Nullarbor Links
Nullarbor Links[1][2] is an 18-hole par 72 golf course, said to be "the World's Longest Golf course", situated along 1,365 kilometres of the Eyre Highway along the southern coast of Australia in two states (South Australia and Western Australia), notably crossing the Nullarbor Plain at the head of the Great Australian Bight. The idea for the course came from Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno, both active in the Eyre Highway Operators Association, over a bottle of red wine at the Balladonia Roadhouse.[1] The course officially opened on 22 October 2009, although public play began on 15 August 2009.
 Hole 6: Border Kangaroo, Border Village, South Australia, 2012. | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Eyre Highway, Australia |
| Established | 2009 |
| Type | Public |
| Owned by | Various owners |
| Operated by | Eyre Highway Operators Association |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted | Chasing the Sun Golf Festival |
| Website | Nullarbor Links |
| Designed by | Robert Stock (consultant) |
| Par | 72 |
The course
The course begins and ends (depending on the direction of crossing) in the goldmining town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia and the coastal town of Ceduna, South Australia. Professional golfer Robert Stock, from Manchester, England, consulted on the design that incorporates 7 holes from existing courses and 11 holes created at roadhouses and roadside stops.[2] Newly constructed holes have tees and greens that use artificial grass, with natural desert land between. The average distance between holes is 66 kilometres, with two of the holes situated almost 200 kilometres apart.
| Hole | Name | Length | Par | Tee Name/Dedication | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hole 1 | Oyster Beds | 485 metres (530 yd) | 5 | Graham Hoffrichter | Ceduna Golf Club, Ceduna, South Australia |
| Hole 2 | Denial Bay | 370 metres (405 yd) | 4 | William McKenzie | Ceduna Golf Club, Ceduna, South Australia |
| Hole 3 | Windmills | 260 metres (284 yd) | 4 | Pioneer Drive | Penong Golf Course, Penong, South Australia |
| Hole 4 | Wombat Hole | 520 metres (569 yd) | 5 | Karinkabie | Nundroo Roadhouse, Nundroo, South Australia |
| Hole 5 | Dingo's Den | 538 metres (588 yd) | 5 | Coral & Scobie Beattie | Nullarbor Roadhouse, Nullarbor, South Australia |
| Hole 6 | Border Kangaroo | 160 metres (175 yd) | 3 | Don Harrington | Border Village Roadhouse, Border Village, South Australia |
| Hole 7 | Nullarbor Nymph | 315 metres (344 yd) | 4 | Steve Patupis | Eucla Golf Course, Eucla, Western Australia |
| Hole 8 | Watering Hole | 330 metres (361 yd) | 4 | McGill & Kennedy | Mundrabilla Roadhouse, Mundrabilla, Western Australia |
| Hole 9 | Brumby's Run | 125 metres (137 yd) | 3 | Barbara and Brian Pike | Madura Roadhouse, Madura, Western Australia |
| Hole 10 | Eagles Nest | 347 metres (379 yd) | 4 | Bindy | Cocklebiddy Roadhouse, Cocklebiddy, Western Australia |
| Hole 11 | 90 Mile Straight | 310 metres (339 yd) | 4 | Edward John Eyre & John Baxter | Caiguna Roadhouse, Caiguna, Western Australia |
| Hole 12 | Skylab | 175 metres (191 yd) | 3 | Pat Prendiville | Balladonia Roadhouse, Balladonia, Western Australia |
| Hole 13 | Sheep's Back | 141 metres (154 yd) | 3 | John and Heather Cambell | Fraser Range Sheep Station, Fraser Range, Western Australia |
| Hole 14 | Golden Horse | 385 metres (421 yd) | 4 | Laurie Sinclair | Norseman Golf Club, Norseman, Western Australia |
| Hole 15 | Ngadju | 463 metres (506 yd) | 5 | Mort Harslett | Norseman Golf Club, Norseman, Western Australia |
| Hole 16 | Silver Lake | 392 metres (429 yd) | 4 | Kevin Higgins | Kambalda Golf Club, Kambalda, Western Australia |
| Hole 17 | Golden Mile | 502 metres (549 yd) | 5 | Bob Bongiorno | Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia |
| Hole 18 | CY O'Connor | 356 metres (389 yd) | 4 | Alf Caputo | Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia |
Playing the course
Players use a score card purchased in Kalgoorlie or Ceduna for A$70 (as of June 2013) and play holes at various sites along the continental road. Players can either provide their own clubs, or hire them at each hole for a fee. To preserve the nature of the nullarbor, players are required to tee their balls up on the courses fairways and are discouraged from driving vehicles on the fairways. On presenting the completed card they can claim a Nullarbor Links Certificate for playing "the World’s Longest Golf course".[3]
References
- Golfing heads to the outback, Sarah McInerney, SMH, 2009-09-10, accessed 2009-10-13
- Don't let Aussie outback putt you off, ABC Online, 2009-10-13
- "Course Information" (PDF). Nullarbor Links. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
External links
- Nullarbor Links - official website
- Eyre Highway accommodation
- Nullarbor travel information