Ricky Ponting is one of the greatest cricketers to ever play the game, and now establishing himself as one of the sport’s most eloquent and informative voices in the world of punditry.
His passion for cricket has not dwindled even slightly since he finished his playing career in 2013.
He has held a coaching role for almost all of the last 13 years — and now juggles his roles with T20 teams Washington Freedom and Punjab Kings.
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Yet while his first love takes up much of his time, he still finds the hours for his other devotion — that being on the golf course.
And Ponting, 51, who plays off an impressive +2 handicap, has revealed exclusively to news.com.au the two players he has a huge admiration for — Swede Ludvig Aberg and Kiwi Ryan Fox.
Speaking at the opening of the Championship Golf Course, Country Club Tasmania Ambassador Ponting said: “My favourite golfer is Ludvig Aberg, I like watching him play. He plays quickly, beautiful golf swing, aggressive player.
“Or even someone like Ryan Fox. He’s always been good to watch because he’s so different. And the fact that he’s now won a British Open, I like watching him play as well.”
In recent years, Ponting’s use of the unorthodox broomstick putter has been a major change to his game.
It is a recent alteration — and proven just as successful as his move to No.3 back in 2001.
“It’s been about two years now(since I started using it),” he said. “I’d never been a great putter, and then I was playing in the New Zealand Open three years ago and a mate of mine — the pro that I played with the year before — was on the putting green with the broomstick and I said ‘Let me hit a couple of putts with that’.
“I stood over these 10-footers and the first four went straight in and I was like ‘I’m done’. I’m definitely a better putter now as a result. I’m never going back.”
Ponting regularly spent downtime on the golf course during his cricket days.
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And while he is an accomplished player, it’s safe to say he was no match for ex-teammate Greg Blewett.
“Greg Blewett was the best Aussie cricketer golfer I played with during my cricket career, probably quite clearly as well,” he added.
“He and I played a lot together. Then when he retired from cricket he got a bit more serious about golf and actually played one-year of interstate golf for South Australia, so he was a proper player.
“He’s lost it a bit now. I’ll get him more often than not these days, but he might have been better at his best than I was.”
Tasmania-born Ponting, one of the lucky few to have played the entirety of the re-designed Championship Golf Course, is excited for the general public to sample what promises to be a major attraction in his home state.
“As soon as you mention golf in Tasmania you think about bamboo wood, links style golf, rough weather, being on the water somewhere, probably think about a reasonable drive to get there,” he said.
“But with this being a pure American style parklands course, 10 minutes from the airport, five-star accommodation, food and beverage everywhere. You’ve got a range, mini-golf, everything for families really.
“That’s not to say a boy’s trip couldn’t go there, but just how easy and embracing it is to have somewhere like that where everyone can go and have fun so close to the city is what makes it standalone from other golf destinations in Australia.
“Normally if you fly anyway you’ve got a reasonable drive to any high standard golf course. This one is 10 minutes with public access. You check into your room first, play golf, and then do whatever you want after that.”
Country Club Tasmania has released tees times for the new Championship Golf Course and announced the course will officially open on Saturday 12 December 2026, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of one of Tasmania’s most iconic tourism and entertainment destinations.
Australian Sporting Legend and Country Club Tasmania ambassador Ricky Ponting hosted an official opening event in Melbourne, with leaders in sport, media, business and tourism gathering to celebrate this next chapter for Tasmanian golf.