Lonsdale Links receives top Victorian golf award

FOR the second year running, a Bellarine-based golf club has won the Victorian Golf Industry Awards’ Golf Club of the Year Award.

Lonsdale Links was given the honour at the annual awards night last month at the Southern Golf Club in Keysborough, a year on from 13th Beach Golf Club securing the same award in 2023.

Acting club president Raelene McDonald said the club was over the moon with the announcement, following years of hard work during the club’s redevelopment from 2017 to 2020 and the ongoing commitment from the club’s committed membership base.

“It was just fantastic, the redevelopment was completed a few years ago, and ever since then we’ve had a big management team in place with our executive team since and both have done a fantastic job,” Ms McDonald.

“So to achieve this honour in the space of four years or so is quite remarkable and we’re extremely proud of the efforts that we’ve put in.

“I was not only proud as a vice president, but also as a proud member.”

Lonsdale Links added to its successes by also winning the Regional Pro-Am of the Year Award.

Ms McDonald said the club has continued to focus on increasing female participation through the ‘Even Par’ program, as well as preaching respectful behaviour on the golf course through its ‘Respect Starts Here’ program.

Lonsdale Links, now at 1,300 total members, is constantly seeking new ways to make the club more efficient, most recently planning the final stages of a solar installation on top of the club’s clubhouse.

“We’re always looking to the future, making sure we’re up to date with what our members want and expect of the club

“We have a few ideas brewing at the moment that we can hopefully share at a later, potential things like mini-golf and a driving range, but we’re always keen to improve our members’ experience.”

Further down the highway, David Smith of Ocean Grove & South Western Golf Association received the Volunteer of the Year Award.

Potential Lonsdale Links players can enquire about membership options at lonsdalelinks.com.au/cms/membership/membership-opportunities