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TRAVEL FEATUREPar excellence in Queensland Danny Gocs 
MANY of Queensland’s golf courses are ranked among the best in Australia, but it is their location -– often at a luxury resort with a spa -– that makes them so popular. So pack the golf clubs and head off for a round of golf, Queensland style. Start off on the Sunshine Coast at Hyatt Regency Coolum, which is the home of the Australian PGA Championship. One of the most picturesque courses in Australia with Mount Coolum in the background, this 18-hole course offers a big challenge with plenty of water hazards. Of course, Hyatt Regency Coolum is much more than golf with nine swimming pools, tennis, a surf beach and kids club. The spa is currently undergoing a major upgrade. And where else would you stay but one of the golf villas that border many of the holes, or the luxurious Ambassador Club villas set in an exclusive corner of the resort. Noosa Springs Resort is situated only a few kilometres from the heart of Noosa and next to the Noosa National Park. It features Noosa’s only 18-hole international championship golf course in a beautiful setting, but is not too intimidating for a casual player. And after a round of golf, relax in the resort spa which is acclaimed as one of the most luxurious spas in Australia. Features include a hydro-massage pool, massage rooms, beauty salon, fitness centre, outdoor pool, floodlit tennis courts, restaurant and bar. Accommodation is in spacious self-contained apartments with a terrace and balcony that overlook the first fairway. In the beautiful Whitsundays, all the family can learn to play golf at Club Med Lindeman Island on its nine-hole course situated on the highest part of the island. Tee off to magnificent views of the Whitsunday Passage -– lessons, equipment and green fees are all included as part of Club Med’s holiday package. After enjoying a round of golf, relax by the pool, play tennis and archery or indulge in a more adventurous activity such as flying the high trapeze at the circus school. Dining is one of the biggest delights at Club Med, with meals that are more like banquets. Beer and wine are included free with the meals. Head to tropical northern Queensland for a choice of top quality golf courses at Port Douglas and Palm Cove. Only 15 minutes drive north of Cairns is the Paradise Palms Country Club at Kewarra Beach. Paradise Palms offers a combination of sweeping fairways, narrow undulating greens and 94 bunkers. Although the 18-hole course is challenging,the golf is relaxed with a casual dress code. One of the best-known golf courses in Port Douglas is the Mirage Country Club next door to the Sheraton Mirage resort. Practice your swing at the aquatic driving range before tackling the 18-hole international standard course designed by the renowned Peter Thomson. You definitely need a golf buggy to get around this sprawling course -– some of the greens are close to the villas, but others seem as if they are in the hinterland surrounded by forest. Also in Port Douglas is the Sea Temple Golf Club, situated near the luxurious Sea Temple Resort and Spa. This challenging 18-hole championship links-style course, which opened in 2000, has a backdrop of mountains and rainforest. It also has a unique hazard – crocodiles have been sighted in the water hazards! It’s certainly a talking point among golfers when they see the warning sign on the fairway. After a round of golf take a break in the club house, with wide timber verandahs and sweeping views across the course.
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