Not for a moment in looking back over the past 30-years when I lost my then full-time job working for a politician following the governments defeat in an Australian State election and then bizarrely two days later winning a golf tournament promotion, would I have thought in becoming a full-time golf journalist that it would have led to me now having played golf in 47 different countries (As of 1st November, 2024).

My first round of golf in growing up in northern Sydney suburb of Willoughby was at the nine-hole Castlecove Country Club and where was father was a member.  I was also a late starter to golf and finding my way into golf in my mid-20s.

In mentioning Castlecove, and where my father is honoured on the 4th hole with a rock he brought back from St. Andrews in Scotland and that was mounted in a plaque that proudly is on display, the course also is special to me as I had my first-ever hole-in-one at the par-3 third hole.

Willoughby is a northern Sydney suburb and, of note, it was also the home to fellow Aussie Shay Knight who caddies for Norwegian superstar Viktor Hovland.

This Sydney suburb was central to where many of our post-school friends lived and our interest in golf led to the formation of a social club in March, 1979 when four of those who we shared a wee beverage regularly on a Saturday afternoon within the Bridgeview Hotel in Willoughby, left us and headed south to the sleepy town of Bowral, birthplace of cricketing legend Don Bradman, to play golf over the weekend.

Born out of the visit to Bowral was the Willoughby Laurels Social Golf Club and we labelled the ‘four’ who headed off to leave all their friends in the pub as the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the club.

Before long the golfing bug had bit me big  time so that we were now eagerly playing competition once a month.  Someone visited a local charity shop and walked out with a smart-looking green jacket.  That green jacket has been presented each March since 1980 to the winner of the 36-hole Laurels Masters and with the past champion, and as is the custom at Augusta National, fitting the new champion with the coveted green jacket.

The Willoughby Laurels have played over 500 rounds of golf and have done so religioulsy every month, aside for a handful of washouts, since that weekend in March 1979 and so much so heads into 2023 ready to proudly celebrate 44-years of membership golf.  The club proudly still continue to head out of Sydney for a 36-hole ‘Masters’ weekend early in every New Year.

My first overseas game of golf was in U.S. in 1980, and in the company with fellow Laurels member and still very good friend, Joe Sroba.  We landed in Vancouver in November 1979, and proceeded down the West Coast before heading all the way across the North American continent to visit my parents for Christmas and New Year, who at the time were living in Maryland and with my father working at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC.

And while Maryland was in the depths of winter, Joe and I still managed a few games on a local Rockville course where all the water hazards were frozen.

That three-month U.S. journey was the first of now countless visits to the U.S. and highlighted golf wise with the excitement of teeing-up at Augusta National in 1998, and the day following Mark O’Meara winning the Masters and then eight years later in being selected from the Masters media ballot in 2006 to again play the Georgia golfing gem the day following Phil Mickelson capturing his second Masters.

In 2000, I travelled to the Pacific Island of Tonga to create a not-to-be ever-repeated new millennium first and that was to be the first person to tee-up on a golf course at the stroke of midnight and that took place on 1st January, 2000 on the nine-hole Tonga Golf Club. Tonga being the first golf course this side of the International dateline.

The feature story on this accomplishment appeared a day later in the UK’s Daily Record newspaper that I still so much enjoy filing copy.

In my Tonga feature I mention an American who teed-up on the Tonga course on 31st December, 1999 and then boarded a private jet that flew him to Hawaii, and while it was 1st January, 2000 in Tonga, it was still daylight and plenty of time for a round of golf when he landed in Hawaii on the 31st December.

One of the great aspects I’ve found in reporting on the European, PGA and Asian Tour’s is that there is always an opportunity to play golf whether it be it on a Wednesday afternoon when preview copy has been filed or, and most often has been the case, on a Saturday morning when it is quite and the leaders of the tournament you are attending have yet to tee off.

For the record, here is a list of the 47 countries I’ve currently played golf:-

 Austria –  The Romer Golf Club was on the eastern outskirts of Salzburg and, I recall, only a short distance drive away from the Salzburgring where I was present on a few occasions in the early 1990s to report on the Austrian 500cc Motor Cycle GP.

And it first came as a surprise but I soon discovered there were a good few GP riders, including Texan Kevin Schwantz and a double winner of the Austrian GP, who soon after practice ended on the race track no sooner and they would be off playing golf.

There was a time when Kevin walked up to a few Aussies he’d got to know, and one including Brett Ogle, at a PGA Tour stop in Texas and Brett later revealing to me when he was a practice putting green and heard this:  “Pssst, hey Bret?”

I once arranged for Kevin when he was in Sydney for pre-season practice to join myself and close friend Brian Johnson playing golf at the exclusive Australian Club in Sydney however not all went to plan as Kevin arrived wearing short socks but what then unfolded you could not planned.

Click on:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2020/10/bernies-tales-on-tour-short-socks-long-socks-golfing-with-500cc-world-champ-kevin-schwantz/

Australia – So many I cannot begin to count nor remember!

Highlighted very much by tackling the likes of Royal Melbourne (Grouped one year with Wayne Riley for a Heineken Classic Pro-Am), the NSW course in Sydney, The Australian and Sandbelt gems like Kingston Heath, the Victoria club, Huntingdale, Metropolitan, Sanctuary Cove and then the likes of Royal Adelaide, Kooyonga before venturing into Western Australia and teeing-up at Royal Perth, the kangaroos-abound Lake Karrinyup, Joonalup and The Links at Kennedy Bay.

While in Western Australia, I vividly recall in 2002 and going out to play Lake Karrinyup very soon after Ernie Els had won the Johnnie Walker Classic. Play had begun very early in the day to accommodate east coast of Australia TV and we finished our own round with patrons still ‘partying’ in the corporate boxes and giving us the look ‘who are these guys walking up the 18th?’.

Other courses include a visit to Alice Springs where I remember being asked by a police officer at Alice Springs Airport what was inside the long black bag I was pulling behind me:  “Golf clubs!”   Read this full story: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2011/08/alice-springs-a-golfing-oasis-in-australias-red-centre/

While there had been just so many games either north, west or south of my home town of Sydney I would not know where to start. I could drive up or down the coast from Sydney and boast while driving through every town that had a golf course and say: ‘Oh, I’ve played here or played there’.

I enjoyed my second hole-in-one at the Kiama Golf Club in the company of the then club captain and on a day prior to a Laurels Masters weekend.  On my most-recent visit back home in late 2019 I played Roseville, Bathurst and on Christmas Day afternoon went out to play 9-holes, and has been a custom for many years, at Castlecove.

I celebrated the 1st January, 2020  joining good friends Michael Court, Barry Gentle and Pat Carmody playing Long Reef in Sydney, and always on my list to play when back in Australia. There was another 1st day of the New Year again joining Michael and Barry when I birdied the first hole at Roseville – you know after a birdie at the first hole on the first day of a New Year that it’s not going to get any better for the remaining 364 days.

Bahamas – My travelling companion Joe Sroba and I ventured onto a 9-hole course on Paradise Island.

However it was returning many years later to the Bahamas for the Hero World Challenge (HWC) where I purposely ventured but to Paradise Island and again tackle the Ocean Course.

Though of late it has been the great pleasure to play the wonderful Royal Blue course.  Though there had the scene in 2015 and the first hosting of the HWC when the course looked very sad being closed, overgrown with grass and looking as no-one cared.

However, someone did care as the greens have been looked after and in May, 2017 it was re-opened and every day since looking every much a postcard.

Read golf review of Royal Blue:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2018/12/royal-blue-golf-club-a-crown-jewel-in-bahamas-golf/

Bahrain – In 2011 I was not going to miss a first visit to Bahrain and what would also be the first Volvo Champions event on the European Tour and at the host Royal Golf Club. England’s Paul Casey won and we played the course the Monday after.

The Bahrain course is like no other I’ve played boasting oil production pipelines all about the course and even lining some of the streets in Bahrain.

Read golf course feature:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2024/01/bahrains-royal-club-rewarding-golf-in-this-oil-rich-nation/

Belgium – One of the courses I played was Royal Waterloo post a Belgium Open and an event that used to be on the European Tour schudule.

Brazil – I made the effort in 2000 to travel to distant Brazil and was present when England’s Roger Chapman beat Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in a play-off to capture the one-off European Tour sanctioned Brazil Rio 500 Years Open.

I won’t forget that night a big group of players, and including Harrington, along with caddies were gathered in local bar/restaurant when Chapman walked in and the evening burst into song: “There’s only one Roger Chapman, there’s only Roger Chapman etc etc”.

I don’t know how Harrington must have felt though a week later, and while still in Brazil, the Irishman captured the Brazil São Paulo 500 Years Open.  It was the Tour’s first visit to South America and Harrington’s then fourth of now 41 pro career victories (November 1, 2024)

I celebrated the visit tackling the Gavea CC, Rio De Janreio and the golf course you can clearly see in the image below.

Bulgaria – It was an exciting first visit to Bulgaria in 2013 and the Thracian Cliffs course that was hosting the Volvo World Match-Play Championship.  The course was laid out on the Black Sea shoreline though that didn’t help organisers of a welcome bar-b-que to be held on the beach front, as someone forgot to advise organisers that the incoming tide came with 20-feet or so of the headland.

I played in the pro-am and won a nearest to pin while Tour Miss proudly won a stunning crystal vase for the women’s longest drive.  The tournament was won by Graeme McDowell.  It was also a week of one of the more bizarre rulings I have witnessed after Nicolas Colsaert’s ball ended-up on the floor in an on-course toilet.

I also played nearby Lighthouse GC during the Volvo-backed tournament.

Read course review of Thracian Cliffs: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2014/07/thracian-cliffs-lands-membership-of-leading-golf-courses-europe/

Canada – A first visit to North America was jetting into Vancouver where good friend Joe Sroba and I braved the November chills in the late 1980s to squeeze in a few games whilst I have also golfer in Montreal.

China – Covering the DP World Tour also took me many times to China where I played courses at Hainan Island, Mission Hills and Shanghai and during the hosting of such events as the TCL Classic, HSBC Champions and BMW Masters.

One of the great pleasures playing golf in China is how pleasant are the caddies.  They’re all young women and we’ve had great times helping them work on their English.  They’re great in reading the line of your putts and they’re always completely covered with only their face exposed.

And I cannot forget a visit a decade ago (2014) to the Shanghai Tianma Golf Club is located just seven kilometers from the front gates of the Sheshan Golf Club and host venue this week for the 10th anniversary WGC – HSBC Champions event.

I joined great friend Peter Dixon and the now sadly departed European Tour’s Denis Blasdale plus Hong Kong based Danny Hicks who was the leading golf correspondent for Agency France Press (AFP) on a wonderful sunny and calm Tuesday morning playing an 18-hole combination of the both the Old and New courses, and two of three courses at Tianma.

Read review of this visit to Tianma GC: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2014/11/tianma-golf-club-shanghai-welcomes-agw-committee-members/

England – Where to begin?  How about Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, Royal St. Georges, Lytham & St. Annes, Royal Mid Surrey, Royal Cinque Ports, Wentworth, Woburn, Silouth, Wallasey & so many more.

Though I enjoy very special memories of playing Haydock Park near Warrington with another long-time good friend in Trevor Peake.

I first met Trevor in attending my first Open Championship in 1989 at Royal Troon.  Trevor lived very conveniently in the lovely-name village of Newton-Le-Willows and about a two-and-a-half hour drive north of Surrey and around a similar distance south of where I was living in Crail, Scotland.

I would stop over on Sunday nights at Trevor’s house on route heading back home following Tour events at Wentworth.  Then we’d be up bright-and-early on the Monday and play a golfing version of the Ashes Series (Australia -v- England) with about two to three matches a year on the very closeby Haydock Park GC and just minutes away from the M6 motorway.

Our matches were fiercely contested and there was not too many gimmies.  One of my proudest moments was humbling Trevor 7 & 6 one year and sending him a postcard from a Europe event just a large ‘7’ and a very small ‘6’ written on the card.  Though in great fairness to Trevor as had a good excuse and something along the lines of getting ‘bowled over’ the day before in the hospitality tent at the Haydock Park races.  Of course, he kicked my butt many times but on this Monday it was a most enjoyable drive back up the boring M6.

It was always great fun and after the golf I would get back on the M6 and continue to head north.  As well, one of the great attractions in visiting the Haycock Park club was being greeted by the lovely Julie who worked in the pro shop.

Of late, I played Wallasey and also Royal Liverpool with the Association of Golf Writers, a body founded in 1938 that I proudly served as Secretary for a decade from 2014 to July 2024.

Ecuador – I am not going to reveal what took me to Ecuador but I played a super course named Salinas GC.  The country is not famed for golf courses but this golf course was located along the Pacific Ocean and was stunning.  Also, in saying that Ecuador is not known for golf courses, there’s actually a golf course (Quito Golf Club) laid out beside Quito airport in the country’s capital and it came as a big surprise to me when first flying into this volcanoes-abound nation.

France – How is this for starters?  Le National on the outskirts of Versailles. Home to the Open de France for all but two years since 1991, venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup and this year’s Olympic Games competition.

 

Though it’s only since moving to France over the winter months that I have been playing more golf in France.

So, there’s been the pleasure of experience golf in the south-east of the countries and gems such as Beauvallon, Barbaroux, Saint Tropez, Valescure, Sainte Maxime, Valgarde, Saint Endreol, Sainte Baume & the Old Course at Cannes and a home to Viktor Hovland.

I’ve also spent some great days playing the 9-hole Democratic course at Rochebrune near Frejus.

Read course review of Beauvallon:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2020/08/beauvallon-golf-club-french-riviera-golf-at-its-friendliness/

Germany – Travelling often to Munich and also Cologne for tournaments always lent to playing a good few rounds of golf during competition.

There was the Muchen Eichenied course for BMW International Open as it boasts also a 9-hole course while the Velderhoof GC lies close to Gut Larcenhof and venue for German Masters.  Also I once teed-up in the Pro-Am for the BMW.

Also, there were golf courses played in Heidelberg and also teed-up in a course in Berlin, after the Wall came down.

Holland – Also was delighted to have played Kennemer located at Zandvoot on the North Sea coastline.  In my earlier sports reporting days I travelled to the region for the Dutch 500cc Grand Prix at Assen and that’s what took me to Kennemer that often hosted the Dutch Open.  And speaking of Dutch Open a long-time host venue was Hilversumsche, and I also have tackled that course. The present course was designed by famed Englishman Harry Colt and has hosted many Dutch Open’s.

Hong Kong – One of my favourite golfing destinations – the Hong Kong GC.  I just enjoy being at this golf club so much. You must read:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2023/11/golf-club-verandahs-the-hong-kong-golf-club-veranadah/ and my yarn about the club boasting the best veranda in all of pro competition golf.

Though let me tell your about a moment during a UBS Hong Kong Open pro-am.  I was out playing the adjoining New Course at the club and where the 18th hole runs in the opposite direction alongside the championship course.  I hit this shocked of a tee shot way left that cleared the trees and landed on the first fairway of the championship course but here teeing-up in the distance on the first tee of the championship course was Colin Montgomerie.

Suffice to say, I gingerly disappeared off to the right and never went looking for my ball.  Though I did think to myself how damn lucky I was that Monty was not walking down the fairway and, if I wished, how would I go about playing off ‘his fairway’ or even more brazeningly there was a thought of asking Monty if he’d be good enough to throw my ball back to me.

Seriously, the Hong Kong GC has always been one of my best tournament stops on the calendar.

Indonesia – It was while reporting on the 1996 Johnnie Walker Classic at Singapore and won by Ian Woosnam when I accepted an invitation to jump aboard a high-speed ferry from Singapore to Bintan Island during 1996 Johnnie Walker Classic and won by Ian Woosnam to play the new Ian Baker-Finch designed course – the Woodlands course at Bintam Lagoon Resort.

Not knowing it at the time, and it came as quite a shock, but it is customary to bury a cow head on a site ahead of raising a building and this is what took me by total surprise on our arrival at the golf course.  The building was to be the clubhouse.

Ireland – Where to start?  Portmarnock, Portmarnock Links, European Club, Old Head, Dooks, Waterville, Mount Juliet, Ballybunnion, Kilkenny, Carton House, Lahinch, Doonbeg, Tralee, Belmullet and many more including Roganstown, Ballyliffin, Portasalon, Rosappena and Donegal on most recent visit mid-2019 with good friends and journalist colleagues Michael Court, Barry Gentle and Paul Bennett.

And also what golf courses to share with you as ‘must play’?

Let me share a first visit the Pat Ruddy and family run European Club and a first time I enjoyed breakfast from the bonnet of a car – parked at the back of the 13th hole:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2024/10/european-club-the-day-breakfast-was-served-on-the-bonnet-of-a-car-at-the-back-of-13/

In 2002, I played alongside Andrew Coltart in the 2002 Pro-Am for the Northwest of Ireland Open on Pat Ruddy’s magnificently designed Glasheddy course at Ballyliffin.

Italy – Had great delight in playing a few golf courses in Italy including Gardagolf, Golf De Milano (The day after 2015 Italian Open) and the famed Is Molas club when extended to compete in the pro-am ahead of the 2000 Italian Open. The week would end in celebrating Ian Poulter’s maiden DP World Tour triumph.

Jamaica –  Fortunate to also play the Tryall Bay course the day following Fred Couples winning 1995 Johnnie Walker Championship.  I also recall the fun of playing cricket on the beach at stunning Tryall Bay following the third round with the likes of Ernie Els, Craig ‘Pazza’ Parry and the ‘cricketing nation-born’ caddies.

Kazakhstan – I was teamed in the 2008 Kazakhstan Open pro-am alongside Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon on the host Nurtau GC and also that week I played the Zhailjau GC in Almaty. I recall that in playing the Arnold Palmer designed Zhailjau course I was informed there was a house to the side of one hole owned by the then President of Kazakhstan.

Malaysia – Many visits to Malaysia for co-sanctioned Asian and then European Tour events including teeing-up on the Kuala Lumpur GC that hosted the Malaysian Open & also competing in pro-am at the 2016 EurAsia Cup at Glenmarie plus playing the famed Saujana and Royal Selangor courses.

Malta – One of my golfing delights and that was to play at the Royal Malta GC.   It is the only golf course on the island of Malta. It’s not long but a great golf course where at the par-3, sixth hole and measuring 161-yards off the white tees you hit directly over ruins of a 15th century building.

The hole is named ‘Maid’s Bedroom’ and if you are short then you’re very much an unwelcomed visitor into the Maid’s Bedroom.

As well, there is a 15th century chapel to the side of the par-4 10th hole where the door to the chapel looks out onto the green and if you score anything better than a par then it would (now smiling) give new meaning to ‘divine intervention’ should you walk off with an eagle or birdie.

See feature article on Royal Malta course:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2024/11/hitting-a-shot-out-of-the-maids-bedroom-at-the-royal-malta-golf-club/

Monaco – It’s actually in France but I am claiming my now three visits to the Mont Agel GC as Monaco. The first being in immediately following the 1990 Monte Carlo Open. Ian Woosnam won the event three years running 1990-1992 and in 1990 went onto win the following week’s Scottish Open.

Morocco – Attending the Hassan 11 on a number of occasions presented itself to play a number of great golf courses in Morocco including Royal Golf Dar Essalam in Rabat and Golf du Soleit in Agadir.

New Zealand – Gulf Harbor to the north of Auckland + others

Northern Ireland – Most recent golfing visit to Northern Ireland was in 2019 – Ardglass, Royal Portrush, Castlerock and Lough Erne.

Other Northern Ireland venues include Royal County Down, Portstewart, Kilkeel, Holywood (and home to Rory McIlroy), and the 9-hole Bushfoot course.

Let’s take a look at Holywood GC.  A simple-looking and while commanding stunning views out over Belfast harbour inside the club is a shine to one person – Rory McIlroy.  Read:  http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2012/07/rory-mcilroys-course-holywood-golf-club/

Oman – I ventured to Oman on a first visit in early 2023 and what an adventure it was. Firstly, I was included in the pro-am for the Asian Tour’s International Series event on the stunning Al Mouj course laid-out along the Arabian Sea.  Our professional was Japan’s Takumi Kanaya who brilliantly captured the tournament, his first out of his homeland.

On the Monday following the event I had the pleasure of teeing-up on the Ghala Golf Club course. Though opened for play in 1971, the course is the oldest in Oman. In the foyer of the club is something I’ve seen before anywhere in a golf club and that a framed Augusta National members green jacket and signed by many former Masters champions.

Look closely and you will see Tiger Woods has added his signature (bottom left).

Portugal – Numerous attendances at the Portugal Masters opened the door to many golf courses in the Vilamoura region including the likes of the Victoria, Old, Millennium, Pinhal, Vilasol, Laguna, O’Connor along with Vale De Lobo courses.

Take a look at the ‘Seven Wonders of Vilamoura’: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2011/12/the-seven-wonders-of-vilamoura/

I played these courses during many visits to the European Tour’s Portugal Masters.  Lisbon – Atlantico, Oitavos Dunes, Penha Longa, Estoril

Qatar – I have always boasted that my first visit to Qatar was in 1999 and the second hosting of the Qatar Masters being played on the Doha GC course and till only recently, the only golf course in the country.  I mention this as the media attending the inagural event were each presented with an envelope containing a gift of $200.  In being present at the second hosting we were presented with a model of a dhow – an Arabian fishing or trading vessel.

I have since played the main Doha course of many occasions and also the adjoining and wonderful 9-holer.

Samoa – Samoa, or then known as Western Samoa, boasts three courses and one of those is Royal Samoa and I was lucky to have played nine holes during a stop while on a cruise that took in the stunning Pacific Ocean island.

Saudi Arabia – Royal Greens G & CC (Day following 2020 Saudi International) while also played a great 9-hole course at Education City during the 2022 Saudi International.

More recently, I discovered the Safaa Golf Club and a beautifully maintained 9-hole course that is located about 30-minutes south of Royal Greens. This course is also floodlit that lends itself to night games.

Scotland – I first travelled to Scotland I don’t know how long ago and in saying this, I don’t know how many games of golf I’ve played though I’ve played the most at Crail Golfing Society and golf’s seventh oldest club where I became a member in 2001.

So to name Scottish courses I’ve played let’s start with  – Old Course, New Course, Jubilee, Eden and Castle courses. Moving on there’s Muirfield, Carnoustie, Turnberry, Royal Troon, Prestwick, Askernish (see image below), Brora, Benbecular, Isle of Harris, Gullane (1,2 and 3), Dunbar, Kingsbarns Links, Lundin Links, Leven, Dumbarnie Links, Boat of Garten, Inverness, Loch Ness, Skeabost, Stornoway, Macrihanish, Macrihanish Dunes, Dunaverty, Shiskene and Whiting Bay on the isle of Arran.

Then there’s Barra (The most westerly course in the UK), Isle of Skye, Durness, Stromness, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Loch Lomond, Castle Stuart, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Nairn, Tain, Fortrose and Rosmarkie, Royal Aberdeen, Trump Scotland, Murcar, Cruden Bay, King James VI, Gleneagles (Kings, Queens & Centennary), Auchterader, Dundonald Links, Montrose, Monifieth, Panmure, Scotscraig, Ladybank, Dukes, Anstruther, Ellie, Pitreavie, Abedour, Musselburgh (Old), Kilspindie, The Glen, Longniddry, Archerfield, North Berwick and Roxburgh.

Singapore – Again, it has been working in golf that has taken me to Singapore and accompanied by my golf clubs while teeing-up at Sentosa (Both Serapong and Tanjong courses- During week of Singapore Open), Tanah Marah, Laguna National (Played in Singapore Masters Pro-Am), Changi GC.

I have to say Changi was the hottest it has ever been in all my games of golf.  It is a 9-hole course but the heat and humidity was melt down mode.

South Africa – While celebrating the dawn of 2000 by hitting a first golf shot in the world on the island of Tonga, I had my first game of golf in South Africa that same year at the Centurion GC in the capital – Johannesburg.

It was during the hosting of the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Championship at closeby Houghton Park and where I met Graham Pollock at Centurion GC, who was then 2nd highest test average in cricket.

I visited Capetown and played Royal Cape GC & Steenberg while I was in Durban twice for the Volvo Champions event and played the played Durban CC and the spectacular Prince’s Grant course that overlooks the Indian Ocean – see image below.

In addition, while in South Africa for the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Championship I played the stunning Peter Matkovic-designed Cotsworld Downs course to the north of Durban.

South Korea – Pinx GC, Jeju Island (2008 – Played in pro-am first Ballantine’s Championship won by Graeme McDowell)

Spain – Visiting Spain while working on the DP World Tour has been much akin to Portugal.

Courses played include Valderama (Teeing up in ‘Volvo After The Masters’ and the Monday after the Tour season-ending Volvo Masters), Sotogrande, Vila Del Sol, Almenara, Alcaidesa, La Reserva, Finca Cortesin (2012 – Played Pro-Am for Volvo World Match-Play)  Marbella, Mijas, La Quinta, Aloha along with courses in Madrid and Barcelona.

Sweden – Just the one course and that is the Barseback GC and on the day following Scandinavian Masters.

Switzerland – Crans-sur-Sierre (Both the main 18-hole course and very often the 9 hole course in the Omega Media Challenge on the Saturday morning of the European Masters). Also once played Bad Ragaz, a host venue on the European Seniors Tour, and stopped off with colleagues on route from a tournament in Germany to Crans Montana.

Thailand – Blue Canyon in Phuket (I played the course the next morning after Tiger Woods stunning success in the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic.  My playing partner was the late Dai Davies, golf writer for The Guardian).  Also played the course in the Pro-Am for 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.  Other courses on Phuket include Banyon Tree.  I also teed-up in the 2011 Pro Am for the Asian Tour’s season-ending then inaugural Thailand Championship outside of Bangkok, and won that year by Lee Westwood on the Amata Spring course that boasts a 17th hole island green that you can bizarrely lengthen and/or shorten, and where you board a boat to the green itself.

Taiwan – I travelled twice to Taiwan and that was the for the first two years of the BMW Asian Masters (2001 & 2002) held on the Ta Shee course in Taipei and on the second hosting played in the Pro-Am.

Also I recall vividly following eventual champion Padraig Harrington, as I was at the time filing copy for three Irish newspapers, as there was an occasion he was forced into playing a shot left-handed given the lie facing him.  His victory in the co-sanctioned event was a first of four on the Asian Tour and a sixth of 15 wins on the DP World Tour.

Tonga – Tonga Golf Club.  In the spirit of a new Millennium I got myself organised to head to Tonga and hit the first golf shot of a new century and at midnight on the 1st January, 2000.  I had flown from Sydney via Auckland to the Tongan capital of Nuku ‘alofa.  Tonga encompasses around 170 islands of which 36 are inhabited while some 70% of the now 100,000 total population of the islands live on the main island. So why go to Tonga to golf?  Tonga is located two-thirds of the way between New Zealand and Hawaii.  The International Dateline lies just to east of Tonga and with Tonga boasting the most easterly golf course in the world.

Read the full story: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2021/01/twenty-one-years-ago-bernies-historic-first-tee-shot-on-a-golf-course-in-tonga/

Turkey – Belek region – Montgomerie, Gloria, Antalya, Titanic, Carya and Cornelia Park.  It is only thanks to the efforts of Fusun Iklay at Turkish Airlines that any of my golf reporting colleagues can boast we have played golf in Turkey.  Fusun first arranged for members of the golf media to travel to Turkey in 2012 when Justin Rose captured the 8-man Turkish Airlines World Golf Final.  Rose showed his fondness for Turkey in winning the back-to-back 2017 & 2018 Turkish Airlines Open.

UAE – Abu Dhabi – National at Abu Dhabi GC, Saadiyat Island and Yas Links.  Dubai – Emirates Club (Majlis & Faldo courses), Arabian Ranches, Dubai Creek, Els Club, Jumeirah (Fire & Earth courses), Montgomerie, The Track, also the 18-hole course formerly inside the Dubai horse-racing track and for a first time this year (Jan 2020) Jebel Ali.  Sharjah – Al Zorah.

USA – A better question would be what States have I played in?   

I know I’ve not played golf in Alaska, Montana, Iowa, Idaho, Nevada, both Dakota’s, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Vermont, Delaware or Maine. 

So that leaves 37 U.S. states where I have played golf and with the most rounds in Florida.  Picking out the highlights:  Augusta National (twice 1998 & 2006), Bethpage Park (Black) and a media day ahead of the 2019 PGA Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Winged Foot (day after Davis Love 111 won 1997 PGA Championship), Whistling Straits, TPC San Antonio (Venue for Valero Texas Open), PGA National (Palmer course and during Honda Classic week), Ballen Isles, PGA Village (3 courses), BlueJack National north of Houston (Tiger Woods first US design course and played during Shell Houston Open week), Desert Princess and Indian Canyons at Palm Springs during CareerBuilder week.

In 1977 I  joined good friend Michael Court  at the official opening of TPC Sugarloaf at Duluth and venue for the Bell South Classic. We arrived at the course in the greater Atlanta to even find our names on our locker for the day.  It would be the week before a fellow lefty Phil Mickelson was presented with a famed green jacket at a course about a 2-hour drive to the south-east of the Georgia capital. Also in Atlanta, I have played East Lake and host club each year for the PGA Tour season-ending Tour Championship.

There was tackling the stunning Lake of Isles and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut during Travelers Championship week and Ohio State and Firestone in Ohio in the week of the respective Memorial and WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.  I enjoyed teeing-up at River Bend, Vicksburg, Tunica National and Great Southern in Mississippi and then Riveira and Torrey Pines to name a few in California along with Princeville and Poipu Bay on the island of Kauai in Hawaii and that was in attending the 1997 Grand Slam of Golf.

Vanuatu – The Pacific island of Vanuatu is a regular stop of Sydney departing Pacific Island cruises. I travelled on a good few cruises where the ship would be visit an island for a day. On one cruise we visited the main Vanuatu island and capital of Port Vila, and while the majority of passengers explored the city I found my way for nine holes on the Port Vila GC.

Wales – It was back in 1995 in first visting and playing golf in Wales and none better than Royal Porthcawl and teeing-up in a R & A media outing ahead of the 1995 Walker Cup.  I returned in 2011 after the Open Championship, and also in the company of great friends and fellow journalists Michael Court, Barry Gentle and Paul Bennett, to enjoy playing Cardigan GC, Porthmadog and the stunning cliff top layout at Nefyn.

So, what three countries could I add to my listing of golf in 47 countries.

I would love to play in other Scandinavian countries ie Denmark, Norway and Finland while I have never played golf in Poland.  If I travelled to Poland I would very much enjoy combining a journey with a visit to the former POW Stalag Luft 111 prison camp at Zagan, and now in Poland, given I’ve probably watched ‘The Great Escape‘ a hundred dozen times.

I’ve had offers too from great friend and colleague, ‘Swammy’, who wrote the history of the Indian Open, to travel to India to play golf while one of my wishes too, is to return to Malta.  I just loved that golf course.

But then there is still so many golf courses in Scotland I’ve not played while high on my wish list in my own native Australia and to visit and play Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm in Tasmania.