The benchmark Australian golf course remains our queen, once again seeing off determined competition to retain the throne as the best in the land. Numerically, the West course at Royal Melbourne isn’t miles in front of the chasing pack but its timeless qualities are impossible to quash when it comes to quantifying them. The holes the West contributed to the recent Presidents Cup layout again reinforcing its magnificence as a global golf arena. Kingston Heath tumbles to third on our ranking by a mere 0.05 points average, despite drawing a handful of 10-out-of-10s across the various judging criteria. Its Shot Values remain exceptionally high, while it’s a sign of the Sandbelt course’s majesty that ‘The Heath’ has never ranked lower than third in 34 years. New South Wales has taken fifth place five times on our list, including four of the past five rankings.
We are prepared to let one cat out of the bag… Ranfurlie Golf Club was unlucky course No.101. The spacious and strategic layout borrows plenty of attributes from the neighbouring Sandbelt and has a legion of admirers, but also a number of followers who are not enamoured with the design. As such, the divisive layout has bounced around our ranking for several years and this time suffered just enough of a numerical drop nearest golf course to dip outside the main list. The Shot Values and Design Variety scores given by our panel for the Mike Clayton-penned layout did not cause its fall, rather its demotion is another illustration of the overall competitiveness of the first 100. A perennial favourite on the Sunshine Coast – and a course once ranked as high as 20th in the land – Twin Waters Golf Club was squeezed out of the main list a decade ago.

Since 2016 we’ve added to this with a stunning architecturally designed clubhouse, playground and award-winning catering via the Spices Group. They deliver exceptional service across both 300 Acres (restaurant & bar) and Ambrose Estate (weddings & conferences) to provide you with the service you are looking for. Inspire someone you know to get out and explore this beautiful country of ours. Nullarbor Links breathes life into the massively long stretch of road it’s named after and creates the ultimate road trip adventure. An 18-hole course, it covers a whopping 1365km, with holes found in towns or roadhouses stretching from Ceduna in SA all the way to Kalgoorlie in WA. Consistent in its role as a top-five denizen , Barnbougle Dunes continues to command attention with its show-stopping vistas and savvy architecture along a capricious piece of Tasmanian coastline.
On the whole, our judges love the pint-sized Healesville layout and the imagination required to conquer its outstanding green complexes. Once again, the course is the only sub-5,000-metre and sub-par-70 layout to feature here, making it the best ‘little’ 18-holer in the country. This elevated ranking breaks a run of three consecutive appearances in the 90s for the Swan Valley course.
We have hosted many prestigious events, including the Australian PGA, the NSW Open in 2006 and 2007. Further, we have been among the qualifying venues for the Australian Open for the past ten years. Liverpool Golf Club delivers an incomparable experience for our members and guests in an inviting and advancing environment and setting. Liverpool Golf Club also offers some of the cheapest golf memberships in Sydney with outstanding benefits. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited aspect of the 2020 ranking was where the much-vaunted and redesigned North course at Peninsula Kingswood would fall on the list. The hype was not unwarranted, as our judges decreed the OCCM overhaul a raging success.

Golfers are spoilt for choice, from world-renowned resort courses to lush public layouts available for very reasonable rates. Check out some of Perth's stand out golf courses you might like to try below and find more on the Golf WA website. Designed by home-grown Adelaide golf course architect, H.L Rymill, Kooyonga Golf Club is a championship golf course that has played host to multiple Australian Opens. Close to the beach and just 15 minutes from Adelaide, Kooyonga Golf Club is a beautiful, undulating course, refreshed by sea breezes.
Another course that historically bounces around the second 50, feeding off an appealing layout in a postcard setting. There is no ranking criterion here for generosity and solidarity, so we tip our hats to the hospitality Narooma showed its locals during the summer’s catastrophic NSW South Coast bushfires. Back in the Top 100 for the first time since 2004, the picturesque main course at Mollymook owns a legion of devotees who love the challenge presented by this scenic NSW South Coast gem. Unsurprisingly to those who know it, the Hilltop course scored well for Aesthetics and Ambience but also for Conditioning.

It's not just the avid golfer that will enjoy Perth, anyone can have a go at one of these great mini golf courses. The Links Kennedy Bay is a links style course situated amidst undulating sand dunes and natural bushland with a magnificent vista over the Indian Ocean. Links courses are characterised by an exposed coastal location, undulating greens, pot style bunkers and heath vegetation. This combination of terrain and coastal weather offers golfers an irresistible challenge of skill. The course is located an hour and a drive Perth City, and just minutes from the heart of Lancelin. Lancelin Golf Club is the first in Australia to present Fling Golf a must do activity while visiting the region.Find out more.
To arrive at a course’s final score, we total its averages in the seven categories, doubling Shot Values to create a score out of 80. This is the second time the Resistance to Scoring, Aesthetics and Ambience criteria have been included, something of a nod to our colleagues at US Golf Digest, who also compile various world rankings. More of the Golf Digest global affiliates using the same methodology improves the accuracy of the world lists. Championship/Tournament Courses Shining on the world stage, these courses have played host to top National and International golf tournaments. Golf and Wine Two of life’s greatest pleasures combine to showcase quintessential Australian experiences celebrating golf and wine. That inaugural list didn’t have a single course from Tasmania, whereas today there are three challenging the great Dr Alister MacKenzie’s West Course for the crown.
While the rankings heyday of the resort’s Composite layout are long gone, the Lakes course at The Vines holds steady. If the Top 100 ranking were a series of the TV show “Survivor”, you’d want Murray Downs on your team. This marks the seventh consecutive ranking that the riverside layout has occupied a bottom-20 slot without dipping lower. One of the more remote courses in the Top 100, it remains a favourite of those who make the effort to get there by drawing consistently solid scores. Unique Golf Experiences Unique Golf Experiences are courses that provide a golf experience that is quintessentially and uniquely Australian. Premier Courses Premier Courses offer golfers a very high level golf experience combined with regional charm and friendly hospitality.