Thirteenth Beach: 2026 Access and Booking Update
On the Bellarine Peninsula southwest of Melbourne, Thirteenth Beach has quietly become one of Australia's best public golf experiences, two championship links on one stretch of coast and the long time home of the Vic Open. Here is where access and play stand in 2026, and how to build a trip around it.
The news: two courses, open to visitors, anchored by the Vic Open
The headline for 2026 is that Thirteenth Beach remains one of the most accessible high quality golf destinations in the country, a rare thing among courses of this calibre. With two full championship layouts on the Bellarine coast, it is built to welcome visitor play and stay and play guests rather than guard its tee sheet, which makes it a cornerstone of any Victorian golf trip.
It also keeps its place on the tournament calendar. Thirteenth Beach has hosted the Vic Open since 2013, and the championship returns in 2026, a genuinely modern event that crowns men's and women's champions concurrently across both courses for equal prize money. The men's tournament is co sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia, the women's by the LPGA and ALPGA, which keeps the resort firmly on the radar of touring professionals and travelling golfers alike.
The two courses
The original is the Beach Course, a Tony Cashmore design that opened in December 2001 and runs through classic coastal dunes country, the kind of firm, windswept links golf the Bellarine does so well. It is the more traditional of the two and the one most associated with the resort's reputation.
Alongside it sits the Creek Course, designed by Sir Nick Faldo in conjunction with Tony Cashmore and opened on the first day of 2004. More open and contemporary in feel, it gives the resort a genuine two course draw and, crucially for the Vic Open, allows the tournament to run both championships at once. Having two distinct but complementary links on one site is what elevates Thirteenth Beach from a good day's golf to a destination in its own right.
How to play it in 2026
Thirteenth Beach sits near Barwon Heads, around ninety minutes from Melbourne and a short hop from the surf coast and the Great Ocean Road, which makes it easy to fold into a wider Victorian itinerary. The adjoining resort offers stay and play packages, so the natural approach is a multi night visit that lets you play both the Beach and Creek courses and, if conditions allow, replay your favourite.
The 2026 booking notes are simple. Tee times are managed alongside member play and the tournament calendar, so reserve ahead, particularly around the Vic Open week when the courses are given over to the event. The Bellarine plays best through the southern spring and summer, roughly October to April, though the well drained links holds up year round. Green fees and packages move with season and demand, so treat any quoted figure as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Our take is that Thirteenth Beach is one of the smartest inclusions on any Melbourne and Victoria golf trip, a pair of genuine championship links you can actually book, set on a beautiful stretch of coast and backed by a resort built for golfers. It does not carry the private mystique of the Sandbelt's grandest clubs, and that is precisely the appeal: this is world class coastal golf without the access hurdles.
For 2026, pair a couple of nights at Thirteenth Beach with the Melbourne Sandbelt and you have one of the strongest, most varied golf weeks in the country, links and sandbelt within easy reach of each other. Book the two courses, time it for the warmer months, and let the Bellarine wind do the rest.
Plan your Victoria golf trip
From the Beach and Creek courses at Thirteenth Beach to the Melbourne Sandbelt, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
How many courses does Thirteenth Beach have?
Thirteenth Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula near Barwon Heads has two championship courses. The Beach Course, designed by Tony Cashmore, opened in December 2001, and the Creek Course, designed by Sir Nick Faldo with Tony Cashmore, opened on January 1, 2004.
Can you play Thirteenth Beach as a visitor?
Yes. Thirteenth Beach welcomes visitor play across both championship courses and offers stay and play through the adjoining resort. Tee times are managed alongside member play and tournament weeks, so book ahead, especially around the Victorian Open, and confirm current rates directly before booking.
Does Thirteenth Beach host the Victorian Open?
Yes. Thirteenth Beach has hosted the Vic Open since 2013, a championship that crowns men's and women's champions concurrently across both courses for equal prize money. The men's event is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia, the women's by the LPGA and ALPGA.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, designers, opening dates and tournament details verified June 2026 from club, tour and golf travel sources; conditions, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.