Cape Wickham,
King Island, Tasmania 7256
The Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland alongside the Southern Ocean.
Designer:
Mike DeVries (based in Michigan, USA) in collaboration with Australian golf writer Darius Oliver.
-39.596351
143.935513
43 km N of Currie / 40 km N of King Island Airport / Approx 1-hr flight from Melbourne (Moorabbin or Tullamarine Airports) to King Island.
Cape Wickham Links on King Island burst onto the scene in late-2015 as the "next big thing" for links golf enthusiasts to travel to. It joins Barnbougle's Dunes and Lost Farm courses (on nearby Tasmania), Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers (in New Zealand) and Pinnacle Point (in South Africa) as world-beating oceanside layouts in the southern hemisphere.
Sublimely scenic and as wickedly wind-exposed as Ireland's Old Head of Kinsale, the spectacular clifftop location and excellent Mike DeVries layout provide a jaw-dropping combination. In a fabulously natural oceanside setting, this linksland course majestically sweeps through the dunes and alongside the rocky foreshore of Cape Farewell. There’s not a tree, a house, a road or even a railway line in sight. The clubhouse and the impressive Cape Wickham Lighthouse are the only constructions you'll see.
Designed by American golf architect Mike DeVries the course offers nine directly oceanside holes, and nine more that also create a terrific links golf challenge ... also with wonderful views into the bargain. The bunkering here is "minimalist", mimicking the sand blown hollows that naturally occur in the rugged surrounding terrain. Providing a fitting climax to this unforgettable golf experience, the par-4 18th doglegs left to right around the beach of Victoria Cove. Naturally enough the beach is in play!
Pick of the holes: without the merest hint of cliché, there is certainly a case to say all 18. Perhaps the par-3 11th will linger in the memory. This "wee-demon" short hole plays across a rocky cove to a green surrounded by high grassy dunes. A picture postcard ocean inlet behind the green completes the captivating coastal scene.
Stay&Play at Cape Wickham Links: luxury onsite accommodation available, see Where2Stay section below.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends. Course closed during some of July.
Must book in advance; recommended that you secure your accommodation at the club or elsewhere on King Island before booking a tee time.
Contact club for full details, discounts, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Golf carts and caddies available for hire (book in advance; caddies two weeks in advance).
The iconic Cape Wickham Lighthouse, which stands sentinel over the golf course, was constructed in 1861. At 48 meters high, it is the tallest elevated lighthouse in the southern hemisphere. The lighthouse was built in response to the sinking of the "Cataraqui", a British three-masted sailing ship that was cast onto the rocks off King island in 1845. The disaster resulted in the loss of 400 lives; only eight of the 41 crew, and one of the 369 emigrants survived.
Australia's 3rd best course (Australian Golf Digest, 2022/23).
World's 7th best public access course (Golf World, 2023). Formerly ranked world's 70th best course (GOLF Magazine, 2021/22; not in latest edition of this ranking).
Cape Wickham, King Island TAS 7256
+61 (0)3 6463 1200
Visit websiteCape Wickham offers golfers onsite accommodation in 16 well-appointed cabins, all with superb Southern Ocean views. Each room is 34 sq metres in size with a north-facing balcony. The rooms can accommodate up to two people in 2 separate king single beds, or a single double bed for couples. Reverse cycle air conditioning, TV, fridge, safe, WiFi and an ensuite bathrooms are all included.
Cape Wickham
No
Ocean Dunes (40 km); King Island (9-hole) (45 km).
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