Located in Canberra and founded in 1926 when the Federal Capital Commission constructed a new golf course at Acton is the Royal Canberra Golf Club. Named the most beautiful in Australia by Gary Player, this 27-hole private course is regarded as one of the finest in the country.

The original Acton course was built on the banks of the Molonglo River and, with the river as a constant threat to wayward shots, soon earned a reputation as a superb and challenging test of golf. With minor changes only to the layout, but major changes to the clubhouse, it remained the home of Royal Canberra Golf Club until 1962, the "Royal" status having been granted by King George V in 1933.

The Walter Burley Griffin plan for Canberra called for the damming of the Molonglo River to form a lake and so, in 1962, with its Acton site due to be submerged in that plan, the Club moved to its present site at Westbourne Woods. In the 40-years since that move, the Royal Canberra Golf Club has developed into Australia's pre-eminent inland golf course.

Venue for a number of major tournaments, both amateur and professional, the Royal Canberra course has regularly featured in Australia's top 50, relying on its natural beauty, marvelous variety of trees, and challenging design to occupy a rating well above many newer, resort-style courses.

Royal Canberra Golf Club is the custodian of the Westbourne Woods Arboretum. Between 1941 and 1944, Canberra experienced a prolonged and harsh drought and botanists, horticulturalists and conservationists became very concerned about the ability of the arboretum to survive without the provision of water. However, the costs of installing and maintaining a pumping and irrigation system were so high that it was not considered an economic option.

The solution was conceived by Dr. Max Jacobs, Principal of the nearby Forestry School, and in January 1945, he suggested that a permanent golf course be developed in Westbourne Woods. Jacobs recognized that a golf course could be constructed to harmonize with the arboretum and that the rejuvenation and further development of the many silvicultural species could become an integral part of the maintenance of the course.

The par 72 Westbourne Course which is comprised of holes 1-18 was originally designed by Commander John Harris with a subsequent redevelopment by the firm Ogilvy Clayton Cocking Mead in 2016. Holes 19-27 were designed by course architects Thomson, Wolveridge, and Perrett in 1997. These additional holes allow players to choose from the Yarralumla Course (holes 10-27), the Brindabella Course (holes 19-9), and the main Westbourne layout.

Players can take advantage of the Pro shop and can work on their game at Royal Canberra's full range of practice facilities. The clubhouse offers members and their guests a place to sit back, relax and enjoy a quiet drink or enjoy full table service in the restaurant with spectacular views of the 10th and 18th fairways.

Course Architects: Peter Thomson,  Michael Wolveridge, Ross Perrett, Michael Clayton, Mike Cocking, Geoff Ogilvy, John Harris, and Ashley Mead