“Hands Down the Best Clubhouse in Australia”
Published on 3rd August 2021 in Guest OnlyWHAT makes a great clubhouse?
Australian Golf Digest put the question to 190 of their course-rating panellists and came up with a list of the 25 Greatest Clubhouses in Australia.
The full article appears in Australian Golf Digest (August 2019) by Brad Clifton – an excerpt is printed below.
WHAT makes a great clubhouse? Is it a storied history, modern luxury or simply an unassuming place to gather with your playing partners to wax lyrical and solve the world’s problems? We put the question to our 190 course-rating panellists. The answer, we found, is that no one style of ’19th hole’ appeals to all, although ones oozing character seem to resonate more.
The great Jack Nicklaus warns “never build a clubhouse for New Year’s Eve”.
“Too many build big square rooms with tables in the middle… soulless places,” adds Australian course architect and former European Tour player Mike Clayton. “It’s the interesting little corners of rooms that make clubhouses great.”
Whether you’re a purist like Clayton or enjoy being pampered, the digs on these pages are some of the best places to relax and ruminate about the day’s round.
The Barwon Heads Golf Club
“Hands down the best clubhouse in Australia,” declares panellist Steve Beach. Constructed in the 1920s from Australian hardwood timber, Barwon Heads’ airy, graceful proportions (12-foot-high ceilings) and large, character-filled rooms speak of golf’s golden age. As the club’s website quite rightly proclaims, this clubhouse embodies the characteristics of the quintessential clubhouse, appearing stately in its setting, affording exceptional views of the course, and warmly housing the camaraderie of members and guests on one of the finest links experiences in the land.
“The building perfectly complements the course like no other and gives the golfer a true feeling of royalty,” says fellow panellist Luke Clark.
“If you are looking for a good meal, a place to enjoy a beer and embellish a story or two about the round you have just played or simply enjoy a red wine in front of a smouldering fire, Barwon Heads’ clubhouse is the perfect spot,” adds Rahim Lalani, who visits more courses than most through his company, Fairway Golf Tours. “The golf is enhanced by onsite accommodation and dining, meaning you can totally relax and repeat the experience the next day,” says David Chantrell.
Please note: Entry to the Clubhouse is restricted to Members and their guests, suitably attired green fee players, house guests staying at the Club and those registered to attend a conference, event or function. A dress code applies. Information about stay and play packages can be viewed here.
