STAY & PLAY RESORT RANKINGS
2012 RESORT (COURSE RANK) 20111 COOLUM (19) 1
2 SANCTUARY COVE (26,28) 2
3 TWIN WATERS 3
4 ROYAL PINES 4
5 COUNTRY CLUB TAS (nr) *
6 JOONDALUP 7
7 MIRAGE *
8 THE CUT 5
9 CAPRICORN 6
10 MOONAH LINKS (4,9) 11
11 MAGENTA SHORES 8
12 HERITAGE (42,49) 10
13 HOPE ISLAND 16
14 NOOSA SPRINGS 12
15 KOOINDAH WATERS 9
16 SANDS TORQUAY 14
17 BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM new
18 SEATEMPLE 15
19 FOREST RESORT CRESWICK *
20 THE VINES 13
21 WOLLONGONG *
22 BONVILLE 27eq
23 BARWON HEADS 25
24 VINTAGE 17
25 CYPRESS LAKES 19
26 PENINSULA *
27 STONELEA *
28 LAGUNA WHITSUNDAYS 18
29 PARADISE PALMS 22
30 THIRTEENTH BEACH 23
31 YARRAWONGA 24
32 PELICAN WATERS 21
33 SANCTUARY RESORT WA *
34 MT BROUGHTON 26
35 LINKS LADY BAY 27eq
36 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 30
37 ROSEBUD COUNTRY CLUB 31
38 CAPE SCHANCK 29
39 DUNTRYLEAGUE *
40 EAGLE RIDGE (NEPEAN CC) 32
41 MOSS VALE *
42 RICH RIVER *
43 HORIZONS 33
44 MURRAY DOWNS 35
45 NAROOMA 34
46 TOCUMWAL 37eq
47 COROWA 36
48 COBRAM BAROOGA 37eq
49 TALLWOODS 39eq
50 THURGOONA *
* These resorts did not have a golf course ranked in the Public Access Top 100, and were listed separately last year. This year, we have included these courses in our rankings, but we show the course rank to enable golfers to select a resort that offers the quality of course that they seek.
To qualify for our list, destinations must offer a fully integrated resort environment including at least quality overnight accommodation and dining facilities for three daily meals. The accommodation may not be owned by the Golf Course, but there must be the option to book a “Stay and Play” package.
As with our course rankings, we have aimed for clear criteria and presented individual assessments in each category so that users can decide for themselves whether they are seeking better quality food and beverages or additional non-golf activities.
The overall Resort Ranking is the result of combining our scores for Accommodation, Dining and Other (see How the Lists were Compiled) but excluding the golf course ranking itself.
Again, little has altered since last year, with four Queensland resorts topping the list, headed by the two Hyatt Regency locations at Coolum and Sanctuary Cove, followed by the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast and the RACV Royal Pines Gold Coast.
Launceston’s Country Club Tasmania (ranked 5) offers fine accommodation and dining with a casino, spa and a host of other options perhaps worthy of consideration for those less concerned about the golf, whilst their partners head north to Barnbougle, or for everyone wanting a rest after a few days of windswept golf.
Accommodation Rankings
2012 Resort 2011
1 COOLUM 1
2 MAGENTA SHORES 2eq
3 SANCTUARY COVE 2eq
4 HOPE ISLAND 6eq
5 MIRAGE 4eq
6 MOONAH LINKS 6eq
7 JOONDALUP 9eq
8 NOOSA SPRINGS 9eq
9 KOOINDAH WATERS 9eq
10 PARADISE PALMS 9eq
11 ROYAL PINES 9eq
12 FOREST RESORT CRESWICK 4eq
13 THE CUT 9eq
14 COUNTRY CLUB TAS 6eq
15 SANDS TORQUAY 9eq
16 VINTAGE 9eq
17 TWIN WATERS 17
18 SEATEMPLE 19eq
19 HERITAGE 19eq
20 WOLLONGONG 22
21 THE VINES 19eq
22 THIRTEENTH BEACH 18
23 LAGUNA WHITSUNDAYS 23
24 BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM new
25 CYPRESS LAKES 24eq
26 ROSEBUD COUNTRY CLUB 24eq
27eq LINKS LADY BAY 28eq
27eq STONELEA 28eq
27eq SANCTUARY RESORT WA 28eq
27eq DUNTRYLEAGUE 28eq
27eq MOSS VALE 28eq
32 CAPE SCHANCK 28eq
33 PELICAN WATERS 24eq
34 PENINSULA 35
35 YARRAWONGA 36
36 BARWON HEADS 37
37 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 38eq
38 BONVILLE 40eq
39 MT BROUGHTON 38eq
40 CAPRICORN 40eq
41 TALLWOODS 40eq
42 EAGLE RIDGE (NEPEAN CC) 43
43 NAROOMA 44eq
44 COROWA 44eq
45 SHEPPARTON 44eq
46 TOCUMWAL 44eq
47 MURRAY DOWNS 49
48 THURGOONA 28eq
49 HORIZONS 44eq
50 RICH RIVER 50eq
DINING
2012 Resort 2011
1 COOLUM 1
2 SANCTUARY COVE 2
3 BARWON HEADS 4
4 THE CUT 9
5 ROYAL PINES 3
6 JOONDALUP 5eq
7 STONELEA 5eq
8 PENINSULA 5eq
9 TWIN WATERS 8
10 BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM new
11 BONVILLE 20eq
12 COUNTRY CLUB TAS 10eq
13 MOONAH LINKS 13
14 SANDS TORQUAY 14eq
15 MAGENTA SHORES 14eq
16 HERITAGE 12
17 SEATEMPLE 14eq
18eq PARADISE PALMS 14eq
18eq CAPRICORN 10eq
20 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 22eq
21 FOREST RESORT CRESWICK 24
22 WOLLONGONG 19
23 THIRTEENTH BEACH 27
24 CYPRESS LAKES 29
25eq MIRAGE 14eq
25eq MOSS VALE 22eq
27 EAGLE RIDGE (NEPEAN CC) 31eq
28 LINKS LADY BAY 31eq
29 PELICAN WATERS 31eq
30 MT BROUGHTON 31eq
31 YARRAWONGA 30
32 LAGUNA WHITSUNDAYS `25
33 THE VINES 28
34 SANCTUARY RESORT WA 36eq
35 VINTAGE 40
36 KOOINDAH WATERS 20eq
37 HOPE ISLAND 38eq
38 NOOSA SPRINGS 38eq
39eq ROSEBUD COUNTRY CLUB 31eq
39eq NAROOMA 36eq
41 CAPE SCHANCK 41
42 COROWA 42
43 TOCUMWAL 43eq
44 MURRAY DOWNS 43eq
45 RICH RIVER 43eq
46 COBRAM BAROOGA 43eq
47 BARHAM 43eq
48eq DUNTRYLEAGUE 43eq
48eq THURGOONA 43eq
48eq HORIZONS 43eq
Other
2012 Resort 2011
1 CAPRICORN 1
2 HYATT REGENCY COOLUM 2
3 TWIN WATERS 3
4 SANCTUARY COVE 4
5 ROYAL PINES 5eq
6 MIRAGE 5eq
7 COUNTRY CLUB TAS 5eq
8 HERITAGE 13
9 HOPE ISLAND 15eq
10 NOOSA SPRINGS 9eq
11 JOONDALUP 9eq
12eq THE CUT 5eq
12eq KOOINDAH WATERS 9eq
14 THE VINES 9eq
15 BONVILLE 32eq
16 MOONAH LINKS 29
17 YARRAWONGA 14
18 BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM new
19 PELICAN WATERS 15eq
20eq MAGENTA SHORES 15eq
20eq SEATEMPLE 15eq
20eq WOLLONGONG 15eq
20eq CYPRESS LAKES 15eq
20eq MT BROUGHTON 15eq
20eq SANCTUARY RESORT WA 15eq
20eq VINTAGE 15eq
20eq RICH RIVER 15eq
20eq DUNTRYLEAGUE 15eq
20eq HORIZONS 15eq
30 SANDS TORQUAY 30eq
31 FOREST RESORT CRESWICK 15eq
32 LAGUNA WHITSUNDAYS 30eq
33 BARWON HEADS 41eq
34 EAGLE RIDGE (NEPEAN CC) 34
35 PENINSULA 41eq
36 CAPE SCHANCK 32eq
37 ROSEBUD COUNTRY CLUB 44eq
38 COBRAM BAROOGA 35eq
39 THIRTEENTH BEACH 35eq
40eq STONELEA 35eq
40eq LINKS LADY BAY 35eq
42 MURRAY DOWNS 39eq
43 BARNBOUGLE DUNES 39eq
44 TOCUMWAL 44eq
45 TALLWOODS 41eq
46eq PARADISE PALMS 44eq
46eq MOSS VALE 44eq
46eq NAROOMA 44eq
46eq THURGOONA 44eq
46eq SHEPPARTON 44eq
HOW THE LISTS WERE COMPILED
Accommodation: The quality of the rooms, the range of suite sizes, appointments, room service and in-room facilities; accessibility to golf and dining.
Food and Beverage: Quality, choice and service in restaurants/clubhouse/on course (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Resorts that do not offer full meal service 7 days were penalized, even where there were nearby restaurants.
Other: Quality and range of on site activities - tennis, pool, spa, beach, gym, barbecue, gaming, shopping, walking, fishing etc. For resorts featuring more than 18 holes of golf a small bonus was applied in this category. Services that may be available from nearby providers were NOT considered. Golf practice facilities were NOT rated.
Each element was weighted equally (ie one third of total score for each).
We recognize the subjective nature of our rankings, and suggest their use as a guide only.