Championship greens, local prices: Australia's best 'hidden gem' golf courses for under $60

From world class golf courses, to those which will have you feeling like Greg Norman (but without the price tag), here's some of the top greens worth travelling for around Australia.

If you're looking to take your nine-iron on your next trip away, Tasmania is quickly becoming a global golf destination.

Currently, two Tasmanian courses, Barnbougle and Cape Wickham, are placed within the world's top 100 and another two are a part of Australia's top 10, Lost Farm and Seven Mile Beach.

Adam House, owner of Luxury Golf and Scenic Tours Tasmania, said Barnbougle's completion in 2004 was the catalyst of a massive expansion in the state's golf industry and has shown no sign of slowing down.

"Going from one course to multiple courses, it just becomes more of a destination worldwide, you're not travelling all this way to play a golf course you're here to play multiple," Mr House said.

"I think Tasmania always had a pretty massive appeal just in the tourism industry because of its food, wine, scenery and culture and with the golf you're adding to that."

The golf industry within the state is beginning to undergo a transformation, Seven Mile Beach being the first of three, possibly four courses to be built within 15 minutes of Launceston or Hobart Airport.

"It makes it a little bit more accessible for people. They can fly into Hobart and manage to get their own way [to Seven Mile Beach] pretty easily, whereas Barnbougle (over an hour from Launceston) takes a bit of effort," he said.

Tasmanian golf is not just about the big names, though with a number of well-established local courses which are often a good deal closer to the state's major airports.

Mr House said it is not uncommon for tour group members to go off and play some of these hidden gems, particularly in Hobart.

"They will play them while they're there so, I've got no doubt that those courses have seen a pretty dramatic increase in visitation, which I think is really good," he said.

"I thought that after they were playing Barnbougle and Seven Mile that if they go and play a couple of these other courses, they might be disappointed, but the feedback actually has been quite positive."

Just 20 minutes from Hobart, you can play North West Bay for $60 and it has everything a golfer is after.

Fast and occasionally deceptive greens, a good mix of narrow, tree-lined fairways balanced out with wider, links-style landing areas and the turf you hit off is first-rate.

A highlight is the 11th hole. The view off the tee rivals those you see at Cape Wickham or Barnbougle, gazing out over the bay the course is named after with a glimpse of equally stunning Bruny Island in the distance.

If you're playing the pair of courses on King Island, you'll likely fly out from an airport on the North-West Coast and there's no better way to kill some time before the flight than a round at Ulverstone.

Probably the most challenging course on this list, you can play its windy tree-lined fairways for $60.

It is an incredibly popular course in the area so booking a tee time is essential.

If you're up Launceston way to play Barnbougle and Lost Farm, you can't go past Exeter's $35 green fees ($60 for a pairing).

On the other side of the Bass Strait in Victoria is Lakes Entrance Golf Club, where for just $50 you can play a course that bears some resemblance to the state's famous 'sandbelt' courses.

In New South Wales, it is hard to look past Gerringong Golf Club, where for $45 you can play its 18 holes that meander their way through the beachside rolling hills.

Want to play an Australian Open venue? One-time host Gailes Golf Club in Queensland is the answer with it offering green fees of just $50.

Mount Gambier Golf Club in South Australia is widely regarded as one of the best value courses in the state and for $45 you will have a challenging test of distance judgement with all sorts of elevation changes.

A recent host of the WA Open, getting to play at Mandurah Country Club for $49 feels like an absolute steal given its championship pedigree.