Queanbeyan one step from 'our Australian Open' of golf

The $50,000 tournament, to be held on February 23-25, will be one of six events staged around NSW from which Australia's top golfers can qualify for the NSW Open.

Given the Australian Open, Victorian Open and Australian PGA have all been cancelled, the $400,000 NSW Open at Concord shapes as the best tournament Down Under for the upcoming summer.

It means the top three from the Queanbeyan Open will get a spot in the biggest event of the season.

The NSW regional open series will start in Coffs Harbour, before also visiting Tweed Heads, Corowa, Dubbo and Moruya.

Given he's had a year without golf, the 15-time Japan Tour winner Brendan Jones could be one of the top golfers tempted to walk the Queanbeyan fairways.

Fellow Canberra golfer Matt Millar was excited about the prospect of finally getting the chance to play competitively again.

He was set to test his hand in Japan this year only for the pandemic to kibosh it.

"It could be the major event that's for sure. Definitely by prizemoney at this point in time if it stays at $400,000," Millar said.

"Even just as a status event ... at this point in time this will definitely be the standout event and possibly our 'Australian Open'."

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Golf NSW chief executive Stuart Fraser was confident crowds would be possible for all the events, which tee off in Coffs Harbour on December 9.

He said it's been an especially tough time for golfers around Australia, who have been unable to ply their trade due to a combination of the coronavirus lockdowns and the border closures - both international and national.

"The situation is pretty fluid in terms of spectators. We've got 100 acres they can spread out over," Fraser said.

"We'll be guided by government and there'll b changes to restrictions between now and then.

"It's hard to know what the situation will be, but if the status quo remains absolutely crowds will be fine."

Barilaro committed $2.1 million towards staging the events, which he said were important on multiple fronts.

Not only was sport an important part of the Australian psyche, but it was an important boost to hard-hit areas like Moruya - which was devastated by bushfires last summer, before the COVID-19 virus further hit tourism to the South Coast.

His government also invested $1.2 million in upgrading the Queanbeyan Golf Course, which allowed it to attract the 2019 NSW Women's Open.

"Sport's been important. A lot of us have been isolated, a lot of us have been locked away, not visiting families, not being able to cross borders and that has an impact on someone's physical and mental health," Barilaro said.

"That's why these tournaments are important. Sport is in our psyche, in our DNA as Australians - we love it - and while there's limited events around this is an opportunity to really showcase golf and use golf as a conduit to get people out, visit regions and drive tourism ... and more importantly for their own well-being."

North Coast Open: Coffs Harbour Golf Club, December 9-11.

Tweed Region Open: Tweed Heads Golf Club, December 13-15.

Murray Region Open: Corowa Golf Club, February 15-17.

Dubbo Region Open: Dubbo Golf Club, February 19-21.

Queanbeyan Open: Queanbeyan Golf Club, February 23-25.

South Coast Open: Moruya Golf Club, February 27-March 1.

NSW Open: Concord Golf Club, March 25-28.