Take the time to explore Melbourne's famed Sandbelt corridor with four days of world-class golf, fine dining and city adventures. Follow in the footsteps of the greats on some of Australia's finest courses and discover Melbourne's creative soul in hidden laneways. Head south to the Mornington Peninsula to tee off with rolling views of the ocean.

  • Day 1

    Arrive Melbourne

    Start your golfing holiday in cosmopolitan Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, and a city known for its fine parks and gardens, tree-lined streets, innovative dining scene, fashion, and high profile sporting events. As well as hosting the Melbourne Cup horse race, Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Australia Open Tennis Grand Slam, Melbourne is home to the famous Sandbelt corridor – making golfing a must.

    In the southern outskirts of Melbourne is a rich vein of sandy loam subsoil, where you'll find eight of the best golf courses in Australia. This region is known throughout the world as the Melbourne Sandbelt and these clubs have played host to countless great championships including the Australian Open, Johnnie Walker Classic, Australian Masters, World Match Play Championship, Women's Australian Open, and the Presidents Cup.

    Sweet digs and culinary treasures

    Take your pick from a wide range of hotels across the CBD, from five-star luxury to boutique apartments. Settle into your new digs and then hit the streets to discover Melbourne's renowned culinary scene, which encompasses contemporary Australian and spicy Asian cuisine, classic Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, French… the list goes on. Finish your evening with a nightcap and a twinkling nighttime view at one the many unique bars situated by the river or up high on a city rooftop.

    Hole 16 at Metropolitan Golf Course, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Image: David Scaletti

    Sandbelt courses

    Golf
    Play a round on a famous Sandbelt region golf course, part of a collection of highly rated Melbourne courses found within close proximity to each other.

    Explore

    Minamishima, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Best restaurants

    Food & wine
    Enjoy innovative cuisines as you discover Melbourne's best dining experiences at restaurants celebrated by critics and locals alike.
    Rooftop at Madame Brussels, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Rooftop bars

    Food & wine
    Hit the stairs and reward yourself with a brew with a view at Melbourne's finest rooftop bars. An icy cold tipple is waiting at a rooftop near you.
    The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria

    Places to stay

    Melbourne
    Find accommodation in Melbourne to suit your budget. Choose luxury and boutique hotels, apartments, motels, B&Bs and backpacker hostels.

  • Day 2

    Golf at Victoria Golf Club

    Start the day with a journey across Melbourne's suburbs to the Victoria Golf Club, situated in the heart of Melbourne's rolling Sandbelt country. Close to Metropolitan and Kingston Heath, in the beach side suburb of Cheltenhan, the Victoria Golf Club offers a sporting experience on par with the world's best. The Club hosted the 2002 Australian Open Championship and the 2010 and 2011 Australian Masters.

    Victoria Golf Club
    Course designer: Oscar Damman, William Meader & Alister Mackenzie (1927)
    Length: 6278m / Par 72

    Afternoon wanders

    After your round, make your way back to your hotel in the CBD for a rest before hitting the streets for a little adventure. Explore Melbourne's hive of laneways, bustling with activity and creativity. Admire the stencils and street art in Hosier Lane, browse artworks in independent galleries, and then head off in search of the perfect cocktail in a laneway bar. Need something more traditional? Refuel with a beer at a historic city pub.

    Explore

    Cocktail at Bar Americano, Presgrave Place, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Bars

    Food & wine
    Take an unexpected turn, duck into one of Melbourne's famed laneways, scamper up some stairs and take a tipple in a bar with a distinct personality.
    Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Art galleries

    Art & culture
    Make your way around Melbourne's 100-plus galleries, ranging from large public institutions to smaller commercial spaces and artist cooperatives.
    Section 8, Melbourne, Victoria

    City laneways

    Destinations
    There's always something new to discover in Melbourne's hive of bustling, creative laneways with their boutiques, restaurants, cafes and bars.

  • Day 3

    Golf at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club

    Spend the day at the acclaimed Royal Melbourne Golf Club, named the number one golf courses in Australia and number four in the world according to Golf Digest. Designed by Alister McKenzie, Royal Melbourne West is possibly the most famous of Australia's golf courses. However, both the East and West tracks are renowned as some of the best golf layouts in the world (both are ranked in the US Golf Digest World Top 100). 

    Royal Melbourne has hosted numerous national and international events, most famously the 1970 World Cup of Golf, and the Presidents Cup in both 2008 and 2011. In 2019 the Presidents Cup returns to Royal Melbourne, providing international players with the challenging route of the Composite Course – a combination of the best holes (12 holes from West and 6 holes from East) from each course.

    The Royal Melbourne Golf Club
    East course
    Designer: Alister Mackenzie (1931)
    Length: 6007m / Par 71

    West course
    Designer: Alister Mackenzie (1926)
    Length: 6077m / Par 72

    Explore the peninsula

    Golfing over for the day – load the clubs in the boot and cruise on down to the Mornington Peninsula, where ocean views, rolling hills, and fine food and wine await. Sample local varietals and regional flavours at cellar doors along the Wine Food Farmgate Trail, and then dine out in one of the hatted winery restaurants peppered across the peninsula, where innovative chefs turn the region's bountiful produce into sumptuous feasts. Relax and unwind in preparation for your final day on the greens in the opulent surrounds of Jackalope, a hotel that offers a wondrous blend of hospitality and creativity.

    Explore

    Doot Doot Doot, Jackalope, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

    Wine Food Farmgate Trail

    Eat & drink
    Hit the Wine Food Farmgate Trail and celebrate the Mornington Peninsula's love affair with fine food, seasonal produce and the fruits of the vine.
    Laura, Pt Leo Estate, Merricks, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

    Restaurants

    Eat & drink
    Enjoy unforgettable meals accompanied by signature wines on the peninsula and see what the star chefs create from the fresh regional produce.
    Paringa Estate, Mornington Peninsula

    Mornington Peninsula wine region

    Eat & drink
    Sample your way around Peninsula's boutique cellar doors for the region's renowned pinot noir, plus chardonnay, shiraz, pinot gris and pinot grigio.

  • Day 4

    Golf at The National Golf Club, Mornington

    The National Golf Club is the club of choice for day four of your golfing journey. A 54-hole private members' club located at Cape Schanck, The National is one of Australia's ultimate golfing experiences. 

    Three of The National's championship courses – Gunnamatta, Moonah and Long Island – are listed in Australia's top 100 according to Golf Digest (2022). This is arguably Victoria's most spectacular course. The topography of the Old Course is enhanced by magnificent coastline views, which are particularly evident on the seventh hole.

    The National Golf Club
    The Old course
    Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr
    Length: 6313m / Par 72

    The Moonah course
    Designer: Greg Norman
    Length: 6576m / Par 72

    The Gunnamatta course (previously known as the Ocean course)
    Designer: Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett
    Length: 6539m / Par 72

    Garden colours

    Reward your efforts on the greens with a late lunch and wine tasting at the renowned Montalto winery. Follow it up with a stroll through the winery’s beautiful vineyard and sculpture garden, which is host to the annual Montalto Sculpture Prize. Finish your peninsula adventure with an evening at the stunning Peninsula Hot Springs, where you can while away a few hours in a natural thermal mineral spa while watching the sun go down across the surrounding hills. 

     

    Explore

    Paringa Estate, Mornington Peninsula

    Mornington Peninsula wine region

    Eat & drink
    Sample your way around Peninsula's boutique cellar doors for the region's renowned pinot noir, plus chardonnay, shiraz, pinot gris and pinot grigio.
    Alba, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

    Spa and wellbeing

    See & do
    Restore balance to your life with Mornington Peninsula's sea air, serene gardens, luxurious day spas and Victoria's only natural geothermal springs.
    lancemore lindenderry, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

    Places to stay

    Mornington Peninsula
    Make the most of Mornington Peninsula's wineries, beaches and restaurants and stay awhile, with accommodation options to suit both style and budget.

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