Golfing – Great Ocean Road
Take time out to drive along one of Australia's most famous coastal roads while swinging by some of Victoria's most scenic golf courses. Stretching from Torquay, near Geelong, to Nelson near the South Australian border, the 300-kilometre Great Ocean Road snakes past cliffs, waterfalls, rainforests and historic shipwrecks. Dotted among these attractions are inspiring golf courses that reward all who make the journey.
First stop is The Sands at Torquay, designed by Stuart Appleby. Then there's Anglesea with its resident kangaroo population, a must for anyone from abroad. These iconic animals live in the nearby forest and spend their days as unofficial greenkeepers lounging on the fairways.
Further west, Warrnambool and Port Fairy offer stunning coastal settings. The course at Port Fairy is in historic links style, built around sand dunes. Warrnambool is another challenging round, set amidst undulating terrain with greens that test the short game.
The Sands Torquay
2 Sands Boulevarde, Torquay
Ph 03 5264 8801
Par 72; 6,582 metres
A links style championship layout designed by Australian golfer Stuart Appleby. The course features numerous bunkers, natural hazards and a lakes system.
Anglesea Golf Club
Golf Links Road, Anglesea
Ph 03 5263 1951
Par 73; 6,028 metres
Renowned for its resident Kangaroos, Anglesea Golf Club is a picturesque, undulating and well treed course located close to the centre of Anglesea. Hazards include over 50 bunkers plus more than 300 kangaroos.
Warrnambool Golf Club
Younger Street, Warrnambool
Ph 03 5562 8528
Par 72; 5,720 metres
Warrnambool is a challenging coastal course set in undulating terrain and rated in the countrys top 100 courses. Tree lined fairways require accuracy off the tee, while mounds and undulations around the greens will test the short game. The eleventh is a par 4 played from an elevated tee across a valley to a wide fairway, the approach needs to be on target with trouble behind the green.
Port Fairy Golf Club
Woodbine Road, Port Fairy
Ph 03 5568 1654
Par 72; 5,840 metres
Set amongst the coastal sand dunes at the end of the Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy is a true links layout providing spectacular coastal views. The course is ranked in Australias top 100 courses and has often been likened to the coastal courses of Scotland and Ireland. Wind is almost always a factor, particularly on the fourteenth, a tough 409 metre par 4.
