Golfweek's Best 2021: Top 25 courses in Australia and New Zealand
Welcome to Golfweek’s Best rankings of the top 25 courses in Australia and New Zealand as determined by Golfweek’s Best Raters for 2021 (pictured atop this story: Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand, courtesy of of Kauri Cliffs and Jacob Sjoman).
The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in Australia and New Zealand to produce the final rankings.
For more on top courses outside the U.S., check out the following lists:
Key
r: resort course
d: daily fee
p: private course
* Some international private courses allow limited outside play. Contact the courses indicated for more information on their guest policies.
Nos. 1-10
1. Royal Melbourne (West) 8.65
Black Rock, Australia; Alister MacKenzie (1926); p*
2. Tara Iti 8.36
Mangawhai, New Zealand; Tom Doak (2015); p
3. Barnbougle Dunes 8.27
Bridport, Australia; Tom Doak, Michael Clayton (2004); r
4. Cape Kidnappers 8.19
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand; Tom Doak (2004); r
5. Kingston Heath 8.05
Melbourne, Australia; Dan Soutar, Alister MacKenzie (1925); p*
6. Cape Wickham 8.00
King Island, Australia; Mike DeVries (2015); r
7. Barnbougle (Lost Farm) 7.79
Bridport, Australia; Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw (2010); r
8. Kauri Cliffs 7.78
Matauri Bay, New Zealand; David Harman, Rees Jones (2000); r
9. New South Wales 7.73
La Perouse, Australia; Alister MacKenzie (1928); p
10. Victoria 7.42
Cheltenham, Australia; William Meader, Oscar Damman, Alister MacKenzie (1927); p*
Nos. 11-20
11. Royal Melbourne (East) 7.38
Black Rock, Australia; Alex Russell, Mick Morcom (1931); p*
12. National (Gunnamatta) 7.36
Cape Schanck, Australia; Peter Thomson, Ross Perrett, Michael Woolveridge, Tom Doak (2000); p*
13. Moonah Links (Open) 7.23
Fingal, Australia; Peter Thomson (2002); r
14. Royal Adelaide 7.18
Seaton, Australia; H.L. Rymill, Alister MacKenzie (1906); p*
15. Metropolitan 7.16
Oakleigh, Australia; J.B. MacKenzie (1908); p*
16. The Hills 6.97
Arrowtown, New Zealand; John Darby (2007); p*
17. Moonah Links (Legends) 6.96
Fingal, Australia; Ross Perrett (2003); r
18. Paraparaumu Beach 6.89
Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand; Alex Russell (1949); d
19. St. Andrews Beach 6.85
Fingal, Australia; Tom Doak, Michael Clayton (2004); d
20. Ocean Dunes 6.83
King Island, Australia; Graeme Grant (2016); d
Nos. 21-25
T21. Peninsula Kingswood (North) 6.74
Frankston, Australia; Michael Clayton (2018); p*
T21. National (Moonah) 6.74
Cape Schanck, Australia; Greg Norman, Bob Harrison (2000); p*
23. Jack's Point 6.69
Queenstown, New Zealand; John Darby (2008); d
24. Barwon Heads 6.61
Barwon Heads, Australia; Victor East, Mick Morcom (1921); p*
25. Commonwealth 6.55
Oakleigh South, Australia; Sam Bennett, Charles Lane, Sloan Morpeth, (1915); p*