As I boarded Qantas’ massive A380 to travel to Australia, I was expecting the usual American checklist: koalas, kangaroos and surf breaks, as well as cool accents.
The crocs that I saw on my overnight flight were not the ones I had seen in Melbourne, the southernmost state of Victoria, but the fierce biters who live to the north. There was plenty of nature to be found in the area surrounding Australia’s second-largest city, Golfweek.
I had high expectations of the golf in Victoria, just south of Melbourne. Sandbelt is a popular region for course architects. Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Club are among the best classic golf courses in the world. This includes those compiled by Golfweek’s Best ranking program.
This trip to Australia in late April was full of beautiful bunkers, big bounces and the most intoxicating of greens. It would be fair to describe inland links golf as sand-based, fast and firm layouts with a lot of sand that forces players to think rather than just aim at the flagstick. Other words, it’s my favorite type of golf.
St. Andrews Beach Golf course on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria (Australia) (Courtesy Visit Victoria/Gary Lisbon).
After years of reading, studying and watching international events from Australia and Australia-based broadcasts, my hopes were high. Scotland, Ireland and England, as well as a few U.S. resorts, that mimicked the best of the links style, were the places I wanted to play in Victoria.
Australia exceeded my expectations. Each box was checked. Victoria offers the best golf in dozens of courses. I played nine.
It was a golfing paradise that I could not get enough of. The terrain, the texture, the grass – all these things combined to create a perfect game. It was not enough time for me to absorb everything. I spent nine days on the ground, six of which were golfing days. The courses I played in mostly sunny weather and with ideal autumn breezes (remember, spring is in the northern hemisphere while fall is in those south of equator) sparked a desire to go back. It is true that the flight is long. The list of courses that I would like to revisit or take for the first time is longer.
A man is responsible for a large part of the Sandbelt’s golfing success. Alister MacKenzie, a Scot who was famous in America for designing courses at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, and Cypress Point, California, among other places, visited Victoria in 1925 and laid out the West Course of Royal Melbourne. This course is ranked among the top 10 golf courses in the world by most critics. Alister MacKenzie also provided his services to other clubs around the region. He rebunked existing courses or suggested changes to putting surfaces. MacKenzie left his fingerprints almost everywhere on the sand.
The par-3 5th hole on Royal Melbourne’s West Course, Victoria, Australia. (Jason Lusk/Golfweek).
The Sandbelt was already home to golf, but the West Course at Royal Melbourne proved that elite golf could thrive there. MacKenzie was not the only designer to follow in his footsteps. In the 100 years that have passed since MacKenzie visited, the area has become a mecca of international golf architecture enthusiasts who answer the call and fly to Melbourne from a far-off land to see what the fuss is all about. This region is a must-see for anyone who loves golf. It’s right up there with the United Kingdom and Ireland.
I was in Victoria, Canada with a video crew and Golfweek Contributor Averee Dovsek. She is a former college player and long-drive competitor. She also produces fitness and instructional videos on Golfweek.com. Visit Victoria, the host agency for our match, arranged to have Dovsek play against golf professionals and club members from the local area on a number of top courses. I then had to play a few other courses by myself – I just can’t seem to get enough of this type of golf. It’s a long trip for an American golfer to Australia, so you should take every opportunity to play. VisitMelbourne.com and TheSandbelt.com are great places to start.
