Best of the Gold Coast 2018: Top 10 best golf courses
FROM a social Sunday swing to hosting elite championships, the grass is greener at these Gold Coast golf courses. These are the city’s 10 best, as voted by you.
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FROM a social Sunday swing to hosting elite championships, the grass is greener at these Gold Coast golf courses. These are the city’s 10 best, as voted by you.
10. Palm Meadows
Palm Meadows Drive, Carrara
Palm Meadows was one of the first resort golf courses built on the Coast and hosted “million-dollar” competitions in the late ’80s. Since then its price matched other local clubs to make its membership more accessible. If you’ve never scored a hole in one, perhaps think of joining this club — the course recorded six hole in ones in the month of July.
9. Parkwood Golf Club
76-122 Napper Road, Parkwood
With live music, events and the training ground of the Gold Coast Titans all happening at the Parkwood Village, it’s easy to forget there’s an 18 hole golf course open to the public. The greens are open from dawn to dusk and welcomes everyone from social golfers to professionals. The course also hosts an inclusive golf program where disabled people can enjoy a round using an all-terrain specialised wheelchair.
8. Southport Golf Club
Slatyer Ave, Southport
The longstanding Southport Golf Club must be doing something right if members have been coming to play for more than 90 years. “The Club’s been open since 1924,” general manager Nik Robinson says. “It’s very centrally located, easy access, playable for beginners to professionals.” Last year the club won the Pro-Am PGA Tournament of the Year, and is looking at hosting an international golf competition next year.
7. Emerald Lakes Carrara
Alabaster Drive and Nerang Broadbeach Rd, Carrara
With affordable memberships and late opening hours, the Emerald Lakes golf course makes the typically elite sport accessible to everyone. Emerald Lakes offers a nine-hole flood lit course from 5.30pm every day, as well as a driving range open until 9pm. The 18-hole, 72 par course designed by Graham Marsh is generous and wide, suitable for the everyday golfer.
6. Arundel Hills Golf Club
Arundel Pl, Arundel
Picturesque is the only way to describe the Arundel Hills golf course, exclusive to members and members’ guests. After passing through the club’s iron gates, the fairways are fringed by tall native trees, flower beds and sparkling ponds. The Fred Bolton-designed course is designed for all skill levels, able to be played as hard or as relaxed as you choose.
5. Glades Golf Club
1 Glades Dr, Robina
The Greg Norman-designed golf course at the Glades is a draw card for its small number of members as well as day pass visitors. “It’s one of his signature design courses,” Glades director of golf Jason Maurer says. “It’s 68 hectares, water and wastelands, all that lovely stuff. We have bent grass greens, that’s another attraction.” Jason says the club is more of a public access course that welcomes new visitors every day. “We have a lot of interstate visitors, tourists. We don’t do a lot of big events, people just come and play. That allows for a smaller membership.” The Glades is celebrating 20 years this year.
4. The Grand Golf Club
364 Gilston Rd, Gilston
The Grand Golf Club is a privately owned course in Gilston available for use for only a select few. Its history dates back to 1990 when it was designed by Greg Norman and opened by Japanese investors, only to close one day later. Five years later, a group of Australian businessmen sought the help of Norman again to restore the grounds. In 1997 the course was reopened for use by members and their guests only, and to this day remains one of the most exclusive golf courses on the Coast.
3. Lakelands Golf Club
100 Lakelands Drive, Merrimac
On a busy day, more than 100 people will swing a club on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Lakelands. “August is always the busiest time of year,” golf operations manager Rowan Beste says. “Throughout the month there was about 110 a day.” Rowan says Lakelands takes pride in its immaculately maintained greens and often attracts big names to its holes. “There’s been a lot of celebrities over time, Wayne Grady’s a member here, we’ve had Michael Sim play here, as well as Brian Jones.” Tomorrow Lakelands hosts a Father’s Day open day with a discounted day pass and competition.
2. Links Hope Island
Hope Island Rd, Hope Island
While 25 years of operation is impressive for any business, Links Hope Island believes it’s still relatively young for a prestigious golf course, offering a friendlier, progressive sporting community. “Our members enjoy the camaraderie, our excellent course condition and friendly staff,” Links Hope Island general manager Tracey-Lea Tiley says. “(We have) 450 Members and some flexible new membership options to suit all ages and playing habits.” The 18-hole links layout, designed by five time British Open champion Peter Thomson, will open a new island-style par next year.
1. RACV Royal Pines Resort
Ross St, Benowa
From holiday-makers taking a casual swing to elite sportspeople playing to be crowned Australia’s best, the RACV Royal Pines golf course hosts tens of thousands of rounds of golf every year. “We host around 60,000 rounds a year, primarily from corporate days, group golf events, tourist rounds, and big events, like the Australian PGA Championships and The Queensland Mid Amateur,” golf manager David Hogben says. The Royal Pines is the only 27-hole golf course on the Gold Coast and has a membership of about 350 people. It underwent a redevelopment worth $11 million in 2014 to meet the requirements of continuing to host the Australian PGA Championships. “It’s fantastic to see the golf course designed to test the elite professionals and still provide an enjoyable round of golf for your average resort guest,” David says. “My favourite moment was seeing Adam Scott winning the PGA in 2013.”
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