By Jasper Miners
Australia has earned its reputation as one of the world’s great golf destinations, with courses that rival anything found in Scotland, Ireland, or the United States. From the legendary sandbelt layouts of Melbourne to the windswept links of Tasmania, the country offers an extraordinary diversity of world-class golf experiences. The latest Top 100 rankings showcase not just the elite courses that golfers travel halfway around the globe to play, but the remarkable depth of quality that extends well beyond the marquee names.
This year’s rankings reflect a comprehensive reassessment by a new panel featuring significantly expanded global voices with deep play experience across Australia’s finest layouts. With 41 courses climbing and only six maintaining their positions, these rankings capture the dynamic state of Australian golf as it continues to evolve. Six Australian courses now occupy positions in the World Top 100, cementing the nation’s status alongside the game’s most celebrated golfing regions.
2025/26 Rankings: Consistency Meets Change
🏆 The top of Australian golf tells a story of enduring excellence. Royal Melbourne (West), Kingston Heath, Barnbougle (Dunes), and Cape Wickham have occupied the first four positions since 2012—a remarkable 13-year run that speaks to their timeless quality. These aren’t courses that rely on gimmicks or resort amenities; they’re pure golf experiences that have stood the test of time and the scrutiny of thousands of discerning players.
⭐ The biggest news arrives at number 10, where Seven Mile Beach makes an immediate impact as the highest new entry. The Clayton DeVries & Pont design, which opened at the end of 2025 near Hobart, joins three Barnbougle layouts in Tasmania’s Top 10. This marks the first time since 2017 that a new course has broken into the Top 10, underlining the significance of this links masterpiece.
🌏 Beyond the Top 100 featured here, Australia boasts nearly 200 additional courses ranked across state and territory listings, demonstrating a depth of quality that few nations can match.
2025/26 Top 100 At A Glance
The Unchanged Elite (All World-Ranked) 🌍
The top six positions remain exactly as they were in 2024, with all six courses also holding positions in the World Top 100:
- Royal Melbourne (West) – Victoria (World #6)
- Kingston Heath – Victoria (World #17)
- Barnbougle (Dunes) – Tasmania (World #25)
- Cape Wickham – Tasmania (World #47)
- New South Wales GC – New South Wales (World #68)
- St. Andrews Beach – Victoria (World #89)
The Game-Changer 🎯
#10 Seven Mile Beach – Tasmania (NEW ENTRY)
The Rising Stars ⬆️
Exceptional Climbers (15+ places):
- 🥇 RACV Healesville #43 (▲32 from #75) – Victoria
- 🥈 Narooma #70 (▲24 from #94) – New South Wales
- 🥉 Rosebud (North) #75 (▲22 from #97) – Victoria
- Royal Sydney #28 (▲18 from #46) – New South Wales
- Tasmania #68 (▲16 from #84) – Tasmania
Major Climbers (10-14 places):
- Cypress Lakes #74 (▲12) – New South Wales
- Federal #87 (▲11) – Australian Capital Territory
- Curlewis #60 (▲10) – Victoria
- Amstel (Ranfurlie) #77 (▲10) – Victoria
Strong Climbers (6-9 places):
- Commonwealth #19 (▲9) – Victoria
- Port Fairy #35 (▲8) – Victoria
- Portsea #36 (▲8) – Victoria
- Elanora #47 (▲8) – New South Wales
- St. Michael’s #69 (▲8) – New South Wales
- 13th Beach (Beach) #23 (▲6) – Victoria
New Entries 🆕
- Murray Downs #84 – New South Wales
- The Heritage (St. John) #89 – Victoria
- Yarrawonga (Murray) #90 – New South Wales
- Noosa Springs #97 – Queensland
View Complete Rankings 🔗
For the full Top 100 Australian golf courses with detailed information, visit the Australian rankings page.
State and Territory Rankings:
- 🏛️ Australian Capital Territory
- 🌊 New South Wales
- 🌏 Northern Territory
- ☀️ Queensland
- 🍷 South Australia
- 🌲 Tasmania
- 🏙️ Victoria
- 🦘 Western Australia
Best Golf Courses by State and Territory
🏙️ Victoria Dominates (40 courses, 40%) Victoria claims 40 of the 100 ranked courses, with the Melbourne sandbelt accounting for much of this concentration. The world’s densest collection of championship courses sits within a 20-kilometre radius of central Melbourne. Five of Australia’s top ten courses call Victoria home, including Royal Melbourne’s twin masterpieces, Kingston Heath, Victoria, and St. Andrews Beach.
🌊 New South Wales (22 courses, 22%) Led by New South Wales Golf Club at Botany Bay at number five, the state’s strength extends from Sydney’s premium courses through exceptional coastal layouts along the south coast. Royal Sydney’s remarkable 18-place climb to #28 demonstrates renewed appreciation for Gil Hanse’ new design.
🌲 Tasmania (7 courses, 7%) Tasmania punches well above its weight with seven courses, including four in the Top 10. This island state has evolved from regional player to world-class destination, with Barnbougle Resort’s three layouts and Seven Mile Beach leading the charge.
☀️ Queensland (12 courses, 12%) Royal Queensland leads at #33, with the state offering strong resort golf experiences across tropical locations from the Gold Coast to the Whitsundays.
🦘 Western Australia (10 courses, 10%) Lake Karrinyup leads at #26, with Perth’s courses offering quality golf in a region that sees fewer international visitors but rewards those who make the journey.
🍷 South Australia (7 courses, 7%) Royal Adelaide at #12 anchors the state’s golf scene, with strong depth across Adelaide’s parkland courses and coastal layouts on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
🏛️ Australian Capital Territory (2 courses, 2%) Royal Canberra at #27 and Federal at #87 (up 11 places) represent the nation’s capital with distinction.
What the Rankings Tell Us
🏆 Consistency at the Summit: Thirteen Years of Excellence
The top four positions have remained unchanged: Royal Melbourne (West), Kingston Heath, Barnbougle (Dunes), and Cape Wickham. Royal Melbourne has held the number one position since the first Australian rankings were compiled in 2007, an 18-year reign that reflects its status as one of the world’s truly great courses.
🌟 Melbourne Sandbelt: The World’s Premier Golfing Precinct
Five of the top 12 Australian courses reside in Melbourne’s sandbelt, and 12 of the top 20 call Victoria home. This concentration of excellence within such a compact geographic area remains unique in world golf. Royal Melbourne’s twin courses occupy positions one and nine, while Kingston Heath, Victoria, Peninsula Kingswood (x2), Metropolitan and Woodlands all rank in the top 20. Commonwealth’s nine-place jump to #19 following the Doak /Slawnik renovation adds another strong voice to this remarkable chorus.
🌲 Tasmania’s Emergence as World-Class Destination
Tasmania now hosts four courses in the Top 10—a remarkable achievement for an island state with a population of just over 500,000. Barnbougle Resort’s three layouts (Dunes #3, Lost Farm #7, Bougle Run #61) created the initial momentum. Seven Mile Beach’s arrival at #10 confirms this isn’t a one-off phenomenon but a sustained elevation to world-class status.
The Clayton DeVries & Pont design at Seven Mile Beach fulfils the promise made in the 2021 rankings article, which predicted a major impact upon opening. Set among coastal dunes near Hobart, the course offers genuine links golf with views across Storm Bay. The routing makes brilliant use of dramatic duneland, with fairways that tumble through valleys and greens perched on plateaus.
King Island, situated in Bass Strait between Tasmania and Victoria, hosts both Cape Wickham at #4 and Ocean Dunes at #32. Both courses remain firmly in the Top 50, confirming the island’s status as a must-visit destination for serious golfers. Ocean Dunes fell steeply due to conditioning issues that detrimentally affected play.
A Journey Through Australian Golf: 2012-2024
📅 2012: The First Top 100 Expansion
The 2012 rankings marked the expansion from a Top 50 to Top 100, with Barnbougle Lost Farm hurtling in at an astonishing #5. This 20-hole links on Tasmania’s northeast coast signalled the beginning of Tasmania’s transformation. Twelve new courses entered, including Healesville at #35 and Hamilton Island at #41. St Andrews Beach climbed 13 places to #13.
📅 2014: Consolidation and Refinement
Just six new entries made 2014 the most selective update. Stonecutters Ridge debuted at #64 as Sydney’s first Greg Norman course, while Kalgoorlie Golf Course entered at #73. Bonnie Doon returned at #80 during its Clayton/Ogilvy redesign.
📅 2017: The King Island Revolution
Cape Wickham’s debut at #8 represented the second course to break into the Top 10 since rankings began. The Mike DeVries and Darius Oliver collaboration immediately established itself as one of Australia’s premier designs. Ocean Dunes ranked at #35, giving King Island two nationally recognised courses. Royal Canberra rose 21 to #29, and Bonnie Doon climbed 31 to #49 following OCCM renovations.
📅 2019: Tom Doak’s Impact Emerges
Cape Wickham continued its ascent to #5, while Royal Adelaide returned to the Top 10 at #9 following Tom Doak’s restoration. Cathedral Lodge debuted at #14, Peninsula Kingswood (South) entered at #36, and Ocean Dunes surged 13 spots to #22. The top three positions remained unchanged, establishing what would become a 13-year pattern of consistency.
📅 2021: Peninsula Kingswood’s Breakthrough
Peninsula Kingswood’s North course soared 14 places to #10, and South climbed 12 to #24. The National’s Gunnamatta course made the biggest jump, up 29 positions to #12 following Tom Doak’s overhaul. Pipeline projects at Seven Mile Beach and Arm End in Tasmania were announced, with predictions that both would “have a big impact on future rankings.”
📅 2024: Fresh Panel Assessment
The top three maintained their familiar order. Barnbougle Lost Farm rose two to #5, Peninsula Kingswood (North) climbed two to #8, and Lonsdale Links debuted at #34. Yarra Yarra rose five to #26 as Doak’s restoration gained recognition. The 2024 article noted Seven Mile Beach was “due to open at the end of this year”—a prediction now confirmed with the course arriving at #10.
Looking Ahead 🔮
Seven Mile Beach’s immediate Top 10 arrival demonstrates that Australian golf continues to produce courses capable of competing at the highest level. The Clayton DeVries & Pont design sets a new benchmark for modern Australian course development. As the course matures and more panellists experience it, further upward movement seems likely.
The long-awaited Arm End project in Tasmania remains in development, with OCM promising to add another distinctive layout to Tasmania’s growing reputation. The project’s multi-use public recreation reserve concept offers a potentially new model for sustainable course development.
Darius Oliver’s clifftop project on Kangaroo Island in South Australia continues to progress. Oliver’s track record with Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes suggests this project could eventually rival those courses. The target completion date of late 2025 or early 2026 means the next ranking revision could see Kangaroo Island join King Island as a remote island hosting world-class golf.
Beyond new construction, ongoing restoration and renovation work at established courses will continue to influence rankings. Tom Doak’s multi-phase restoration at Yarra Yarra shows positive momentum, while numerous sandbelt courses pursue sympathetic enhancement projects. The collective impact of these efforts should elevate the overall standard of Australian golf.
For the complete Top 100 Australian golf courses rankings with detailed course information and world rankings, visit the Australian rankings page.
By Jasper Miners
