Nullarbor Links is an 18 hole par 72 golf course, said to be "the World's Longest Golf course", situated along 1,365 kilometres of the Eyre Highway that crosses the southern coast of Australia in two states (Western Australia and South Australia), notably crossing the Nullarbor Plain at the head of the Great Australian Bight.
The idea for the course came from Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno, both
active in the Eyre Highway Operators Association, over a bottle of red
wine at the Balladonia Roadhouse. The course officially opened on 22-10-2009, although public play began on 15-08-2009.
The course begins and ends (depending on the direction of crossing) in the goldmining town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia and the coastal town of Ceduna, South Australia. Professional golfer Robert Stock, from Manchester, England, consulted on the design that incorporates 7 holes from existing courses and 11 holes created at roadhouses and roadside stops. Newly constructed holes have tees and greens that use artificial grass, with natural desert land between.
- The shortest hole (Brumby's Run) is 125 metres, par 3.
- The longest hole (Dingo's Den) is 538 metres, par 5.
- The average distance between holes is 66 kilometres.
- Two of the holes are almost 200 kilometres apart.
- The 520m, par 5 Wombat Hole commemorates the nearby, largest colony of Southern Hairy Nosed Wombats.
- The Skylab Hole at Balladonia commemorates that pieces of the spacecraft fell in the area in 1979 when Skylab entered Earth's atmosphere.
- The Don Harrington Tee at Border Village, South Australia is named after the late Don Harrington who was a major shareholder of five roadhouses along the highway before passing away in March 2010
Players (travellers) use a score card purchased in Kalgoorlie or Ceduna for $70
(as of June 2013) and play holes at various sites along the continental
road. On presenting the completed card they can claim a certificate for
playing "the World’s Longest Golf course."
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