Golf in the Balonne Shire Council area

Sand-greens bush golf is the order of the day in Balonne Shire, out in south-west Queensland on the New South Wales border, where both courses are open to anyone passing through. St George Golf Club, established in 1948, is the main event: an 18-hole course in natural bushland, where raking the sand greens smooth before each putt is part of the ritual. It looks easier than it plays, and the fairways are surprisingly well watered for such dry country. Bookings are rarely needed, so travellers can usually turn up and tee off. Further south, Dirranbandi has a 13-hole layout that plays as an 18-hole, par-70 round, with a clubhouse that doubles as a social hub for the town. Both offer a relaxed taste of genuine outback golf.