Kingston Heath Golf Club is Australia's best golf course. Ranked as the number one course in Australia and the 27th best course in the world, Kingston Heath enjoys an enviable reputation for its superb conditioning all year round.
The 18 holes were built on only 125 hectares (most courses in the modern era are built on over 250 hectares), it is perfectly manicured and its bunkering and clever use of dips and hollows visually fools the non observant golfer.
Many people would argue it is a more aesthetically pleasing course than Royal Melbourne, however if you wildly deviate from the fairway, the rough (comprising long grass, tea tree and sandy scrapes) will test your ability to get the ball back into play.
The 14th hole is a longish par 5 which, depending on the wind direction, can tempt the golfer into reaching the green for 2. One golfer Roger Mackay did better than that in a tournament at the Heath when he holed his second shot for an albatross.
The three par 3 holes are a feature of Kingston Heath and show off one fantastic feature of this great golf course - the classic, natural bunkering. The fifteenth hole, in particular, is a real test ( not necessarily needed towards the end of your round).
An uphill par 3 of moderate length, the path to the hole is surrounded by a myriad of bunkers (some of them very deep) all waiting to swallow the errant tee shot. If you reach the putting surface par is still not guaranteed as the undulating green gives up more 3 putts than 1 putts.
The remaining finishing holes are long par 4's and can ruin an otherwise good score. The 16th is known in golfing circles as the hole where Greg Norman took a 9 on his way to losing a tournament at Kingston Heath in the 1990's. Norman carved his tee shot into the right hand tea tree and it was all downhill from there.
Kingston Heath has hosted the Australian Open 8 times (7 men’s & 1 women’s) as well as hosting the 2009 Australian Masters. This event saw world number 1 golfer Tiger Woods grace the fairways of KH, and he didn’t disappoint, displaying superb shot-making over 4 rounds to take out the yellow jacket.
Kingston Heath is a wonderful golf course and a true delight to play. If you can manage to play a round there it is worth the effort - you will not be disappointed.