On Par - All about golf in Australia

Australian Golf Digest recently announced their bi-annual listing of Australia’s top golf courses. Not surprisingly, Royal Melbourne finishes on top, however it does rate the composite course rather than the two layouts. New South Wales tips out Kingston Heath for second place, and then the super private Packer layout Ellerston (how can this be ranked if no-one gets to play it?) The much praised Barnbougle Dunes finishes off the top five. Ausgolf has the full list of courses here.
Much like any list, these course rankings are a constant talking point, of course everyone has favourite regions, architects, styles and layouts.  The traditional courses are starting to come under fire from the new super tough links layouts such as Barnbougle and National Moonah.    Of course many mere mortals dont get the chance to play the private courses, Ive been lucky enough to play all of the sandbelt courses, but its a great thing about golf in Australia, that 11 of the top 25 courses can easily be played by the general public.  Of course, the green fees wont be cheap, and its recommended to have a lower handicap, but Im sure theres not many of the top courses in the US that the public can play (at least without a second mortgage).

Im lucky enough to live in Melbourne, home to many of the top courses along the sandbelt, and the golfing mecca that is the Mornington Peninsula.  I also have my local course, and one of my favourites, the Growling Frog Golf Course just up the road.  The ‘Frog’ doesnt make the Top 100, but does get a ranking in the top 100 public access courses in Australia, thats fine by me!