By David Luis 
Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Bentleigh East is an Alex Russell course from 1929 that Tom Doak has been restoring since 2017, and it is worth the effort of getting in. The membership list has been closed to new joiners without a wait since 1 January 2023, and visitors play on weekdays by introduction only.
Here is the access picture, the A$500 application step and what the course itself asks of you.
GCR Score: 4.5 / 5
Verdict: Recommended for architecture fans: a Sandbelt Russell course with a celebrated par-3 quartet, held back by a waitlist and rationed visitor play.
Best For: Architecture fans, interstate golfers with a club handicap, Sandbelt completists
Think Twice If: You want a quick path in, a published price or a weekend round
Last Reviewed: 4 October 2026.
At a Glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 567 Warrigal Road, Bentleigh East VIC 3165 |
| Course Type | Private Sandbelt course, 18 holes, Alex Russell design |
| Opened | Club founded 1898; current site opened in 1928-29 |
| Par / Length | Commonly listed as par 72; I could not confirm length from official pages |
| Visitor Access | Interstate and international golfers, Monday to Friday, by introduction |
| Membership | Waiting list since 1 January 2023; fees not published |
| Application Fee | A$500 including GST, deducted from the entrance fee if accepted |
| Phone | (03) 9575 0575 |
| Official Website | Yarra Yarra Golf Club |
Amounts are Australian dollars. The club handles all pricing enquiries directly, so confirm before you apply.
The Waitlist, Step by Step
Yarra Yarra says it reached membership capacity, and a waiting list has run since 1 January 2023. That is a formal process, not a polite brush-off. You submit a nomination form with a proposer and seconder who have each been members for at least two years, plus an A$500 application fee.
The fee is deducted from your entrance fee if you are accepted and forfeited if you turn an offer down.
The club expects to take at least 30 new members in late September each year, though it will not estimate wait times. Selected candidates are interviewed, their names are posted for 21 days for objections, and an invoice for the entrance fee and subscription is due within seven days. Our guide to need a sponsor to join a private golf club covers the general route.
The club also accepts applications from people with no member nominations, but those need four written references, at least two of them professional. Waitlisted candidates are invited to selected club events.
What Membership Costs
The membership page lists Full and Corporate options and does not print a subscription or entrance fee. You find out when you reach the front of the list and the invoice arrives. That makes budgeting hard, and our section on why the sum cannot be done for most clubs explains why a break-even test only works once you have those numbers.
For context on what clubs elsewhere in Australia publish, our look at what Australian golf clubs actually charge is the comparison point.
Visiting as a Guest
Interstate and international golfers who belong to a golf club can request weekday tee times, and the club says they must supply a letter of introduction and handicap proof. Past offers have included a package without the letter, but treat that as something to ask about, not a standing right. Our guide to need to join a club to get a handicap in Australia covers why the handicap confirmation from your home club is the document most likely to be checked.
The club also says it has reciprocal arrangements with several Sandbelt courses and international clubs. I found no public green fee, so do not assume a number.
Course Design and Standout Holes
The club moved to this site in 1928 and Alex Russell, a partner of Alister MacKenzie, laid out the course. Reviewers keep returning to the four par 3s, which Golf Australia describes as among the best in the country. The 11th gets the strongest praise, helped by heavy bunkering.
Elsewhere, the 15th has a two-tiered green, the par-4 5th rewards a sensible lay-up, and a pair of par 5s around the 8th and 9th use sand as the main hazard. The 18th is an uphill par 5 you can reach in two with a good strike.
Hole numbers have moved. Under the Doak work the old 6th became the opening hole and several early holes were renumbered, so check any guide against the current card. Australian Golf Digest reports the first seven holes were substantially complete at the time of its review, with more greens scheduled for replacement. I could not confirm the final state of the programme.
Our key takeaway: this is a restoration in progress on a very good site, so expect the course to keep improving.
Facilities
- Clubhouse: the club describes its clubhouse as heritage-listed and open to Full members.
- Corporate membership: aimed at business use, with functions and client entertainment.
- Hospitality: dining is part of the member offer.
Dress Code
The club pages reviewed do not state a dress code. Ask the club before you travel. Our guide to what to wear at a private golf club lists the standard rules.
Best Time to Visit
March to May and September to November are the safest months. Visitor windows are narrow, so book the date the club gives you and accept the weather.
How It Compares Around Melbourne
Yarra Yarra is one of the Sandbelt names that appears on most pilgrimage lists. Within our own coverage, Woodlands Golf Club and Riversdale Golf Club are similarly strict about access. The Huntingdale Golf Club review covers another Sandbelt classic. Compare them in the Victorian club archive.
People Also Ask
Is there a waiting list at Yarra Yarra Golf Club?
Yes. The club reached membership capacity and introduced a waiting list on 1 January 2023. It expects to admit at least 30 new members in late September each year, but it will not predict individual wait times. Waitlisted candidates are invited to selected events.
How much is the application fee at Yarra Yarra?
The application fee is A$500 including GST. If you are accepted it is deducted from your entrance fee, and if you decline an offer it is forfeited. The entrance fee and annual subscription are not published and are invoiced on offer.
Can visitors play Yarra Yarra Golf Club?
Interstate and international golfers who belong to a golf club can request weekday tee times. The club asks for a letter of introduction and handicap confirmation from your home club. The club lists Monday to Friday only.
Who designed Yarra Yarra Golf Club?
Alex Russell designed the course on its current site, which opened in 1928-29. Tom Doak of Renaissance Golf Design began a restoration in 2017 to revive Russell’s bunkering and playing lines, and he reworked the early holes.
Is Yarra Yarra on the Melbourne Sandbelt?
Yes. It sits in Bentleigh East and is widely listed among the Sandbelt clubs. Golf Australia reports reciprocal arrangements with seven other Sandbelt courses, which shows how closely the clubs are linked.
Verdict and Score
Yarra Yarra earns 4.5 out of 5. The par-3 quartet, the Russell pedigree and the Doak restoration are strong reasons to want a tee time. Points come off for the waitlist, the unpublished fees and an access policy that favours members and their introduced guests.
If you live nearby and want in, lodge the nomination now and keep your details current. Our review methodology page explains how we weigh access against design.
See how it stacks up against Australia’s best in our Best Golf Clubs in Australia roundup.
Author Note
Yarra Yarra scores on design, access and published cost. Sources are the club’s membership and visitor pages, Golf Australia and Australian Golf Digest. I have not played the course.
Last reviewed: 4 October 2026. Access and fees can change; confirm directly before applying.
