This is it! Our team of experts have painstakingly sat down and put together the very best golf courses both Australia and New Zealand has to offer. Not only that, but they have mapped out the perfect itinerary that gives the perfect blend of world class golf, unique accommodation, breathtaking experiences and the opportunities to meet the great characters that call these countries home. Enjoy this 15-night trip and make those postcard dreams a reality.
When to go: November - April
Price: From AUD$30,100 pp
Ideal length: 16 days
GOLF COURSES
Ocean Dunes incorporates a challenging 18-hole course, set amidst rolling dunes, and features unsurpassed views along two kilometres of majestic, King Island coastline – land made for golf, and reminiscent of the links of Scotland and Ireland. With 360-degree ocean views on nearly every hole, highlights include two spectacular par 3's that cross the surging ocean, plus a number of exciting, risk-and-reward, short par 4's. The 'inland' holes follow the coastal creek that flows through the course.
Location: Currie, King Island
Designed by renowned US golf architect, Mike DeVries, Cape Wickham sits on a magnificent piece of coastal land at the far North Western tip of King Island, in the windswept waters of Bass Strait. The course is gently undulating and interspersed with giant sand dunes and ridges, and has already captured the attention of international golf writers, with one recent review commenting... “Add jaw-dropping vistas into the mix and, for golfing purists, this surely ranks among the most important courses to have opened in living memory.“
Location: Cape Wickham, King Island
Rated the #2 Golf Course in Australia by Australian Golf Magazine (2013) and #11 in the World by U.S. Golf Digest, Barnbougle Dunes, is a links course unlike any other in Australia, or the world. The elder of the two courses at Barnbougle, The Dunes is a spectacular example of traditional links golf that meanders along Tasmania’s dramatic North East coast – it’s where breathtaking scenery and thrilling golf truly come together.
Location: Bridport, Tasmania
Just a short pitching wedge across the river from The Dunes, lies Barnbougle’s second golf course – Lost Farm. Despite Lost Farm’s close proximity to The Dunes, it is remarkably different, featuring 20 holes that wind along the coast and through the coastal dunes. Ranked as the #2 public course in Australia by Golf Australia Magazine, and #23 in the World by US Golf Digest, the Lost Farm course is an exciting challenge for golfers of all levels of experience.
Location: Bridport, Tasmania
Kingston Heath is one of Australia's best golf courses and consistently ranks in the top 50 courses in the world. The course is renowned for its natural approaches created by its superbly crafted greens and stupendous bunkering. The combination of this ageless design has helped Kingston Heath remain a supreme test of one’s golfing smarts. In 2010 it was rated by Australian Golf Digest as the premier course in Australia, qualifying it as the most outstanding course in terms of layout, shot making, condition and strategy. It is also the preferred Australian venue of the R&A for the staging of International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship, held each year in January.
Location: Moorabbin, Melbourne
The origins of Royal Melbourne date back to 1891 when a group of prominent Melbournians formally introduced the Royal and Ancient game to Victoria by establishing the Melbourne Golf Club on leased land near an inner-city railway station. As urban encroachment threatened, the search for a permanent home brought the club to the heathland scrub of Sandringham in the city's south. What they uncovered among the undulating sand dunes was the ideal location for their new links. Much has been written on the qualities of its West Course but put simply it is the combination of great land, great design and great construction. Indeed it is certainly hard to imagine that the game of golf gets any better than Royal Melbourne.
Location: Moorabbin, Melbourne
Tucked away quietly in Melbourne’s southeast, just fifteen minutes from the CBD, The Metropolitan Golf Club is one of the renowned Sandbelt courses and for almost a century has been regarded as one of the finest championship courses in Australia. Over the years the course has moved with the demands of the times and staged its first Australian Open in 1930, after modifications suggested by the famous Scottish course architect Dr Alister MacKenzie in 1926. With magnificent plantings and some of the purest couch fairways and bent grass greens on the planet, a round at Metro is an exceptional experience. The Metropolitan Golf Club was the host of the 2014 Australian Masters.
Location: Moorabbin, Melbourne
Sitting along the dramatic rugged seacoast of Botany Bay near Sydney, on the spot where Captain Cook first stepped onto Australia in 1770, La Perouse is renown for its ocean views and high winds. On his brief but productive 1926 trip, Alister MacKenzie prepared a routing for the course, but it was radically altered during a 1936 remodeling by Eric Apperly and by neglect during WWII. A succession of post-war architects have slowly re-established the integrity of the design, most recently Greg Norman. Rated 30th best golf course in the world, by Golf Digest in 2016.
Tom Doak has found a beautiful relationship between the coastal landscapes of Australia and the lush, rolling hills of Scotland and Ireland, and his ability to build world renowned links style courses down under is amazing for golfers of all abilities. Located on the Mornington Peninsula outside of Melbourne, Doak designed St. Andrews Beach around the same time he was developing Barnbougle Dunes and has perfected the links style golf in an Australian coastal climate. Since 2009, St. Andrews Beach has maintained its position as one of the country's premier golf courses. With plenty of holes that require a "don't hit it there" attitude, it is easy to see why this course requires concentration on every hole. Although most links courses play different depending on the wind, the natural landscape of St. Andrews Beach offers protection through valleys and trees.
Location: Cape Schanck, Victoria
ACCOMMODATIONS
Kauri Cliffs is a stunningly beautiful 5,400-acre estate, set on a remote plateau, high above the Pacific Ocean. It is home to one of the world’s most renowned golf courses, with most holes offering amazing views of offshore islands and the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Besides golf, the estate provides many other activities, including swimming, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing and sailing. Kauri Cliffs is a sister property of Cape Kidnappers and Matakauri Lodge.
Website HERE
Set atop 6,000 rolling acres of stunning pastureland, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers affords spectacular 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean. The cluster of luxury lodges at Cape Kidnappers are suggestive of a working farm – a marriage of river stone and weathered wood – and are the perfect setting for relaxation, seclusion, or romantic breakaways. Inside, the lodges combine rustic and textured materials with comfortable modern furniture. The are 22 suites available on the property, as well as the Owners Cottage, which is also available upon request.
Click HERE for website
Since opening its doors in late 2010, Matakauri Lodge has received rave reviews, including Conde Nast Traveler rating it in the top 124 hotels in the world. Matakauri is a small, boutique hotel, with lodge-style accommodation, that provides the perfect private hideaway just a 10-minute drive from Queenstown along the stunning shores of Lake Wakatipu. With views of the Remarkables and the lake, this luxury lodge has it all. Matakauri is a sister property of Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers Lodge.
Click HERE for website
In the late 1800’s Eichardt’s Private Hotel was born as a result of a rich vein of gold, that drew many prospectors and opportunists from around the globe to the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Over 120 years on, and this iconic hotel still commands a majestic position, right on the shores of the lake, in the center of Queenstown. Eichardt’s is split into three separate types of rooms: suites, apartments, and the residence. All apartments have stunning views over the lake and mountain ranges.
Click HERE for website
Saffire Freycinet is Australia’s newest luxury coastal sanctuary on Tasmania’s East Coast, delivering a sophisticated and intimate ambience and an inspirational experience. Discreetly positioned overlooking the Hazards Mountains, Freycinet Peninsula, and the pristine waters of Great Oyster Bay, Saffire blends the built environment and nature with breathtaking beauty. Featuring 20 luxurious suites, an exclusive day spa, restaurant, guest lounge and bar, this is a celebration of the art of service, internal and external wellbeing, local culinary delights, ancient landscapes and abundant wildlife. Saffire is one of Australia’s most spellbinding natural wonders, where you can truly relax, restore your wellbeing, and indulge and inspire your sense.
Lost Farm Lodge provides a stylish accommodation option for those looking to wake up right on its namesake golf course, with each suite only a short stroll to the Lodge Restaurant, Spa, Clubhouse and first tee. Lost Farm Lodge offers two types of luxury accommodation – Single and Double Queen Suites. These open plan, hotel-style rooms provide a choice of views, with the Ocean View Room or the Course View Room looking out across Anderson Bay and the Lost Farm Golf Course, respectively.
Set on a pristine property amid the world-renowned Mornington Peninsula wine region, an intoxicating vineyard acreage frames a luxury hotel, unique in both destination and design.
Jackalope’s daring emprise, a delicate interplay between the ideal and surreal, is delivered through boldly curated installations and collaborations with some of the world’s principal designers.
The 45 designer dens deliver absolute in-room reverie. Interiors are lavished with custom-made comforts, while floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces connect the room’s contemporary design with its country entwine.
ACTIVITIES
Departing from the Kerikeri Inlet, this memorable excursion will introduce you to some of the 144 islands that are dotted around this tropical paradise. On your relaxing journey around the islands you will also witness a large array of marine life, including dolphins.
The sheer expanse of our property is hidden to many unless they take the Can-Am Tour. Inaccessible to a regular vehicle, this excursion will take you to the furthermost reaches of the property with views south towards Ocean Beach and Bare Island. With an experienced guide, you will be taken through the old creek bed, across expansive farmland and down to historic Rangaika Beach. This tour is ideal for all age groups and fitness levels. For the less adventurous the team can provide you with a four-wheel drive experience of the property.
This adventure can only be described as incredible. Whether it’s a jet boat ride, or a kayak down this idyllic river, the team at Dart River Safari will make sure you have an experience never to be forgotten. Your Wilderness Jet trip will be an exhilarating and spectacular journey deep into the heart of the world-renowned Mt Aspiring National Park – one of the most stunning locations for jet boating in New Zealand. Take in this awe-inspiring opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the local landscape, as you power your way along the waters of the Dart River.
We offer two transport options for our Farm 4WD Experience. Our very capable luxury 4WD or Yamaha Viking Recreational Off Road vehicles for those up for a bit of adventure. Ben Lomond Station is a 13,500 hectare Merino sheep station beautifully kept with grazing lands, native Beech forest, lakes, rivers, mining huts and tracks from the gold mining era. Your vehicle of choice will take you through the river route with it’s gold mining history and the mountain pass overlooking the rugged land sculpted by gold mining and sheep farming. Above the treeline, panoramic views open up in alpine style. Several river crossings later at Moonlight Lodge we will catch up with John Foster himself. He will formally introduce us to his sheep and give us an insight into the art of shearing and many great yarns of the early settlers and the mining history that made this land rich. Enjoy a gourmet lunch at Moonlight Lodge to keep fueled for the afternoon. Where we can embark on nature walks following the water races in beautiful old beech forest, try some lake fishing, gold mining, tackle some farming or relax and enjoy beautiful surroundings.
The Bondi to Bronte walk, including Tamarama and Mackenzies Bay, is one of the most iconic walking trails in Sydney. The panoramic views of the South Pacific Ocean and the coastal cliffs are absolutely breathtaking. As you walk on top of the sandstone cliffs, between two of Sydney’s most famous beaches, the trail takes you right on top of the ocean. There are lots of vantage points along the way where you can rest up and soak in the amazing views and, if you’re lucky, you may even spot some whales and dolphins.
Don a pair of waders and visit a working oyster farm located in a beautiful setting within an internationally significant wetland and ornithological site. During this experience you will develop an understanding of wetland and marine ecology, plus a taste for prized Pacific oysters.
Looking at art used to be boring. It still is, maybe, but at least here at Mona, the Museum of Old and New Art, you can get drunk and/or rage against the machine. Located just up the river from Hobart (Tasmania's southern capital), Mona's subterranean architecture showcases the highlights (and lowlights) of David Walsh’s $110m private collection of art and antiquities, as well as hosting a busy exhibitions program. Mona is also home to the Moorilla winery, Source Restaurant, bars, cafe, accommodation pavilions and more (plus Moo Brew, an off site brewery).
Experience a breathtaking flight over the most beautiful scenery in Australia. Perhaps a journey over the 12 Apostles, a flight to the Bay of Islands via London Bridge, or take in the beauty of the entire Shipwreck Coast all the way to Australia's oldest lighthouse at Cape Otway. 12 Apostles Helicopters offers the highest level of safety and service to make this a day you will never forget.
OTHER EXPERIENCES YOU MAY LIKE
When you think golf travel destinations, so often Scotland and Ireland are at the forefront of the conversation. But there’s a new kid on the block. Prepare to be enthralled by the share epic pieces of property that the top courses in NZ are located. Mix in world-class accommodation and a bucket load of unique localised experiences and you have yourself the golf trip of a lifetime.
Trek your way across this great country, playing some of the best courses in the world. Seven remarkable golf courses across three different states which all have their own unique flavour. From ocean wonders such as NSW GC to links heaven in Barnbougle, Tasmania and the widely heralded sandbelt courses in Melbourne. This is something special! This 14 day experience also includes fantastic local cuisine, and experiences across vastly different landscapes.
This is it! Our team of experts have painstakingly sat down and put together the very best golf courses both Australia and New Zealand has to offer. Not only that, but they have mapped out the perfect itinerary that gives the perfect blend of world class golf, unique accommodation, breathtaking experiences and the opportunities to meet the great characters that call these countries home. Enjoy this 15-night trip and make those postcard dreams a reality.
Park Hyatt Sydney brings a new level of contemporary luxury to the edge of Sydney Harbour. With a coveted harbour-front location between the world-famous Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, Park Hyatt Sydney offers guests an intimate, residential-style hotel with architecture, design and art that reflects the Australian landscape. Three rooftop suites, including the exclusive Sydney Suite with near-360 degree panoramic views of the harbour and a private outdoor terrace, cater for the most discerning traveller looking for glamorous leisure and convenience.