The Australian Open and the Mornington Peninsula.
When the world’s best golfers descend on Melbourne this December – Rory McIlroy, Cam Smith, Adam Scott and more – the Australian Open will again be the beating heart of the golf world. But here’s the truth: if you’re flying in, or even just driving down for the weekend, watching the drama unfold is only half the experience. The other half lies just an hour south, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, where the fairways roll into vineyards and golf blends seamlessly with the good life.
Where world-class golf meets coastal soul
Few regions in Australia deliver such an intoxicating mix of championship golf and coastal beauty. The Mornington Peninsula is pure golfing gold, home to many of the country’s top-ranked courses and an atmosphere that invites you to linger a little longer after the final putt drops in Melbourne.
Start with Moonah Links. The Open course – built specifically for the Australian Open – remains a true test for serious players, while the more forgiving Legends course tempts you back out for a second round before sunset. Stay on-site and wake to the kind of dawn light that makes you want to hit the first tee before breakfast.
A few minutes away lies The Dunes Golf Links, a course that could have been lifted straight from Scotland’s west coast – dramatic dunes, hard-running fairways and the roar of the ocean never far away. And then there’s St Andrews Beach, Tom Doak’s minimalist masterpiece, effortlessly carved into natural sand and scrub. It’s golf in its purest, most elemental form – no distractions, just you, your thoughts and the wind.
Together, these courses form a triangle of world-class golf unlike anywhere else in the country. Play them in succession and you’ll understand why the peninsula has quietly become Australia’s new capital of coastal golf.
Eat, drink and unwind like a local
Of course, golf is only part of the story here. The Mornington Peninsula does indulgence just as well as it does golf. Swap spikes for sneakers and head straight to Red Gum BBQ in Red Hill – a smoky, soulful temple to slow-cooked meat and good beer. For something a little more refined, book a long lunch at Montalto, where vineyard views and wood-fired local produce blur the line between food and art.
Prefer hops to grapes? Jetty Road Brewery pours some of Victoria’s finest craft beers in a setting so laid-back, you’ll feel like a regular by the second round. Whether it’s barbecue smoke, pinot noir or a cold pale ale in the sunshine, the peninsula knows how to reward a good day’s golf.
Beyond the fairways
Even golf diehards need a breather. Let Wild Adventures Melbourne (WAM) do the planning – the local outdoor tour experts run easy, hassle-free day adventures that showcase the region’s best. Try a sunrise paddle as dolphins glide past, or hit the road from Sorrento to Flinders, where beaches and sea cliffs deliver the ultimate unwind.
Every moment here, from your first tee shot at Moonah to a glass of pinot under the vines, feels distinctly Victorian. It’s relaxed yet sophisticated, energising yet restorative.
Turn a tournament into a true golf escape
This summer’s Australian Open will be one to remember. A field stacked with international superstars and a home crowd ready to roar. But don’t let the experience end on Sunday evening. Just 60 minutes down the highway, the Mornington Peninsula is waiting to turn your weekend of golf into a week of pure inspiration.
Championship courses, vineyard lunches, craft breweries, ocean breezes and a slower pace of life. It’s everything golf should be about.
To find out more see visitvictoria.com/golf
