Nullarbor Links facts for kids
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 |
| Website | Nullarbor Links |
| Designed by | Robert Stock (consultant) |
| Par | 72 |
Nullarbor Links is a super long golf course in Australia. It has 18 holes and stretches for 1,365 kilometers (about 848 miles)! People call it "the World's Longest Golf Course." It goes across the Nullarbor Plain in southern Australia, connecting South Australia and Western Australia.
Contents
History of the Nullarbor Links
How the Idea Started
Two friends, Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno, came up with the idea. They were part of the Eyre Highway Operators Association. They thought of it at the Balladonia Roadhouse.
Bob wanted to help people traveling on the highway. He hoped the golf course would make them stop and rest. This would also help them avoid getting too tired while driving.
When It Opened
They started planning the course in 2006. The Nullarbor Links officially opened on October 22, 2009.
By 2022, over 20,000 people had officially played the course. They bought a special scorecard to get stamped at each stop. Many more people have played without buying a scorecard.
About the Nullarbor Links Course
Where the Course Begins
The course starts or ends in two different towns. One is Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, a gold mining town. The other is Ceduna, South Australia, a town by the coast.
A golf expert named Robert Stock helped design the course. He is from Manchester, England.
Unique Holes and Features
The course has 18 holes. Seven of these holes are part of golf courses that already existed. The other 11 holes were built new at different roadhouses and stops along the highway.
The new holes have special artificial grass for the tee and green. The land between the holes is natural desert. The holes are about 66 kilometers (41 miles) apart on average. The longest gap between holes is almost 200 kilometers (124 miles)!
What You Might See
One hole is right in the middle of a sheep station. You can see the shearing shed and sheep while you play!
You might also see some unusual "hazards" on the course. These include crows, emus, and kangaroos. There are also three types of poisonous snakes, wedge-tailed eagles, and wombat holes. It can also get very hot, sometimes over 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day.
| 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 Nullarbor Links
How to Play
You can play the course starting from either end. In June 2013, a scorecard cost A$70. You can buy one in Ceduna or Kalgoorlie.
You can bring your own golf clubs or rent them at each hole. To protect the natural environment, players must place their golf balls on a tee when hitting from the fairway. Also, you should not drive vehicles on the fairways.
Get Your Certificate
Once you finish playing all 18 holes, you can show your completed scorecard. Then, you will receive a special Nullarbor Links Certificate! This certificate proves you played "the World’s Longest Golf Course."
Tournaments at Nullarbor Links
Chasing the Sun Tournament
The Nullarbor Links hosts a golf tournament called "Chasing the Sun." This tournament started in 2009.
It has been held every September since it began. However, it was paused in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Images for kids
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Hole 6: Border Kangaroo, Border Village, South Australia, 2012.
