It has evolved into a vibrant destination surrounded by large areas of parkland and native bush. Then, of course, there are the historical and cultural finds in Canberra’s fantastic galleries.

That all sounds good, but the real reason you’ll want to venture to Canberra is to play a round at the Federal Golf Club, which has made a well-deserved comeback in the country. Top 100 courses ranking at No. 93 this year after just missing out in 2020. This is clearly a sign that the course is starting to realize its huge potential as one of Australia’s top indoor courses. This certainly impressed our ranking judge’s panel.

“Since converting its fairways to the tougher couch of Santa Ana and solving some of its water issues, Federal has gotten better with each passing year. Canberra is not an easy place to manage turf all year round, but Federal does it very well,” said Top 100 Course judge Graham Brady.

Fellow judge Hamish Walker added: ‘The bush surroundings and views of the Brindabella Ranges make you feel like you are away from the city. There’s a lot to like about the routing here, which spans all the cardinal points across the hilly terrain.

Federal is tucked away on the edge of the Red Hill Nature Reserve and through the foothills of the lookout of the same name. Mature native gums, banksias and dozens of other floral varieties line the fairways and make it feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. The truth is that this course is in the middle of the established southern suburbs of Canberra and the backdoor to Parliament is less than a mile away.

The par-72 covers a gently sloping site with the clubhouse occupying the highest point, with several holes also being elevated on slightly smaller hills within the property. All have great views of the Brindabella Range in the distance.

Formed in 1933, the club did not move to its current site until 1949. This was more than a decade after former Australian Open champion and acclaimed course designer Alex Russell (Royal Melbourne East and Lake Karrinyup) recommended the Red Hill site to The Royal Canberra Club, which was looking for a new home following the flooding of the Molonglo River to create Lake Burley Griffin. When Red Hill was sacked by Royal Canberra in favor of its current location at Yarralumla, Federal’s committee secured the site because its first nine-hole sand scratch course had suffered the same fate as the original Royal.

The small 8th green and four bunkers add bite to the par-3. PICTURED: Brendan James.

When it arrived at Red Hill in 1950, the club had nine holes open to play designed by Scottish pro James Herd Scott, who had previously created Sydney’s Monash CC and the final nine at neighboring Elanora.

Additional holes were added by the enthusiastic members over the following years, but all this work was completely redone in 1967 as part of a redesign master plan by Prosper Ellis – widely acclaimed at the time for having created the ties to Belmont, near Newcastle, and his work to Bonnie Doon. His creation at Federal was well received and remained largely unchanged for five decades and is the best design work of Ellis’ career.

The biggest change the club has made in recent times has been securing its water resources. Several irrigation dams have been built, while all of its fairways have been converted to tougher, less thirsty Santa Ana couch grass. Easier access to water and the need for less, has seen the standard of presentation rise to a consistently high level all year round, which is certainly what you would expect from a listed development in Australia’s Top 100 Courses and reached an all-time high of No. 45 in australian golf Top 100 Public Access Courses in 2021.

Watch out for the fake green front on the par-4 14th hole. PICTURED: Brendan James.

These accolades have certainly added to Federal members’ pride in their club, which has hosted national tournaments and is the annual host of the Federal Open Amateur Championship – a world-ranking amateur golf event that always attracts a high-quality field. A club cannot stage high caliber events like these without a course that is top notch – both in the challenge it presents and in the experience it provides.

Federal’s terrain lays the foundation for some visually impressive holes that make a round here memorable, while the design begs questions about your ability throughout.

The opening hole – a par 5 of 505 yards from the back markers – does more than drive you downhill and away from the clubhouse. It really sets the stage for what is to come. The slightly dogleg left fairway gradually descends from the tee to the top of a hill, marked by a deep bunker on the left edge of the fairway. Long hitters can really shorten the hole by clearing the ridge and getting a favorable kick down hill. The fairway crosses a valley before rising slightly to the green protected by three bunkers.

The tight par 5 13th hole trip begins a great series of holes back to the clubhouse. PICTURED: Brendan James.

Federal’s best par-5, for mine, comes on the back nine. The 463-yard 13th hole plays much longer than its number suggests on the scorecard. From the tee, the dogleg straight fairway dips down a valley before hitting another downhill slope and then gradually rising towards the green. Bunkers to the left and right of the uphill final approach to the green make it difficult for longer hitters to decide whether to hit their second shot on the green. A much deeper bunker sits just off the putting surface, which also features a false front making it difficult to hit close shots when the flagstick is in the first third of the green.

The 13th hole, for mine, begins a wonderful series of holes towards the clubhouse. Consecutive par-4s on the 14th and 15th, left and right dogleg respectively through the rolling slopes from the foothills are outstanding. Both require good drives to leave a clear uphill approach to the two greens, which are large and protected by sand and well-cut side slopes.

One of the strengths of a round at Federal is the quality of its four one-shot holes.

All par-3s are of varying distances, while each’s green complexes differ in shape and requirements placed on the type of shot you need to play to get your tee shot close to the hole.

The uphill shot in the par-4 15th is a good test of your club selection. PICTURED: Brendan James.

Federal’s shortest par-3 is a gem and has already been voted one of Australia’s best one-shots. The 135m 16th hole plays slightly downhill to a small green wedged into a gap flanked by four large bunkers – three to the right and one to the left. A good miss here is in one of these bunkers, as too clubbed a shot will go down a steep slope on the green side into rough or trees, making it extremely difficult to save par. Perhaps the most memorable aspect of this little wonder is the view of the Brindabella Range in the distance.

It’s a testament to the quality of design by the now 55-year-old Ellis, complemented by high-quality flourishing playing surfaces. Today, Federal rightfully rises through the ranks as one of the best courses in this country.

TECHNICAL SHEET

LOCATION: Gowrie Drive, Red Hill, ACT.

CONTACT: (02) 6281 1888.

WEBSITE: www.federalgolf.com.au

DESIGNERS: James H. Scott (1950); Prosper Ellis (1967).

PLAYING SURFACES: Sofa Santa Ana (fairways), bentgrass (greens).

COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Peter Dunn.

PGA PROFESSIONALS: Mark Lazenby, Andrew Welsford, Phil Mackay.

GREEN-FEE: $70 (18 holes, walking); $90 (per person in cart). Reservations are essential. Limited tee times are available for social play for seven days.

MEMBERSHIP: There is a wide range of membership options available. Classic Membership is the first category designed for golfers who are passionate about playing and practicing several times a week. Classic members enjoy a range of benefits designed to enhance the overall experience and include seven days of play rights, all clearing and usage fees for daily events, tour vouchers and buckets of shooting bullets. For details on all categories, visit the website.

CORPORATE GOLF: Mondays and Thursdays are available for organizations to book the course and from the outset an experienced team is on hand to design an event that meets your requirements.

REWARDS: Ranked #93 in Australia Golf Magazine Top 100 courses for 2022. Also, No.45 in Australia Golf Magazine Top 100 Public Access Courses for 2021.