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The Global Golfer Top 100
Barnbougle Dunes — Tasmania
Bridport, Tasmania, Australia · #31 in the World
Location: Barnbougle, Bridport, Tasmania, Australia | Ranking: #31 — The Global Golfer Top 100
Type: Links | Partner Stay: Barnbougle Lost Farm Lodge; Bridport Cottages
Editor’s Note: Tom Doak and Mike Clayton walked a Tasmanian potato farm in 2002 and saw exactly what was there: natural duneland, a wild northern beach, fescue grasses and the Bass Strait. They moved almost nothing. Barnbougle Dunes opened in 2004 and immediately entered the global top 20 — the most dramatic new course debut in a decade. The natural fairway corridors through the dunes, the beach-side holes and the raw Tasmanian light create a round of golf of extraordinary, unmanufactured beauty.
Travel & Logistics
- How to Get There: Barnbougle is on Tasmania’s north coast, 90 minutes east of Launceston. Fly from Melbourne to Launceston (1h) or Devonport (1h 20m), then hire car.
- Nearest Airport: Launceston (LST) — 1h 20m by car. Devonport (DPO) — 1h by car.
Contact & Booking
- Website: barnbougle.com.au
- Green Fees: From AUD $275 | Rating / Slope: 74.8 / 139
- Note: Lost Farm (Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw, 2010) is the companion course — equally excellent, arguably with a stronger back nine. Both are walkable and exceptionally maintained.
Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 |
| Yards | 507 | 198 | 374 | 416 | 165 | 408 | 376 | 435 | 418 | 3,297 |
Par 4
Par 3
Par 5
Total
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 401 | 445 | 193 | 506 | 382 | 412 | 178 | 379 | 525 | 3,421 | 6,718 |
Key Strategy Notes
- Hole 1 — Par 5, 507 Yards: An immediate declaration of intent — broad, sweeping fairway through natural dune ridges with the Bass Strait visible from the tee. The opening hole sets the tempo: run the ball, use the ground, embrace the links.
- Holes 12–14: The back nine’s defining stretch along the beach — the Bass Strait is immediately right, the natural dunes left. Three consecutive demanding holes where the wind from the strait is the primary challenge. The most authentic links experience in Australia.
- Hole 18 — Par 5, 525 Yards: Finishing below the lodge — a broad, accessible par 5 with the Barnbougle farmhouse and lodge buildings framing the finish. Birdie is the expectation; the post-round bar overlooking the 18th green is one of Australian golf’s finest traditions.
The 19th Hole
- Barnbougle Lost Farm Lodge: On-site accommodation — rustic luxury with direct access to both courses. The restaurant’s Tasmanian seafood and cheese menu is exceptional. Book via Expedia →
- Tasmania Beyond Golf: The Bay of Fires (50 minutes east) is Australia’s most beautiful coastal walk. Freycinet Peninsula and Wineglass Bay are 2 hours east. The Tamar Valley wine region is 1 hour west.