Now more than ever, this nation’s golfers are spoilt for choice. Check out our ranking of the best courses everyone can play.Australia is blessed with hundreds of quality courses, which not only offer a terrific golfing experience but are affordable to play. 
At last count there were approximately 1,700 courses spread throughout the land ranging from the ultra-exclusive city layouts down to the nine-hole sand-scrapes commonly found in rural and outback towns. Within that large number of courses there are private, semi-private and restricted access layouts that are not readily playable for the average golfer.
However, the vast majority of courses welcome visiting golfers – they are public accessible. By our definition, a public access course is one that sets aside tee times for visiting golfers for a minimum of five days a week.
As you follow our ranking through you will note some highly-regarded resort courses, like Magenta Shores and Hyatt Regency Coolum, have been omitted from our public access ranking for the first time. In terms of our public access criteria, they do not qualify because they restrict access to their members and guests of the adjoining resort.
The final ranking was compiled over the past 12 months by Golf Australia editors with the assistance of regular ranking judges as well as a team of committed Golf Australia readers who volunteered to present their opinions and insights. This involved visiting courses, sometimes covertly, and noting any changes to the design as well as the conditioning of the course.
We estimate that there are about 1,100 public access courses in Australia, which means the courses that have made our inaugural top-100 ranking and are featured here, represent the very best courses you can readily play. Enjoy!
1. Barnbougle Dunes
The course that put north-east Tasmania on the global golfing map now has company in its neighbourhood, but that should only lure more people out to see this monument to pure golf. Working with genuine linksland, architects Doak and Clayton created a layout that embodies the principles of minimalist design – wide, windswept and natural-looking, it evokes the public links upon which the game was founded. Only time will tell if Barnbougle Dunes keeps its No.1 spot with little sister, Lost Farm, now open and already drawing comparisons. There is going to be serious sibling rivalry between this pair in years to come.
Bridport, Tasmania
Tom Doak & Mike Clayton (2004)
6,148 metres, par-71
GREEN FEES: $98.
CONTACT: (03) 6356 0094;
www.barnbougledunes.com.au