Australian golfers with a nicotine habit won a reprieve when tournament officials relaxed a smoking ban for this weekend's Victorian Open.

Instead of an outright ban, the players were asked to exercise extreme caution in disposing of their cigarette butts because of the high fire danger in the Melbourne area.

Recent hot weather has left the host Victoria Golf Club extremely dry, making the course vulnerable to grass fires when the tournament starts, officials said.

But when first informed of the ban, several players protested.

"They may as well disqualify me now," Neil Kerry was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald. "There is no way I can play a round of golf without smoking."

Australia PGA Tour communications director Mark Williams said that the players had been asked to be careful.

"No-one will be fined or disqualified if they smoke," Williams said.

Australia's eastern coast states, including Victoria, have suffered a succession of major bushland fires in recent months.