[Mike_Clayton]

The long second is generally blind here - you need to drive it at least 320 yards to see the green. In some ways it is a pity that you can't really drive it up to where the second picture has been taken because that is a fantastic looking shot.
It would mean moving the tee forward and making a par four but the drive is not nearly so good because you lose the elevation of the back tee.

[Kyle Henderson]

The 15th is a par 4 of up to 374 meters. Decent players can clear the visible parcel of fairway and fall into the abyss beyond.


As with the previous hole, bilateral tree trouble can be found from the tee. Those with a clear, uphill second shot at the green can use the slope along its left flank to feed their ball toward the flag.


A look back at the abyss, from behind the green.

[Kyle Henderson]

At 158 meters, the par 3 16th is no simple pitch. The green is angled from short/left to long/right, as are the bunkers found on either side. The port-side slope will contain slightly pulled shots, but an over-clubbed effort on such a line will often be lost in long grasses. However, under-clubbing will land one’s shot on a repellently shaved slope at the green’s front.


A look back to the tee over the native flora at the green’s rear.

[Mike_Clayton]

This hole was added for a couple of reasons.
The old par 3, 15th hole was close to a boundary and there were problems with neighbours. Nor was it a particularly good hole - it was quite  a way uphill.
Removing that hole allowed us to lengthen the old 16th (now 15).
This 16th green was on the old 17th tee. 17 was a short four on a nine that only had short fours - there wasn't a par 4 over 350 yards.
We moved the 17th tee way over the hill at the back of this green and it became a terrific long two-shotter.
The new 16th joined the walk perfectly between the 15th green and the 17th tee.

[Kyle Henderson]

Playing blind over a crest to a steeply downhill-running fairway, the 17th tee shot is a bit unsettling. Conversely, the distance added to one’s drive will be appreciated on this par four of 407 meters in total length.


While the fairway is generously proportioned, the green will be most-easily accessed from the left side. Note the 13th hole above the bunker line along the left border of the 17th.


Another look from behind the 17th green, as it is seen from the 13th tee.

[Kyle Henderson]

The 18th hole provides 481 meters (a par “5”) worth of opportunity to end the day successfully… or otherwise. While it is routed through a half-pipe that will contain misses to some degree, the periphery offers very uneven lies.

A series of staggered bunkers complicate both long approaches and lay up shots inside 65 meters from the green’s center. The right-most bunker is set a bit short of the green, so players can safely avoid the sand by aiming pin-high to starboard. An up-and-down for birdie will make it difficult to bypass the chance to play a few more holes before dark.


Sir Clayton, thank you for your insights. They were well worth the effort of posting these pictures.

[Mark_F]

Nice work, Kyle.

St Andrews Beach and Portsea - aka The Dirty Double - on the same day.

It was worth every gasp and groan. 

[Sean_A]

Kyle

Thanks for the tour.  Portsea is certainly one of the courses which peaked my interest in OZ golf.  Not sure what to think of this course.  Is the vegetation irksome?  I notice these lowish bush/trees on a lot of OZ courses which seem to strangle the views (maybe on purpose at times) and create a sense of restriction.  Is this the case in person?

Ciao 

[Kevin Pallier]

Sean

I believe you are referring to our tea (ti tree) ? A very prolific scrub-type tree to the East coast of Australia and NZ. It grows very fast though it seems to have been cleared a lot over the years at Portsea under the influence of "chainsaw" Mike ?

[Kyle Henderson]

Nice work, Kyle.

St Andrews Beach and Portsea - aka The Dirty Double - on the same day.

It was worth every gasp and groan. 

Good times indeed. Now it is time for you to come stateside for round 2!

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle

Thanks for the tour.  Portsea is certainly one of the courses which peaked my interest in OZ golf.  Not sure what to think of this course.  Is the vegetation irksome?  I notice these lowish bush/trees on a lot of OZ courses which seem to strangle the views (maybe on purpose at times) and create a sense of restriction.  Is this the case in person?

Ciao 

Sean,
Several of the Bellarine Peninsula courses I played feature some expansive views (The National: Moonah and Ocean, St. Andrews Beach). Moonah Links: Legends and Portsea were a bit more "intimate", but that had as much to do with the topography as the vegetation.

The sandbelt is where one usually feels like he is in tree tunnels (with the most notable exception being RMW).

[Kevin Pallier]

Sean,

Several of the Bellarine Peninsula courses I played feature some expansive views (The National: Moonah and Ocean, St. Andrews Beach). Moonah Links: Legends and Portsea were a bit more "intimate", but that had as much to do with the topography as the vegetation.

The sandbelt is where one usually feels like he is in tree tunnels (with the most notable exception being RMW).

Kyle

Thanks again for the photo tour at a personal favourite of mine

A small correcction though = Mornington Peninsula the Bellarine is over the other side of the bay re: Barwon Heads

[Kyle Henderson]

Sean,

Several of the Bellarine Peninsula courses I played feature some expansive views (The National: Moonah and Ocean, St. Andrews Beach). Moonah Links: Legends and Portsea were a bit more "intimate", but that had as much to do with the topography as the vegetation.

The sandbelt is where one usually feels like he is in tree tunnels (with the most notable exception being RMW).

Kyle


Thanks again for the photo tour at a personal favourite of mine

A small correcction though = Mornington Peninsula the Bellarine is over the other side of the bay re: Barwon Heads

Quite right. Thanks, Kevin,

[Matthew Delahunty]

Thanks for the photo tour, Kyle.  It's nice to see an American giving our lesser known courses some exposure.

[Patrick Kiser]

Dirty double indeed...

James called it for the 13th.  Talk about a wow! moment. 

Portsea ... someday.

Thanks for sharing Doc.

[Justin Ryan]

Tis is a great pity that after years of thoughful hard work at Portsea, that the vandal has been allowed in to stamp his usual filthy stain on such a beautiful canvass. Clearly those in charge did not pick up phone and speak with clubs who have made the same mistake before them, or drive anywhere into the south eastern suburbs with their eyes wide open. What a shame.

Has there been much dissension amongst the membership? I agree it is a great shame. Portsea/Sorrento was always a fun double, however I saw elsewhere that even Sorrento has been needlessly going under the knife.

Have they started building the new clubhouse at Portsea yet?

[Mark Pearce]

This looks wonderful.  Can anyone provide any insight on the impending work described by Kyle in this elderly thread?  Is Portsea still worth a play?  Going further, would it be possible to play Portsea in the morning, get the ferry to the Bellarine Peninsula and play Barwon Heads in the afternoon?

[Chris Kane]

Mark, I haven't seen Portsea for years and hence can't answer your question on whether its still worth a play, but it certainly was a decade ago.


In November you could very easily play first thing at Portsea (or another course on the Mornington Peninsula and take the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry for an afternoon game at Barwon Heads.

[Greg Gilson]

Mark, Chris is correct, of course.... on both counts. Portsea is a fun track. Without getting into arguments about order, the top 5 courses on the Mornington Peninsula would include:

[Greg Gilson]

Mark, Chris is correct, of course.... on both counts. Portsea is a really fun track - still. Without getting into arguments about order, the top 5 courses on the Mornington Peninsula could easily include: National Old, National Moonah, St Andrews Beach, Portsea, Sorrento, Dunes...and that's not looking at Moonah Links etc etc.

I know you are playing National Old & Moonah already. As much as I like Portsea, next cab off the rank should be SAB. Its just a matter of how many rounds you want to play down there.

[Mark Pearce]

Thanks, all, that helps my planning.  Greg, SAB is definitely on my to play list.


What a wealth of great golf you seem to have in Melbourne.  I have 8 or 9 days there and I'm already sure that's not enough, even with a few 36 hole days!

[Josh Stevens]

Portsea's problem was always social.

Despite being a better course, it was always socially much inferior to the blueblood retreat down the road at Sorrento.

Portsea was always reliant upon green fee revenue from the visiting peasantry, while Sorrento was essentially the second club of Royal Melbourne members.

So when all those new  public access courses opened up in the region, poor old Portsea suffered financially, while Sorrento sailed along imperiously as it always had.

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