Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club

The verdict

Stonecutters Ridge is the course that brought a Greg Norman signature to Sydney. Set at Colebee in the rolling hills of the city's west, with the Blue Mountains as a backdrop, it opened in August 2012 as the only Norman design in the metropolitan area and was conceived with the ambition of ranking among Australia's top 100 courses. The Norman team used the natural ridgelines and falls of the land to shape a layout with width off the tee and interest around the greens, the modern strategic style that has become the designer's hallmark.

What sets it apart for the traveling golfer is access. Where so many of Sydney's best courses sit behind private membership, Stonecutters Ridge offers public play, so you can simply book a tee time and test yourself against a genuine championship design. At a par 71 of about 6,257 metres with a slope of around 134, it has enough teeth to satisfy the low handicapper while remaining playable and enjoyable for the visiting group, a rare combination in the Sydney market.

The holes worth the trip

The Norman design makes the most of the site's movement. Fairways are generous from the tee, in keeping with the philosophy that the better player should be rewarded for choosing the right line rather than simply for hitting it straight, but the second shot is where the course bites. Greens are set into the natural contours and defended by well placed bunkering and runoffs, so the approach demands thought about angle and the miss you can live with. Position off the tee sets up everything that follows.

The ridgeline routing gives the round variety and some memorable vantage points, with holes that play uphill and down across the rolling country and several greens that sit against a backdrop of the western skyline. The par 3s call for crisp iron play to firm targets, and the closing holes offer both risk and reward, the kind of finish that lets a match swing late. From the back tees the par 71 plays as a full test, while the forward markers keep it fun for the social group.

Because it is a modern course on open land, Stonecutters Ridge can play firm and breezy, adding the run and wind management that good golf demands. For the visiting golfer the appeal is straightforward: a credible Greg Norman championship layout, kept in good order, that you can actually book and play without the barriers of private membership.

Where to stay nearby

Stonecutters Ridge sits in Sydney's growing west, with hotels around Rouse Hill, Penrith and the Norwest business park within an easy drive, handy bases if your trip leans toward the western suburbs or a day in the Blue Mountains. For most visitors, though, the course works best as a round added to a city-based trip, reached in under an hour from central Sydney.

For the golfer, its public access makes Stonecutters Ridge a useful complement to the private championship clubs across town. Build a Sydney itinerary that pairs it with the historic tests of The Australian and Royal Sydney and the bushland of Terrey Hills, and you have a varied few days that mixes the easy-to-book with the hard-to-get-on.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around western Sydney.