National Golf Club

The Moonah Course at National Golf Club occupies rugged coastal terrain on the Mornington Peninsula, approximately 90 kilometers south of Melbourne. Designed by Peter Thomson, Michael Wolveridge, Ross Perrett, and John Harris, it opened in 2001 as the club's third course, joining the Old and Ocean layouts on the property. The course takes its name from the native moonah tea-trees that characterize the landscape, and the design philosophy emphasizes a links-style experience adapted to the Australian coastal environment. The routing moves through natural sand dunes and native vegetation, with firm, fast-running fairways and strategic bunkering that rewards ground game approaches. The design team sought to create a walking course with width and multiple playing angles, allowing golfers of varying abilities to navigate the layout while presenting genuine strategic questions for accomplished players. The conditioning typically features firm turf and quick greens that accentuate the ground contours and demand precision in short game execution. National Golf Club operates as a members' club with limited public access, and the Moonah Course serves as a complement to the more celebrated Ocean Course, which regularly appears in course rankings. The three courses share the dramatic coastal setting near Cape Schanck, where Bass Strait winds and native scrubland create playing conditions distinct from Melbourne's sandbelt courses. The Moonah layout offers a less severe test than the Ocean while maintaining the property's commitment to strategic, firm-and-fast golf in a natural duneland environment.