Australia is home to over 1600 golf courses. From the windswept dunes of Tasmania to the sun-drenched sandbelt of Melbourne, this is a golfer's paradise, as it is the country with the most courses per capita. But the best part about this is? It's not just at the cost of a $20,000-a-year membership, as most of Australia's best courses are open to everyone.

By having proven its important status on the global stage, seven of Australia's greatest courses are listed in the world's top 100 for 2025/26. This includes Royal Melbourne: West (7th), Kingston Heath (24th), Barnbougle Dunes (41st), New South Wales (46th), Royal Melbourne: East (82nd), The Victoria (93rd) and Cape Wickham (100th).

The Crown Jewels: Australia's Top 5 Must-Play Courses

1. Royal Melbourne Golf Club (West Course) – Victoria

The Gold Standard

Royal Melbourne's West Course is, and likely always will be, the benchmark by which all other Australian courses are measured. Ranked #7 in the world and routinely mentioned among the world's top 5, it's the pinnacle of Melbourne sandbelt golf. This is one of the best tracks in the world, according to Tiger Woods.

• Designer: Alister MacKenzie (1926)
• Holes: 18 (West); 36 holes total across West and East
• Par/Length: 72 / 6,511 yards
• Green Fee: From $485 AUD (international guests); private club with limited visitor access
• Signature Feature: No water, just strategically-placed bunkers and "speedy, slopey greens". The combination of a fully realized MacKenzie design and exceptional land makes it a contender for best course in the world
• Best For: Low handicappers who appreciate strategic, classic design

"The greens are simply brilliant... the finest putting surfaces in Australia."

2. Kingston Heath Golf Club – Victoria

The Sandbelt's Secret Weapon

Kingston Heath pushes Royal Melbourne—and in some opinions exceeds it—as the premier course in Australian golf. Ranked #24 in the world and #2 in Australia, it enjoys an enviable reputation for superb conditioning all year round.

• Designer: Dan Soutar (1925)
• Holes: 18
• Green Fee: From $450 AUD
• Signature Feature: A very fair course with lots of bunkers, but good approach shots into the pacy greens will get reward. The turf quality is simply perfect
• Best For: Players of all levels who want a fair but challenging test

"Walking on these fairways and greens is just unbelievable."

3. Barnbougle Dunes – Tasmania

Australia's Purest Links

Opened in 2004, Barnbougle took a remote, largely unvisited strip of North Tasmania's coastline and turned it into a links golf nirvana. Ranked #41 in the world, it's the closest thing to a seaside links as exists in Australia. Today, it accommodates three of the country's best courses.

• Designer: Tom Doak (2004)
• Holes: 18
• Green Fee: $250-$265 AUD (weekday)
• Signature Feature: Stunning views of the Bass Strait, towering dunes and windswept grasses. The course starts easy, but from the 4th hole onwards it presents a tough test
• Best For: Links lovers and those seeking a remote golf adventure

"This is indisputably the best course in Australia."

4. New South Wales Golf Club – New South Wales

Sydney's Coastal Masterpiece

An expansive clifftop course set on a dramatic stretch of coastline overlooking Botany Bay, New South Wales is Australia's answer to Cypress Point. Ranked #46 in the world, it's one of the most spectacular golf courses in Australia and even has many online fans of the sport betting on events at the best australian online casino.

• Designer: Dr. Alister MacKenzie
• Holes: 18
• Par/Length: 72 / 6,511 yards
• Green Fee: $450-$850 AUD (depending on residency)
• Signature Feature: Rugged terrain and linksy stretches playing directly into or over the Pacific Ocean. Small greens reward precise approaches
• Best For: Players who want a brutal but rewarding test with spectacular views

"When the wind is blowing it's among the most brutal stretches of golf anywhere in the southern hemisphere, but also the most rewarding."

5. Cape Wickham Links – Tasmania

The Rugged Island Jewel

Cape Wickham lies on King Island. It is perched in the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. Ranked #100 in the world and #1 public access course in Australia, it's one of its most visually captivating.

• Designer: Darius Oliver (2015)
• Holes: 18
• Green Fee: $235 AUD (weekday)
• Signature Feature: A Turnberry-esque lighthouse sitting just beyond the 18th green. Works its way predominantly along a barren stretch of coastline
• Best For: Adventurous golfers seeking a remote, visually stunning links experience