12 Golf Course Destinations That Combine Sport and Scenery

11. Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia - Sandbelt Heathland Perfection

Royal Melbourne Golf Club's West Course represents the finest example of Australian golf course architecture, set within the unique sandbelt heathland environment south of Melbourne where native tea trees, golden banksia, and colorful wildflowers create a distinctly Australian golfing landscape. Alister MacKenzie's design, refined by course superintendent Claude Crockford, showcases strategic brilliance within a natural setting that changes dramatically with the seasons, from the purple blooms of native hardenbergia in spring to the golden hues of autumn grasses. The course's firm, fast playing conditions reflect the natural characteristics of the sandbelt soil, creating strategic options that reward both power and finesse while punishing imprecise execution with challenging recovery shots from native vegetation areas. The routing takes advantage of the property's natural contours and vegetation patterns, with holes that feel carved from the landscape rather than imposed upon it, while strategic bunkering and green complexes enhance the natural challenges presented by the heathland environment. The course serves as habitat for native Australian wildlife, including various bird species, echidnas, and native reptiles that thrive in the preserved heathland ecosystem, making each round an opportunity to experience Australia's unique natural heritage. The facility's environmental stewardship programs focus on preserving and enhancing native vegetation while maintaining championship playing conditions that have hosted Presidents Cups and other international competitions, proving that world-class golf and environmental conservation can coexist in harmony within one of Australia's most distinctive natural landscapes.