BELLARINE PENINSULA, VICTORIA

It’s only in the past half dozen years that the rest of the golfing world has started to discover what ‘golfers in the know’ have kept secret for a long time – Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula is among the best golf holiday destinations this country has to offer.

The rising popularity of the VicOpen has certainly shone a spotlight on the region, particularly the courses closest to the tournament venue Thirteenth Beach, on the south, or ocean, side of the peninsula (these courses will be covered in Part II of the guide). But this is only scratching the surface of what the region has to offer golfers, who will find a wonderful mix of quality courses across the Port Phillip Bay side of the peninsula.

Victoria’s second largest city, Geelong, lies at the gateway to the peninsula and an easy 20-minute drive east of the CBD will have you ready to tee up at Curlewis Golf Club – the most improved course in the region in recent years.

Curlewis GC. PHOTO: Brendan James.

It’s no coincidence that the course’s resurgence began in July 2015 when local winery owners, Lyndsay and David Sharp, bought the club and injected millions of dollars into upgrading the layout. This included retaining the design services of Mike Clayton, who had already been consulting to the club for more than a decade. His advice over the years has been minimalist rather than massive overhaul. Bunkers have been added, some greens remodelled, trees removed and some subtle tweaks including the realignment of some tees made. More recently, a selection of holes has been redesigned, while the nines have been reversed. Flipping the nines doesn’t always work, but it has at Curlewis with its best holes now coming into play on the inward half and playing a more important role in the outcome of your round.

All this design tweaking has seen Curlewis climb to an all-time high at No.21 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Public Access Courses for 2023.

“There have been some fantastic changes made here in recent years. The best work has come on what is now the back nine, with improvements to holes like the 10th, 11th and the short par-4 18th hole. Throw in the always interesting 12th and you have all the elements for an unforgettable round,” Top-100 judge, Hamish Walker, said.

One of Curlewis’ most memorable holes now plays as the 12th and is one of the best short par-4s in the state. The 308-metre two-shotter plays atop a ridge with views to the nearby You Yangs granite ridges on the other side of nearby Corio Bay. There’s out-of-bounds close to the left edge of the fairway and a fallaway towards the 4th hole if you stray too far right. The hole is driveable in the prevailing sou’wester, but you’d better be able to thread the needle on a tilting fairway with multiple bunkers in play.

Continuing the journey east, Portarlington Golf Club is another 20 minutes’ drive along the C123 to the northern tip of the Peninsula.

Portarlington GC. PHOTO: Brendan James.

Portarlington is one of the oldest clubs on the Bellarine, having celebrated its centenary in 2009, but it has never been better to play. Its year-on-year improvement was vindicated earlier this year when the course made its debut in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Public Access Courses ranking.

Renowned architect Tony Cashmore oversaw major changes to the course, which included the upgrading of all fairways to Santa Ana couch grass, the rebuilding of several greens as well as the reshaping of fairways and bunkers.

Portarlington is a little slice of the Sandbelt on the Bellarine. Several bunkers would look right at home at Kingston Heath, while the small greens and occasional stands of imposing pine trees are reminiscent of the top Melbourne courses.

The design is solid, but the presentation of its fairways is the showstopper. Any Sandbelt course would be proud of these surfaces.

The run home from the Sandbelt-esque 12th hole is strong. The 13th is a 241-metre par-4 that is so tempting it almost forces you into hitting driver from the tee, with the two strongest par-4s on the course following it. The 18th is a deceptive 318-metre downhiller, where squeezing a drive between the left tree line and a small pond fronting the green is hard to do.

At the eastern edge of the peninsula is Queenscliff Golf Club, one of the genuine hidden golfing gems of Victorian golf which also carries some of the highest security to be found entering a golf club.

Queenscliff GC. PHOTO: Brendan James.

Why? It sits on Department of Defence land on Swan Island. Before you are allowed to cross the bridge to the golf course, an officious man in a fluorescent jacket will ask you where you’re going and will instruct you not to take any other roads on the island nor take photographs. It makes you wonder what the secret must be.

Turns out it’s the golf course itself. Well, it could be if someone invested some money into it because Queenscliff has the makings of a glorious seaside.

Several holes run to the edges of Swan Island and give golfers a clear picture of how the island got its name, as a multitude of black swans are usually visible in neighbouring Swan Bay. The site has some gentle undulations perfect for golf and a collection of gorgeous cypress trees that are hallmarks of some of the grandest venues in the game.

As it stands, Queenscliff still offers a wonderful place to play. Its best hole is also its toughest, the 387-metre 6th hole, a par-4 with a saddle-shaped fairway and a green positioned near the edge of the island. The next, a 279-metre par-4, is also memorable with Swan Bay running along the left edge of the fairway, but the best angle for the pitch to the green is from right alongside this hazard.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria.

HOW TO GET THERE: Geelong, at the western edge of the Bellarine Peninsula, is a 70-minute drive southwest of Melbourne’s CBD.

GREEN FEES: Curlewis GC – $75 (18 holes, weekday), $85 (weekend); Portarlington GC – $55 (18 holes, weekday), $65 (weekend); Queenscliff GC – $50 (18 holes, weekday), $60 (weekend).

WHERE TO STAY: Curlewis added to its wonderful golf course by opening a new clubhouse and adjoining accommodation in 2022. No expense was spared in creating the wonderful clubhouse, which lies a short pitch from Eco-suite installations – boasting Signature, Premium Bay, Premium Fairway and Eagle rooms. These are nestled amidst a native landscape, overlooking the golf course and on towards Corio Bay.

Stay and play packages, starting from $375, are available and include 18 holes for two people as well as breakfast for two at Claribeaux.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: Claribeaux in the Curlewis clubhouse is already an award winner, despite only being opened for a short period. The French influence is obvious with starters including escargot persillade and steak tartare, followed by mains like chicken Cordon Bleu or a vanilla and rhubarb crème brulee to finish. As you might expect given the ownership, careful attention has been paid to the extensive Australian and international wine list.

If you’re in need of a coffee and something yummy in between rounds, the historic Portarlington Bakehouse is the place. It is a traditional bakery where you can get very good bacon and egg roll, a quality coffee and an impressively thick vanilla slice to go.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Step back in time at the Bellarine Railway, which offers steam and diesel train rides between Queenscliff and Drysdale on a unique collection of trains originating from around Australia. Scenic train trips along Swan Bay depart from Queenscliff Station, on most Sundays and public holidays.

WEBSITES: www.curlewisgolf.com.au; www.portarlingtongolf.com.au;
www.queenscliffgolfclub.com.au.

YARRA VALLEY, VICTORIA

Victoria’s Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s most acclaimed, and oldest, wine-growing regions.

As we have seen already in this feature, where there are vineyards there is bound to be a golf course nearby.

High quality golf is a relative newcomer to the Yarra Valley with some of the game’s most-acclaimed course designers only being drawn to the area during the past 25 years.

One of those designers was Greg Norman, who officially opened the 27 holes – and adjoining nine-hole par-3 Shark Waters course – at The Eastern Golf Club.

The Eastern GC. PHOTO: Brendan James.

In creating The Eastern, Norman’s design team carefully considered the prevailing winds as well as the elevation changes within the property to route the layout in all directions. This led to the creation of a host of memorable holes, while also taking advantage of some fabulous views of the nearby Christmas Hills and beyond to the Great Dividing Range in the east and the Dandenongs to the south. Each loop of nine holes is routed to start and finish in front of the elevated clubhouse, which offers commanding views over the property.

The fairways are generously wide with strategically located bunkering to challenge and reward the best placed shots. The bunkering is typical of the style Norman has employed across a range of other course projects, while the T1 bentgrass greens vary in shape and size throughout. The greenside bunkering combines with tightly mown couch surrounds to place a premium on approach shot accuracy.

There are three 18-hole combinations to play – the South (1-18), North (10-27) and East Courses (19-9) – with the South Course being rated No.54 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Courses ranking for 2022. The North Course finished just two spots outside the Top-100.

The South Course covers some easy walking terrain as well as elevated ground where the holes follow the broad slopes that were there long before golf holes covered the landscape.

For pure aesthetics it’s hard to go past the 9th and 18th holes, which feature tees at the foot of the ranges, with sweeping views over the course and surrounding farmland towards Lilydale and Coldstream. Both holes take advantage of a right-to-left sloping bowl, presenting a choice to either funnel your ball down the slope and be faced with a much shorter (but more challenging) second shot up a significant elevation, or play it safe out to the right and maintain your commanding position above the hole, albeit with a longer shot in.

The Eastern Golf Club is a private members’ club. However, interstate and visitors (who are golf club members) as well as guests at the adjoining Yering Gorge Cottages are welcome to enquire about tee times.

The Heritage G&CC Henley Course. PHOTO: Brendan James.

As the crow flies, The Heritage Golf & Country Club – a 36-hole complex with courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tony Cashmore – is just a few kilometres to the southwest of The Eastern.

Having opened for play in 2000, the St John Course is the first Nicklaus ‘Signature’ course built in Australia and is separated from the Cashmore created, Henley Course, by the tranquil, meandering waters of the Yarra River.

Nicklaus’ unerring golfing instincts are evident throughout the lengthy St John’s layout, which combines challenge with natural beauty. Boasting impeccable greens flanked by artfully conceived bunkers that complement the rolling fairways.

The Henley is an inland links-style layout and offers a stark contrast to the American parkland-style St John course. Henley features predominantly rolling fairways, wild rugged bunkering and massive sloping greens.

It is a wonderful location. The vast river floodplain, with its ancient oxbows and billabongs, frame the holes of the opening nine as well as the final two holes. These holes were elevated above the wetlands during construction and have been shaped to create beautiful rolling fairways.

From the wetlands, the 5,944-metre par-72 (from the Blue tees) climbs gradually up a broad valley on the memorable par-5 13th hole to reach land perched high on a plateau where you will find the 14th and 15th holes. While the climb up the hill is slow, the par-4 16th is a dramatic drop from the tee to green. The steep descent really shortens the 447-metre hole that links the high holes with the remaining flat holes.

The presentation of both courses at The Heritage has improved dramatically in recent times, which better showcases the wonderful Nicklaus and Cashmore designs.

This is a private member’s club. However, guests of the Yarra Valley Lodge can take advantage of play and stay deals, while interstate golfers can enquire with the club for a limited tee time.

RACV Healesville CC. PHOTO: Brendan James.

There are several other nearby courses to choose from, including Yering Meadows and Gardiners Run, but it is the highest ranked RACV Healesville Country Club we suggest you try.

Healesville has only been nationally ranked since the redesign work of Mike Clayton was revealed in 2009. Since then, the little course nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range has received rave reviews.

Clayton’s layout covers some nicely undulating land, which offers stereotypical Australian bushland vistas at the foot of the Great Dividing Range. The views of rolling hills in the distance and gums on either side of the fairways add to the layout’s visually impressive appeal.

The highights of any round here are the 423-metre par-5 8th, the driveable (for some) 265-metre par-4 12th and the closing four holes. Among the closing quartet is most noticeably, the reachable par-5 15th, which features a creek fiendishly weaving through the fairway, and back around the right of the green. The 18th green, a boomerang-shaped putting surface with a bunker cut into its middle, is different and memorable.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION: Yarra Valley, Victoria.

HOW TO GET THERE: The heart of the Yarra Valley is less than an hours’ drive from the Melbourne CBD via the M3 Eastern Freeway.

GREEN FEES: On application. Tee times available for guests at Yering Gorge Cottage (The Eastern), Yarra Valley Lodge (The Heritage) and RACV Healesville.

WHERE TO STAY: Yering Gorge Cottages, which overlook parts of The Eastern layout, offer 4.5-star cottage-style accommodation featuring separate living and bedroom areas, with a private deck. There are 13 self-contained cottages with one-, two- or four-bedroom configurations.

The cottages are in a private nature reserve offering bushwalking trails and an abundance of Australian wildlife including Eastern Grey kangaroos, wombats, echidnas and more than 85 species of birdlife.

Guests will also enjoy full use of the clubhouse and driving range – which offers unlimited range balls –fitness centre and tennis courts during their stay. Tee times must be booked in advance and are subject to availability.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK: From small boutique vineyards, distilleries and breweries to well-known estates, every taste is covered in the Yarra Valley.

Rochford winery has become renowned for creating memorable experiences through its entertainment, fine dining and classic local wines.

If spirits are more to your likening, check out the Four Pillars Distillery, which was built in a former timber yard, on Healesville’s main street. The Distillery Door is open seven days a week, where guests can do a tasting of all the gins in the range or enjoy a multitude of gin drinks from the bar, including gin and tonic paddles.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Get a different perspective on the Yarra Valley … from above in a hot air balloon. Drift on the breeze over the valley at sunrise with Global Ballooning, before tucking into a buffet breakfast at the beautiful Balgownie Estate.

WEBSITES: www.easterngolfclub.com.au; www.heritagegolfclub.com.au; www.racv.com.au.