The National Golf Club is Australia’s largest private members’ golf club with 72 holes. The club has 54 holes situated in Cape Schanck on the dramatically undulating and sandy seaside land of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, and 18 holes in Frankston North following a 2015 merger with Long Island Country Club.
There’s no shortage of golf to be played at the Mornington site, with three courses to choose from… the Old, the Gunnamatta (formerly called the Ocean course) and the Moonah. All three courses appear in Australia’s Top 50 and the Old was naturally the first course to be laid out here at the National. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the Old course opened for play in 1988 and it's set on undulating slightly hilly ground which allows for stunning coastal views.
The Mornington Peninsula could easily be one long stretch of golf holes and it must have been a challenge for RTJ2 to decide on his virgin routing plan. The National’s signature hole is the wonderful one-shot 7th, which invariably plays into the prevailing breeze. With a daunting ravine to carry, club selection is critical and most will take one club more bringing a deep bunker at the back of the green into play. With the Mornington Peninsula as the backcloth, this is a truly memorable hole.
To card a good score on the National Old course, you’ll need your best driving game and a hot putter. These are some of the best putting surfaces in Australia and they can be shaved rather slickly.
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