Portarlington - Victoria - Australia
130 Hood Road,
Portarlington,
Victoria 3223,
Australia
+61 (0) 3 5259 2492
2.5 km SE of Portarlington
Welcome
Michael Phillips
Eric Horne, Tony Cashmore
Michael Phillips
Portarlington Golf Club was formed in 1909, though it appears that golf was being played at least ten years prior to that time on a 6-hole layout along the esplanade of the coastal town on the Bellarine Peninsula.
The club then moved in 1914 to a 9-hole course laid out by professional Dick Banks at the local racecourse. The club seems to have folded during World War I but it was revived again in 1923.
Various premises were tried before the club finally settled at its current location. According to a centenary publication, “a layout and rabbit proof fencing was approved and work on the new links began. The 9 holes with sand and fine, oiled, bluestone scrapes were constructed.
Fairways were carved out of the wattle trees and bracken and fern with most of the material for the scrapes being gathered from a sand pit on the 6th fairway. Golf commenced on Saturday 25th September 1937. Transforming the land from a paddock to a playable course took only 25 days.”
The club developed another five holes in 1959, with Eric Horne (an architectural associate of Peter Thomson) designing the layout at no cost. By 1963, there were eighteen holes in use.
Additional land was then purchased, allowing Eric Horne’s company, Greenmaster, to redesign the layout, with the new course officially opened on 8th March 1980.
Tony Cashmore developed a master plan for the layout in the mid-1990s, resulting in the upgrade of fairways to Santa Ana couch grass, the installation of a new 5th hole, the re-shaping of some greens, fairways and bunkers, along with improved drainage and the removal and re-planting of trees.
In 2020, Neil Crafter and Brett Mogford were appointed as the club’s new design consultants.
Reviews for Portarlington
Portarlington GC occupies a relatively flat parcel of land, close to the beach. But there is just enough movement in the sandy terrain to make it interesting for golf.
Each hole is framed by mature gum trees demanding accuracy off the tee. Water hazards on holes 2, 15, 16, 17 & 18 add a little variety to the round.
The fairways are a beautifully maintained carpet, and the greens are as true as I have played. But it is the bunkering that defines Portarlington.
Tony Cashmore is well known for his designs (The Dunes, The Henley at The Heritage, 13th Beach- both courses). He prepared the Master Plan and then implemented the bunkering that sets this course apart.
The course has three par 5's and three par 3's in it's par 72. The par 3's in particular are strong holes. The members here are blessed!
They have an interesting, but very playable course which is eminently walkable and beautifully conditioned.
It is a lovely relaxing place by the sea to play golf.
Visitors to the Bellarine Peninsula should include a game at Portarlington in all itineraries.
Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review.
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