By The best golf club in Australia in 2026 is Royal Melbourne Golf Club, with Kingston Heath close behind on the same 4.9/5 GCR score. Sydney’s best reviewed club is The Australian Golf Club, Queensland’s is Royal Queensland, and the strongest public-access picks are Narooma, Long Reef, Curlewis, and Gordon. This guide ranks Australian golf courses and clubs, not the clubs in your bag. Every ranked club below has a full GreatClubReview review behind it.
Australia Golf Clubs Compared (2026)
| Rank | Club | State/Region | GCR Score | Best For | Visitor Access | Typical Fee Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Melbourne Golf Club | VIC – Sandbelt | 4.9/5 | Best overall | Interstate/international/reciprocal only | Fees shown after visitor verification |
| 2 | Kingston Heath Golf Club | VIC – Sandbelt | 4.9/5 | Strategic Sandbelt golf | Limited visitor approval | Confirm premium private-club pricing |
| 3 | The Australian Golf Club | NSW – Sydney | 4.8/5 | Sydney championship prestige | Member/approved introduction | Fees not publicly disclosed |
| 4 | Royal Queensland Golf Club | QLD – Brisbane | 4.7/5 | Queensland private prestige | Limited Mon/Thu/Fri visitor windows | A$500 visitor green fee |
| 5 | Royal Sydney Golf Club | NSW – Sydney | 4.7/5 | Hanse rebuild | Member guest only | Centenary guest A$60; Championship restricted |
| 6 | The Lakes Golf Club | NSW – Sydney | 4.7/5 | Premium visitor prestige | Usually Monday/Thursday | A$400 Australian club member; A$700 non-member |
| 7 | The Eastern Golf Club | VIC – Yarra Valley | 4.7/5 | Stay-and-play quality | Limited eligible visitors | A$150 eligible visitor; A$105 cottage guest |
| 8 | Kooyonga Golf Club | SA – Adelaide | 4.6/5 | Adelaide sand-belt test | Visitors with GOLFLink | A$425 local/interstate; A$625 international |
| 9 | Bonnie Doon Golf Club | NSW – Sydney | 4.6/5 | Strategic sandy golf | Guest/reciprocal/corporate | Prices on application |
| 10 | Narooma Golf Club | NSW – South Coast | 4.6/5 | Best scenic public trip | Visitors welcome | A$85 for 18 holes |
| 11 | Royal Perth Golf Club | WA – Perth | 4.5/5 | WA royal access | Limited Mon/Fri/Sun visitor access | A$175 interstate; A$250 international |
| 12 | Indooroopilly Golf Club | QLD – Brisbane | 4.5/5 | 36-hole Brisbane depth | Limited visitor tee times | A$200 for 18 holes |
| 13 | Long Reef Golf Club | NSW – Sydney coast | 4.5/5 | Best Sydney public coast | Public social golf seven days | A$82-A$93 for 18 holes |
| 14 | Curlewis Golf Club | VIC – Bellarine | 4.5/5 | Public-access facilities | Green-fee players welcome | A$80-A$120 seasonal |
| 15 | Yarrawonga & Border Golf Club | NSW/VIC border | 4.5/5 | Multi-round resort trip | Public resort access | A$75 for 18; A$105 daily access |
| 16 | Oatlands Golf Club | NSW – Sydney | 4.5/5 | Private heritage | Tiger Tee Open Days | A$85 guest fee plus A$17 comp fee |
| 17 | Royal Fremantle Golf Club | WA – Fremantle | 4.4/5 | WA heritage club | Reciprocal/member guest | Standard public fee not published |
| 18 | Maroochy River Golf Club | QLD – Sunshine Coast | 4.4/5 | Modern public Queensland golf | Visitors can book | A$115 for 18 holes |
| 19 | Kingston Beach Golf Club | TAS – Hobart | 4.3/5 | Tasmanian scenery | Visitors welcome | A$100; A$80 TAS postcode discount |
| 20 | Gordon Golf Club | NSW – Sydney North Shore | 4.1/5 | Public value anchor | Public online/pro shop booking | A$40 weekday; A$50.50 weekend/public holiday |
How Good Is Golf in Australia?
Australian golf has two big strengths: elite private architecture and unusually strong public-access coastal golf. Melbourne’s Sandbelt gives the country its highest ceiling, Sydney adds private championship history and public ocean courses, Queensland offers winter golf and resort-style access, and WA/SA/TAS add regional variety. March-May and September-November are the safest national shoulder-season windows, while Queensland and WA can be especially useful in winter.
The 20 Best Golf Clubs in Australia, Ranked
Rankings start with live GCR scores from our published reviews. Tie-breaks consider championship pedigree, visitor usefulness, public access, value, and national coverage.
1. Royal Melbourne Golf Club – Best Golf Club in Australia Overall
Verdict: Royal Melbourne takes the top spot because it combines Australia’s benchmark Sandbelt architecture with West, East, and Composite course depth. Founded in 1891, it remains the national reference point for strategic, firm-ground golf.
Who should play it: Interstate, international, and reciprocal club golfers who want the clearest Australian Sandbelt benchmark.
Keep in mind: There are no normal public tee times, and fees are not visible before visitor verification.
2. Kingston Heath Golf Club – Best Pure Sandbelt Strategy
Verdict: Kingston Heath ties Royal Melbourne on score and is essential for anyone who loves bunkering, angles, and short-grass recovery shots. Founded in 1909, it also has global attention through Presidents Cup 2028 host status.
Who should play it: Serious architecture fans and approved Sandbelt visitors who want one of Australia’s sharpest strategic tests.
Keep in mind: Access is limited by enquiry and approval, and ordinary bunker play gets exposed quickly.
3. The Australian Golf Club – Best Sydney Championship Club
Verdict: The Australian is Sydney’s highest-ranked club in our review set. Its 1882 history, 2013 Jack Nicklaus Signature Design renovation, and repeated Australian Open hosting record give it current tournament credibility.
Who should play it: Serious Sydney golfers with member, reciprocal, or approved interstate access.
Keep in mind: It is not a casual online-booking visitor course, and fees are not publicly disclosed.
4. Royal Queensland Golf Club – Best Golf Club in Queensland
Verdict: Royal Queensland is the strongest Queensland club we have reviewed. Founded in 1920, it pairs Brisbane private-club pedigree with unusually clear visitor rules for eligible golfers.
Who should play it: Brisbane and interstate club golfers who can meet the Golf Link or recognised overseas-club requirements.
Keep in mind: A$500 is steep, and visitor play is limited to Monday, Thursday, and Friday windows.
5. Royal Sydney Golf Club – Best Rebuild Story
Verdict: Royal Sydney is newly important after the Gil Hanse and Harley Kruse Championship Course rebuild. The club dates to 1893 and now has a modern architecture story layered onto a historic Rose Bay setting.
Who should play it: Invited guests and architecture watchers keen to see the Hanse rebuild.
Keep in mind: Non-members cannot independently book the Championship Course.
6. The Lakes Golf Club – Best Premium Sydney Visitor Round
Verdict: The Lakes earns its place because it combines Australian Open history, strong practice facilities, and clear visitor pricing. Members of Australian golf clubs pay A$400 for 18 holes; international visitors and non-members pay A$700.
Who should play it: Golfers who want a premium Sydney private-club day with a published visitor-fee table.
Keep in mind: Access usually sits around Monday and Thursday, and A$700 is a serious spend.
7. The Eastern Golf Club – Best Yarra Valley Stay-and-Play Option
Verdict: The Eastern gives Victoria a different kind of top-tier entry: 27 Greg Norman-designed championship holes plus the Shark Waters nine. The Yering property opened in 2015 and works especially well for cottage guests.
Who should play it: Travelling club golfers and Yering Gorge Cottage guests who want a polished Yarra Valley golf trip.
Keep in mind: Visitor rules require coordination, and the Yarra River setting brings rare flood exposure.
8. Kooyonga Golf Club – Best Golf Club in South Australia
Verdict: Kooyonga is Adelaide’s strongest reviewed club, with a serious sand-belt setting, H.L. Rymill design roots, recent Crafter + Mogford work, and five Australian Opens in the club’s history.
Who should play it: Adelaide golf travellers with GOLFLink who want a serious private-club test near the airport.
Keep in mind: Visitor fees are high, and membership details still require direct enquiry.
9. Bonnie Doon Golf Club – Best Strategic Sandy Sydney Course
Verdict: Bonnie Doon is short by elite-club standards but rich in strategy. Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead transformed sandy Pagewood ground into a sharp, angle-driven 18-hole test.
Who should play it: Golfers who value sandy ground, complex greens, and strategic width over raw length.
Keep in mind: There is no ordinary public timesheet, and individual membership can take about three years.
10. Narooma Golf Club – Best Scenic Public Golf Trip
Verdict: Narooma is the best public-access destination pick in this national list. It has coastal scenery, transparent 18/12/6-hole pricing, and a Golf Tech Centre that adds real repeat-player value.
Who should play it: South Coast travellers who want memorable scenery, clear pricing, and flexible hole options.
Keep in mind: Narooma is a long drive from Sydney, and cart hire lifts an 18-hole riding round to A$140.
11. Royal Perth Golf Club – Best WA Visitor Pathway
Verdict: Royal Perth gives approved interstate and international visitors a clearer pathway than many private clubs. Founded in 1895, it has a central South Perth location and published Monday, Friday, and Sunday visitor windows.
Who should play it: Serious Perth visitors who can provide home-club proof and plan ahead.
Keep in mind: It is not low-cost public golf, and private-club dress standards are strict.
12. Indooroopilly Golf Club – Best 36-Hole Brisbane Facility
Verdict: Indooroopilly is the Brisbane depth play: 36 holes, six 18-hole combinations, strong practice facilities, and a polished club environment close to the CBD.
Who should play it: Brisbane golfers who want premium facilities and do not mind a private-style visitor process.
Keep in mind: A$200 visitor golf is premium pricing, and adult membership has waitlist friction.
13. Long Reef Golf Club – Best Sydney Public Coastal Course
Verdict: Long Reef is the Sydney public coastal round we would start with. It is an 18-hole, par-71 layout on a Collaroy headland, with ocean views from every tee and green.
Who should play it: Sydney visitors who want public access, coastal wind, and a course that feels unmistakably local.
Keep in mind: Weekend fees approach A$100, and every membership category is waitlisted.
14. Curlewis Golf Club – Best Public-Access Bellarine Pick
Verdict: Curlewis is a strong answer for golfers who want Victorian quality without private-club ceremony. Green-fee players are welcome, online tee bookings are available, and the practice/entertainment ecosystem is unusually strong.
Who should play it: Melbourne day-trippers, Bellarine visitors, and golfers who want facilities plus firm links-style golf.
Keep in mind: Peak 18-hole fees reach A$120, and wind can make the course play much harder.
15. Yarrawonga & Border Golf Club – Best Multi-Round Public Resort
Verdict: Yarrawonga Mulwala is Australia’s largest public-access golf facility, with 45 holes across the Murray, Lake, and Executive courses. The two par-72 championship courses make it a proper multi-round trip.
Who should play it: Groups, families, and high-volume golfers who want more than one serious public-access course on site.
Keep in mind: Full membership is closed to new applicants, and summer heat needs planning.
16. Oatlands Golf Club – Best Sydney Private Heritage Value
Verdict: Oatlands brings Rupert Black heritage, member-owned culture, and a useful Tiger Tee Open Day route for affiliated golfers with a Golflink handicap.
Who should play it: Sydney golfers who want private-club history and can work within an open-day structure.
Keep in mind: Ordinary visitor access is limited, and major adult joining fees are A$5,000.
17. Royal Fremantle Golf Club – Best Fremantle Heritage Club
Verdict: Royal Fremantle gives WA a second royal-club entry, with 1905 heritage, member culture, and a clear reciprocal booking form requiring a letter of introduction.
Who should play it: Perth and Fremantle golfers who value old-club character and reciprocal private-club access.
Keep in mind: Standard public green fees are not published as a simple table, and casual travellers may find access frustrating.
18. Maroochy River Golf Club – Best Sunshine Coast Public Test
Verdict: Maroochy River is a modern, polished Sunshine Coast round with water in play on almost every hole. It publishes visitor fees, range prices, dress standards, and booking guidance clearly.
Who should play it: Sunshine Coast visitors who want a scenic, full-service public golf day.
Keep in mind: A$115 is not cheap, and water-heavy routing can punish higher handicaps.
19. Kingston Beach Golf Club – Best Tasmanian Scenic Pick
Verdict: Kingston Beach brings Tasmania into the national list with Derwent River, Browns River, Mt Wellington, and beach-area character. Social visitors can play without a handicap, and the electric inclinator to the 18th tee is a memorable local detail.
Who should play it: Hobart-area visitors who want scenery, clear fees, and local character over mainland resort polish.
Keep in mind: A$100 is not bargain golf, and weather can shape the round strongly.
20. Gordon Golf Club – Best Public Value Anchor
Verdict: Gordon is here on purpose. It is not a destination championship course, but it gives Australian golfers the kind of clear-fee, public-access value that prestige lists usually skip.
Who should play it: Sydney North Shore golfers who want affordable golf, transparent fees, and practical membership tiers.
Keep in mind: It has a local municipal feel, and competition windows can affect social tee times.
Best Australian Golf Clubs by Category
- Best overall: Royal Melbourne Golf Club – the national Sandbelt benchmark.
- Best pure strategy: Kingston Heath Golf Club – bunkering and short-game demands at elite level.
- Best public coastal trip: Narooma Golf Club – scenery plus clear A$85 pricing.
- Best public city/coastal access: Long Reef Golf Club – Sydney ocean golf with seven-day public social access.
- Best public value: Gordon Golf Club – A$40 weekday golf in Sydney.
- Best Queensland club: Royal Queensland Golf Club – private prestige with published visitor rules.
- Best WA access story: Royal Perth Golf Club – clear interstate and international visitor fees.
Where Should You Play in Australia?
Best Golf in Melbourne and Victoria
Start with Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath if you have private-club access. For a more visitor-friendly Victorian option, Curlewis is the public-access pick, while The Eastern is the strongest stay-and-play route.
Best Golf in Sydney and NSW
The Australian, Royal Sydney, The Lakes, Bonnie Doon, and Oatlands cover the private tier. Public golfers should use our Best Golf Clubs in NSW guide, with Long Reef, Narooma, and Gordon standing out here.
Best Golf in Queensland, WA, SA, and Tasmania
Royal Queensland and Indooroopilly lead Brisbane, while Maroochy River is the Sunshine Coast public pick. WA is led by Royal Perth and Royal Fremantle, SA by Kooyonga, and Tasmania by Kingston Beach.
Australian Clubs on Our Radar
Not ranked – not yet reviewed. Several famous Australian courses are not in this ranking because they have not been through our GCR process yet: Cape Wickham, Barnbougle Dunes, Barnbougle Lost Farm, New South Wales Golf Club, Ellerston, Metropolitan, Commonwealth, Huntingdale, Peninsula Kingswood, Yarra Yarra, Royal Adelaide, and Royal Hobart. We only rank clubs with published GreatClubReview reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best golf club in Australia?
Based on our published reviews, Royal Melbourne Golf Club is the best golf club in Australia in 2026. It shares a 4.9/5 GCR score with Kingston Heath, but Royal Melbourne takes the top spot on Sandbelt depth, West/East/Composite course range, and national benchmark status.
What is the best public golf course in Australia?
From our reviewed set, Narooma is the strongest public-access destination course, Long Reef is the best Sydney public coastal course, Curlewis is the best Victorian public-access pick, and Gordon is the best low-cost value anchor. This is not a full public-course ranking yet; that needs more Phase AU-2 coverage.
Can visitors play Australia’s top private golf clubs?
Sometimes, but usually only with credentials. Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, The Australian, Royal Sydney, Bonnie Doon, and Royal Fremantle require member, reciprocal, interstate, overseas, or approved visitor pathways. The Lakes, Royal Queensland, Kooyonga, Royal Perth, and The Eastern publish clearer visitor routes, but still require planning.
How much does it cost to play top Australian golf clubs?
Reviewed visitor fees range from A$40 at Gordon to A$700 for non-member or international visitor golf at The Lakes. Other examples include Narooma at A$85, Long Reef around A$82-A$93, Indooroopilly at A$200, Royal Perth at A$175-A$250, Royal Queensland at A$500, and Kooyonga at A$425-A$625.
When is the best time to play golf in Australia?
March-May and September-November are the safest national windows for most southern and coastal courses. Queensland and WA can be especially useful in winter, while Tasmania is strongest from November-March plus calmer shoulder-season days.
How did we rank these Australian golf clubs?
We ranked clubs from live GCR scores in our published reviews, then used tie-breaks for championship pedigree, visitor access, value, regional variety, and list intent. No club paid for placement. Read our review methodology for the scoring system.
Explore more: all golf club reviews – Best Golf Clubs in NSW – QLD golf clubs – VIC golf clubs – WA golf clubs – how we review
