Sandhurst Club

The verdict

Sandhurst sits at Skye, on the southeastern edge of Melbourne where the suburbs give way to the open country toward the Mornington Peninsula, and it offers something the famous sandbelt clubs nearby do not: 36 holes of accessible, well kept golf in a single, easygoing club. The courses were designed by Peter Thomson, the five time Open champion, and his longtime design partner Ross Perrett, and the flagship Champions Course opened in 2007 as a sandbelt inspired layout, its eighteen holes each dedicated to a past PGA of Australia champion.

The Champions plays as a par 72 of about 6,277 yards and wears its inspiration well, with gently contoured fairways, sand framed greens that open at the front for the running approach, and tree lined surrounds that demand position off the tee. Alongside it the North Course gives a second, slightly more relaxed eighteen, and the large clubhouse and residential estate make Sandhurst a comfortable, social base. It is not the sandbelt of Royal Melbourne, but as a pair of playable, attractive courses for a group it earns its place on a Melbourne golf itinerary.

The holes worth the trip

The Champions Course is the one to prioritize, and its strength is balance. Thomson and Perrett gave it the sandbelt traits that travel well, fairways that move gently rather than dramatically, bunkers cut close to the putting surfaces, and greens that invite the ground game when the front is open and punish the player who short sides themselves. There is room off many tees, but the second shot is where the course makes you think.

The dedication of each hole to a past PGA of Australia champion is a neat touch that gives the round a sense of the country's golfing history, and it suits a club whose namesake, Peter Thomson, was the finest Australian player of his era. The par 3s are well varied in length and defense, and the closing holes give a group something to play for as the round comes back toward the clubhouse.

For the visitor, the appeal is the package: two courses, generous practice facilities, and the option to play and dine in one place over a day or two. It is golf built for enjoyment and for groups rather than for a championship card, and on those terms it delivers consistently.

Where to stay nearby

Sandhurst sits between the sandbelt suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula, which makes it a flexible base. Many visiting golfers stay in Melbourne's southeastern suburbs or in the city itself and play Sandhurst as part of a wider sandbelt week, while those heading on to the Peninsula can fold it in as a first or last round on the way through.

The course pairs naturally with the great sandbelt clubs a little closer to the city, Kingston Heath, Royal Melbourne and Metropolitan, and with the coastal courses of the Mornington Peninsula an hour to the south. As a relaxed, two course club it works best as the social, accessible day within a trip built around those bigger names.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Melbourne and the sandbelt.