Moonah Links Legends Course
The Legends is the friendlier half of Moonah Links, the Mornington Peninsula resort whose Open Course has staged the Australian Open. Ross Perrett of the Thomson Perrett firm laid it out in 2003, a par 72 through coastal moonah country with five tee sets, designed so a mixed group can enjoy the dunes without the championship brutality next door. It is resort golf with real pedigree, open to all.
Photo: Peppers Moonah Links Resort via Google.
The verdict
Moonah Links was built as Australia's home of the Australian Open, and the Open Course that hosted the championship in 2003 and 2005 is a long, exposed, uncompromising test. The Legends Course, which opened in 2003 alongside it, was conceived as the counterweight: the same wild stretch of moonah and dune at Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula, but routed by Ross Perrett of the Thomson Perrett firm to be enjoyable for golfers of every standard rather than only the elite.
That brief makes the Legends one of the most useful courses on the peninsula for a traveling group. It keeps the natural character that gives Moonah Links its name, the tea tree and native scrub, the rolling sandy ground, the breeze off the strait, but it widens the margins, eases the carries, and offers five tee sets so the round can play short and sociable or stretch toward seven thousand yards for the better players. Pair it with the Open Course over a stay and play weekend and you have the full Moonah Links experience, from a gentle warm up to a championship examination.
Moonah Links Legends Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2003
- Designer
- Ross Perrett, Thomson Perrett
- Type
- Coastal dunes
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 5,600 to 6,900 yd
- Access
- Public resort
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Moonah Links Resort and leading course databases. The Legends Course was designed by Ross Perrett of the Thomson Perrett firm and opened in 2003, a par 72 with five tee sets playing from about 5,600 yards to roughly 6,900 yards. It is a public resort course with green fee play and stay and play packages; published rates carry a season and change through the year, so always confirm current green fees and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Legends earns its keep through variety and choice. Ross Perrett set the holes among the moonah and the dunes so that the look and the feel match the famous Open Course next door, but the playing corridors are kinder and the forced carries fewer. The five tee sets are the heart of the design: from the forward markers it is a sociable, reachable par 72, while from the back it firms up into a proper test of long iron play, and a group of mixed handicaps can share the same round happily.
The short and medium holes are where the course is most enjoyable, asking for sensible positioning rather than heroics, with greens that gather a good shot and shrug off a loose one. The breeze off Bass Strait is never far away, so the smart play is to keep the ball flighted and take the safe side into the firmer greens. It rewards course management over raw power, which is exactly what makes it such good company for a resort group.
Conditioning and setting do the rest. The sandy base drains fast and runs firm, the native vegetation frames the holes, and the whole property carries the quiet, big sky feel of the lower peninsula. You finish wanting to go straight around again, or to test yourself on the Open Course alongside it.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public resort course at Moonah Links Resort, open to visitor green fee play, with stay and play packages that combine the Legends and the Open courses |
| How to play | Book a tee time directly with the resort or through your golf travel planner; green fees vary by season, day and whether you bundle both courses |
| Booking | Reserve ahead in the warmer months and around peninsula holidays, when the resort is busiest; ask about multi round and accommodation packages |
| On the day | A walkable dune course where carts are available; bring wind protection for the exposed coastal holes and expect firm, fast playing surfaces |
| Getting there | Fingal, on the lower Mornington Peninsula, about an hour to ninety minutes by road from Melbourne |
| Best months | October to April for the warmest, driest golf, with the peninsula's summer the peak season |
Access details verified June 2026 against Moonah Links Resort; rates and tee sheet policies change, so always confirm current green fees and availability directly before booking. See our Australia green fees guide for the wider picture.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is the on site resort, where stay and play packages put you minutes from both courses and let a group settle in for a couple of days of golf without moving the cars. It is the simplest way to play the Legends and the Open back to back and make the most of the lower peninsula.
For a wider trip, the villages of Sorrento and Portsea at the peninsula's tip add boutique hotels and dining, while the hinterland around Red Hill brings cellar door wineries and hot springs within a short drive. Most golfers fold Moonah Links into a broader Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Sandbelt itinerary, pairing the resort golf with the region's clifftop and private clubs.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts on the Mornington Peninsula.
Build a Mornington Peninsula golf trip
We package the resort golf at Moonah Links with the peninsula's clifftop and private courses and the Melbourne Sandbelt, and arrange the lodging, hot springs and wineries around the tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Moonah Links Legends Course questions
Who designed the Legends Course at Moonah Links and when did it open?
The Legends Course was designed by Ross Perrett of the Thomson Perrett firm and opened in 2003, the second 18 holes at Moonah Links Resort at Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula.
What is the par and length of the Moonah Links Legends Course?
The Legends is a par 72 with five tee sets, playing from about 5,600 yards up to roughly 6,900 yards, so groups of different abilities can find a length that suits them. It is more forgiving than the championship Open Course alongside it.
Can visitors play the Moonah Links Legends Course?
Yes. Moonah Links is a resort, and the Legends Course welcomes public green fee play and stay and play packages alongside the Open Course. Book a tee time in advance and confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
What is the difference between the Legends and Open courses at Moonah Links?
The Open Course is the long championship layout that hosted the Australian Open, demanding and exposed. The Legends Course is the more playable, friendlier of the two, designed for golfers of all abilities while keeping the natural moonah and dune character of the site.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; access policy verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.