The newcomer on the Australian golf scene has arrived with a bang. Some will be surprised by such a high debut, but our panel consistently listed the course at the top end of their lists. A glorious coastal site in southern Tasmania boasting a wealth of imaginative and fun green complexes and a routing that highlights the drama of the land. That land movement is the foundation of 18 superb holes both long and short, and the landforms allowed Mike DeVries and Mike Clayton to build 11 bunkerless greens without sacrificing challenge or interest. Fescue surfaces are a joy and will only improve with age.

The creation of Tom Doak and Mike Clayton, Barny Dunes has for 20 years been the closest challenger to Royal Melbourne West’s crown as the best course in the land, though the emergence of 7 Mile Beach, the continued refinement of Kingston Heath and more recently some conditioning and maintenance challenges at Barnbougle have created greater competition for the number two spot. Home to several iconic holes including the short par four 4th hole, the ultra-short par three 7th and the Sitwell Park homage long par three 13th. Barnbougle is an exhilarating place to play and a must visit for any golfer in Australia.

The awe-inspiring creation of Mike DeVries and Darius Oliver sits on the cliffs of the northern tip of King Island, enjoying a stellar locale within the Southern Ocean. It’s a wide, elastic and understated layout in most parts. The sensible and sophisticated design accommodates the diverse and sometimes strong winds and lets the site speak for itself, while the fescue surfaces encourage the variety of approach and recovery shots that are called for. Shot after shot is thrilling and the course is visually spectacular. Coastal erosion has become an issue for the beachside 18th hole, which will likely necessitate a more significant change to the course in the next few years.

Alister MacKenzie’s clifftop creation on the shores of Botany Bay and the Pacific Ocean is once again blessed with a cohesive character following a complete overhaul of greens and bunkering by British firm MacKenzie and Ebert. The highs of the 5th through 7th and 13th through 16th holes were always befitting of a world top 100 course, but M&E’s reinvention of some previously lowlight inland holes has produced a golf course worthy of its all-world site. The new work is bold and daring, marrying British links sensibilities with the flourish of the heaving terrain at La Perouse.

A somewhat forgotten sibling to the world-renowned West, East boasts a collection of tremendous green complexes both on the dramatic land of the main paddock and more subtly on the flatter terrain of the two outer paddocks. Magnificent opening and closing stretches provide the obvious highlights, but the middle of the round possesses a number of standout holes. Crucially, East has a character of its own, rather than simply being a lesser version of the neighbouring West

The only Bill Coore course in Australia and the sibling of Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm is wide, creative and playable. Expertly routed, the course is manageable in any wind and the routing changes direction regularly, keeping you guessing on breezy days. It presents dramatic tee shots, many thrilling approaches and asks for thoughtful play. The variety and quality of the par four holes is a particular strength of Lost Farm.

Another sandbelt gem that has steadily improved over the past decade with considered course improvements and attentive vegetation management. Victoria opens with a hyper-reachable par four, before working through some lesser land along the boundaries on its way to a rollicking back nine over terrain rivalling anything on the sandbelt. Standout holes include the par three holes as well as the driveable par four 1st and 15th holes.

An elegant, understated course boasting the touch of Alister MacKenzie, and lovingly nurtured more recently by Brian Slawnik of Renaissance Golf. RA is home to some of the best golf holes in Australia. The blind, reachable par four 3rd hole is iconic, as is the long par four 14th. With a little quirk here and there, including the railway line through the middle of the course, a compact routing, and the entry drive traversing the fairway of the home hole,  Royal Adelaide leaves a lasting impression.

A visually striking course with the best vegetation management on the sandbelt, PK’s North course enjoys cult status among the members and those lucky enough to visit. A course where no expense has been spared, the designers melded an expansive aesthetic of artistic bunkering with wonderful natural vegetation on a superb site. Hole after hole of architectural merit sees the North course sit comfortably within the upper echelons of Australian golf.

Tom Doak’s redo of the Peter Thomson Ocean course has yielded a superb result at Cape Schanck. The routing is more sophisticated, while the greens are more organic and individual. Bunkering is sympathetic with the landscape, more sparingly used and ideal in location. Legend couch remains on the fairways while the fescue collars improve ground game options closer to the hole. The day-to-day variety achieved by changing pin positions or shifting between the back and middle tees is perhaps the greatest in Australia.

Comparable to its sibling but possessing its own personality, the South course at PK is also blessed with a clutch of high calibre holes draped over ideal golfing ground. The action on several holes is provided in part by a small meandering creek which keeps golfers on their toes. It’s a course built on a big canvas, boasting an excellent set of par three holes, short fours and a thrilling stretch to conclude the round.

The preserve of the Packer family, Ellerston is a private property within the family estate, situated in the Upper Hunter Valley, several hours drive northwest of Sydney. Immaculate conditioning and an other worldly on-site experience await those lucky though to make it through the gates. Maybe the hardest course at the top end of Aussie golf, the collection of thrilling approaches leaves a lasting impression, while the holes along Pages Creek are the standout, the par three 6th and unique sharp-dogleg par four 16th chief among them.

A seriously testing yet enjoyable layout with an undeniable Australian feel. Set among the sand dunes in Cups Country on the Mornington Peninsula, this is arguably the best design work of the Greg Norman and Bob Harrison partnership (though Ellerston pipped it on this list). The challenge provided by the wind is never too far away. It always provides great playing surfaces despite high traffic – the mixed couch and fescue fairways are among the country’s best. The course rewards long straight driving, and a little ingenuity around the greens.

Having watched its course exit the Aussie Top 50, Royal Sydney took the brave decision to close for 18 months for a full Gil Hanse redesign. While Hanse kept the opening run of holes along the club’s eastern boundary, his re-routing of 7-18 ensured the best land was better utilised and was visited throughout the round rather than all at once during the front nine. The creation of the short par four 7th, 13th and 14th holes where previously forgettable golf previously existed raised the course’s ceiling and dialled up the fun, while the set of par threes – from a drop shot wedge at the 6th to the 10th and 17th that will likely require you to remove a headcover – is also a standout of Hanse’s creation.

Steadily nearing its former glory, the Renaissance Golf renovation has yielded great results. Over-planting has been addressed, as has some dubious renovation work from decades ago. Tilted greens utilising the natural fall of the terrain is Commonwealth’s DNA, and the recent work has brought that back to the fore. Those greens presented fast and firm reward skillful iron play and smart placement off the tee. Many holes of simple yet expertly-presented strategic challenge have had their lustre returned and catapulted Commo up the rankings.

This affordable public access course is another masterful minimalist creation by Tom Doak, draped over a glorious Cups Country setting on the Mornington Peninsula. Hole after hole of imaginative design, beautiful bunkering and a variety of lay-of-the-land greensites ensures consistent fun and memorable shots. The driveable par four 2nd hole is arguably the best short par four in the country, with the host of tempting options from the tee a great representation of the strategy that’s baked into almost every hole at St Andrew’s Beach.

Mike Clayton’s early 2000s redesign unlocked the potential of this urban Sydney gem, replacing thick scrub with expanses of sand on the front nine, using the namesake waterways to dial up the strategy and drama on the back and elevating it all with dramatic greensites throughout. An opening drive with a significant water carry, par threes to conclude both nines, an eight-lane underpass beneath one of Sydney’s busiest roads… The Lakes is unconventional from go to whoa, and despite the prevalence of water, the course delivers a distinctly Aussie flavour.

Designed by Alex Russell, this course has long been viewed as the best of the West. With many holes traversing sharply undulating terrain, conventional wisdom says Karrinyup favours a draw but there’s room for everyone to play. A renovation led by Mike Clayton’s firm reinvigorated the course, especially the greens. A must-play for those heading to Western Australia. The reddish soil and indigenous gum trees give it an aesthetic that stands apart from similar courses on the East Coast.

Known the world over for razor sharp bunker edges cutting into the flawless putting surfaces, Metro is looking better for the recent Paul Mogford course renovations. Long revered for exceptional conditioning and history as a storied tournament venue, it is now climbing back up to the highest echelon of Australian golf. The flat land will always hold it back against the top sandbelt courses, but few make the most of their natural qualities as well as Metro.

Another Club that has benefited mightily from the appointment of Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf as consultants, with the course back to its former glory. The resequencing of the opening holes was a simple yet highly effective tweak – no longer does the round start with an exacting long par three. Playability and course aesthetics have improved greatly, and the vegetation work led by Harley Kruse and Mike Clayton will imbue further texture into this classy sandbelt course. Great courses also tend to have some polarising holes, and the new short par four 10th more than ably ticks that box.

An olde world seaside course that is perhaps more reminiscent of Scotland than any other in Australia. The first six holes are particularly memorable for their understated charm and quality. The second half of the course continues the theme with consistently elegant design and interesting greens that reward accurate approach play. Smart links play is the order of the day, with a strong ground game and low ball flight the best bet when the wind blows. The drop shot par three 13th (after which the adjoining beach and in turn a nearby course that also appears on this list were both named) is maybe the most underrated one-shotter in the country.

Often viewed as a little down the pecking order among the catalogue of Melbourne sandbelt courses, Woodlands warrants greater consideration. An intimate setting and cool routing provides a quality collection of short par four holes, most notably the idiosyncratic driveable 4th hole, with its sloped, bunkerless putting surface. Woodlands’ smaller greens and use of doglegs gives it its own identity on the sandbelt, and offers holes you won’t find elsewhere in Melbourne.

Without great terrain, ideal soil or a climate that would accommodate the types of grasses synonymous with world class golf, Royal Queensland ranks as highly as it does thanks to the Mike Clayton architecture that features abundant lateral strategy, a punchy set of greens and an engaging interplay between gettable holes and some stern tests. The consistently firm condition brings that design to life and allows running shots to be played into and around the greens.