East at Royal Melbourne Golf Club

The East Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club was designed by Alex Russell, a prominent Australian amateur golfer and architect, with assistance from club professional Mick Morcom. Opened in 1932, it was created to complement the club's celebrated West Course and provide additional playing capacity for the membership. Russell had worked closely with Alister MacKenzie on the West Course design in the late 1920s, and his work on the East reflects that influence while establishing its own character across the sandy, heathland terrain of Black Rock.

The East Course occupies similarly undulating sandbelt country as its more famous counterpart, featuring firm, fast-running fairways, deep bunkering, and native vegetation. The routing takes advantage of the natural contours and drainage of the site, with several holes playing across ridges and through corridors of tea-tree and eucalyptus. While generally considered less severe than the West, the East presents its own strategic challenges and showcases Russell's understanding of angles, ground game options, and green complexes that reward precision.

Royal Melbourne's composite course, which combines twelve holes from the West with six from the East, has been used for major championships including the Presidents Cup and World Cup of Golf. The holes selected from the East for composite play are typically the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 12th, 13th, and 18th, indicating their quality and how they integrate with the West's routing. The East Course remains an integral part of the Royal Melbourne experience and stands as a significant design in its own right within Australia's sandbelt region.