1. SAMVDL21 | Rated | 14 Jun 2009 | Add A Review

ABSOLUTELY LOVE the dunes, tony cashmore is a genious. A fantastic golf course with a great mix of par 3’s long and short par 4’s and long undulating par 5’s. there are no holes on this course where you get too the tee and are already thinking of the hole to follow.

Every hole gets your mind going, to shoot a good score you have too actually play golf, not just hit tho ball! Possibly the only let-down to the course is the par 3 6th hole which plays 208m off the blue tees.

It is not a very rewarding hole unless played into the the wind, because the ball really needs to be held up due to the down sloping green and water hazard at the rear of the green.

The course maintenance at the dunes is second-to-none. Fairways are always in mint condition and bunkers always freshly raked. the rough looks almost natural but is not too hard to get up and down from.

I hear alot of critisicme about the greens at the dunes, and yes they are brownish in colour, but who cares!they roll true and always at a good speed. in my opinion its not the way they look its the way they play. and im not really one to be critical of tees, but they do have the level of the tees at the dunes spot on all year round.

Some of my favourite holes at the dunes are:

• The par 4 1st.Although it is a very tough opening hole, it is a beatiful natural hole with an awesome approach shot.
• The par 3 3rd.A relitively short par 3 but never easy. off a elevated tee, the wind is always in play and is never too predictable. A tough green to read aswell!
• The par 4 4th. My advice for this hole if you do get the chance to play it- take the risk of carrying the bunkers at 210m, you are really rewarded if you pull it off!
• The par 4 9th. An exciting tee shot on the dogleg left and an even more thrilling approach.
• The par 4 10th. Pull off the tee shot and your in for a real birdie chance.
• The par 3 17th. One of the most photographed holes on the peninsula.

The course really speaks for itself and at around 50$ for 18 holes you really get your moneys worth!!

2. cdeverist | Rated | 16 Apr 2009 | Add A Review

This is a fantastic course! It has got to be the second best or, dare i say it, the best course on the Mornington Peninsula. It is stunning, a true Scotish "links style" course, but more interesting.

PROS

• Great Layout

Cons

• Fast Greens

3. clubselectionisessential | Rated | 05 Jan 2009 | Add A Review

I’ve played this course a few times over the last 12 months and everytime had a great experience (even when it was blowing a gale). The staff in the club house are great (even sent a pair of sunglasses I lost on course up to Melbourne) and the fella on the first tee is really friendly. Then you get to the course and what a course! There are a lot of great holes that you will need to think about and the scenery is magnificent. The course is always in good nick but at the moment is the best I’ve ever seen it. If I could I’d play this course every week.

4. Scarlett | Rated | 05 Dec 2008 | Add A Review

Played this spectacular course last Sunday as it was being set up ready for the Dunes Medal this week and it’s everything and more than I had hoped. Plenty of large undulations in the fairways and greens that were quick but true and quite fair. Overwhelming impression was that most of the greens were raised. Significant bunkering on fairways and around the greens but that’s what you expect on links courses such as this. The rough was quite penal but alongside the fairways that were still accessible to sensible shots.

I played on a Sunday afternoon and there as a very heavy traffic load (and if you lived in Melbourne I can see why you'd want to go and play at this course on a weekend!), with the round taking five and a half hours. I wasn't in a rush so it didn't worry me, or the other pair I was playing with, but the guys behind were pissed off. (and we couldn't go faster due to a group in front of us - a group of visiting youngsters that appeared to be preparing for the tournament during the week and had a coach out with them) There was a course marshall out and about too. Also, there seemed to be plenty of GUR areas marked around the course. Perhaps this was for the coming tournament and so absolutely everything was marked, but it seemed quite a lot.

I played from the back tees (blue) and this meant the course was about 6200m. Par 73 but ACR 72. I don’t think playing from the blues rather than the whites made much of difference.

Another thing I liked was the different lengths of the par 3’s, as well as having a relatively short and a relatively long par 4 on each nine.

Overall, the course deserves its consitently high ratings. I’d go back straight away given the chance.

5. michael901 | Rated | 29 Sep 2008 | Add A Review

This is a excellent course I have played to a thew time and each time it challange me and my game, super fast and well defended greens club house is great and service even better well recommended

6. pauldavies | Rated | 02 May 2008 | Add A Review

This has to be simply one of the best courses around. To find out just how good the course is try playing in the monthly Tombstone Challenge off the black markers. It’s nearly 6500mts of tough but extremely rewarding golf. The wind can be from every direction during a round and there are no easy holes, except perhaps the 4th. For a bogey golfer like me pars are a great reward and sometimes even a double bogey is an achievement.

The staff in the clubhouse are ultra helpful. The course is currently in awesome condition and this course will keep me coming back for years to come.

7. shark05 | Rated | 30 Jan 2008 | Add A Review

It probably helps when you have your best golf round ever, but I’ve always enjoyed this course. Perfect fairways, punishing rough if you are wayward, but not bad if you’re just a touch off line. Superb layout.

8. RockinRenz | Rated | 11 Dec 2007 | Add A Review

I’ve played this course 3 times over the last 3 years and each time found it to be an absolute treat. Even abysmal weather conditions one day weren’t enough for our group to enjoy it immensely. Tricky though, particularly if the wind is blowing. Great value and well worth a visit.

9. glendonald | Rated | 04 Jul 2007 | Add A Review

What an experience, not for the feint hearted. Great course well conditioned and well run from the clubhouse & starter, to course marshalls. Well worth the the time to play this course, would not suggest for over 18 handicappers.

10. nickgold | Rated | 17 Mar 2007 | Add A Review

I recently had the pleasure of a round at the Dunes with some mates. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but the drive up to the clubhouse quickly settled the nerves. Its a beautiful old weatherboard place, much like Barwon Heads, and fits in fantastically with the course’s surrounds.

The track itself is a masterpiece. You’ll need every shot, and club, in the bag. Words wouldn’t do justice – you HAVE to play this course.

Only weak link is par 3 sixth. Make up your own mind.

Best set of par 5’s that I’ve seen. Also, Cashmore seems to have placed every green in the midst of natural amphitheatres created by the sand dunes. His bunkering is truly unique.

A fantastic offering from a designer who is truly at the top of his game.

11. joshuas | Rated | 29 Jan 2007 | Add A Review

Try and tame this beautiful beast - massive monster. Great course every aspect is challenging the greens in great nick have steep ridges that will lead you straight into a difficult spot if you are slightly misdirected, I rated it as difficult if not more than Moonah - Open course.

thes course is fantatsic, strategically placed bunkers and a great day of gold is guaranteed.

12. longnstraight | Rated | 05 Jul 2006 | Add A Review

The Dunes would have to be the best public golf course I have played.

Tucked in the sandbelt, the surroundings, the greens, the fairways etc were in great nik.

It was truly a pleasurable day out.

Wind can play a major part in iron selection.

Good value for such a nice private like course.

13. sverma | Rated | 24 Jun 2006 | Add A Review

I am a 20 handicap player and was sufficiently warned about the ruthlessness of the Dunes before my round. The day started at 7.30 AM with Gale Force Wintery winds! - left me wondering why on earth was I spoiling my Sunday morning instead of being rugged up with a hot cuppa!.. im glad I presevered.

The course opens with a rather tough dogleg right par 4. I think thats was a bit too harsh for the starters. However, as I played on, the course just grew on me...

Whats good:

The Course condition! - LOOKS BRAND NEW! The Fiarways are like a freshly laid carpet.

The Club house facilities are excellent

The people friendly.

Whats OK/alright;

The greens - are they lightining fast or what! Dry & hard.

What ugly...

Well.. having to decide between enjoying the scenery or playing the shot!

All in all Simply loved it. im on a sandbelt tour here so Eagleridge, National, Moonah...here I come...

Cheers!

14. phil66 | Rated | 26 Sep 2005 | Add A Review

First taste of Links golf and I loved it. Each hole challenging but not ridiculous and you don't need to be Tiger to hit greens in regulation.

Weather was lovely which made the course a lot easier than if the wind was blowing but still no pushover.

Pro's tips were invaluable.

This course is in fantastic condition. It had better fairways than the greens of my local course. The greens were firm and true and a joy to putt on.

Have never had so much fun playing golf. Pro-shop staff were friendly and helpful too. No hint of snobbery. Was worth the 900km drive.

15. criticfrom | Rated | 22 Apr 2005 | Add A Review

It would be nearly impossible to build a bad golf course on this site, and Tony Cashmore has done a commendable job. The course doesn't play all that long but it really tests every part of your game and shooting a good score is not easy.

What I like about this course is it's natural rugged beauty and how many shots you have to play over or around natural dunes and valleys.

The ever present wind ranges from strong to gale force, but that just adds to the challenge and enjoyment.

There are a few things I don't like - the firmness of the greens bordering on concrete makes it next to impossible to stop even a sand wedge with a soft covered ball on them, and the numerous mounds and hollows around the greens doesn't offer a bump and run option, unlike the Scottish links courses which it has been said to emulate.

Also, the choice of santa anna couch fairways means that your ball always runs to the bottom of one of the numerous small depressions in the fairways and invariable into an old divot. The only really bad holes are the 1st and the 6th. The 1st is actually a great hole but in the wrong place - it's much too tough for an opening hole.

The 6th is just a ridiculous par 3 that you can hit anything from a putter to a 4 iron off the tee and the ball just bounds down the steep hill, across the green and into the pond at the back. I understand the pond is just natural ground water that appeared when they were building the green at the lowest point on the course - but maybe this is one case where keeping the natural terrain was not a good idea!

I've heard this course described as Muirfield in Victoria, but Muirfied doesn't have santa anna fairways and bent greens for a start.

Overall it's a good course on a fantastic site, but Muirfield it ain't.

16. ninjagolfa | Rated | 20 Feb 2005 | Add A Review

The first time I saw The Dunes it just didn't look real. Vivid greens lining valleys surrounded by stark brown hills or dunes...just doesn't look right.

The facilities are top notch and not overly expensive. $50-ish for a round is high for Australia...but not for this area (Moonah Links is $80+).

Can't fault the course...got a bit pissed off by the Nazi greenkeeper telling me off when I had a practice round on The Cups course with only one club! Said I had to use a putter and carry a bag - nothing in The Rules of Golf about that!

Maybe I'll come back at 2am with my nightvision goggles...NINJA!!!!

17. rsheehy | Rated | 31 Jul 2004 | Add A Review

No matter how often you play the Dunes it is never the same twice. In top form on a calm day you'll marvel at the beautiful views from the elevated tees and the joys of golfing your way through the massive sand dunes. On a less auspicious day with the wind blowing you'll wonder why you didn't just sit and admire the views from the clubhouse. There are certainly some controversial holes for players to puzzle out, but the more I play it, the more I like it. For me the course can be summed up by the pro's tips for the fourth hole "Don't go left, do not be short. Right's not good either" I might add that behind the green is a 10 foot high sand dune, and the green itself is on such a slope I've seen several 3 foot putts go 15 foot past. Enjoy!

18. padre | Rated | 02 Jun 2004 | Add A Review

I'm not sure if the previous reviewer and I are talking about the same course. Short is not exactly what I'd call this course. Maybe from the ladies tee it is, but from the back tees (not even from the tombstones) it's well over 6000 metres and with the wind seemingly always into your face it feels damn long.

The Dunes is one of my all-time favourite courses. Why you ask? Well because the layout is superb, beautifully sculpted fairways and greens. The fairways arent too narrow, you get plenty of chance to find the short stuff and when you do you are treated with beautiful approach shots to some marvellously laid out greens.

I've played this course at least a dozen times and every time it has been in perfect condition.

It is a pleasure to play on courses such as this, and I can assure you I will be back many more times.

19. kofebear | Rated | 08 Jan 2004 | Add A Review

Recently played a round on The Dunes Links Course with a few mates. I was expecting, as it is rated 2nd in public access courses in Australia, it to be a really great course. I was proven very wrong not too far into my round. The course is quite short measuring around 5500m, the marshall frequently told us to hurry up, even though everytime we were waiting for the group in front to hurry up, and because they were members he didn't dare ask them to move along. Some holes you have no idea which was to hit because on the amount of different fairways right next to each other. The facilities however are very good, which they certainly must be commended for. For the price they charge, I certainly would rather play either Eagle Ridge or Moonah Links. Don't expect to see me at The Dunes any time soon.

20. scotttinda | Rated | 02 Jun 2003 | Add A Review

The course is a lot like a links course on steriods, as if all the attributes of links golf have been heightened and extended. All-up it makes for a wonderful golf course that is undeniably "fun" to play. With so many holes playing down into a green that is an ampitheatre, even wayward shots can look stunning. The course can be quite tough from the back marks but suprisingly there is ample room on most holes for off-centre shots, only drawback is that shorter hitters off the tee may really stuggle to find suitable landing areas. A few blind drives do not detract and each is superbly unique. A wonderful golfing experience, where good golf is rewarded and poor golf can still be very enjoyable.

21. DL | Rated | 23 Jan 2003 | Add A Review

No criticism of the redesign here.

After playing this course you can see why it was the No 1 rated public access course in 1999 & 2000.

Excellent playability all year round.

A true links course with plenty of sand guarding undulating and sometimes elevated greens. Hard to fault this course in any way. A real test of ones ability when the wind blows. If you haven't played here, you're missing out.

22. grumpy_dog | Rated | 24 Dec 2002 | Add A Review

This course is excellent and is always kept in fabulous condition. The fairways are magnificient and the greens true.

Is very punishing for wayward hitters, but if you can stay on the short grass, this course is wonderful. The only drawback is the course design. Some people have been critical of the way some of the holes have been re-done by Tony Cashmore. In particular the par 3 6th hole with water over the back. While I was happy with the overall design, some of the blind drives and the 6th, were offputting. But overall, an excellent course.

23. kdibble | Rated | 23 Jul 2002 | Add A Review

Punishes long wayward hitters

Greens are large and true, but undulating and green fees are top of the range.