67)
79. Western Australian (74)
80. Lakelands (83)
81. Royal Perth (87)
82. Eynesbury (77)
83. Tasmania (86)
84. Sorrento (81)
85. Manly (n/a)
86. Sandhurst Champions (70)
87. Horsham (89)
88. Curlewis (n/a)
89. Riversdale (84)
90. Yering Meadows (95)
91. Capricorn (76)
92. Twin Waters (80)
93. Indooroopilly West (n/a)
94. Narooma (82)
95. Arundel Hills (n/a)
96. Murray Downs (94)
97. Twin Creeks (75)
98. Kooindah Waters (88)
99. Brisbane (n/a)
100. Sun City (n/a)