Only in Australia - local wildlife checking our line at St Andrews Beach
Mornington Peninsula Golf Tour 2025
Dates: Thursday 9 - Tuesday 14 October 2025 Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Status: Done and dusted ✓
The Lads
| Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Inglis | Organiser | Designated driver |
| Colm Cahill | Support Crew | Didn’t play golf, chief encouragement officer |
| Russel Gradey | Golfer | |
| Jonas Bjorkman | Golfer | |
| Declan McKevney | Golfer | Left early Oct 12 for Munich conference |
Itinerary
Thursday, 9 October - Arrival & Golf
- 3:30am: Wake-up call (brutal)
- 6:05am: Flight BNE → MEL
- 9:30am: Arrive Melbourne
- 1:48pm: St Andrews Beach (tee time)
- Evening: Welcome drinks, settle in
Friday, 10 October - Golf Day 2
- 8:18am: Portsea Golf Club (tee time)
- Afternoon: 19th hole recovery
- Evening: Dinner
Saturday, 11 October - Golf Day 3
- 8:56am: The Dunes Golf Links (tee time)
- Afternoon: Rest & recovery
- Evening: Dinner
Sunday, 12 October - Rest Day
- Morning: Sleep in (finally!)
- Afternoon: Breweries & exploring
- Evening: Declan departs for Munich
Monday, 13 October - Final Round
- 11:00am: Moonah Links (tee time)
- Evening: Farewell dinner (4 remaining)
Tuesday, 14 October - Departure
- Morning: Pack up, scenic drive (too scenic!)
- 4:10pm: Flight MEL → BNE
- 5:20pm: Arrive Brisbane
Golf
Day 1: St Andrews Beach Golf Course
| Date | Thursday, 9 October 2025 |
| Tee Time | 1:48pm |
| Address | 209 Sandy Road, Fingal, VIC 3941 |
| Phone | (03) 5988 6000 |
| Designer | Tom Doak (2006) |
| Ranking | #1 Public Access Course in Australia |
| Maps | Google Maps | Apple Maps |
Course Guide: St Andrews Beach
The Backstory: American architect Tom Doak partnered with Aussie Mike Clayton to create what Doak himself called “the highest expression of his minimalist philosophy.” The land was so perfect that only 3 of 18 holes required any earthmoving. Those 500-year-old moonah trees the council wouldn’t let them touch? They made the course better.
- Tom Doak’s masterpiece - proper links gear near Gunnamatta Beach
- Rated #1 public access course in Australia. No pressure.
- We played it on 4 hours sleep. Reckon that’s the real challenge.
Day 2: Portsea Golf Club
| Date | Friday, 10 October 2025 |
| Tee Time | 8:18am |
| Address | 46 London Bridge Road, Portsea, VIC 3944 |
| Phone | (03) 5981 6155 |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Style | Coastal links between Port Phillip Bay and Point Nepean |
| Maps | Google Maps | Apple Maps |
Course Guide: Portsea Golf Club
The Backstory: Founded in 1926 among tea-tree covered sand dunes, Portsea is celebrating its centenary in 2026. Club founder Arthur Relph spotted the land in 1923 and knew the natural undulating landscape was perfect for golf. Started as a 9-hole layout, it wasn’t completed to 18 holes until 1965. Alex Russell (business partner of legendary Alister MacKenzie) worked on the design.
- Private club with public access at certain times
- 18-hole championship course
- Stunning coastal setting
Day 3: The Dunes Golf Links
| Date | Saturday, 11 October 2025 |
| Tee Time | 8:56am |
| Address | 335 Browns Road, Rye, VIC 3941 |
| Phone | (03) 5985 1334 |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Ranking | Top 25 in Australia |
| Maps | Google Maps | Apple Maps |
Course Guide: The Dunes Golf Links
The Backstory: Designer Tony Cashmore was given a brief that sounds impossible: create a championship course that challenges low markers without being a monster for high handicappers. Set on 300 acres of gently rolling sand dunes, he nailed it. Ranked Top 20 in Australia for 15+ years and consistently Victoria’s #1 public access course.
- 27 holes total across rolling sand dunes
- Only driving range on the Peninsula where you can use driver
- Par 72 championship course
Day 5: Moonah Links Resort
| Date | Monday, 13 October 2025 |
| Tee Time | 11:00am |
| Address | 55 Peter Thomson Drive, Fingal, VIC 3939 |
| Phone | (03) 5988 2047 |
| Opened | 2002 |
| Claim to Fame | Only course designed specifically for Australian Open |
| Maps | Google Maps | Apple Maps |
Course Guide: Moonah Links
The Backstory: Five-time Open Champion Peter Thomson called this his “magnum opus” - and he designed close to 100 courses worldwide. Golf Australia commissioned Thomson to build Australia’s first purpose-built championship course, and the result became “The Home of Australian Golf.” Peter Lonard won the 2003 Australian Open here at 9 under. A bronze statue of Thomson watches every golfer tee off on the 1st.
- Hosted 2003 Australian Open
- One of the longest courses in Australia
- Two courses: Open (championship) and Legends (more forgiving)
Getting There
From Brisbane:
- Flight: BNE → MEL (~2.5 hours)
- All courses ~90 minutes from Melbourne CBD
- Courses within 20 mins of each other on the Peninsula
Between Courses:
- St Andrews Beach to Portsea: ~15 mins
- Portsea to The Dunes: ~20 mins
- The Dunes to Moonah Links: ~10 mins
Trip Recap
Highlights
- Four world-class courses in one trip
- St Andrews Beach lived up to the #1 public access hype
- Great group dynamic and mateship
- Rest day brewery exploration
- WhatsApp banter was top tier
Lessons Learned
- 3:30am start + 18 holes = brutal - maybe don’t book an arvo round after a 3:30am wake-up. Just a thought.
- Don’t trust spontaneous scenic drives on departure day - nearly missed the bloody flight!
- Use a travel agent next time - too much admin, not enough golf
- Colm as support crew works - legend kept morale high even without swinging a club
- Check conference dates - poor Declan had to bail early for Munich
Quotes of the Trip
“Add your memorable quotes here!”
Awards
Fill in after reviewing the trip photos and memories!
| Award | Winner | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Best Drive | TBD | |
| Best Putt | TBD | |
| Best Recovery | TBD | |
| Best Excuse | TBD | |
| MVP | TBD | |
| Iron Man | Declan | Fitness levels that made everyone feel old |
Photo Gallery
Day 1 - St Andrews Beach (The 3:30am Wake-Up Special)
Day 2 - Portsea (Finally Some Sleep)
Day 3 - The Dunes (Proper Links Gear)
Day 4 - Rest Day (R&D at the Breweries)
Day 5 - Moonah Links (Championship Territory)
Day 6 - The Scenic Route Home (Nearly Missed the Flight)
125 photos total - [See all the carnage →](Albums/2025-10 Mornington Album)
Quick Links
- Dropbox Photos: (Private link)
- St Andrews Beach: standrewsbeachgolf.com.au
- Portsea Golf Club: portseagolf.com.au
- The Dunes: thedunes.com.au
- Moonah Links: moonahlinks.com.au
Last Updated: 2025-12-10