Course behaviour

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This was published 10 years ago

Course behaviour

Nick O'Hern at Moonah,  2005 Australian Open.

Nick O'Hern at Moonah, 2005 Australian Open.Credit: Getty Images

Iron man Mal Chenu packs his clubs for the peninsula.

I just shot the lights out at Pebble Beach. Literally and virtually. Needing a tune-up (or more likely a complete overhaul) of my swing before unleashing my power game at Royal Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula courses, I headed to Golftec in Exhibition Street in the CBD.

At Golftec (golftec.com.au) you can play all the world's great courses by computer simulation and after my instructor Craig did the best he could, I teed up and smashed my driver at the virtual first hole at Pebble Beach. It flew straight up in the air and took out an overhead light.

Soaking at the Peninsula Hot Springs.

Soaking at the Peninsula Hot Springs.

As glass rained down and everyone stared and I looked around for a virtual bunker to hide in, Craig suggested I stick to using irons. Good tip, coach.

With this preparation under my belt, I headed off to play Australia's No. 1 ranked course Royal Melbourne, which is set to host the Talisker Australian Masters and the World Cup of Golf on consecutive weekends in November, when Adam Scott will defend his 2012 Masters title. While Royal Melbourne is a private club, interstate and overseas visitors can apply to play; see royalmelbourne.com.au/guests/golf/reservations.

The two marquee events in November offer fans the opportunity to see world No. 2 Adam Scott, No. 6, American Matt Kuchar, and Australian Jarrad Lyle, who will play his first tournament following an 18-month battle with leukaemia. And while the TV coverage is pretty good these days, there's nothing like being there. (See australian masters.com.au for tickets, from $29, and tour package options.)

And if you're coming to town for the Masters or World Cup or planning a golfing holiday to Victoria at any time, make sure you hire a car and head to the picturesque Mornington Peninsula for a round or two and to experience the numerous other charms the region has to offer.

Golf is central to the appeal of the Peninsula, just 90 minutes from Melbourne.

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More than 20 courses benefit from the region's fast-draining sandy rolling hills, which create perfect contours, and the day spas and wineries make for a weekend of indulgence.

An oft-overlooked gem in the area is the town of Flinders, just 20 minutes off the highway. When the locals changed the name of the town from Black Head, they displayed the sort of forward-thinking marketing that persists to this day.

The Flinders Hotel provides a surprising and delicious dinner courtesy of French Moroccan chef Pierre Khodja, whose CV includes some of Europe's finest nosheries. The degustation menu is outstanding, as are the local wines selected to partner the food and the intelligent, attentive service. It may be a country pub but the culinary experience is the equal of anything to be found in the city.

The Flinders Hotel partners with the adjacent Quarters, which offers a range of very comfortable rooms and suites in a lovely bush setting.

The Flinders Golf Course is the oldest and one of the most scenic in the area with extensive views over Bass Strait from many holes

and the 19th. I also sample the Mercure Portsea Golf Club and Resort. The 24-room hotel is new; the venerable golf course has been around since 1924 and is a fun, hilly and challenging links-style layout adjoining the Point Nepean National Park with views of Port Phillip Bay.

The writer travelled courtesy of Tourism Victoria and Mercure Portsea Golf Club & Resort.

THE ART OF APRES GOLF

EPICUREAN MORNINGTON PENINSULA

RED HILL ESTATE

The region's biggest winery offers one of the finest lunches as well as a friendly cellar door - try their P&Q Chardonnay and M&N Pinot Noir. Max's Restaurant makes its own breads, olive oils and balsamic vinegar and the calamari and papaya salad was as impressive as the view out to Western Port and Phillip Island. Redhillestate.com.au.

PENINSULA HOT SPRINGS, SPRINGS LANE, FINGAL

Adjacent to Moonah Links Golf Course and accessible from there by shuttle, the thermal mineral waters flow into pools and private baths. The owners have created treatments based on facilities from around the world, including a Turkish hamam, Japanese pool and the Aboriginal-inspired miji kodo massage. See peninsulahotsprings.com.

DARLING PARK WINERY AND BASS AND FLINDERS DISTILLERY

Already a fine exponent of cool climate wines, the distillery process is "still just a hobby", say the owners. So far the hobby has produced a limoncello, crema di limoncello with goat's cheese milk, a grappa and three gins. See darlingparkwinery.com.

GETTING THERE

Virgin Australia flies direct to Melbourne.

STAYING THERE

MELBOURNE The Langham, 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank. Rooms during the 2013 Masters from $355 a night. Melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au.

FLINDERS Quarters, corner Cook and Wood streets, Flinders. Peak season rates from $325 to $700 a night. Flindershotel.com.au.

PORTSEA Mercure Portsea Resort and Golf Course, 46 London Bridge Road, Portsea. Rooms from $189 a night. Mercure.com/gb/hotel-8755-mercure-portsea-resort-and-golf-course.

MORE INFORMATION visitvictoria.com.

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