Victoria Golf Club
A pillar of the Melbourne Sandbelt and the home club of five time Open champion Peter Thomson, Victoria has occupied its Cheltenham site since 1927. A par 72 across firm, sandy ground, it is celebrated for some of the finest bunkering and fastest greens in Australia.
Photo: Victoria Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Victoria is one of the great names of the Melbourne Sandbelt, the cluster of courses on the sandy soil southeast of the city that ranks among the finest concentrations of golf on earth. Set on its Cheltenham land since 1927, sharing a boundary with Royal Melbourne, it is a par 72 routed across firm, fast turf with the crisp, scalloped bunkering and lightning greens that define sandbelt golf.
It is also a club steeped in history as the home of Peter Thomson, the five time Open champion, and that pedigree shows in a course that prizes strategy, angles and the running shot over aerial power. Quietly it is one of the toughest tests on the sandbelt, demanding precise position to attack greens guarded by deep, beautifully shaped sand. Private but welcoming to visitors by arrangement, it is an essential round on any serious Melbourne golf trip.
Victoria Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1903
- On this site
- 1927
- Type
- Sandbelt
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 6,278 m
- Access
- Private, visitors by arrangement
The club's founding in 1903, the move to its present Cheltenham site in 1927, par 72 and a length of about 6,278 metres verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. Victoria is the home club of Peter Thomson. It is a private club that welcomes visitors by prior arrangement; green fees vary, so always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Victoria is sandbelt golf distilled, firm fairways running over sandy ground, greens that are fast and subtly contoured, and bunkering of a quality found in only a handful of places in the world. The sand is the defining feature, deep and crisply edged, cut tight to the putting surfaces so that the line into each green is dictated by where the bunkers sit rather than by the yardage alone.
It is a course of angles and ground game. The firm turf invites the running approach, the wind off Port Phillip Bay shifts the strategy through the day, and the player who finds the correct side of the fairway is rewarded with a clear shot while the one who strays is left to negotiate the sand. There is little water and little rough trickery, just classic strategic design that asks a question on every tee.
Among the best holes are the short par 4s, where the temptation to attack is balanced against severe bunkering, and a set of strong par 3s that demand a precise, committed strike. It is a quietly relentless examination, the kind of course that flatters good thinking and methodically exposes the loose shot, and a worthy companion to its famous neighbors on the sandbelt.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club at Cheltenham that welcomes visitors by prior arrangement, subject to availability; contact the club or a golf operator |
| Green fee | Visitor green fees vary and are arranged with the club; confirm the current rate and any reciprocal or introduction requirements when booking |
| Booking | Contact the club in advance, often through a member, a reciprocal club or a sandbelt golf operator; weekends are reserved for members |
| On the day | Caddies are not customary, carts limited as walking is the norm, a traditional golf dress code and a fine members clubhouse |
| Getting there | In the beachside suburb of Cheltenham southeast of central Melbourne, around thirty minutes from the city and Melbourne airport beyond |
| Best months | October to April for the warm, dry Australian golf season; the sandbelt drains beautifully and plays firm and fast |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors base themselves in Melbourne or among the bayside suburbs southeast of the city, putting Victoria and the rest of the sandbelt within a short drive of a hotel, a good restaurant and the city's celebrated coffee and culture. A car and a few prearranged tee times make the cluster easy to play.
The sandbelt rewards a concentrated stay, with Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan and others all within a few minutes of Victoria, so a long weekend can take in several of the world's best courses from a single base. Melbourne's airport and excellent connections make it the natural hub for an Australian golf tour.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts nearby.
Play Victoria and the Melbourne Sandbelt
We build Melbourne Sandbelt golf trips around Victoria and its famous neighbors, arrange the visitor access and tee times that need planning ahead and sort a base in the city or by the bay with the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Victoria Golf Club questions
When was Victoria Golf Club established?
Victoria Golf Club was founded in 1903 and has occupied its present site at Cheltenham, sharing a boundary with Royal Melbourne, since 1927. It is one of the foundation clubs of the Melbourne Sandbelt.
What is the par and length of Victoria Golf Club?
Victoria is a par 72 measuring about 6,278 metres. It is not long by modern standards, but the firm sandbelt turf, the superb bunkering and the fast, contoured greens make it one of the more demanding tests in the cluster.
Is Victoria Golf Club linked to Peter Thomson?
Yes. Victoria is the home club of Peter Thomson, the Australian who won the Open Championship five times. The club's strategic, ground game style of golf reflects the sandbelt tradition he championed.
Can visitors play Victoria Golf Club?
Victoria is a private members club that welcomes visitors by prior arrangement, subject to availability, often through a member, a reciprocal club or a golf operator. Weekends are generally reserved for members, so plan ahead and confirm access directly.
Where is Victoria Golf Club and what is nearby?
Victoria sits in the beachside suburb of Cheltenham southeast of central Melbourne, around thirty minutes from the city. It pairs naturally with Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan and the other sandbelt courses on a Melbourne golf trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.