Cape Wickham Golf Links

There is something special about remote island golf and King Island, located in the Bass Strait halfway between Victoria, Australia and Tasmania boasts one of the world’s best courses and is worth the journey to experience.

Darius Oliver, an Australian, is well-known Down Under as an expert in golf course architecture, both as an author and a consultant. In 2011, he convinced Duncan Andrews to purchase a piece of land he had discovered that was a natural landscape perfect for a pure links routing by Cape Wickham Lighthouse.

The design, by Oliver and American golf course architect Mike DeVries, opened in 2015 and immediately climbed the ranks of every prestigious rating list around the world.

Devries might not be a household name but enjoys a world-renowned reputation for his devotion to the purity of classic golf design and is a recognized devotee of Dr. Alister Mackenzie.

While links courses are notable for the sandy turf created by being by the sea, it is still unusual to see the water from every hole, however, Cape Wickham offers stunning views throughout the routing.

The opening five holes play around the Cape Farewell Headland before turning inland for the next eight holes traversing sandhills and limestone outcroppings. The spectacular close features holes 14 to 18 returning to the sea towards the Cape Wickham Lighthouse.

The 15^th plays directly at the iconic lighthouse and the signature 18^th hugs Victoria Cove Beach as it doglegs right to the welcoming home green complex. Should the ever-present wind cause an errant shot, the beach is in play, back to the fairway above.

Of special note are the breathtaking views on the 3^rd, 11^th, and 17^th par 3s. Each hole at Wickham has been designed to be unique and present endless shot-making possibilities. The course plays firm as a linksland layout should and all the surfaces – tees, greens and fairways are fescue.

Before or after your round experience the ‘Lighthouse Loop’ a fun and challenging 12-hole putting course on their expansive half-acre putting green.

There are 16 villa-style accommodations right on site and the restaurant features the exceptional local larder and seafood of King Island.