Nestled on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, St Andrews Beach has been rated as one of Australia’s top courses – achieving the #10 spot by Golf Australia in 2010. Featuring some of the Peninsula’s more challenging holes, this Doak/Clayton gem was originally a members-only course — with shares fetching a reported $55,000 each – before it closed in early 2007 due to financial difficulties of the original owner/operator.
Recently re-opened under the management of Golf Services Management Pty Ltd, the course is now open for public play 7 days a week, and there has never been a better time to take on this glorious track. We’ve played it twice since the re-opening, and the course is in magnificent shape; mostly due to the fact that it was carefully maintained throughout its closure. In essence, it’s been a greenskeeper’s wet dream: 18+ months with no pesky golfers out there hacking up the fairways or marking up the greens!
This 18-hole links-style track wends its way through a series of valleys and hills that combine to produce a world-class golfing experience. The fairways are generous and extremely playable – and it’s best to stay on them whenever possible, as the rough is a killer. Wayward tee shots will rarely be found, so bring plenty of balls, and be prepared to say the word “provisional” early and often.
The layout itself takes full advantage of the terrain, and it feels well-suited to the often windy environment of the Peninsula. While many of the holes are relatively sheltered, there are a fair number of holes which can be a real adventure when the wind is up. Especially the longish par-3s (two of them at 197m). Thankfully the greens tend to remain soft, playable and extremely true.
The only things lacking here are a proper clubhouse and practice facilities (which will soon be implemented as the course has recently been purchased). But barring that, St Andrews Beach is a cracker of a course, and certainly worth a visit the next time you’re in the area.
COURSE NOTES
209 Sandy Rd
St Andrews Beach
Victoria 3941
03 5988 6000
bookings@standrewsbeachgolf.com.auGreen Fees:
Peak/Weekends Midweek 18 hole green fee $69 $49 Juniors (under 18) $49 $39 9 holes $39 $29
A four-time winner of the Australian Golf Media Awards, including Best Photojournalism, Best Opinion, Best Column and Best Photographic Presentation, Inside Golf Group Editor Richard Fellner is the quintessential Golf Tragic, having played the game for over 50 years (but has never gotten any better!) He has played and reviewed courses all over the world, and has interviewed many of the great players of the game (including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Greg Norman). Richard is a member of both the Australian Golf Media Association and the Golf Society of Australia, and has been a featured guest on many Australian "sports talk" radio shows and networks, including ABC Grandstand, SEN 1116, Melbourne Talk Radio 1377, 2GB and others.
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