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 |
The Nullarbor Links is an amazing 18-hole golf course in Australia. It's known as the world's longest golf course! It stretches for 1,365 kilometers (about 848 miles) along the Eyre Highway. This unique course crosses the Nullarbor Plain in both South Australia and Western Australia.
Contents
How the Nullarbor Links Started
The idea for this super long golf course came from two friends, Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno. They were part of the Eyre Highway Operators Association. They thought of it while chatting at the Balladonia Roadhouse.
They wanted to make the very long drive across the Nullarbor Plain more fun. It also helped drivers stay awake and alert. This unique course also brought more visitors to the roadhouses along the highway.
A study was done in 2006 to see if the idea was possible. People started playing the course in August 2009. The Nullarbor Links officially opened on October 22, 2009. By 2022, over 20,000 travelers had officially played the course. Many more played without buying a scorecard.
Exploring the Nullarbor Golf Course
This incredible golf course starts and ends in two different towns. One end is in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, a gold mining town. The other end is in Ceduna, South Australia, a coastal town. You can play it in either direction!
Course Design and Features
A professional golfer named Robert Stock helped design the course. He's from Manchester, England. The course uses 7 holes from existing golf clubs. The other 11 holes were specially made at roadhouses and stops along the highway.
The holes built just for Nullarbor Links have special artificial grass for the tees and greens. The land between the holes is natural desert. The holes are far apart, with an average distance of 66 kilometers (about 41 miles). The longest gap between two holes is almost 200 kilometers (about 124 miles)!
Unique Challenges on the Course
Playing golf here is very different from other places. The course has many unusual natural hazards. You might see crows, emus, and kangaroos. There are also three types of dangerous venomous snakes. Wedge-tailed eagles fly overhead, and you might find wombat holes.
Another challenge is the weather. Temperatures can get very hot, sometimes over 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day!
| Hole | Name | Length | Par | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hole 1 | Oyster Beds | 485 m | 5 | Ceduna Golf Club, Ceduna, South Australia |
| Hole 2 | Denial Bay | 370 m | 4 | Ceduna Golf Club, Ceduna, South Australia |
| Hole 3 | Windmills | 260 m | 4 | Penong Golf Course, Penong, South Australia |
| Hole 4 | Wombat Hole | 520 m | 5 | Nundroo Roadhouse, Nundroo, South Australia |
| Hole 5 | Dingo's Den | 538 m | 5 | Nullarbor Roadhouse, Nullarbor, South Australia |
| Hole 6 | Border Kangaroo | 160 m | 3 | Border Village Roadhouse, Border Village, South Australia |
| Hole 7 | Nullarbor Nymph | 315 m | 4 | Eucla Golf Course, Eucla, Western Australia |
| Hole 8 | Watering Hole | 330 m | 4 | Mundrabilla Roadhouse, Mundrabilla, Western Australia |
| Hole 9 | Brumby's Run | 125 m | 3 | Madura Roadhouse, Madura, Western Australia |
| Hole 10 | Eagles Nest | 347 m | 4 | Cocklebiddy Roadhouse, Cocklebiddy, Western Australia |
| Hole 11 | 90 Mile Straight | 310 m | 4 | Caiguna Roadhouse, Caiguna, Western Australia |
| Hole 12 | Skylab | 175 m | 3 | Balladonia Roadhouse, Balladonia, Western Australia |
| Hole 13 | Golden Horse | 385 m | 4 | Norseman Golf Club, Norseman, Western Australia |
| Hole 14 | Ngadju | 463 m | 5 | Norseman Golf Club, Norseman, Western Australia |
| Hole 15 | Golden Eagle | 110 m | 3 | Widgiemooltha Roadhouse, Widgiemooltha, Western Australia |
| Hole 16 | Silver Lake | 392 m | 4 | Kambalda Golf Club, Kambalda, Western Australia |
| Hole 17 | Golden Mile | 502 m | 5 | Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia |
| Hole 18 | CY O'Connor | 356 m | 4 | Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia |
Playing the Nullarbor Links Course
To play, you can buy a scorecard in Ceduna or Kalgoorlie. As of December 2023, it cost A$70, plus an $8 fee for course upkeep. You can bring your own golf clubs or rent them at each hole.
To protect the natural environment, players must tee their balls up on the fairways. They are also asked not to drive vehicles on the fairways. Once you finish all 18 holes and get your card stamped, you receive a special certificate. It proves you played "the World’s Longest Golf Course"!
Nullarbor Links Tournaments
The Nullarbor Links hosts a golf tournament called "Chasing the Sun." This event first started in 2009. It has been held every September since then. However, it was paused in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 tournament took place from May 1 to May 10.
See also
- List of links golf courses
