Portsea's Improvements

On the furthest point of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria lies Portsea Golf Club. Relatively short in today's game, but beware—the course can bite. Nestled amongst dramatic dunes and Moonah trees, Portsea’s undulating fairways provide a different test every hole and every shot. It can be a challenge, but it is a great deal of fun.

Portsea is heading towards its centenary next year, 2026, with all systems go. The Club has recently undergone and completed an exciting irrigation project. It has installed a fully automated course irrigation system to further improve turf quality and future-proof the course in the event of prolonged drought conditions. The process was not a simple one given the age of their previous system. Not all the locations of the old pipes across the course were known, making it difficult not to cut them. However, the 10-month process ran smoothly and will help further improve on an already fantastic course.

The shortest holes at Portsea prove to be the toughest and most interesting.

The 6th hole, ‘Deception’, initially presents a daunting blind tee shot with first timers unsure of what to hit off the tee. Surprisingly, a generous, wide fairway presents itself at the bottom of the hill. Depending on the line taken off the tee, players can be found with anywhere between a flip wedge or a mid to long iron into the green. Assuredly, players do not want anything more than a short iron in. The small green perched at the top of the hill spits back any ball landing short and kicks away any balls landing long. Not easy and very intimidating.

Great short 4’s force players to be in two minds, go for the green or lay up. ‘Little Devil’ does exactly that. The 10th is the signature hole, aptly named ‘Little Devil’, which enjoys troubling members and visitors alike. Reachable for most players, but so are deep bunkers and thick bush. If players can pull it off, a birdie is almost a certainty. If players decide the lay back, a steep right-to-left fairway repels any balls slightly offline, so the top of the hill is the only spot to land. A terrific hole that is one of the best short 4s in Australia.

With a good 9 months for the new irrigation system to settle in, all eyes will be on the beginning of the Centenary as it kicks off with the 2026 Celebrity Pro-Am. A historic event that attracts big names and big crowds every year.

Eager to see this brilliant club progress in the coming years.