Neighbours in Sydney inner south-eastern suburbs The Australian Golf Club and The Lakes Golf Club will play host as the ISPS HANDA Australian Open’s new mixed-gender format is unveiled in New South Wales for the first time after its successful debut in Melbourne in 2022.

The Australian and The Lakes are regarded as two of the finest golf courses in the country and each venue has a rich history of staging prominent events on the Australian golfing calendar. The Australian hosted the very first men’s Australian Open in 1904 and 29 Australian Opens have been played at the two venues:

The Australian:

• 21 x Men’s Australian Opens

  • 1904, 1908, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1937, 1949, 1959, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1990, 1996, 2004, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019

• 1 x Women’s Australian Open

  • 1975

The Lakes:

• 7 x Men’s Australian Opens

  • 1964, 1980, 1992, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018

The honour roll at both venues contains major champions from Australia and around the world with the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Jordan Spieth, Steve Elkington, Greg Norman, David Graham, Kel Nagle and Geoff Ogilvy all having lifted the Stonehaven Cup at either course.

The Australian will host the weekend action this year and its current layout is set to be a stellar test for the nation’s best players and the international stars that come to our shores.

Moderate undulations and water hazards are the key features of The Australian’s layout which was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1977 with media tycoon Kerry Packer meeting the costs of the work.

Nicklaus reviewed the design in 2011 and the upgrades suggested in his master plan were completed in 2013.

Competitors will play one of their opening two rounds at The Lakes and the often-windswept course that boasts 97 bunkers, an abundance of sandy wastelands and many water hazards is regarded as an imposing championship venue.

In 2007, the team from Ogilvy Clayton design conducted a major redesign of the course to make it what it is today after earlier designs from renowned golf course architects Robert Von Hagge, Eric Apperly and Tom Howard.

Course records

• The Australian Golf Club

  • Men’s (par 72): Rod Pampling – 61 (2015)

  • Women’s (par TBC): Jo Anne Carner, Sandra McCaw and Anne Alletson – 74 (1975)

• The Lakes Golf Club

  • Men’s (par 72): John Senden – 63 (2011)

  • Women’s: N/A