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AN ESCAPE PACKAGE FOR TWO PEOPLE TO THE INTERCONTINENTAL SANCTUARY COVE RESORT

AUGUST 2014 ISSUE #306

SHANE WARNE MY GOLFING LIFE

LIVERPOOL KISS ALL THE HEROICS OF HOYLAKE

WHAT AUSTRALIA’S GREENKEEPERS REALLY THINK OF YOU

40 HIT EVERY FAIRWAY! EXCLUSIVE INSTRUCTION

AUSTRALIA’S

BEST GOLF GETAWAYS

THE JUSTIN ROSE WAY

A U ST R A L I A’ S

STUMPED FOR IDEAS WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A LOCATION FOR YOUR NEXT GOLFING HOLIDAY? HERE ARE 40 DESTINATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM THAT WE RECKON TICK ALL THE BOXES WHEN IT COMES TO ENJOYABLE GOLF, QUALITY ACCOMMODATION AND A WIDE RANGE OF FACILITIES OFF THE COURSE.

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BARNBOUGLE DUNES & LOST FARM

BARWON HEADS GOLF CLUB

This is the pinnacle of public-access golf in Australia. Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm rank first and second, respectively, on Golf Australia’s list of the nation’s Top-100 Public Access Courses and continue to earn global accolades. The nearly decade-old Barnbougle Dunes layout feature nines that loop out and back along Bass Strait in classic links style, while the four-year-old Lost Farm layout uses different terrain and more varied playing routes to confuse golfers’ strategies.

Both course feature accommodation – with a chain of two-bedroom cottages plus the exclusive four-bedroom villas at Barnbougle Dunes and two styles of room at the Lost Farm Lodge. Both clubhouses feature a restaurant, while the Lost Farm facilities include a sports bar and a spa.

Barnbougle offers no specials as such, but the per-person rate for one night in the Dunes cottages ranges between $59 (quad share) and $160 (single). The villas, which sleep up to eight, are $900 per night.

Lost Farm’s suites are $195 to $225 per night. Golf is $99 for 18 holes or $130 for an all-day green fee. www.barnbougle.com.au

Regal Barwon Heads typifies all the great traditions of the game. The short, old-school layout complements an approach inside the clubhouse that blends golf’s best traditions with exceptional modern cuisine.

Victor East’s design is a windswept beauty that bares multiple faces depending on the capriciousness of the Bass Strait breeze. The layout looks simple enough yet is anything but simple to play.

Not everything is a step back in time at Barwon Heads. The clubhouse’s 19-room accommodation wing is contemporary and first class, while in recent years the club has added a delightful par-3 course, which for $10 is as much a bargain as it is fun to play. The short course complements the club’s outstanding overall practice facilities.

Barwon Heads offers free golf for guests staying in a standard room at the normal bed-and-breakfast rates, which starts from $240 per room, per night (Sunday to Thursday stays only; valid until August 30). Other seasonal packages are also available, including an enticing 33 to 50 percent discount on bed-and-breakfast rates for stays of five nights or longer during January 2015. www.bhgc.com.au

PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES

TASMANIA

VICTORIA

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Barwon Heads’ superb par-3 4th hole and (INSET) its charming clubhouse and accommodation.

NEW SOUTH WALES

The visual splendour of Bonville is unique and unmistakeable. The golf course, which is just south of Coffs Harbour, was carved from a forest of enormous, towering gum trees with every hole flanked by countless of these ‘vertical hazards’. The 18-hole excursion also uses elevation changes, ravines, sand and water to enhance the golfing ecstasy.

To the right of the 1st fairway are 30 resort, executive spa and executive view rooms. The facilities also include a pool and tennis court.

Unique to Bonville is its ‘One Hat’ Flooded Gums Restaurant – the first Australian golf club to boast such an accolade.

Packages range in duration, as well being priced according to the day and season. A single nights’ weekday accommodation for two people with full hot breakfasts and 18 holes in a cart starts from $210 each in winter and $220 from September to May. A two-night stay pushes those prices to $390 and $410, respectively. www.bonvillegolf.com.au

CAPRICORN RESORT QUEENSLAND In the late 1980s and early ‘90s, Queensland was in the grip of golf course building boom.

The Capricorn Resort was born out of that boom as a Japanese developer chose a relatively isolated location near Yeppoon, about 45 minutes’ drive north east of Rockhampton, to construct a resort and two 18-hole courses. The first course completed, a Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge design, is a well-conditioned layout with wide fairways and big greens. It is a fun layout but it certainly lies in the shadow of the neighbouring Championship course.

The Championship course is a layout for serious golfers and those players who love to pit their skills against a mighty course. Designed

by American Karl Litten and open for play in 1992, the Championship course is a monstrous 6,542 metres off the back markers, making it one of the longest courses in Australia.

Not surprisingly, length is the course’s greatest defence, closely followed by Litten’s smart bunkering. In some cases, the bunkers he

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has placed may not even come into play but they create illusion and deception in the mind of the golfer.

The adjoining Mercure Capricorn Resort Yeppoon is nestled amongst 22,000 acres of sprawling tropical coastline, which gives rise to an wide range of leisure facilities, sightseeing activities and day tours to key tourist attractions on the Capricorn Coast.

Three resort buildings surround a large freshwater swimming pool with an adjoining beach pool. There are 280 rooms available, ranging from hotel style rooms through to self-contained one- and two-bedroom apartments. All rooms have a private balcony or terrace with views of the lush subtropical gardens, the lagoon swimming pool or the stunning coastline. www.capricornresortgolf.com.au or www.mercurecapricornresort.com.au

COUNTRY CLUB TASMANIA RESORT TASMANIA The gambling golfer will fit right in at Country Club Tasmania Resort – not just on the blackjack tables of the resort’s casino but also on the Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge-designed course.

The accommodation at Country Club Tasmania includes an exceptional range of choice from four and a half star manor suites, golf deluxe and deluxe rooms as well as Country Club Villas, just 800 metres from the resort centre, offers suites and self-contained one-, two- and three-bedroom villas.

There are play and stay packages available, as well as one package that includes rounds of golf at the famed Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm courses. www.countryclubtasmania.com.au

CYPRESS LAKES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB NEW SOUTH WALES

This staple of Hunter Valley golf puts on show many of the famous wine region’s best assets. Indeed, on the 2nd tee your drive needs to carry the corner of a neighbouring vineyard. The course features an open, undulating front nine and a back nine where water, large bunkers and several elevated tees provide superb vistas of the area and make the

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 2; SUPPLIED X 2

BONVILLE GOLF RESORT

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ABOVE: Designed by American Karl Litten, the Championship course at the Capricorn Resort has some memorable holes with the par-4 6th being one of the best. RIGHT: The Mercure Capricorn Resort has suites and apartments, as well as a great lagoon pool.

golf all the more compelling.

Dozens of self-contained one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom villas cover the hillside behind the clubhouse, bar and restaurant, many with golf course views. Cypress Lakes also features a gym, tennis court, three pools, Jacuzzi and an opulent Golden Door Day Spa. A one-night stay at Cypress Lakes in a one-bedroom villa starts from $139 (or $180 for a spa villa); a two-bedroom villa from $189; a threebedroom villa from $265. Golf starts from $75. www.cypresslakes.com.au

DUNTRYLEAGUE GOLF CLUB NEW SOUTH WALES Duntryleague Golf Club, located in Orange, about four hours’ drive west of Sydney, is one of the finest regional layouts in New South Wales.

The course opened for play nearly 80 years ago, having been crafted

by Eric Apperly – the architect behind the acclaimed Newcastle, NSW and Avondale courses among others – and has easily withstood the test of time as an enjoyable and challenging layout.

One of the joys of visiting and playing Duntryleague is staying onsite in the 18th century mansion that stands on the highest point of the property. The mansion, now serves as the clubhouse and offers guesthouse accommodation, and dates back to 1876.

Accommodation in this mansion is in four categories, from original master suites to smaller guest suites.

Duntryleague has a ‘Super Sunday Package’ including one nights’ accommodation in a standard suite as well as two rounds of golf in a shared cart and a full breakfast, all from $133 per person twin share. www.duntryleague.com.au

HAMILTON ISLAND QUEENSLAND The highly ranked Peter Thomson and Ross Perrett-designed layout is actually found on Dent Island – a tropical tree and scrub-covered monolith

that rises steeply, to about 105 metres at its highest point, from the aquamarine waters of the Coral Sea below – and is reached by ferry from the Hamilton Island marina.

After your round, you can relax on the ferry back to Hamilton Island where there are plenty of accommodation options.

If you are after luxurious five-star luxury, you cannot surpass the awardwinning resort, qualia. Named the Best Resort in the World in 2012, qualia boasts 60 elegant one-bedroom pavilions and a Beach House, each set among eucalyptus trees with postcard views of the idyllic blue and green waters of the Whitsundays. There are two restaurants, Spa qualia, two serene pools and a fitness centre catering exclusively to resort guests. www.hamiltonislandgolfclub.com.au

THE HERITAGE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB VICTORIA The Yarra Valley’s premier golf club and hotel includes two magnificent courses, the Jack Nicklaus-designed St John course and Tony Cashmore’s Henley. The elder St John layout exemplifies Nicklaus’ approach to course design with its broad features and heroic carries. The Henley is more natural and rugged, and includes a stretch of holes on the back nine that utilise a secluded pocket of the course positioned atop a steep ridge that is descended in one fell swoop when playing the 16th hole.

Yarra Valley Lodge is a four and half star boutique hotel with guestrooms and suites next door to the clubhouse. Located near the doorstep of more than 80 of the region’s famous wineries,Yarra Valley Lodge also offers the ultimate in non-golf indulgence at the Heritage Day Spa. The Heritage’s ‘Par and Pamper’ package includes accommodation in a lodge room, plus a choice of playing 18 holes on either golf course or a signature massage at the day spa from $369 (for two guests). The package includes two rounds of golf, two treatments in the day spa or one of each. www.hgcc.com.au golf australia

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CLOCKWISE: The par-4 2nd hole of Joondalup’s Lake course; Water and sand play a hazardous role on the par-4 9th hole Kooindah Waters; One of Hope Island’s finest designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, the long par-4 13th hole; With your golf done for the day, relax with a drink by the pool at the Joondalup Resort.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA There are few inland golf courses in Australia boasting such visually spectacular holes than Joondalup Country Club.

The 27-hole layout, just 25 minutes’ drive north of Perth’s CBD, is a unique golfing experience designed by American golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jnr. His imagination and skill in creating three distinct nine-hole loops within and around the confines of sand dunes and a quarry must rate as some of his finest work in more than 50 years of designing golf courses.

The on-site resort features 70 comfortably appointed rooms and suites set amongst a garden setting with spectacular views, some over the golf course. You can relax on your private balcony or courtyard, indulge with a full body massage and unwind with a beverage and mouth-watering meal.

The top of the range package is the ‘Par-5 Package’ that allows you to sleep, dine and play in complete luxury with overnight accommodation, dinner, breakfast and 18 holes of golf. There is also a free bucket of balls for the driving range. Prices for this package start from $570 per night in a Standard room for two people. www.joondalupresort.com.au

KOOINDAH WATERS RESORT NEW SOUTH WALES Kooindah Waters is not a links course, but designer Ross Watson, in collaboration with Craig Parry, used their knowledge of links golf to

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incorporate elements of that seaside game into their inland creation. Many of the greens feature a wide opening where you are able to bounce your approach onto the putting surface. The deep greenside bunkering is also a feature of the layout, as are the railway sleeper retaining walls on several.

Lying at the hub of this fine course is the four and a half star Mercure Kooindah Waters Resort, which offers King rooms as well as one-, two- and three-bedroom self-contained apartments. All accommodation offers either a private balcony or terrace with most providing stunning views across the course.

Packages start from $289 for two guests in a standard King room. www.kooindahwaters.com.au or www.mercurekooindahwaters.com.au

LINKS HOPE ISLAND QUEENSLAND The Peter Thomson and Michael Wolveridge-designed Links Hope Island has established itself as one of the must-play courses on the Gold Coast.

This is a thinking player’s course. Thomson’s trademark, borrowing heavily from the best designers including Dr Alister MacKenzie, is to present a series of routes on each hole. However, to reap the most reward, precise angles of attack are required into the greens. Consequently, and especially on some of the short par-4s, the length of a hole doesn’t really matter. What does matter at Hope Island is making the correct club selection on the tee, selecting the right line, and executing accordingly.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 6; SUPPLIED X 2

JOONDALUP RESORT

CLOCKWISE: Swimming, tennis and golf are all just a few metres from the resort centre at Links Lady Bay; The luxurious Azzura Greens Resort is a short stroll from the Links Hope Island clubhouse; The Legends course at Moonah Links; The opening hole of the Links Lady Bay course is surrounded by sand dunes and presents a wonderful start to the round.

In recent years, this strategic challenge has been complemented by some of the best manicured playing surfaces in Queensland.

Azzura Greens is a luxurious five-star apartment resort located within the Hope Island precinct and a short stroll from the clubhouse. This architecturally designed resort comprises 159 luxury one-, two- and threebedroom apartments and is surrounded by tropical gardens with a large lagoon pool and man-made ebach lying at its heart. There’s also a modern gymnasium, steam room and a heated outdoor spa.

The resort has one- and two-night packages. The one-night play and stay package starts from $185 per person quad share in a two-bedroom self-contained apartment. The package includes transfers to and from the resort, 18 holes in a shared cart at Hope Island, range balls, breakfast at the resort or clubhouse lunch as well as a logoed Links Hope Island cap. www.linkshopeisland.com.au or www.azzuragreens.com.au

LINKS LADY BAY RESORT SOUTH AUSTRALIA This attractive but exposed course on the Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide, offers panoramic views and a serious test of golf. The Jack Newton, Graeme Grant and John Spencer-designed course first captured our attention when it opened in 2000 and has continued to mature in the ensuing years. Most holes traverse a gently undulating plain overlooking the Gulf St Vincent with part of the back nine taking in a sheltered pocket behind a ridge.

Links Lady Bay Resort includes 28 spa suites overlooking the course and Gulf beyond. The spacious one-bedroom suites feature large corner spas and a private balcony. The standard and superior rooms sleep up to four people, while for larger groups there are villas and the luxurious ‘Eagles Nest’ holiday home. The resort also includes a gym and day spa.

Stay overnight at Links Lady Bay in a king spa suite with a continental breakfast delivered to the room, plus 18 holes in a cart with a light lunch afterwards in Peninsular Café that includes a glass of beer, wine or champagne. This package costs $289 (twin share) midweek or $359 (twin share) on weekends. www.linksladybay.com.au

MAGENTA SHORES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB NEW SOUTH WALES The windswept, rustic nature of Magenta Shores provides a stern test in any conditions but especially so when a strong breeze whips up from the adjacent Pacific Ocean. Ross Watson’s epic layout gives every golfer’s brain and swing a thorough workout for 18 demanding holes, yet the course is perfectly playable for smart, shrewd players.

Quay West Resort Magenta Shores is a 5-star resort with studio, one-, twoand three-bedroom villas wedged ideally between the clubhouse and the beach. A luxury day spa, tennis courts, and pool comprise the resort’s key recreational facilities, while the clubhouse houses bars and a restaurant.

Non-member access to play the golf course is only as a guest at the resort.

Magenta Shores’ ‘Spoilt for Choice’ package combines accommodation golf australia

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Noosa Springs features a highly ranked and enjoyable layout as well as luxury accommdation and a spa to help you unwind during your getaway.

with a choice between a round of golf, a $120 food and beverage voucher or a Vie Spa massage. This package starts from $369 per room, per night. www.magentagolf.com.au; www.quaywestmagentashores.com.au

MERCURE PORTSEA GOLF CLUB & RESORT VICTORIA The time-honoured Portsea layout weaves through scrubby seaside vegetation and across gently rolling terrain on the Mornington Peninsula in an 18-hole feast for the senses. Golfers of all abilities will enjoy the challenge of a layout that befuddles the golfing mind with its collection of teasing par-3s, cheeky short par-4s and tantalising par-5s.

The Mercure Portsea Resort added a unique element to Portsea when it opened in June 2013. The 24-room, four and a half star hotel inside the new clubhouse brings sophistication and a different look to the near-centuryold club. The huge clubhouse, with its bar, restaurant and pro shop upstairs, affords panoramic views of 13 of the 18 holes, while the king and king twin rooms on the lower level feature balconies overlooking the layout.

Play the Portsea course and stay at Mercure Portsea Resort from $219 per night, which covers golf (on any day other than Saturday) and one night’s accommodation. www.mercureportsea.com.au

MOONAH LINKS VICTORIA Moonah Links lies at the heart of the Mornington Peninsula and features two highly ranked courses – the Open and Legends layouts.

The Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge and Ross Perrett designed Open

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course and the adjoining Legends course have been routed over, through and around rolling sand dunes. These undoubtedly took Mother Nature thousands of years to create and provided a platform for exciting golf.

The adjoining Peppers Moonah Links Resort was designed to harmonise with these rolling sand dunes and promote a calming atmosphere perfect for a weekend escape.

Less than 90 minutes’ drive south of Melbourne, the resort has stylish accommodation in 92 deluxe rooms and suites, all with balconies offering golf course views.

For the non-golfing partner, there is a tennis court, outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium and mountain bikes to be hired. There is also a complimentary buggy service to the neighbouring Peninsula Hot Springs www.moonahlinks.com.au during business hours.

MT BROUGHTON GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB NEW SOUTH WALES Mount Broughton is a naturally beautiful course co-designed by Australian golfing legends Frank Phillips and Billy Dunk.

Sweeping rye grasses, natural waterways, lush greens and easy-walking fairways combine to offer an enjoyable golfing experience in the heart of the picturesque NSW Southern Highlands.

The adjoining Pepper’s Manor House has a package (minimum two night stay when Saturday is involved) and includes accommodation in a cottage room, full buffet breakfast in Katers Restaurant, 18 holes of golf walking for each person starting from $179 per night for two guests (conditions apply). www.mtbroughton.com.au

MURRAY DOWNS RESORT NEW SOUTH WALES The Murray Downs Resort boasts one of the best regional golf courses in the country.

The Murray River course features an array of terrific holes where the manicured fairways weave between well-placed water hazards and ochrecoloured bunkers. The closing four holes are some of the best of the round and will have you wanting to return to the course sooner, rather than later.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES; SUPPLIED

A U S T R A L I A’

FLY ME TO THE MOON ...

THE BEACH COURSE

NO LEFT TURN ...

THE CREEK COURSE

Golf Australia rates both our courses as outstanding. So will you.

Book your Thirteenth Beach golf experience online and save 10%.

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HOME OF THE

TH6224 BROWNINK

36 OF THE BEST

PLAY AND STAY Barwon Heads Resort at Thirteenth Beach‌ the ultimate combination of accommodation, beach and golf.

Modern and stylish accommodation to suit all needs, ideal for business trips or seaside getaways.

Barwon Heads Resort provides corporate clients with one of the premier venues in the Geelong / Barwon Heads area. Crisp professional conference spaces and the comfort of a fully catered event in a resort environment.

The Resort also boasts a spacious and unique function room, making Barwon Heads Resort perfect for your special occasion such as birthdays, engagements and specialising in Weddings.

Couples Stay & Play Package Midweek from $220.00 per person Enjoy overnight accommodation in a self-contained one bedroom apartment at Barwon Heads Resort and play 2 x round each at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links with the use of motorised carts.

Enjoy overnight accommodation in a self-contained one bedroom apartment at Barwon Heads Resort and play 2 x round each at 13th Beach Golf Links with the use of motorised carts.

03 5254 1777

www.BarwonHeadsResort.com.au

BH6242 BROWNINK

Couples Stay & Play Package Weekend from $283.00 per person

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The course surrounds the golf club and is located directly opposite the motel accommodation of the Murray Downs Resort.

Murray Downs’ resort style hotel accommodation includes 50 individually air-conditioned and well-appointed family size rooms and twobedroom units. There are also 17 self-contained apartments that are perfect for family holidays.

The resort has packages covering two to five nights. A two-night package starts from $260 per person twin share (minimum) and includes accommodation, country style cooked breakfast each morning, clubhouse meal voucher and unlimited golf throughout your stay. www.murraydownsresort.com.au

NOOSA SPRINGS GOLF RESORT & SPA QUEENSLAND The classy elegance of Noosa is illustrated everywhere at Noosa Springs, from the Graham Papworth-designed golf course to the Tuscan-style villas in the residential precinct and beyond. The course takes play to the edge of Lake Weyba before bringing golfers to a stretch of secluded water-lined holes and on through the stylish homes. The course is no pushover but nor is it an untameable beast.

The series of roomy, modern one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments are complemented by a spa, fitness centre, tennis centre, heated 25-metre swimming pool and a restaurant.

Noosa Springs offers a host of appealing specials. The golf-specific packages cover accommodation, unlimited daily golf with cart, full buffet breakfasts and unlimited access to the fitness centre and pool. The Unlimited Golf Getaway starts from $170 per person, per day (quad share); the Group Golf Escape spans two days and nights from $320 per person (quad share); and the Stay & Play package starts from $250 per person (quad share). www.noosasprings.com.au

TOP: The

RACV Cape Schanck on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula covers undulating terrain that offers great views of Bass Strait. ABOVE: Graham Marsh’s redesigned nine at RACV Royal Pines Resort will soon be joined by another reconstructed nine holes. moomom. BELOW: The revamped links-style layout at the RACV Torquay Resort.

NOVOTEL FOREST RESORT VICTORIA

PALMER COOLUM RESORT QUEENSLAND The name has changed but the golf course hasn’t. The long-time host of the Australian PGA Championship is a favourite for golfers living on or travelling to the Sunshine Coast.

The resort sprawls across 150 hectares and features four pools, tennis courts, a spa, gym, plus the golf course and floodlit driving range. Today it is also home to a collection of antique vehicles and a dinosaur park, which is the brainchild of owner Clive Palmer.

Several packages link accommodation with golf and/or passes to the dinosaur park and Palmer Motorama. From $285 per night in a studio room or $385 in a deluxe studio room, the golf packages include accommodation and golf for two in a cart. www.palmercoolumresort.com.au

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PALMER SEA REEF QUEENSLAND Transforming more than 70 hectares of sugar cane plantation into a links golf course is no easy task but Port Douglas’ Palmer Sea Reef course is proof it can be done.

Designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, the layout offers a genuine links experience with firm, massive greens that allow you to roll a variety of chip shots onto the putting surfaces without ever reaching for a lob wedge.

Play and stay packages for Palmer Sea Reef are available through the nearby Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple and Paradise Links resorts.

The Paradise Links Resort, just 500 metres from the beautiful Four Mile beach, is encased amongst lush tropical gardens while boasting golf course views. There are three- four- and five-night play and stay packages available. www.palmergolf.com.au/seareef or www.paradiselinks.com.au

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 2; SUPPLIED

The 6,300-metre par-72 Novotel Forest Resort course at Creswick is the first design collaboration between Tony Cashmore (Thirteenth Beach and The Dunes) and PGA Tour player Robert Allenby.

This design team has come up with a creation that is challenging and fair for both novices, staying at the adjoining resort, as well as professionals.

The Novotel Forest Resort Creswick, about 75 minutes’ drive north of Melbourne’s CBD, features 143 beautiful and large accommodation rooms with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Choose from eight different room types ranging from standard King rooms to two-bedroom Penthouse suites. The resort’s play and stay package starts from $199 for overnight accommodation and all you need do is add $1 per person for a round of golf. www.novotelforestresort.com.au

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rosebud Country Club has two well-manicured courses to test your game; Riverside Oaks’ downhill par-3 11th hole can be seen from the on course accommodation; The Palms course at Sanctuary Cove was recently redesigned

by Ross Watson; Rosebud Country Club’s accommodation offers 39 beautifully appointed four star rooms.

PALM MEADOWS

PELICAN WATERS

QUEENSLAND

QUEENSLAND

The revival of Palm Meadows in the past few years has been a great success story for Gold Coast golf.

After a period of decline, and then a short closure, the Graham Marsh and Ross Watson-designed Palm Meadows – now under new management – has recaptured most of its former glory in terms of presentation.

Nestled between Palm Meadows and the Jack Nicklaus-designed Lakelands course, the Mercure Gold Coast Resort is the ideal base to play the aforementioned layouts as well as a host of other courses. In fact, the resort partners with five golf courses all within ten minutes drive from the resort. Play at one course or five, the choice is yours. www.palmmeadows.com.au or www.mercuregoldcoastresort.com.au

Pelican Waters was created out of nothing.

The championship course that is now the hub of a massive masterplanned community was predominantly swampland before designers Greg Norman and Bob Harrison transformed the par-72 into a wonderful layout set against the backdrop of the Glasshouse Mountains.

Ranked No.21 in Golf Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses ranking in January last year, Pelican Waters has improved year on year for nearly a decade and is certainly a must-play when visiting the Sunshine Coast.

The Pelican Waters Golf Resort and Spa adjoining the course is a four and a half star resort-style hotel with 106 rooms with private balconies, many with spectacular golf course views. The resort has affordable weekday and weekend play and stay packages. www.pelicangolf.com.au

QUEENSLAND

PENINSULA KINGSWOOD COUNTRY GOLF CLUB

Situated between two natural wonders – World Heritage Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef – Paradise Palms Resort & Country Club is a first class golfing destination just 20 minutes’ drive north of Cairns.

The majestic mountain range provides a stunning backdrop to most holes on the layout, which features rolling fairways, lined predominantly by stands of eucalypts and dense outcrops of tropical vegetation. Six manmade lakes and several creeks meandering through the layout add to the test and beauty of playing 18 holes here.

The resort opened in 2009 and has self-catering apartments and spacious hotel rooms. Stay and play packages can be tailored to suit your individual needs. www.paradisepalms.com.au

Melbourne’s Kingswood Golf Club and Peninsula Country Golf Clubs, located nearly 20km south near Frankston, officially merged in September last year.

The merger has ultimately created a private club that offers first-class facilities and highly ranked Sandbelt courses at Kingswood’s Dingley site and Peninsula’s acclaimed 36 holes.

As a stay and play guest at the Peninsula Kingswood Country Club you will have ‘at your doorstep’ access to the North and South courses that are ranked in the top-30 layouts in the nation by Golf Australia.

Peninsula Kingswood has three main stay and play packages, with each

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VICTORIA PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 4; SUPPLIED X 3

PARADISE PALMS RESORT & COUNTRY CLUB

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: The

Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove Resort boasts 243 rooms and suites set amidst picturesque fountains, lush gardens, a marina, golf course and is home to a spectacular one-acre beach lagoon pool; The beautiful pool area at the Barwon Heads Resort; The Tony Cashmore-designed Beach course at Thirteenth Beach, just a short stoll from the Barwon Heads Resort.

including accommodation, golf, Club Bar dinner and full buffet breakfast.

The Par package is for one night and costs $285 per person, the Birdie package (two nights) costs $570 per person and the Eagle package is $855 per person (all minimum two guests). www.peninsulagolf.com.au

RACV CAPE SCHANCK VICTORIA Located at the southern-most tip of the Mornington Peninsula, RACV Cape Schanck Resort looks out over rugged Bass Strait and Western Port Bay. The Robert Trent Jones-designed course is ranked as one of the top-100 Public Access Courses in Australia and features some spectacular holes set against the backdrop of the Strait.

While many guests use the resort as a golfing base and then visit awardwinning local wineries, unique restaurants, attractions and the rugged coastline, there’s also plenty to do onsite including a recreation room, gym, four-kilometre jogging track, horizon-edge outdoor heated pool and spa, sauna, tennis courts and driving range. There’s also an activity room and kid’s school holiday program.

The RACV Cape Schanck Resort has a wide range of accommodation options from the 48 Ocean and Premium Ocean view rooms to the four twobedroom Executive Suites. There are also 12 two- and three-bedroom villas nestled amongst the golf course. www.racv.com.au/resorts

RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT QUEENSLAND The RACV Royal Pines Resort stands at the centre of beautiful established gardens offering 331-stylish guest accommodation rooms and premium spa suites with expansive views of the hinterland, chic tropical pool, Gold

Coast skyline or the golf course.

RACV’s flagship resort is a golfer’s dream – offering a renowned 27-hole course and first class driving range, the course is the annual home to the Australian PGA Championship and Gold Coast RACV Ladies Masters. Nine holes of the layout are currently being remodelled by designer Graham Marsh, but 18 holes remain open for play.

But if you’re not into golf, never fear. An innovative $10 million new day spa has recently opened. The state-of-the-art One Spa complex has been designed to create a tranquil environment where you will be pampered and left feeling completely relaxed.

So you can relax in the One Spa, or grab a sun lounge by the outdoor lagoon pool, while the kids burn off some energy on the pool’s fun slippery slide or children’s playground with jumping pillow, or have a hit of tennis A range of play and stay packages for RACV members and nonmembers are available. www.racv.com.au/resorts

RACV TORQUAY RESORT VICTORIA The RACV Torquay Resort is relatively new to the Australian golfing landscape, having officially opened in December last year.

The resort stands alongside a full redesigned par-71 course. The Melbourne-based Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead Golf design team, led by former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and former Tour player Mike Clayton, created layout with wide-open couch fairways, undulating greens, fescue roughs, wetlands and ocean views.

Firm conditions and the ever-present wind, which goes hand-in-hand with its coastal location, encourage the links-style ground game, while the bunkering is relatively small but in many cases the surrounds are contoured to feed balls into the sand. golf australia

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ABOVE: Twin Waters has been regarded as one of Queensland’s best courses for years.

LEFT: The massive lagoon that lies at the heart of the family friendly Novotel Twin Waters Resort.

The RACV’s stunning five-storey $115 million Torquay Resort, which overlooks the course features a range of facilities including a family restaurant and bar, Day Spa, indoor pool and a children’s playground.

The resort has 92 luxuriously appointed rooms including four suites and there are golf/accommodation packages available for RACV members and non-members. www.racv.com.au/resorts

RICH RIVER GOLF CLUB RESORT NEW SOUTH WALES Rich River Golf Club Resort is one of the Murray River’s major golf resorts, which usually means one thing … great value golf.

Both the East and West courses are widely regarded among the best to be found along the Murray River with good designs being complemented by well-groomed playing surfaces.

The quality of the accommodation has also improved markedly in recent years with 40 beautifully renovated standard suites and another 22 stylish deluxe rooms. A two-night package – including accommodation, two days unlimited golf, a bucket of range balls, two club vouchers and two cooked breakfasts – starts from $250 per person (double) from Sunday to Thursday or $360 on Friday-Saturday. www.richriver.com.au

RIVERSIDE OAKS GOLF RESORT NEW SOUTH WALES The home of the New South Wales PGA Championship – and a past Australian PGA venue – will double its golf offering this spring when the long-awaited Bungool course opens to complement the existing Gangurru layout. The original course received a bunker and greens refurbishment earlier this year, while the Bob Harrison-designed Bungool course will take the golf to the shores of the Hawkesbury River.

With the expansion of the golf has come an expansion of the accommodation offerings as 36 new rooms, including six executive suites,

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bolster the lodgings. Also new is the Bungool restaurant, found inside a quaint heritage-listed 1900s cottage beside the 1st tee of the new course.

The la carte restaurant is currently open for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and for weekend lunches and high tea.

Riverside Oaks has a package with accommodation, full buffet breakfast in the brasserie for two people, 18 holes in a cart for two on the Gangurru course starting from $380 per room, per night (deluxe room). In a deluxe view room the tariff is $430 per night or $480 per night for an executive view suite. www.riversideoaks.com.au

ROSEBUD COUNTRY CLUB VICTORIA One of the Mornington Peninsula’s original golf courses, Rosebud today is still one of the area’s best. This past Australian PGA Championship venue offers two courses spanning mostly flat ground with fairways twisting between towering pine trees in a pleasant setting. Broken into four nines but widely known for the North and South courses, Rosebud is a userfriendly layout that draws members and visitors back time and again.

Fairways Resort sits directly next to the Rosebud Country Club clubhouse and features 39 rooms of assorted sizes and configurations, including twin share rooms that suit travelling golf groups. Guests also receive preferential tee-times plus discounts on green fees and in the club’s restaurant.

The resort and country club combine to offer seasonal packages throughout the year. Check the website for details. www.rosebudcountryclub.com.au

SANCTUARY COVE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB QUEENSLAND Sanctuary Cove’s Pines layout is as popular and challenging today as it was when the Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay design opened a quarter of a century ago. Its sister Palms course, however, received a complete makeover at the hands of Ross Watson three years ago, giving the expansive resort, residential and marina complex two of the best golf options on the Gold Coast. No wonder world No.1 Adam Scott calls Sanctuary Cove home.

Queensland’s first InterContinental is at Sanctuary Cove and the 243room resort combines luxury with traditional Queensland style in a location that brings the Gold Coast’s famous theme parks and hinterland in close proximity. Set among fountains, ornate gardens and with a vast beach

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES; SUPPLIED

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Victoria is cemented in the top-20 best courses in Australia; The closing hole at The Vines Resort’s Lakes course has seen plenty of drama; The grand clubhouse and accommodation at Victoria Golf Club.

The Beach is one of the state’s best courses, winding its way between the duneland beside the beach that gives Thirteenth Beach its name. The Creek course is more open but demands a distinct strategy and decisive playing lines.

Thirteenth Beach also offers multiple places to stay. Barwon Heads Resort has 60 one-, two- and three-bedroom suites adjacent to the 1st fairway of the Creek course; Brynwaen House is a three-bedroom home perfect for groups up to six people; and “13th Beach Bunker” is a fourbedroom house that sleeps up to 12.

Stay and play packages for rounds of golf on the Thirteenth Beach www.13thbeach.net courses are available.

TWIN WATERS GOLF CLUB QUEENSLAND

THE SANDS, TORQUAY VICTORIA Mixing flat, bunker-strewn holes that weave through the residential estate with a second nine that rides a spur in the land which yields a series of imposing inward holes, The Sands adroitly blends the modern requirements of new golf courses: interesting holes and real estate. The Stuart Appleby/IMG design hosted the one-off Surf Coast Knockout tournament in January 2011.

A Peppers resort adjoins the golf course, with 112 rooms and suites of varying sizes and configurations including many that look over the 10th hole and coastline beyond. A package for a single player including accommodation, 18 holes of golf in a cart, with breakfast, starts from $175. *Rates may vary seasonally and are based on availability. www.thesandstorquay.com

THIRTEENTH BEACH GOLF LINKS VICTORIA Blessed with two Top-100-ranked courses, the home of the Victorian Open represents an ideal place to while away several days on the golf course.

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VICTORIA GOLF CLUB VICTORIA Lying at the heart of the famous Melbourne Sandbelt, Victoria is one of this country’s finest courses and is acclaimed worldwide as a fantastic shotmakers layout where strategy always wins out over brute strength.

Redesigned in recent times by Mike Clayton, Victoria features classic, memorable holes scattered across the layout but the greatest concentration of exciting golf is on the back nine where the undulating terrain gives rise to a greater variety of shots and strategies.

While Victoria is a private members’ course, the club welcomes all golfers to enjoy its on-site accommodation. The clubhouse has 15 wellappointed rooms, each with full ensuite facilities and course views.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 3

lagoon pool, the InterContinental also boasts a day spa, chic restaurants and cafés, plus the two golf courses and easy access to the adjoining marina precinct.

The Memorable Escapes package includes accommodation, a full buffet breakfast for two in Cove Café and 18 holes for two people at either the Pines, Palms or at nearby Links Hope Island from $439. www.sanctuarycovegolfclub.com.au; www.intercontinentalsanctuarycove.com

Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge and Ross Perrett’s popular resort layout on the Sunshine Coast blends links-style terrain and design with the region’s sultry climate. Pot bunkers litter the fairways and the green complexes are mostly open and expansive, while water hazards and tropical foliage protect many holes – as the master of links brings his intimate knowledge of British golf to a decidedly un-British setting.

Just down the road the four-star Novotel Resort offers a range of rooms in a bushland location that’s just a few minutes’ walk from the beach. With its own beach-lined lagoon (the premium rooms even hang directly over the water), the resort also includes restaurants, bars, lounges and cafés, an outdoor heated pool and spa and more. Additionally, the Magnolia Lane apartments is next to the Twin Waters clubhouse and offers a range of apartment options as well as a pool and spa, barbecue area and more.

The Novotel has a golf package that includes accommodation in a resort room, breakfast and 18 holes in a cart from $325 per room, per night.

Magnolia Lane offers similar packages than can include other Sunshine Coast courses. These can be tailored to suit and start from $560 for two nights for two people. www.twinwatersgolfclub.com.au; www.novoteltwinwatersresort.com.au; www.magnolialane.com.au

n! o so g NEW in m Co only

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY

$

3,500

*

per year

WITH NO ENTRY FEE!

TED THE O V

GOLD

No.1 †

COAST’S

LF

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COUR

Central to both Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Links Hope Island sets the standard offering one of Australia’s finest resort courses and is currently rated ‘Number 1 Course on the Gold Coast’.† Membership includes; • 7 Day course access without payment of Green Fees • Access to full clubhouse facilities and locker rooms • Use of Aquatic Driving Range and practice facilities • Entry into all daily competitions and Honour Board events

• Preferred Green Fee for accompanied guests • Full access to extensive reciprocal club network • Administration of Golf Australia handicap • Comprehensive insurance coverage

PLUS! Preferred rates at sister clubs Noosa Springs Golf & Country Club & Dragon Lake Resort in Guangzhou, China.

Further details are available on linkshopeisland.com.au or contact Mark Holland, Executive General Manager on 07 5530 9000 or email: golfmail@linkshopeisland.com.au

www.linkshopeisland.com.au

Hope Island Road, Hope Island, QLD 4212

*Conditions apply. Please contact Links Hope Island for further details. †Golf Digest Magazine - 2013 Australia’s Top 100 Courses

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The Vintage is the top-ranked resort in NSW. LEFT: A luxurious Chateau Elan apartment overlooking the course.

THE VINES RESORT & COUNTRY CLUB WESTERN AUSTRALIA The Vines is arguably the most famous golf complex in Western Australia as a regularly host of major Tour events in which the likes of Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer, John Daly, Annika Sorenstam and Nick Faldo have plied their trade.

The two equally challenging Lakes and Ellenbrook courses feature beautiful bent grass greens, huge bunkering and relatively wide fairways.

This makes following in the fooststeps of the aforementioned champions all the more enjoyable.

It doesn’t end on the 18th green either, with local wineries, art galleries, gourmet food and the Novotel Vines resort’s facilities of tennis, squash, outdoor swimming pool, terrace barbeque area, restaurants, bars and gymnasium open to you … you simply wont want to leave!

There are several play and stay golf packages available including a Sunday to Thursday package including overnight accommodation in a resort room with 18 holes of golf for two people for only $249 per night. www.vines.com.au

THE VINTAGE NEW SOUTH WALES Since opening for play in 2003, The Vintage has been satisfying golfer’s pallets with its mix of challenging holes and beautifully manicured playing surfaces and, appropriately, it is perennially ranked among the best 50 courses in Australia.

Designed by Greg Norman and Bob Harrison extracted the best possible holes from a landscape that varies from relatively flat to

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dramatically undulating. Where possible, native trees on the property were kept and several small creeks and waterholes were incorporated into the course routing, which follows the traditional two loops of nine holes.

Norman and Harrison are both devotees of Dr Alister Mackenzie and it really does show in their design at The Vintage, where the bunkering has been blended so well with the landscape.

That landscape also includes luxury resort and apartment accommodation. Chateau Elan at The Vintage Spa offers a selection of luxury spa suites, king rooms and spa villas all with sweeping views across the course and to the Great Dividing Range in the distance.

The Vintage is also home to the Hunter Valley’s first international apartment hotel – the Grand Mercure apartments – which offer four and a half star resort style living.

Midweek stay and play packages at Chateau Elan start from $180 per person per night (Sunday to Thursday) and include one night accommodation in a Spa King room, 18 holes in a shared cart and unlimited use of the driving range. www.thevintage.com.au

YARRAWONGA MULWALA GOLF CLUB RESORT NEW SOUTH WALES Yarrawonga Mulwala is Australia’s largest public access golf resort. It also boasts the country’s most diverse range of accommodation to suit all budgets, a pitching wedge from 45 holes of superb Murray River golf.

There are two 18-hole courses – the Lake and Murray courses – as well as a short nine-hole layout, called the Executive course.

Off the course, you can enjoy spectacular views of the course or native bushland from the balcony of your spacious, self-contained apartment as you start the day with the daily newspaper. Guests can also enjoy a hit of tennis, lounge by the solar-heated swimming pool, or cook up a storm on the communal BBQ’s.

There are nine different types of accommodation available, from basic cabin-style to luxurious, well-appointed apartments and villas – each with cooking facilities, private bathrooms and a car parking space.

The resort has a wide range of play and stay packages, with all including accommodation, breakfasts and golf. Some packages also include unlimited golf. www.yarragolf.com.au

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES; SUPPLIED

With hospitality equal to the course, Victoria’s stately, three-storey, fully air conditioned clubhouse exudes comfort and a welcoming atmosphere.

The club has a play and stay package including accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner, golf (on availability) as well as club storage costing $370 a night for a single (per person per night) or $305 twin.

Cheaper rates are available for members and members of reciprocal clubs. www.victoriagolf.com.au