AUSTRALIA - MARCH 24

SOLD OUT

The phrase 'holiday of a lifetime' gets thrown around quite a bit. But I genuinely think the trip I am launching today to Australia could qualify for the title!

Golf in Australia is something that every lover of the game should try to experience at least once. I am just back from my second trip there and it was every bit as good as I remember. The quality is phenomenal. 

Melbourne is without a doubt one of the world's great golf cities and we will play the very best the city has to offer. In recent years Tasmania has become something of a golfing Mecca, with the courses at Barnbougle and King Island being heralded as some of the very best in the world. We will play all of these and will be one of the first groups to play the hotly-anticipated new course at Seven Mile Beach.

I have designed this trip with the keen golfer in mind. Maximising the time we have for golf and fun has been a key consideration when putting the itinerary together. So we will be travelling by private charter plane between Melbourne and Tasmania where we can land directly on the property at Barnbougle, cutting down time at airports and on road transfers. That plane will also take us to Hobart and then King Island.

March is the best time of year for golf in this region. The courses will be in peak condition and the temperature should be perfect.

There are even more great courses in the Melbourne area, so we also have a three day 'add on' available at the end of the trip so you can play more of these quality courses if you have the time.

I hope you are able to join me, whether you are travelling on your own or with friends. All of your golf, accommodation, transport in Australia and several meals are included in the tour price. This will be a great way to discover these amazing courses with like-minded people. I can't wait!

Please email me at david@ukgolfguy.com if you have any questions or to book your place!

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

Full details are in the brochure above but here are the highlights -

SUNDAY 3RD MARCH 2024
Group checks in at the 4 * Crown Promenade hotel, Southbank, Melbourne. Accommodation is provided on a bed and breakfast basis. We will be able to confirm the hotel in early 2023, should this need to change the hotel will be of the same standard in a similar location.

On the first evening we will have a welcome drinks reception with private dining at the hotel. Over dinner you will have the opportunity to get to know other members of the group and we will talk through the agenda for the days ahead.

We will be joined for dinner by Matt Mollica. Matt is the co-host of the Australian Golf Podcast and is a keen golf historian. After dinner, he will talk to us a little about the history of golf in Melbourne and help to set the scene for our trip.

MONDAY 4TH MARCH
We'll kick off day 2 with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before gathering for our coach transfer to Kingston Heath which will take about 30/40 minutes.

We will have the opportunity to use the practice facilities before our tee times at Kingston Heath from 1:30pm.

This trip is predominantly about seeing great courses, but I know that some people will enjoy a competitive aspect on the side! So, for those who wish to participate, we'll organise a Stableford tournament over the course of the trip.

After our round at Kingston Heath we will return to Southbank for an evening at leisure.

TUESDAY 5TH MARCH
We will leave the hotel mid-morning to take the 30/40 minute drive to Royal Melbourne.

Please note guests will require a letter of introduction from their home club or current handicap certificate to be offered the opportunity to play at Royal Melbourne.

The clubhouse at Royal Melbourne is packed full of history so we will leave plenty of time for a good look round and to soak in the atmosphere at this very special club. We will also have plenty of time to use the practice facilities - it is worth spending some time on the practice green to get used to the unique surfaces of Royal Melbourne!

We are teeing off on the West Course from 1:30pm.

WEDNESDAY 6TH MARCH
After an early breakfast we will transfer to the nearby airfield at Moorabin for our hour-long flight to Tasmania and the Barnbougle resort.

We will fly with Southern Airlines on a Beechcraft 1900 which can seat 16 people. This will be our main form of transport over the next few days as we travel on to Hobart, then from Hobart to King Island and finally, back to Melbourne.

On arrival at Barnbougle we will check into our cottage accommodation at Barnbougle Dunes before heading over for our afternoon round at Barnbougle Dunes. This Tom Doak/Mike Clayton creation needs to be seen to be believed - it would be at home on the coast of Scotland or Ireland. There is not doubt it is one of the best new courses built anywhere in the world in recent years.

After the round we will enjoy dinner together as a group to discuss our first experiences of Tasmanian golf.

THURSDAY 7TH MARCH
Following breakfast we will play Bill Coore's Lost Farm course - where there are 20 holes to enjoy! - and will really get to explore the rest of the site at Barnbougle. The Lost Farm, another world top 100 course, enjoys wide fairways and clever green sights. A course to use your imagination on!

In the early afternoon we will play the new 14 hole short course - Bougle Run. With twelve par 3s and two par 4s this is a great way to have some fun after lunch.

The rest of the day is up to you. You could play either of these courses again for a modest replay fee, spend some time walking on the beach, or just have a well-earned rest!

FRIDAY 8TH MARCH
After breakfast we will head back to our planes and make the short flight to Hobart, at the southern tip of Tasmania. From there we will take the (very short) bus ride to 7 Mile Beach.

7 Miles Beach is due to open in late 2023. This DeVries/Clayton course is set on a spectacular piece of land and the golf world is keenly anticipating its opening. Should there be a delay in the course opening we will make an appropriate contingency plan!

NOTE 7 MILE BEACH WILL NOT BE OPEN IN TIME BUT WE WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE A LOOK AROUND AND PLAY AN ALTERNATIVE COURSE.

After playing 7 Mile Beach we will take the bus into the city of Hobart for our night's stay at the Mantra Collins Hotel. We will be able to confirm the hotel in early 2023, should this need to change the hotel will be of the same standard in a similar location.

SATURDAY 9TH MARCH
We'll be back on the plane on Saturday morning to fly from Hobart to King Island - a tiny island between 'mainland' Tasmania and Melbourne.

We will then make the 45 minute drive up the island (watching out for wallabies on the way) to the magnificent Cape Wickham. This clifftop course is just spectacular, you will be reaching for your camera all the way round. We will tee off tee off late in the morning and there will be time for a second round for anyone wanting to relive the experience!

We are staying in the accommodation overlooking the golf course and will have a group dinner in the clubhouse in the evening.

SUNDAY 10TH MARCH
After breakfast at Cape Wickham we will head back towards the airport, stopping to play Ocean Dunes on the way. Ocean Dunes is another clifftop course with drama all around.

Following our late morning game we will take our plane for an afternoon flight back to Moorabin in Melbourne. From the airfield we will return to the Crown Promenade hotel for our last two nights in Melbourne.

MONDAY 11TH MARCH
On the last full day of the trip, following breakfast, we will transfer south of the city to Peninsula Kingswood where we will play the North Course. We have tee times booked for early afternoon.

Then we will return to Melbourne where we will enjoy a final group dinner. Over a meal we will present the prize for the trip tournament and voting on the courses and holes we enjoyed the most.

TUESDAY 12TH MARCH
Day 10 is the last day of the main part of the trip, with guests making their own way to the airport for their flights home.

For those who are on a later flight we can organise a sightseeing tour of Melbourne, or indeed another round of golf somewhere!

PRICING

The price for this trip is AU$10,600 for one person, based on shared, twin accommodation. Based on the exchange rates at 24th November 2022, this is approximately £5,900 or US$7,170 (based on twin accommodation). The single supplement is AU$1,350.

We have also recognised that some guests may wish to see some more of the golf in and around Melbourne. So, we can organise an extension for those who would like to stay on for an extra three days to play Victoria, Metropolitan, St Andrews Beach and National - Gunnamatta. It is anticipated cost would be c. AU$3,000 per person sharing depending on number of people wanting to stay on.

If you would like to visit Sydney or Adelaide then we will be happy to help with golf and hotels there too.