10 of Australias Hotels with Great Golf Courses

POSTED ON July 27, 2011 @ 10:00 am

Golf centered vacations are growing in popularity along with the game itself. Australia’s year round comfortable climate has made Australia a premier location for travelers seeking golf-oriented vacations.

Many resorts and hotels in Australia are beginning to offer “Stay and Play” packages, offering guests with access to world-renowned courses in addition to the resort’s other, general accommodations. We’ve put together a list of Australia’s top golf resorts. These resorts offer various packages for guests that are centered on the golf courses they are home to.

10. The Vines Resort and Country Club – Located in Australia’s Swan Valley, this resort features two beautiful golf courses set against the backdrop of Australian wine country. The two golf courses at The Vines Resort and Country Club are consistently rated among the top courses in Australia.

9. Moonah Links – The resort at Moonah Links is home to two amazing golf courses. The modern, Open Course is a more challenging golf course that is sure to provide plenty of difficulty for even the most experienced golfer. The Legends Course harkens back to golf’s early days in design and feel. This course is less challenging than the Open Course, but will be plenty of fun for golfers of all ages and skill levels.

8. Kooindah Waters Residential Golf and Spa Resort – Designed by the famous golf architect, Ross Watson, with additional design consulting from Craig Parry, the 18 Hole, 72-par course at Kooindah Waters is one of Australia’s finest. Built with the native Australian environment in mind, this course plays along wetlands, lakes and other natural Australian plant life.

7. Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club – A 5-star location, the Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club is home to one of Australia’s most difficult courses. The front 9 of this 18 Hole course boast amazing ocean views while the back 9 are set alongside the beautiful Australian rainforest.

6. Joondalup Resort – Perth Golf Course at Joondalup Resort is a 27 Hole, championship course. World-renowned golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr., designed this course. This unique course features play along lakes and dunes as well as limestone quarries.

5. Capricorn Resort Yeppoon – The Capricorn Resort Yeppoon is home to a beautiful 36 Hole course. The Capricorn golf course is home to tournament voted the 2010 PGA Awards’ “Country Tournament of the Year”. The Capricorn Resort Yeppoon also features an on-site golf Pro Shop.

4. RACV Royal Pines Resort – The Royal Pines Resort is home to a 27 Hole, composite golf course. There are 3 different 18 Hole course combinations for guests to play. Japanese golf course architect Tomojiro Maruyama designed the first 18 Holes while the new 9, located on the west side of the resort, were designed by Graham Marsh Golf Design and opened for play in 2004.

3. Twin Waters Resort – 5 time British Open Champion, Peter Thompson, and world-renowned golf course designer, Mike Wolveridge, designed the 18 Hole, 72-par course at the Twin Waters Resort. Located on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, this hotels course offers amazing play and views. After your game, stop off in the Terrace and grab a bite to eat at the Plus Fours Restaurant.

2. Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove Hotel – The Hyatt Regency at Sanctuary Cove in Australia is home to two amazing, yet very different courses. The Pines features 18 Holes in a pine forest setting. 14 of the 18 Holes are set around the six man-made lakes on the course. The Palms is a more challenging course. This 18 Hole, par 70 course is a newer addition to Sanctuary Cove and was designed by famous course architect, Ross Watson.

1. Hyatt Regency Coolum – The golf course at Coolum’s Hyatt Regency is home to the Australian PGA Championship. Designed by renowned designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr., this 18 hole course on the Sunshine Coast boasts unparalleled Pacific Ocean views. The course also features a lit driving range, a putting green, and a chipping green with a practice bunker.

No matter where you choose to stay or play, one thing is for certain, the courses in Australia are some of the premier golf courses all the world round!

This post was written and provided by Erica Gustafson who is a freelance writer for Expedia, an avid traveler and a low handicap golfer. She also had the opportunity to play a few of the courses on this list.