History & Course Overview
Few cities in the world can boast such a dense concentration of world-class golf as Melbourne — and at the southern tip of the Sandbelt lies Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club.
Peninsula Kingswood is unique in Australian golf: the result of a merger between two historic clubs, Peninsula and Kingswood, each with over a century of history. Peninsula’s origins trace back to the Melbourne golf boom of the 1920s, coinciding with the influential visit of Dr Alister MacKenzie, whose philosophy left an enduring mark on Sandbelt design.
In 1925, the club acquired 450 acres of prime golfing terrain, blending sandy soil, undulating land, and native bushland. Over time, the club evolved into a 36-hole facility, with the South Course established as the primary championship test and the North Course later added under the guidance of respected architect Sloan Morpeth.
Despite ongoing changes, neither course fully realised the site’s potential — until a bold transformation began in 2014.
Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club features prominently in curated Melbourne Sandbelt golf itineraries, including the Melbourne and the Jewels of the Sandbelt itinerary and the Melbourne Sandbelt Extended Stay itinerary, offering golfers the opportunity to experience both the North and South courses as part of a broader Sandbelt journey.
Ogilvy Clayton Cocking Mead Redesign
North Course
The North Course occupies sandier, more undulating ground and features some of the finest heathland vegetation in Melbourne. Designed to feel like a pure Sandbelt experience, it plays firm and fast with tilted greens, expansive bunkering, wide fairways, and rugged native roughs that characterise the region.
This course emphasises angles, ground game options, and thoughtful positioning — a strategic delight for golfers who appreciate classic design principles.
South Course
Traditionally regarded as the longer and more demanding test, the South Course occupies flatter ground but has been transformed to fully reflect its Sandbelt origins. Greens and bunkers were rebuilt on a scale consistent with Melbourne’s most celebrated courses, placing a greater premium on accuracy from the tee.
Vegetation removal opened long views across the property, while thousands of native plants and grasses were introduced to enhance visual contrast. One of the most distinctive features of the redesign is the reopening of original creek lines, now integral strategic elements on several holes.
— Mike Cocking, Course Designer (Ogilvy Clayton Cocking Mead)
Services & Features
Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club offers a complete resort-style golf experience.
Full teaching facility with qualified PGA Professionals
Extensive putting and chipping greens
Large fleet of motorised carts
Sports room with billiards and shuffleboard
Onsite accommodation
Caddies available on request
Golf Digest Ranking
Both courses are consistently recognised among Australia’s finest.
Highlights
Location & Access
Contact Information
Signature Holes
2nd Hole (North Course) — Par 3
160m (Men) / 129m (Women)
One of the most picturesque holes on the North Course, this par 3 plays across a valley to a green set into a natural dune, drawing comparisons to Royal Melbourne’s famous 5th on the West Course. Distance control is critical — land the ball just short and it may roll 30 metres back down the slope, while shots played too boldly risk failing to hold the firm green.
18th Hole (North Course) — Par 4
390m (Men) / 295m (Women)
A dramatic and visually stunning finishing hole. The tee shot offers little indication of what lies ahead, before revealing a green nestled into a natural amphitheatre framed by bunkers and heathland. Long hitters may attempt to challenge the corner bunker, while a more conservative iron from the tee can provide an excellent angle for approach — strategy over power is often rewarded.
18th Hole (South Course) — Par 4
405m (Men) / 356m (Women)
A strong and demanding finishing hole played from the highest point on the South Course to a fairway well below. A sprawling sand waste guards the right side, protecting the ideal line into the green. Often played into a southerly breeze, this hole provides a stern final test requiring confident long-iron play.
