Federal Golf Club
Carved into the eucalypt slopes of the Red Hill nature reserve, Federal is the bushland gem of the national capital. A par 72 ranked among Australia's top 100, it trades the manicured grandeur of its neighbor Royal Canberra for a wilder, more natural beauty, with kangaroos on the fairways at dusk. Best of all for the traveller, it welcomes visitors.
Photo: Anthony Sinclair via Google.
The verdict
Federal is the course that lets the traveller in. While Canberra's headline club, Royal Canberra, is strictly private, Federal sits a few kilometres away on the wooded slopes of the Red Hill nature reserve and warmly welcomes visitors, which makes it the smart choice for a golfer passing through the capital. That it is also a genuinely excellent course, ranked among Australia's top 100, is the happy bonus.
The character here is bushland rather than parkland. The present layout was shaped by Prosper Ellis and opened in 1967, after the club's earlier Red Hill holes were set out by the Scottish professional James Herd Scott. Eucalypts crowd the corridors, the ground tumbles naturally across the hillside, and native wildlife, kangaroos especially, is part of the experience at dawn and dusk. It is a par 72 of around 6,240 yards that asks for accuracy and imagination, and it rewards the visitor with a true Australian bush golf experience close to the city.
Federal Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1967
- Designer
- Prosper Ellis
- Type
- Bushland
- Par
- 72
- Length
- About 6,240 yd
- Access
- Members and visitors
Design history, par and length verified June 2026 from Federal Golf Club and leading course databases. The present course was designed by Prosper Ellis and opened in 1967, with the club's first Red Hill holes laid out by James Herd Scott; it plays as a par 72 of around 6,240 yards. Federal is a private members club that welcomes visitors and green fee play; rates are seasonal and indicative for 2026, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Federal is a course of slopes and trees. Set on the side of Red Hill, almost every hole works with the gradient, asking you to judge uphill and downhill shots and to flight the ball under or around the eucalypts that line the fairways. There is little room for the loose drive, and the premium is firmly on position and a controlled trajectory rather than length, the classic demand of good bushland golf.
The greens are the heart of the test, many of them small, sloping targets that sit naturally into the hillside and run quick and true. Approach play has to account for the lie of the land and the run of the ball, and the short game gets a thorough examination around the close mown surrounds. The par 3s are memorable, several played across folds in the terrain, and the routing makes clever use of the elevation for views out over the bush and the city beyond.
It is a course that grows on you. The conditioning is excellent for a club of its size, the atmosphere is friendly and unhurried, and the sense of playing through native bush, with kangaroos grazing nearby in the soft light, gives Federal a charm that few city courses can match. For the visiting golfer it is the most rewarding round in Canberra you can actually book.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club that welcomes visitors and green fee play, making it the most accessible of Canberra's leading courses |
| How to play | Book a visitor tee time through the club or pro shop; member's guests and reciprocal players are also welcome, and the club can arrange group bookings |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 green fees are moderate for a top 100 course; check current weekday and weekend visitor rates when you book |
| On the day | A walkable but hilly bushland course; carts are available, smart golf attire and soft spikes expected, and accuracy rewarded over power |
| Getting there | Red Hill, only a few minutes south of central Canberra and close to the parliamentary precinct and the airport |
| Best months | Spring and autumn are ideal; Canberra summers are warm and dry, winters cold with possible frost delays on early tee times |
Access and fees verified June 2026 against Federal Golf Club; the club welcomes visitors but rates and policies are seasonal and change, so always confirm the current price and tee time directly before booking. See our Australia green fees guide for the wider picture.
Where to stay nearby
Federal's location on Red Hill keeps you minutes from the centre of Canberra, so the city's hotels are all close at hand. Stay around Kingston, Barton or Manuka for boutique and luxury options near the lake, the restaurants and the national attractions, and you can be on the first tee within a short drive.
For the golfer, Federal is the accessible half of a Canberra pairing with Royal Canberra at Yarralumla, the capital's top ranked but private layout. A short golf break can take in both, alongside the Canberra District wineries and cool climate cellar doors, the national galleries and the parliamentary sights, an easy and rewarding city escape.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around central Canberra.
Build a Canberra golf trip
We pair Federal Golf Club with Royal Canberra and the capital's wineries and galleries, and sort the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Federal Golf Club questions
Who designed Federal Golf Club?
The present Federal course was designed by Prosper Ellis and opened in 1967. The club's earlier holes at Red Hill were laid out by the Scottish professional James Herd Scott. It plays as a par 72 bushland course on the slopes of the Red Hill nature reserve.
What is the par and length of Federal Golf Club?
Federal plays as a par 72 of around 6,240 yards. It is a hilly bushland layout where eucalypts line the fairways and small, sloping greens place a premium on accuracy and trajectory over raw length.
Can visitors play Federal Golf Club?
Yes. Although it is a private members club, Federal welcomes visitors and green fee play, which makes it the most accessible of Canberra's leading courses. Book a visitor tee time through the club, and confirm seasonal green fees directly before booking.
How does Federal compare to Royal Canberra?
Royal Canberra at Yarralumla is the capital's top ranked course but strictly private, while Federal at Red Hill is a top 100 bushland course that welcomes visitors. Federal is the round most travelling golfers can actually book, and the two pair naturally on a short Canberra trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par, length, access and seasonal fee context verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.