Portsea Golf Club’s upcoming centenary is a time for both reflection and enhancement
There’s plenty to celebrate as Portsea Golf Club approaches its centenary in 2026, but it’s not just about the number. It’s about the fact that 100 years on, golfers are still walking the same land and playing through the same natural dunes that shaped the original course back in the 1920s. Few clubs in Australia can say that.
The centenary year will be full of celebrations, headlined by a Reciprocal Centenary Tournament that brings together clubs and members from across the country. But for Portsea, this milestone is as much about the future as it is about the past.
The club recently appointed Clayton, DeVries & Pont (CDP) in partnership with Kruse Golf as consulting architects, marking a new chapter in the evolution of this Mornington Peninsula gem, which has had influence from the likes of Alex Russell, Peter Thomson and Mike Cocking. Mike Clayton, who advised the club in the late 1990s, says he’s thrilled to be back.
“I’m delighted to be working again with Portsea, a club with so much history and potential,” he said when the appointment was announced. “The back nine has always been one of the best in Victoria. Our goal is to bring the front nine up to that same standard.”
CDP’s plans will focus on enhancing tees and greens on the front nine, expanding surrounds, refining fairways and creating a new short-game area near the clubhouse. It’s thoughtful, incremental work – the kind of changes that respect the club’s history while making the course more playable and sustainable for decades to come.
That sense of balance defines Portsea’s philosophy. A new, fully automated irrigation system gives the course staff far greater control over conditions, and the further introduction of fescue into the turf, will ensure firm and fast play year-round without ever tipping into the “lush” aesthetic that doesn’t belong here.
“We’re committed to keeping the course firm and fast and letting the natural colours and contours shine through,” says general manager John Burbergs.
From above, Portsea’s rolling dunes, coastal vegetation and sweeping views look timeless. On the ground, the firm turf, clever bunkering and natural contours keep golfers thinking from the first tee to the last green. It’s that blend of strategy, scenery and soul that has kept Portsea a favourite among locals and visitors alike. This renewed focus on the course, as well as its members, plus the re-introduction of the celebrity pro-am, has seen the club in its strongest position in its almost 100 years, with the club now managing a waitlist.
As the club looks ahead to 2026, the celebrations will honour not only 100 years of golf but the enduring connection between course and landscape. Portsea isn’t just surviving as it moves into its second century; it’s thriving, with a clear vision for the next hundred years of golf on this remarkable stretch of coastal ground.
THE DETAILS
Portsea Golf Club
Where: London Bridge Rd, Portsea VIC 3944
Phone: (03) 5981 6155
Web: portseagolf.com.au
