Golf in Perth
The most isolated capital in the world is a year round golf city, with the storied bushland of Lake Karrinyup, the resort golf of Joondalup and a run of modern coastal links along the Indian Ocean to the south. The courses that matter, the warm dry seasons, the costs and how to plan a trip.
Photograph: Lake Karrinyup Country Club, via Google
Why golf in Perth
Perth is the great undiscovered golf city of Australia. While Melbourne's sandbelt draws the world's attention, Western Australia's capital quietly offers a Mediterranean climate, sandy soils that drain fast and stay firm, and a spread of courses that runs from a classic 1920s bushland test to brand new ocean links. At the top sits Lake Karrinyup Country Club, founded in 1928 and routed through natural bush north of the city, where kangaroos graze the fairways and the greens are widely rated the best in Perth. It is a private members' club and has hosted European Tour golf, but it sets the standard the rest of the city plays to.
For the travelling golfer, the appeal is the variety within an easy radius and the sheer reliability of the weather. The Robert Trent Jones Junior designed Joondalup Resort, with its dramatic quarry holes, gives visitors a championship round to the north, while to the south the Peel coast around Mandurah and Dawesville has become a genuine links destination, with the Cut and Secret Harbour both laid out in the duneland beside the Indian Ocean. Add the inland scenery of Araluen in the Perth Hills, the wine country of the Swan Valley and the beaches and the relaxed pace of the most sun blessed capital in the country, and Perth makes a rewarding base for a golf trip that few outside Australia have on their radar.
The areas
The northern suburbs
The coastal belt north of the river around Joondalup and Karrinyup, home to Lake Karrinyup and the Joondalup Resort, the heart of Perth's better golf and an easy run up the freeway from the city.
The Peel coast
The duneland coast south around Mandurah and Dawesville, where the Cut and Secret Harbour deliver modern links golf beside the Indian Ocean, the closest thing in WA to a links pilgrimage.
The Perth Hills
The Darling Range east of the city, home to the scenic Araluen Golf Resort among the jarrah forest, a cooler, greener inland round with a change of scenery from the coast.
The river and the city
The Swan River suburbs and the metro courses, with established parkland clubs and good public golf within minutes of the centre, ideal for a round between sightseeing days.
The Swan Valley
Perth's oldest wine region just north east of the city, an easy non golf day of cellar doors, breweries and long lunches to balance the rounds.
The south west
The Margaret River region a few hours south, with surf, vineyards and golf at Bunbury and beyond, a natural extension for a longer Western Australia road trip.
The courses that matter
Lake Karrinyup Country Club
The best course in Perth, a classic bushland layout established in 1928 with the most admired greens in the city and resident kangaroos on the fairways. A private members' club that has hosted European Tour events; the benchmark for WA golf.
Joondalup Resort
Perth's marquee visitor round, a 27 hole Robert Trent Jones Junior design famous for its dramatic Quarry nine, with the Lake and Dune loops completing the set. A championship test attached to a resort, open to guests and visitors.
The Cut
A modern coastal links opened in 2005, designed by James Wilcher in the duneland beside the Dawesville Channel south of Mandurah, with firm turf and ocean wind. The standout public links round in Western Australia.
Secret Harbour Golf Links
A Graham Marsh design from 1999 that channels traditional Scottish links golf on the sandy coast south of Perth, links turf, pot bunkers and sea breezes, a well regarded and accessible public round.
Araluen Golf Resort
A scenic inland resort course set among the jarrah forest and terraced gardens of the Darling Range east of the city, cooler and greener than the coast, with a relaxed stay and play feel and a complete change of scenery.
The metro public courses
Perth's deep field of public and municipal golf, from the 36 holes at Wembley to riverside layouts close to the centre, the everyday game that makes a city break easy to combine with golf.
Course details verified June 2026. Lake Karrinyup is a private members' club and not open to general public play; Joondalup, the Cut, Secret Harbour and Araluen welcome visitors. The original Links Kennedy Bay has been earmarked for redevelopment and a Graham Marsh redesign, so confirm its status before planning. Always confirm availability and rates directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| September to November (spring) | Warm and dry, around 20 to 28 degrees Celsius, wildflowers inland | The prime window, the most comfortable golf and the most beautiful time to travel |
| March to May (autumn) | Warm and settled, cooling from the summer heat | Excellent golf, quieter courses and reliable conditions, the connoisseur's choice |
| December to February (summer) | Hot and very dry, often in the 30s Celsius | Playable with early tee times; afternoons can be fierce, so start at dawn |
| June to August (winter) | Mild and the wettest part of the year, around 18 degrees Celsius | Green fairways and quiet, cheaper golf between rain showers |
Perth's Mediterranean climate means golf all year, but spring from September to November and autumn from March to May are the sweet spots, with warm, dry, settled weather. Summer is hot and best played early in the day, while winter is mild and the wettest season. Always confirm conditions before you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resort and links green fee | Around A$70 to A$150 | Joondalup, the Cut and Secret Harbour, season and time of day dependent |
| Metro public green fee | From around A$40 | Wembley, Point Walter and the city courses, the everyday Perth game |
| Cart hire | Around A$40 to A$50 | Optional at most courses; walking is common |
| A trip, all in | Around A$1,500 to A$3,500 per person | Hotel, several rounds, a car and transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown in Australian dollars to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Resort stay and play packages are often the best value. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Perth Airport is the gateway, with direct flights from across Australia and from a growing list of Asian, Middle Eastern and European hubs, including the long haul direct service from London. The city is famously isolated, which is part of the appeal, and once you arrive everything is close by Australian standards: the northern golf around Joondalup is a half hour up the freeway, the Peel coast courses at Mandurah and Dawesville around 45 minutes to an hour south, and the Perth Hills a similar drive east. A hire car is essential to link the courses and to reach the Swan Valley and the south west, and the roads are fast and uncrowded.
Where to stay
The simplest base is central Perth or the riverside and beach suburbs, putting the city's restaurants, the Swan River and Cottesloe and Scarborough beaches within reach while keeping the metro and northern courses an easy drive. For a golf focused trip, Joondalup Resort to the north and Araluen in the hills both offer stay and play on site, and the Mandurah area to the south makes a relaxed coastal base for the links at the Cut and Secret Harbour. One planner can match the base to your courses, your group and your dates, and fold in the beaches, the wine and a run south to Margaret River.
Plan your Perth golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Perth golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Perth?
Perth has a Mediterranean climate and golf is a year round game, but the most comfortable conditions come in spring, from September to November, and autumn, from March to May, when temperatures are warm and rain is rare. Summer, from December to February, is hot and very dry, often in the 30s Celsius, with early morning tee times the smart play. Winter, from June to August, is mild and the wettest part of the year, with green fairways and quiet courses.
What is the best golf course in Perth?
Lake Karrinyup Country Club, established in 1928 and routed through natural bushland north of the city, is the highest ranked course in Perth and one of the best in Western Australia, though it is a private members' club. Among courses open to visitors, the Robert Trent Jones Junior designed Joondalup Resort and the modern coastal links at the Cut near Dawesville and Secret Harbour to the south are the standouts. Araluen in the Perth Hills adds a scenic inland round.
How much does a Perth golf trip cost in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at the better public and resort courses around Perth such as Joondalup, the Cut and Secret Harbour run from around 70 to 150 Australian dollars, with resort stay and play packages offering the best value. Public and municipal courses in the metro area are considerably cheaper. A multi day Perth and Peel golf trip with accommodation and several rounds typically lands between 1,500 and 3,500 Australian dollars per head excluding flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
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