Lying just south of the internationally renowned Melbourne Sandbelt, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula has made a global name for itself as a ‘must-visit’ golfing destination boasting a plethora of world class courses.

Then, there are the off-course attractions. Foodies will love the equally world-class wineries (celebrated for their chardonnay and pinot noir in particular) and great restaurants where you can indulge in local epicurean delights. It's also the perfect place to switch off by soaking in steamy hot springs, laze on a beach or relax in a luxury hotel.

But if you’re reading this it is the golf that comes first, and every other attraction is the icing on the cake.

The Mornington Peninsula boasts the greatest concentration of Top-100 ranked courses in Australia. Of the 20 courses featured over the following pages, 16 of them are ranked in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Courses in the country, while the remaining courses are highly regarded public access layouts.

By all means, enjoy the food, the wine and the sights, but we’re sure the golfing delights of the Mornington Peninsula will have you enthused for a return.

PENINSULA KINGSWOOD COUNTRY GOLF CLUB

Lying at the northern gateway to the Mornington Peninsula, and on the southern fringe of the Melbourne Sandbelt, the Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club (pictured above) is home to one of Australia’s most exciting 36-hole complexes.

While the original North and South Courses were highly acclaimed for many years, the club undertook a multi-million-dollar course redevelopment, which was completed and officially for play in 2019. It has since thrust the spectacular redesign onto the world stage.

The merger of Peninsula and Melbourne’s Kingswood Golf Club in 2013 led to the new club commissioning the then Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking and Mead (OCCM) design firm to totally revamp the North and South Courses, with Mike Cocking taking responsibility for much of the epic project that ultimately created two new courses.

Difficulty should never be used in assessing the quality of a golf course, and when a club focuses on making their course harder, it usually spells the end for hole width and, ultimately, strategy. With the Peninsula Kingswood club giving the design team free reign to create the best holes they could, width and strategy were re-introduced throughout the property. Much of the width, offering multiple playing lines on most holes, was created by clearing non-indigenous vegetation, which unveiled the natural heathland of the area and is one of the unforgettable elements of a round here.

Then there are the special extras. The Pure Distinction bentgrass putting surfaces are quick, firm and smooth … a familiar trait throughout the Sandbelt. The flash bunkering is spectacular, while the beautifully trimmed short grass areas ‘connecting’ green complexes with the next tee adds to the splendour of the design.

Peninsula Kingswood is a private member’s club, but interstate visitors can apply for a tee time. There is also luxury accommodation on-site.

“Mornington continues to impress. The closing holes of both nines have been improved with the construction of new green complexes, while the 19th hole addition is one of the most visually spectacular holes on the Mornington Peninsula,” - Top-100 judge, James Walsh.

MORNINGTON GOLF CLUB

Mornington is one of the oldest on the peninsula having been established nearly 120 years ago and has been on its current site overlooking Port Phillip Bay since 1946.

The club entrusted the job of designing the course to former gun amateur golfer, Gus Jackson, and the first nine holes officially opened for play four years after the site was chosen.

Seven decades on, the course continues to evolve and has found success and popularity in recent years on the back of impressive redesign work and wonderfully manicured playing surfaces. The course debuted at No.84 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Public Access Courses in 2019. Two years later, it stormed up the same list to No.64, making it one of the most improved layouts in the country. This year, its climb continued into the top half of the ranking to No.47.

“Mornington continues to impress. The closing holes of both nines have been improved with the construction of new green complexes, while the 19th hole addition is one of the most visually spectacular holes on the Mornington Peninsula,” noted Top-100 judge, James Walsh.

The construction of the 19th hole, which is perched near the cliff tops on the edge of Port Phillip Bay, has been a masterstroke by the club. It has allowed them to take individual holes out of play for extended periods for redevelopment work but still provide a memorable and challenging hole as a stand-in.

Mornington GC. PHOTO: Brendan James

Contour Golf Design architect Ben Davey in collaboration with Cape Wickham Links co-designer Darius Oliver are the minds behind the redesign, which has already seen considerable improvements made.

The latest hole to be remodelled is the par-4 6th, which is now a wonderful semi-blind two-shotter featuring high and low road playing lines on the wide, undulating fairway. The high road has its risks but a better view of the elevated green, while the low road has little risk from the tee, but an obscured view and longer shot into the putting surface. It’s a terrific hole that keeps Mornington’s improvement curve heading in the right direction, and ensures more golfers visiting the Peninsula will be calling into Mornington for a game.