Recognized as one of the leading golf clubs in Australia, Royal Melbourne is home to some of the world’s best golf courses, hosting several national and international tournaments including the Presidents Cup and the Australian Open.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club has three recognized championship courses among the 36 holes on the property. There is the West, the East, and the Composite – made up of 6 holes from the East and 12 from the West that are utilized in prestigious competitions.
While the West and the East are considered among Australia’s top courses, it’s the Composite Course that graces the rankings on International Top 100 lists. Royal Melbourne GC, with its closest neighbors Victoria GC and the Sandringham public course, make up the largest contiguous stretch of linksland in Melbourne’s sandbelt region.
With generous fairways and fast and firm conditions, you can truly test your skills on the challenging courses here.
Blend world-class courses, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture on this 9-day trip to the Down Under. Whether you’re playing on iconic courses or enjoying the country’s natural beauty, Australia provides an unforgettable experience for golfers.
9 nights accommodation and 4 rounds of golf
Prices starting from $4,975
The Club was founded in 1891 when they cabled the Royal Eastbourne GC in England to kindly send them 30 sets of clubs and balls so members could enjoy the game in Australia. By 1895 the Club had been awarded their royal appendage even before making its mark in the world of golf.
Then half the membership decided to move to the sandbelt and took the royal charter with them. The remaining membership stayed behind as Caufield GC eventually moved to the sandbelt and became the Metropolitan GC, another standout sandbelt layout.
Their first course at Sandringham opened in 1901, the first on the sandbelt, but by the 1920s the course needed an upgrade. The R&A recommended and sent Dr. Alastair Mackenzie for the challenge.
Mackenzie spent two months in Australia consulting on his brilliant designs for the West and the East courses that have stood the test of time. The layouts were finally completed in 1931, the construction overseen by head greenskeeper Mic Morcom and Alex Russell. Sadly, Mackenzie never saw the completed complex.
Women were accepted as early as 1892 as associate members and full members in 1895. They have contributed throughout the Club’s history both in bringing home trophies and assisting with the many numerous prestigious tournaments, including in 2012 hosting the 1st Australian Women’s Open Championship.
From 1901-1931 the Club played host to no fewer than 28 National Championships on both the professional and amateur levels.
The Composite Course first made an appearance in the 1959 Canada Cup (today’s World Cup) so competitors didn’t have to cross a road during the round. Australia celebrated a great victory by Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle who bested the American team of Cary Middlecoff and Sam Snead by 10 shots (home-field advantage!) to take home the trophy.
The Club was also the site of the International Team’s only victory, captioned by Peter Thomson, in the President’s Cup when they beat the American squad, led by Jack Nicklaus, by a decisive 20.5 – 11.5 score in 1998.
Today’s members and visiting golfers enjoy a new clubhouse completed in 2003 with a more relaxed yet still traditional atmosphere.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club stands as one of Australia’s most prestigious golfing destinations, renowned for its exceptional course design and world-class tournament hosting capabilities. Located in the heart of Australia’s famed sandbelt region at Black Rock, the club benefits from the area’s distinctive sandy soils, exceptional natural drainage, and firm playing surfaces that create ideal golfing conditions year-round.
The natural terrain, combined with distinctive bunkering that takes full advantage of the sandy soil composition, provides the perfect foundation for championship golf. This unique sandbelt environment has established Royal Melbourne as a premier venue that consistently attracts the world’s finest golfers and most prestigious tournaments.
Royal Melbourne has two courses, the East and West, but there’s also a third “composition” course that is often used for tournaments, which uses some holes from both the East and West courses. Throughout its history, Royal Melbourne has hosted some prestigious Australian golf tournaments, including 16 Australian Opens, multiple World Cups, Heineken Classics, and three Presidents Cups (1998, 2011, 2019).
The West Course, opened in 1931 and developed by the legendary Alistair MacKenzie, takes place on a rolling sandbelt and is considered a tactical test for any golfer, as both the doglegs and wavy fairways require players to balance positioning and distance. The course runs fairly short, at around 6650 yards (especially compared to more modern courses that usually sail past 7000), but the West Course’s challenge lies in its angled approaches and deep bunkers.
West has a few standout holes, the 5th par 3 was designed specifically by McKenzie and contains valley-guarded green and false fronts that are considered to be the greatest one-shotters in all of golf. The 6th dogleg and the 7th combine are often praised as some of the finest and most enjoyable golf. The course is flanked by what appears to be natural bunkering throughout, but this is a conscious design choice to catch stray or poorly calculated shots.
The East Course, opened in 1932 and designed by Alex Russell, takes a lot of inspiration from MacKenzie’s design philosophy. It shares a similar sandbelt terrain, but is referred to as the “junior” partner to the West. Holes 10 – 12 are especially noteworthy and are often featured in the composite course.
The 16th par 3 is considered legendary among many world-class golfers (with Ben Crenshaw stating it’s the best par 3 he’s ever seen). The East is not the most famous Royal Melbourne golf course, but it is a less taxing course overall, while still containing challenging holes that complement the West Course.
The composite course is not an actual separate course; it’s an 18-hole course that takes 12 of the West Course holes and 6 (including the 5th, 6th, 7th, 16th, and finishing holes) of the East and combines them to make a championship course that’s popular worldwide.
The composite course has been compared favourably to Pine Valley and showcases the best of Mackenzie’s design philosophy as well as the natural challenge the sandbelt provides. It’s a tournament favourite and is a buffet of back-to-back Australian golfing brilliance.
Bill Hogan
The Crown Promenade in Melbourne is an excellent base. This 4-star hotel in Southbank offers modern comfort just a short drive from the course, with easy access to Melbourne’s best restaurants, bars, and entertainment. As part of the Crown complex, it also features great on-site amenities like a pool, spa, and top-tier dining.
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