Top tips for teeing off

The Eastern Golf Club in the Yarra Valley is international golfing champion Greg Norman’s newest course. The new club is already open and an official media launch is planned for mid October. This new arrival is one of many reasons to tee off in Victoria, with more than 320 public golf courses to suit players at every level. Victoria also plays host to the Australian Masters which returns to Huntingdale Golf Club this November. Courses across Victoria offer great diversity, taking in spectacular scenery along inland river systems, rugged coastlines and sandbelt regions, often flanked by giant eucalyptus trees and sharing fairways with kangaroos. Here is a selection of what golfers can expect as they visit Regional Victoria:

Yarra ValleySurrounded by vineyards and walking trails, the newly opened Eastern Golf Club has been developed for golfing all year round, with 18 holes and the clubhouse now open to the public. A further nine-hole, par three course will follow by mid 2016. Accommodation is available onsite, along with with conference facilities, and formal and casual dining options. 473 Doncaster Road, Yering, Ph: +613 9840 1881.(03) 9840 1881

The Heritage Golf and Country Club in Wonga Park offers two championship golf courses split by the Yarra River. The Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ St John course greets players at the gates, while its sister course takes players on a journey around the foothills beyond. Each offers a unique but equally engaging experience for any skill level. 2 Heritage Ave, Chirnside Park, Ph: +613 9760 3173.

Across the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the RACV Healesville Country Club offers a variety of onsite recreational facilities including a Mike Clayton-designed, 18-hole golf course, a four-hole short course and a practice putting green. There are also tennis courts, a bowling green, a croquet lawn and a jumping pillow for children. 122 Healesville-Kinglake Road, Healesville, Ph: +613 5962 4899.

Mornington PeninsulaMoonah Links Golf Complex is home to the Open Course and the Legends Course. The Open Course was the venue for the 2003 Australian Open and is one of the longest courses in Australia. The complex includes 92 luxurious guest rooms, a restaurant, bar, conference facilities and pro-shop. 55 Peter Thomson Drive, Fingal, Ph: +613 5988 2000.

RACV Cape Schanck Resort’s magnificent 18-hole, par 70, championship golf course is consistently rated among Australia’s best 100 courses. It offers an on-site driving range, practice bunker and putting green, a full chipping and pitching area, and a fleet of motorised carts for hire. Other recreational facilities include tennis courts, table tennis tables and heated swimming pool. Accommodation offers ocean view rooms, two-bedroom executive ocean view suites, and two-bedroom or three-bedroom villas. Trent Jones Drive, Cape Schanck, Ph: +613 5950 8000.

The National Golf Club offers a suite of challenging courses: The ‘Moonah’ (designed by Greg Norman), the ‘Old Course’ (Robert Trent Jones Jnr.) and the ‘Ocean’ (Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett). All three are 18-hole championship courses, currently ranked 8th, 14th and 46th respectively in Australia. The clubhouse has magnificent views of the sea and has been designed to accommodate large events. The Cups Drive, Cape Schanck, Ph: +613 5988 6666.

The MurrayThe Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort is Australia’s largest public access golf resort, offering three distinct golf courses for players. The resort offers on-course accommodation, with guests able to choose to stay in either cabin style accommodation a luxurious suite. Golf Club Rd, Mulwala, Ph: +613 5744 1911.

Murray Downs Golf & Country Club is consistently voted in the top resort courses around Australia. Known as a challenging and picturesque course, golfers play alongside majestic river gums. The par 72 course is a striking contrast to the Mallee plains that surround it and has some great signature holes, including the 5th with a long water carry over to the green. 100 Murray Downs Dr, Murray Downs, Ph: +613 5033 1422.

The Mildura Golf Resort is nestled among an 18-hole championship course and features onsite accommodation, a clubhouse, bar and function facility. Acclaimed for its immaculate greens and challenging championship layout, the par 71 course is rated as one of the Murray River’s most challenging and enjoyable golf rounds. 287 Twelfth St, Mildura, Ph: +613 5023 1147.

Great Ocean RoadFor a truly Australian experience head to the Anglesea Golf Club, where resident Eastern Grey kangaroos often hop past or graze in the shade of the trees. The 42 bunkers throughout the course have been likened to sand-belt bunkers and combine with eucalyptus-lined fairways to produce a stunning backdrop. 1 Golf Links Rd, Anglesea, Ph: +613 5263 1582.

Thirteenth Beach Golf Links sits on a prime waterfront site and offers two 18-hole courses – The Beach and The Creek. The Beach Course is consistently ranked in the top 20 best courses in Australia. The Creek Course is a parkland layout and was co-designed by golfing greats Sir Nick Faldo and Tony Cashmore. Thirteenth Beach Golf Links allows exclusive use of either course for groups larger than 80 players. 1732 Barwon Heads Rd, Connewarre, Ph: +613 5254 2922.

The Sands, located in Torquay, is a Stuart Appleby-designed, 18-hole, private course, also ranked as a top 100 course in Australia. Facilities include motorised carts and a clubhouse complete with restaurant, three private function rooms and full catering. The Sands sits alongside Peppers The Sands Resort, a spacious 112 room resort offering dining, health club facilities and private balconies. 2 Sands Boulevarde, Torquay, Ph: +613 5264 3333.

For media enquiries about Eastern Golf Club, please contact marketing@easterngolfclub.com.au.