By David Luis 
Keysborough Golf Club does something a lot of Melbourne clubs avoid: it prints its prices. A full male member pays A$4,885 a year from 1 March 2026, the joining fee is A$4,000 from 1 September 2026, and the club tells you up front that the men’s list is full until March 2027.
The club is at 55 Hutton Road, Keysborough, in Melbourne’s south-east, on a flat, tree-lined property that began life as Albert Park Golf Club. Here is our honest Keysborough Golf Club review, with the numbers, the holes worth remembering and the access limits.
GCR Score: 4.1 / 5
Verdict: Recommended as a well-run, transparent south-east members’ club for golfers who can wait for a vacancy; visitors have few options.
Best For: Melbourne south-east golfers, women looking for an open membership, anyone who wants all-inclusive pricing
Think Twice If: You want Sandbelt-level architecture, public tee times or a quick path in as a man
Last Reviewed: 11 October 2026.
At a Glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 55 Hutton Road, Keysborough VIC 3173 |
| Course Type | Private, flat, tree-lined parkland with lakes |
| Holes | 18 holes; the club’s course tour describes five par 5s (1, 2, 7, 16 and 17) |
| Course Length | Not stated on the pages I read; the men’s 18th is 413m |
| Scratch / Slope | Not published; ask the pro shop |
| Green Fees | No public green fee published |
| Visitor Access | Private; members, guests and reciprocal arrangements |
| Membership | Men’s waitlist, next intake March 2027; women’s places open |
| Dress Code | Neat casual on the course (no denim); smart casual in the clubhouse |
| Founded | About 1898 as Albert Park; at Keysborough since 1950 |
| Phone | (03) 9798 1333 |
| Official Website | Keysborough Golf Club |
All prices are Australian dollars and include GST where the club says so. Confirm current availability before you apply.
What You Actually Pay
This is the best part of the club’s website. The 2026 subscription list, effective 1 March 2026, is clear:
| Category | Men | Women | Young Member (25 to 35) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full | A$4,885 | A$4,875 | A$2,475 to A$4,100 |
| Intermediate | A$4,300 | A$4,290 | A$2,105 to A$3,465 |
| Weekday | Not offered | A$3,720 | Not offered |
| Lifestyle | A$1,800 | A$1,800 | A$1,800 |
The joining fee is a one-off, non-refundable A$4,000 for Full, Intermediate and Lifestyle from 1 September 2026, and A$2,000 for young members aged 25 to 35. The club says the subscription includes competition fees, the Golf Australia levy, golf insurance, an A$250 house account (A$150 for Lifestyle) and an A$150 share lessee fee, with no extras through the year. The club’s membership page, rechecked on 11 October 2026, still lists these 2026 prices.
Add the two numbers for a full male member and the first-year outlay comes to A$8,885, which is my own sum. By comparison, a regional full member at Ballarat Golf Club pays A$2,140 a year. Our guide to Club Membership Cost in Australia shows where that sits nationally.
The Waitlist
Men’s memberships are at capacity with a waitlist, and the next intake is March 2027, with openings in some categories filled from 1 March 2027. Women’s places are open and “filling quickly”, according to the club, which also lists a Women’s Introductory program starting in September 2026. No proposers or seconders are needed, which is unusual for a private club.
The application is an online form, and the club says the joining fee in force when an offer of membership is made is the one that applies. If you are weighing it against other clubs, our answer to can anyone join a private golf club covers what applicants submit.
History and Setting
The club’s roots go back to about 1898, when J.M. Gillespie founded it as Albert Park Golf Club. It held permissive occupancy at Albert Park until the permit was withdrawn in 1946 or 1947, then secured land at Keysborough through Mr M. Gyngell and began play at the present course in 1950.
Sam Berriman was handed an open, exposed piece of farming ground and routed the holes, with Horrie Brown working alongside him. Brown stayed on as course superintendent from 1948 to 1981.
The club says it is positioned within the Melbourne Sandbelt. The eight clubs the Sandbelt names for itself do not include Keysborough. This review calls it a south-east Melbourne course with sandy soil and Sandbelt-style bunkering, not a member of the famous eight.
Course Design and Standout Holes
The club’s own hole descriptions tell you what to expect. It opens with two par 5s, and the doglegged routing repeats through the round. The 1st wants a drive down the left to reach the green in two, while the 2nd has hidden depth at the back of the green that slopes away.
The 4th is the first par 4 and a tough one, with water left and a bunker right. The 13th asks longer hitters to carry about 200m over a lake from the back tee. The 14th has one of the smallest, best-protected greens on the course and is rated the men’s No. 3 hole.
Then the finish. The 16th is the shortest men’s par 5, with out of bounds right and tea tree and water left. The 17th is another par 5 with water on the right and bunkers short and left, and there is a local rule that a ball hitting the overhead wires there must be replayed without penalty. The 18th is a 413m par 4 that the club calls a bit of a monster, with out of bounds right and thick trees left.
Top100GolfCourses highlights Lake Gyngell on the back nine and says the course hosted the Victorian PGA Championships from 1989 to 1997.
Our key takeaway: Keysborough is a hard, honest members’ course, not a destination for architecture tourists.
Visitors and Reciprocals
Keysborough is a private club. I found no public green fee and no visitor booking page. Members use a Baycard that gives a complimentary game at a list of clubs on the Mornington Peninsula and south-east, plus reciprocal rights at clubs across Australia, with some on 50% green fees.
Visitors therefore arrive mainly as member guests. To play, find a member or ask the pro shop on (03) 9798 1333 whether your home club has a reciprocal arrangement.
Facilities
- Members’ Bar: an open fire in winter and a long beer list in summer, with a bar snacks menu.
- Boardroom: overlooks the 18th green and suits smaller functions.
- Marquee: a new addition that holds 60 to 80 for cocktails or 40 to 60 seated.
- Programmes: the club runs Women’s and Junior Pathway Programs for new golfers.
Dress Code
The club asks for neat casual golf attire and footwear on the course, with no denim. In the clubhouse it is smart casual always, no thongs, and smart denim is allowed. Visitors who do not comply may be refused course access or clubhouse service. For the wider conventions, see our dress code guide.
Best Time to Visit
March to May and September to November are the best months. The club does not publish a winter conditions report. Ask the pro shop about course conditions before you travel in July or August.
Nearby Alternatives
Southern Golf Club is another private club on Lower Dandenong Road, Keysborough, and appears in Keysborough’s reciprocal list. For Sandbelt architecture roughly 10km north-west, our Commonwealth Golf Club review and Huntingdale Golf Club review cover two of the eight. The Victoria golf club archive lists every Victorian club we have scored.
People Also Ask
How much does it cost to join Keysborough Golf Club?
From 1 March 2026 a full male member pays A$4,885 a year and a full female member A$4,875. The joining fee is A$4,000 from 1 September 2026, or A$2,000 for young members aged 25 to 35. The subscription includes competition fees, insurance and the Golf Australia levy.
Is there a waitlist at Keysborough Golf Club?
Yes, for men. The club says men’s memberships are at capacity with a waitlist and the next intake is March 2027. Women’s places remain available and are filling quickly. No proposers or seconders are required for an application, which the club handles through an online form.
Can visitors play Keysborough Golf Club?
The club is private and does not publish a public green fee or visitor booking page. Visitors generally play as guests of members or through reciprocal arrangements. Phone the pro shop on (03) 9798 1333 to ask about your home club’s access.
Is Keysborough Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt?
The club describes itself as positioned within the Sandbelt, but it is not one of the eight clubs the Sandbelt clubs themselves name. It has sandy soil and Sandbelt-style bunkering, and it sits in south-east Melbourne a few kilometres from Commonwealth and Huntingdale.
What is the dress code at Keysborough Golf Club?
On the course, neat casual golf attire and footwear, with no denim. In the clubhouse, smart casual dress is required at all times with no thongs. Smart denim is allowed in the clubhouse. The general manager can change the rules for special events.
Verdict and Score
Keysborough Golf Club earns 4.1 out of 5. It gets credit for clear pricing, an all-inclusive subscription, a no-proposer joining process and a hard finish of par 5s and water. It loses points for a men’s waitlist, no public tee times, a Sandbelt claim I would not make and course specifications I could not confirm.
If you live in the south-east and want a straightforward members’ club, join the women’s list now or the men’s list for March 2027. If you are visiting from outside Victoria, ask your home club about reciprocal access. The GCR scoring method explains the 4.1.
See how it stacks up against Australia’s best in our Best Golf Clubs in Australia roundup.
Author Note
This review quotes Keysborough’s own subscription list, joining fee and waitlist notice, and adds one calculation of its own: the A$8,885 first-year outlay. Fees take effect on 1 March 2026 and 1 September 2026, so check the club’s current list before you apply.
Last reviewed: 11 October 2026.
