Best golf courses: Australia

Original design by William Henry Angove.

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Michael Coate & Roger Mackay

American golf course architect Fred Bolton, who made his home on Australia's Gold Coast.

Original course at this location laid out by Carnegie Clark (1904); improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1920s) and Sloane Morpeth (1966), among others. Significant redesign by Jack Nicklaus (1976), with further modifications in 2013.

Original design by Eric Apperly was revamped by Ross Watson (2007).

Unknown

Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw.

Tom Doak and Michael Clayton

Original design by Victor "Vic" East (1920); various later modifications by Herbert L. “Cargie” Rymill, W.L. Spicer (1927), Joe Kirkwood, Alex Russell, Alister MacKenzie (1931) and Sloan Morpeth.

Prosper Ellis

Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett

Original design at this location by Lance Giddings & Eric Apperly (1947). Significant redesign by Ross Watson (1995) and more recently by Geoff Ogilvy & Michael Clayton.

Terry Watson & Ted Stirling

Arch McArthur

Original course at Yeerongpilly laid out in 1903/4 by Carnegie Clark. Subsequent modifications made by, among others, Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926), Wayne Grady and Ross Watson.

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Albie Gough, Joe Allen & Fred Flanagan.

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Mike DeVries (based in Michigan, USA) in collaboration with Australian golf writer Darius Oliver.

Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett

Karl Litten

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Original design by Eric Apperly (1951). Significant redesign by Newton, Grant & Spencer (1992).

Original design by the employees of Prince Henry Hospital and University of New South Wales.

Several contributors have evolved the course design, including Club Professional Sam Bennett (1921), Charles Lane (Club Capt 1923-33), Sloan Morpeth (Club Secretary 1930-62) and Kevin Hartley (1992).

Original design by Dan Soutar (1920). Significant redesigns and renovations by Ross Watson (1997), Mark Parker (2009) and Tom Doak (2018).

Original nine dates from 1932; second nine (1951); third nine (1974); final nine (1981).

Original nine dates from 1932; second nine (1951); third nine (1974); final nine (1981).

Various designers contributed to Cottesloe's original design at its current location (1931). Recent improvements designed by Graham Marsh (2008/9).

Sam Berriman

James Wilcher

Steve Smyers

Tony Cashmore & Associates

Greg Norman designed the 27-hole layout at this site (2015).

Original design by Dan Soutar (1928). Renovation overseen by James Wilcher (2000s).

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Graham Marsh

Prosper Ellis

David Myles Maxwell

Kel Nagle and Mike Cooper designed the Tuncurry course.

American golf course architect Fred Bolton, who made his home on Australia's Gold Coast.

Current course at Lilydale (opened 2014) designed by Pacific Coast Design (lead architect Phil Ryan).

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Original members' design modified by Vern Morcom (1955), and by Neil Crafter & Bob Tuohy (1998).

Greg Norman

Vern Morcom's 1967 design, reworked by Greg Norman (2012).

Original members' design modified by Vern Morcom (1956-65), and Michael Clayton (2005-07).

Graham Marsh

Peter Thomson

Michael Clayton and Michael Cocking redesigned the existing course in 2009.

Tony Cashmore in consultation with Nicklaus Design.

A Jack Nicklaus Signature Course

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Sam Berriman

Richard Mercer

Original design at this location by Charles "Hugh" Alison (1941). Subsequent improvements by Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (1998).

Original course at St Lucia designed by Scottish-born professional golfer Dan Soutar (1926). Bob Green designed the 36-hole layout at the club's current Long Pocket site (1976). Significant improvements made by Ross Watson (1985, 2006 and ongoing).

Original course at St Lucia designed by Scottish-born professional golfer Dan Soutar (1926). Bob Green designed the 36-hole layout at the club's current Long Pocket site (1976). Significant improvements made by Ross Watson (1985, 2006 and ongoing).

Robert Trent Jones Jr designed the Quarry and Dune nines (1985) and Lake nine (1990).

Graham Marsh

Michael Coate & Roger Mackay in collaboration with Ian Baker-Finch.

Unknown

Various people have contributed to this layout.

Unknown

Original design by Dan Soutar (1923). Bunkering improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926).

Tony Cashmore

Ross Watson & Craig Parry

Desmond Muirhead

Herbert Lockett "Cargie" Rymill.

David Graham and Gary Panks

Original design by Alex Russell, with later improvements by Mike Clayton in 2007.

A Jack Nicklaus Signature design.

Current design by Mick Morcom (1958), although it was not until 1978 that the full 18 holes were ready for play.

Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett

Original layout by Eric Apperly & Tom Howard (1928). Substantial redesign by Bruce Devlin & Robert von Hagge (1967) when the course was split in two by the Mascot Freeway. Later improvements by Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (1995) and Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (2000).

Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer

Bob Green laid out the current course in Lansvale in 1971.

Peter Thomson significantly revamped the existing layout in 1994.

Robin Nelson

Ross Watson

Murray Dawson

Tony Cashmore

Robert Trent Jones Jr

Original design by J.B. MacKenzie (1908). Later improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926). Dick Wilson (USA) designed new holes in 1960 when a few original holes were absorbed by a school building project.

Lance Beale designed the current layout when the club moved to Mt Burr in 1961.

Bill Andriske and Ken McKay

James Scott

Ross Perrett

Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett

Original design by Carnegie Clark. First nine opened in 1913; full 18 completed along with the clubhouse in 1926.

Brian Crafter designed the front-nine (1994), but died before construction began. His son Neil Crafter completed the front-nine (1995), and later designed the back-nine (1998).

David Anderson

Ted Parslow

John Spencer

Original design by Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett; significantly reworked by Tom Doak (2019).

Gordon Bernard Oliver (Scottish golf course architect who lived in Australia).

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Unknown

Original design by Fred Popplewell Sr (1915). Later significant improvements by Eric Apperly (1937).

Original design by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1928). Later revisions by Eric Apperly (1937 & 1951); Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1985); Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (1993); Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2000).

Graham Papworth

Graham Marsh

Graeme Grant

Robert von Hagge & Bruce Devlin

James Wilcher

Ross Watson

Mitsuaki Kobayashi

Robert Trent Jones Jr

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Mike Wolveridge (of Thomson, Wolveridge & Perrett).

Graham Marsh

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Original 11-hole course laid out by Scottish/Australian architect Gordon Bernard Oliver (1924); extended to 18 holes (1926). Using only a few holes from the existing course at the time, the current North and South courses designed by Sloan Morpeth (1967-69). Later improvements by Michael Clayton (2001), and a major renovation by Michael Clayton & Mike Cocking (2017).

Original 11-hole course laid out by Scottish/Australian architect Gordon Bernard Oliver (1924); extended to 18 holes (1926). Using only a few holes from the existing course at the time, the current North and South courses designed by Sloan Morpeth (1967-69). Later improvements by Michael Clayton (2001), and a major renovation by Michael Clayton & Mike Cocking (2017).

Original design in 1963 at this location by Club members, extended to 12 holes in 1973, and 18 in 1985. Subsequent improvements made by Kevin Hartley (1989) and Michael Clayton (2000).

Original design by Jock Young (1925). Extension from 14 to 18 holes by Jack Howard & Sloan Morpeth (1955). Later improvements by Michael Clayton (2000).

Dan Soutar

Mike Clayton

Alex Russell (1930)

The original Gangurru course dates from 1987. Bob Harrison designed the Bungool course, which opened in 2014.

Unknown

Original design by H.L. "Cargie" Rymill and C.L. Gardiner (1904). Substantially redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926). Later improvements by Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1979, 1997).

Current layout designed by Cmdr John Harris (1962). Newer Brindabella-nine and improvements to original Westbourne course designed by Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1984). The Club's earlier course, located in Acton, was designed by James Herd Scott (1945).

Arthur Oliphant and Peter Anderson

Vern Morcom designed the current Royal Hobart layout (1956).

Alex Russell, with Mick Morcom in charge of construction. The East course opened for play in 1932.

Designed in 1926 by Dr Alister MacKenzie. Working with Alex Russell and Mick Morcom (Head Greenkeeper), the course opened for play in 1931.

Unknown

Original design by Tomojiro Maruyama (1990). Extensively renovated by Graham Marsh (2015).

Original design by Carnegie Clark (1920). Further improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926) and Michael Clayton (2007).

Original design at this location by Carnegie Clark (1921). Bunkering improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926). Recent revisions by Thomson Wolveridge & Associates (1980-86) and Ross Watson (2001-03).

Original design by Fred Bolton (1985); re-routing and renovation by Ross Watson (2010).

Arnold Palmer

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett designed both courses: North (2004) and Champions (2008).

Stuart Appleby

Graham Marsh

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Harley Kruse).

J.D. Scott (1929)

Sam Berriman

Vern Morcom

Tom Doak

Clem Glancey & Michael Moran (1938).

Greg Norman

Bob Green (golf architect) and Murray Dawson (club's first captain); later revisions by Mike Clayton & Geoff Ogilvy (2012/13).

Dr Michael Hurdzan

Al Howard

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Tony Cashmore

Tony Cashmore in consultation with Nick Faldo.

Graham Marsh

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Various people have contributed to Victor Harbor's layout and subsequent improvements.

Existing course laid out by William Meader (Founder) & Oscar Damman (Club Captain) when Club moved to Cheltenham (1923). Bunkering improvements by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926). Further improvements by Michael Clayton (2001).

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Graham Marsh & Ross Watson

Greg Norman Golf Course Design (lead designer Bob Harrison).

George Lowe

E. Cohen & V. Steffanoni (1930). Graham Marsh (2001).

Various people have contributed to West Lakes' layout and subsequent improvements.

Original design by Rowley Banks and J.D. Scott (1913). Professional golfer Sam Bennett completed the 18-holes three years later. Further improvements by Mick Morcom (1928).

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge

Original design at current location by Alex Russell (1929).

Current course in this location designed by Ross Watson (2008).

Original design by James Herd Scott. Later revisions by Kel Nagle of Cooper Nagle & Associates (1978). Major redevelopment by Ben Davey of Contour Golf Design (2023/24).