Best Adelaide Golf Courses You Need To Play At Least Once In Your Life

North Adelaide Golf Club is something of a rarity. It’s potentially the only golf course of its size (54 holes split over 3 courses) anywhere to be located just a kilometre away from a CBD. North Adelaide was one of the first golf courses to be built in Adelaide, being founded in 1890. Back then it was a nine-hole courses, but after the council took over in 1921, it was expanded to 18-holes.
Today, there are three courses you can play on: the South Course, a championship style Par 71; the shorter – but no less challenging – Par 69 North Course and the shorter still Par 3, an 18-hole course where the longest is 140 metres.
No matter which course you play, you’ll be surrounded with picturesque park land and trees, and North Adelaide ensures the various grass-types (Kikuyu and Santa Ana Couch) are kept up to an impeccable standard.
Best of all, it’s a public course with green fees that are comfortably affordable, making it possibly the perfect golf course in Adelaide for golfers of all abilities.
Address: 114/120 Mills Terrace, North Adelaide, 5006
Phone: 08 8203 7888

Just as Australia’s other major cities have a prestigious private golf club, so too does Adelaide. The RAGC was founded in 1892 (then on the North Parklands but relocated to Seaton in 1906) and has since hosted the Australian Open on nine occasions.
Visitors are welcome to play on the course during limited time windows on select days, and members of reciprocal clubs both in Australia and overseas are welcome to book a round too.
Membership brings with it several perks, which include first and foremost, access to one of the 10 best golf courses in Australia, as well as a pretty much guaranteed tee off time at the weekend. You’ll also get access to the other ‘Royal’ clubs around Australia.
Address: 328 Tapleys Hill Road, Seaton, 5023
Phone: 08 8356 5511

For a quick round of golf with friends you should check out the Regency Park Golf Course. This 9-hole course welcomes golfers of all ability and is open 365 days a year.
The first tee-off of the day takes place at first light and play can continue until the sun goes down, meaning securing yourself a spot shouldn’t be an issue at all. Green fees are kept low, with a round of 9 at the weekend setting you back $20 and a second round can be had for additional $9.
Greens are always well maintained, although we would say it’s definitely seen more as a practice course that will help you hone your skills before you decide to tackle some of the others on this list.
Address: Days Road, Regency Park, 5010
Phone: 08 8268 5733

Located just minutes from the coastal suburb of Glenelg, this Top 40-rated golf course (in Australia) offers plenty to shout about. For starters, the club is incredibly proud of the turf quality on offer, which is split between the hot weather-loving Santa Ana Couch for tees and fairways and Bentgrass for the greens, which shines in cooler conditions.
Expect undulating greens, a fair few sand bunkers (no water hazards, fortunately) and some long, challenging shots and you have yourself a highly attractive golf course.
Visitors are welcome to play on the course, but will need to be introduced by either other members or the general manager, but we reckon just a couple of rounds could be enough to convince you to sign up. In doing so, you’ll be able to access over 400 courses worldwide through the Pacific Links International network.
Address: James Melrose Road, Novar Gardens, 5040
Phone: 08 8350 3200

Even closer to the beach than Glenelg is the Westward Ho Golf Club. This beachside club gives members and visitors access to two courses: a championship style course lined with trees and featuring water hazards and a second with link style fairways that prove to be a challenging prospect for even the most confident of golfers.
That’s not to say a round won’t be enjoyable, however, as Westward Ho is often regarded as offering one of the most fun rounds of play in the whole of Adelaide, making it a course you need should visit.
Address: West Beach Parks Golf Park, Military Road, West Beach, 5024
Phone: 08 8356 7220

Another short, fun and quick course in Adelaide is the Valley View Par 3. Gifting golfers everything they need from a course and nothing they don’t, such as meandering fairways, water and bunkers, it represents a perfect opportunity to improve your short game.
With the longest of the 18 holes being 146m but most settling in between the 60-80m range, Valley View is a great course for beginners too.
Address: Grand Junction Road, Valley View, 5093
Phone: 08 8263 2189

If a strong golfing community is what you look for in a club then you can’t look past Penfield. The club, founded in 1959, works predominantly on a membership basis, but does accept visitors to play its course in a bid to promote golf and the myriad benefits it can bring.
The course itself is 9-holes, but with 18 alternate tees can provide for a full round of 18 (plans are in place to expand the course to a full 18 greens in the future) which make use of various grass types including Kikuyu and Bent.
The staff at Penfield consistently receive high praise too, not only for their commitment to keeping the grass impeccably groomed, but for the levels of customer service too. You’ll be sure to return to play further rounds after just one visit.
Address: Woomera Avenue, Salisbury, 5108
Phone: 08 8281 5210

This 9 hole public course has a Par of 36 and is open to everyone 7 days a week.
It may not have quite the same pedigree and history as other golf courses in Adelaide, but for a fun round and some incredible views thanks to its coastal location, you won’t regret your visit.
Best of all, green fees are set low, so you can enjoy some scintillating golf without breaking the bank.
Address: 29 Clubhouse Road, Seacliff Park, 5049
Phone: 08 8298 7454

With building commencing in 1922 and the first nine holes being open for play a year later, the golf course at Kooyonga has a rich history. It has been used to host the Australian Open five times and is an exceptional example of a golf course with undulating hills, a picturesque setting and some of the finest club facilities.
It’s a private club, but visitors with a GOLFlink number are welcome to pay on select days and with a after paying a small fee.
Address: May Terrace, Adelaide, 5032
Phone: 08 8352 5444

Flagstaff Hill has been welcoming golfers since the late 1960s. In its early days, the club was used to host an exhibition match that saw Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player all take to the green and certainly helped to put Flagstaff on the map. Today, the 18-hole course is aided by a “spare” hole that is brought into use during any redevelopment work that also hosts a shorter course for juniors and beginners.
Visitors are welcome to play but will need to book a tee time, but once you’re in you’ll be able to enjoy a round with friends and with a drink. Various tiers of membership are available too, each with its own list of benefits and number of playable days included.
Address: Memford Way, Flagstaff Hill, 5159
Phone: 08 8270 2300