Bonnie Doon
On sandy heath in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Bonnie Doon has been reborn. Originally laid out in 1947 with Eric Apperly involved, the course was reimagined by the modern firm of Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead into a wide, firm, sandbelt style links of about 5,950 metres, par 71, that punches far above its modest length.
Photo: Bonnie Doon Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Bonnie Doon is one of the best stories in modern Australian golf. The club has roots back to the 1900s and moved to its current sand based site at Pagewood in 1947, when a layout involving Lance Giddings and the noted amateur architect Eric Apperly took shape on the dunes and heath of Sydney’s east. Decades later the star Australian design firm of Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead reworked it into the wide, strategic, ground game course it is today.
The genius is in the use of the sandy soil: firm, fast fairways, sprawling natural looking bunkers, and greens that invite the running approach and reward the player who finds the right angle. At about 5,950 metres and par 71 it is not long, but width and angles do the defending, and on firm turf it is a constant strategic puzzle. It belongs in any serious conversation about Sydney golf and pairs beautifully with the city’s sandbelt and coastal courses.
Bonnie Doon Golf Club at a glance
- Established here
- 1947
- Designer
- Apperly; OCCM redesign
- Type
- Sandbelt style links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 5,950 m
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Bonnie Doon Golf Club and leading course databases. The club moved to its Pagewood site in 1947 with a layout involving Lance Giddings and Eric Apperly, and was redesigned by Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead into a sandbelt style course of about 5,950 metres, par 71. Bonnie Doon is a private members club, open to members and their guests; there is no standard public green fee, so always confirm access arrangements directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
Bonnie Doon is a masterclass in doing a great deal with a compact, sandy site. The fairways are generous, but width here is a question rather than an answer: the bold line near a bunker or the firm edge of a fairway opens the best angle into greens that fall away and feed the ball in interesting directions.
The bunkering is the visual signature, ragged and natural in the sandbelt manner, framing fairways and greens and demanding a decision on almost every tee. The ground game is alive on the firm couch turf, so the player who can run an approach in and control the bounce has a real edge over the one who only flies it.
The short par 4s are the heart of the design, each offering a tempting gamble off the tee, and the green complexes throughout reward precise pace and the right miss. It is golf that gets more interesting the more you play it, a thinking player’s course that has rightly become one of Sydney’s most admired layouts.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club in Sydney’s eastern suburbs; play is for members and their guests |
| Green fee | No standard public green fee; any visitor play is arranged as a member’s guest or via reciprocal arrangements (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Contact the club in advance; an introduction through a member or a golf travel specialist helps secure access |
| On the day | Walking is easy on the compact sand based layout; smart golf attire; caddies are not standard |
| Getting there | Pagewood in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, about 20 minutes from the city and close to the airport |
| Best months | Year round golf; spring and autumn offer the firmest, fastest sandbelt conditions |
Access details verified June 2026; Bonnie Doon is private and policies change, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves in central Sydney or the eastern beaches, both within easy reach of Bonnie Doon and full of excellent hotels, dining and the wider attractions of one of the world’s great cities. A city or beachside base puts the course and the airport within a short drive.
For a golf focused trip, Sydney’s eastern suburbs let you build a multi course run alongside the city’s other sand based and coastal courses, and the region pairs naturally with a wider New South Wales or Melbourne sandbelt itinerary.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Bonnie Doon Golf Club.
Build a Sydney golf trip
We secure access where arrangements allow, pair Bonnie Doon with the best of Sydney golf and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Bonnie Doon Golf Club questions
Who designed Bonnie Doon Golf Club?
The club moved to its current Pagewood site in 1947 with a layout involving Lance Giddings and the amateur architect Eric Apperly. It was later reimagined by the modern firm Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead into the sandbelt style course played today.
What is the par and length of Bonnie Doon?
Bonnie Doon plays to a par of 71 over about 5,950 metres. It is short by modern standards, but width, firm turf and angles make it a strong strategic test.
Is Bonnie Doon a sandbelt course?
It is built on sandy soil in Sydney and plays in the sandbelt style, with firm fast fairways, natural bunkering and a strong ground game, though the famous Melbourne sandbelt clubs are in Victoria.
Can visitors play Bonnie Doon?
Bonnie Doon is a private members club, open to members and their guests. Visitor play is generally arranged through a member or a golf travel specialist, so confirm access directly before planning a trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026. Bonnie Doon is private; access arrangements verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.