Luxury Vacation & Golf Tours — Best of AU Golf
Luxury Vacation & Golf Tours — Best of AU Golf
A Gem in South Australia
Located in Grange, South Australia, The Grange Golf Club boasts two courses of exceptional quality and history. With designs by some of the biggest names in golf architecture, the club continues to captivate golfers with its unique blend of challenge and charm. Let’s dive into what makes The Grange a must-visit destination for golf enthusiasts.
The 1920s saw a surge in golf course development in Adelaide’s western suburbs, rivaling the renowned Melbourne Sandbelt. During this time, three world-class clubs—Kooyonga (1922), Glenelg (1926), and The Grange (1926)—emerged, along with the redesign of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club by Dr. Alister MacKenzie.
The Grange was the last of Adelaide’s “big four” to open, transforming reclaimed land once deemed unfit for agriculture into a golfer’s paradise. Local enthusiasts leased 120 acres of sandy, swampy land and nurtured it into a course of distinction, laying the foundation for what it is today
From Vern Morcom to Mike Clayton
In the early 1950s, Vern Morcom, a celebrated designer and superintendent at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath, was tasked with redesigning The Grange’s West Course. Over the next decade, tees and greens were rebuilt, and fairways reshaped. However, by the late 20th century, overgrown trees compromised the strategic essence of Morcom’s design.
Enter Mike Clayton. Commissioned to revitalize the course for the 2008 World Amateur Team Championship, Clayton’s redesign brought fresh life to the West Course. His approach emphasized playability and strategy over sheer difficulty. By removing excessive tree growth, reshaping fairways, and adding strategic bunkers, Clayton restored the course’s original charm while enhancing its modern appeal.
The East Course, originally designed by Vern Morcom, became the stage for Greg Norman’s first professional tournament victory in 1976. Decades later, Norman returned to leave his mark on the course with a thoughtful redesign. His updates modernized the layout, offering variety and intrigue to match its West Course counterpart.
While the East shares similar terrain and length with the West, Norman’s redesign introduced bold bunkering, dynamic green complexes, and strategic challenges. Greens feature a mix of mild slopes, steep tiers, and drop-offs, rewarding precise play while accommodating bold approaches.
Today, The Grange Golf Club proudly offers two courses ranked among Australia’s finest. Clayton’s West Course is celebrated for its strategic brilliance, while Norman’s East Course is renowned for its bold, distinctive features and its role as the home of LIV Golf Adelaide.
Whether you’re drawn to the history of Vern Morcom’s original designs or the modern updates by Clayton and Norman, The Grange promises a golf experience that blends tradition with innovation.
To learn more or book your visit, contact us!
