The Course

Whats not to love about infinite panoramic views of the Whitsunday Islands the entire way round? Hamilton Island Golf Club offers just this on every single hole. The golf course is an extremely rare find situated on it’s very own, dedicated island, Dent Island. The only way to access this beauty is by boat transfer to and from Hamilton Island itself.

The Golf Course is a never-ending tour of this beautiful island. The holes wind up and down the mountainous landscape and capture the very best views at every turn. It’s far from a walk in the park with knee-length fescue, dense bush and shrubs lining the boundaries of each hole. Due to the landscape and a clever layout, each hole adopts its own amphitheatre and only on very few occasions can you see one hole from the next. The golf course makes use of the natural changes in elevation and offer some fantastic elevated tees awaiting a well hit drive.

Whilst every hole is a head turner and potential photo opportunity, the back 9 is often regarded as the preferred 9 by both visitors and staff. The finishing 3 holes are the real centrepiece and sit tight along the eastern coastal edge of the island and reward you with great views back across to its sister island, Hamilton Island. The 16th hole is the showstopper here. A short par 3 of 175yds from the elevated back tees. With only 1 bunker, just shy of the green, it makes up for the lack of man-made hazards by the steep, cliff like bank to the right that leads down to the turquoise sea. Slice one here, and those beautiful waters will soon become less appealing.

From the 16th, make your way to the 17th whilst taking a superbly routed cart path through the rocks and round the corner (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve driven through it). The 17th is yet again another elevated tee onto a slight dogleg right, uphill fairway that will again reward your eyes once turning the corner. Finally make it up to the 18th tee where you will find the longest Par 4 on the course – but don’t let that worry you, the 40m drop from tee to fairway will comfortably add some welcome distance to any drive. This finishing hole looks straight down to the well situated clubhouse and beyond back to the homeland and is yet another great spot to break the camera out one final time.

The Clubhouse

The Clubhouse at Hamilton Island Golf Club is very modest. It sits perched on the eastern coast of the island and is the only real structure on the island (disregarding the maintenance facility). Its small but is also as big as it needs to be.

The restaurant is the main draw here for non golfing guests. Views back to Hamilton Island from here are by far the best you will find over a glass of wine and some great food. The restaurant offers only lunch but at only $69AUD per head, with boat transfers included, it’s a no brainer for those wanting a different perspective looking back onto the main Island.

Practice facilities include an aqua driving range, hitting nets and practice greens. In the clubhouse you will find high-class amenities with locker rooms, showers and changing facilities.

Views from the restaurant at Hamilton Island Golf Club

Hamilton Island

Hamilton Island. The locals know it but few others do. In many senses it’s a large resort on its own dedicated island but the feel is more of a small, tropical town.

It’s a small slice of paradise. A quaint marina is the central hub for restaurants, bars and cafes and just a few hundred metres the other side of the island is the beach. It’s quiet, peaceful and tranquil with crystal clear, bath temperature sea which you’ll struggle to get out of. Waist height for seemingly miles out, it feels like the shoreline here is a giant pool.

Accommodation on the island comes in the form of hotels, private bungalows and villas. The super exclusive Qualia resort is tucked away on the far north of the island and offers high-end, luxury beach villas and accommodation. Guests staying in Villas get complimentary use of one of the Islands 300+ golf buggies – which is the main form of transport on the island – although, anyone can hire one of these per hour, day or overnight for additional fees and QLD state driving laws apply. They are a great way to navigate the island freely however shuttle busses do circle the island and operate up until around 11pm.

Most of the activities and excursions on the island, unsurprisingly favour the water. Day trips to and around the Whitsunday islands, Great Barrier Reef and nearby Airlie Beach can be taken from the Marina as well as scuba diving, snorkelling, jet ski and speed boat rides. With that said, the island also boasts some fantastic (and free!) bush walks through and around the southern point of the island. Around 75% of the island remains undeveloped and uninhabited here and the views and trails are stunning. Head up to Passage Peak, this is the highest point and what I consider to be the best views on the island.

The island sits just off the Eastern Coast of Queensland in-between Cairns and Brisbane and is accessible by air through any domestic carrier. Boats do also run back to the main land from here and Hamilton Island often serves as a connection for Airlie Beach.

Final Thoughts

Back to the golf! Hamilton Island Golf Club is one that should be on any golfers bucket list. The championship golf course offers unparalleled views that I am yet to come across at any other golf course I have visited. The quality of the course is world-class and the service is UAE standard, for those who have golfed over there, you will understand. Your bags are handled from when you board the boat and you won’t need to touch them again until you step out of your cart at the 1st tee.

Island transfers and cart hire are all included in the green fees – which, when you compare to the extortionate rates of European and American golf courses, it’s simply a steal! I can’t think of anywhere to this calibre that offer such an amazing experience for such little money!

Due to the golf courses limited access and only really being available to those staying on Hamilton Island, often the course is fairly quiet which is a great contrast from the usual resort tracks. This is also a reason you’ll be unlikely to see any tour events staged here.

The package as a whole, staying on Hamilton Island and Golfing on Dent Island is something that will have you coming back time after time (or at least wishing you could). If you are travelling to Australia or in Australia looking for somewhere different, Hamilton Island is somewhere you simply must consider!

Number of Holes: 18

Course Par: 71

Green Fee: Approx. £63 – 9 Holes | £91 – 18 Holes

Buggy Hire: Included in Green Fee

Practice Facilities: Aqua Driving Range, Practice Greens, Hitting Nets

Nearest Town: Hamilton Island

Nearest Airport: Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI)

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Hamilton Island Golf Club

Hamilton Island Golf Club

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