Melbourne's beachside south-eastern suburbs are a bountiful area for golf courses. Laying on a natural sandbelt, they borrow well from traditional golfing topography. Woodlands Golf Club is another example. Unlike most of its neighbors, however, as it is fully a private course. Those wishing to play at Woodlands require a written statement, entailing other memberships and handicaps, to the superintendent.

Woodlands is both well designed and well maintained. The alluring suburb of Mordialloc is its home and together with the course itself, makes a great visual appeal and general feel. The Santa Ana couch fairways are lined by trees and done so tightly. The flat course is common for the area, but the rough can be punishing. This all makes for a reward when placing patience above power. The greens are oft-discussed: well-shaped and at times borderline tiny, the bentgrass surface runs true.

'Signature' holes at Woodlands Golf Club are the 4th and 15th. The first of those is considered one of the country's best short par 4s. At 251 meters, it needs a well-placed tee down the thin fairway. It's pivotal to hit the top of the green due to the stark downward hills to its left and right.

The 15th meanwhile was mentioned as one of the world's finest by Tom Doak, who would redesign the original J.D.H. Scott course in 2010. After multiple cross bunkers on the fairway, the elevated green has a bunker on one side and a sharp slope to the right and behind.

Currently, the 17th ranked course in Australia, the course's standard is unfairly forgotten amongst Melbourne's top several courses. A course overhaul in 2010 saw the building of a new clubhouse following the fiery destruction of the original. It is one of Melbourne's finer clubhouses.

Course Architect:

J.D.H. Scott (1913), Tom Doak (2010)