Dorset Golf - Review August 1st 2026
🧑 Reviewer
Reviewer Name: James Golding
⛳ Course Details
Course Name: Dorset Golf
Location: Croydon/Victoria/Australia
Date Played: 01/08/2026
Number of Holes Played: 18
Par for Holes Played: 69
Tees Played From: White
Format of Play: 2-man Ambrose
Time to Complete Round: 4 hrs 25 mins
Green Fee Type: Weekend
Green Fees Paid: $49.00
Cart Cost (if used):
Currency: AUD
Conditions at Time of Play:
Teed off at 9:29 and whilst it was still a little cold, there was not a cloud in the sky, no wind and the sun was shining. As the day went on the weather warmed up to about 16 Celsius.
The course was busy, but not too busy and we walked for this round.
The fairways and greens were good, quite a lot of the surrounding areas were very wet.
⭐ Overall Rating
It has been a bit rainy lately and it is the middle of a normal Melbourne winter, and the course was showing it a little bit. All fairways and the greens were in good condition and most of the bunkers looked to be freshly maintained but offline - for those of us who unfortunately visited these areas - conditions were very damp, slushie in places and muddy in others. Moral of the story - hit the ball straight.
The fairways were good and running well, the greens surprisingly quick to putt on and running well. Tough pin placements on a few holes but as always, it was an enjoyable round at Dorset. It still amazes me that for a public access and council maintained busy golf course, the condition of this facility is well above average.
The tee boxes were a little disappointing today, but they do get a lot of wear and tear.
My playing partner had never played here before and he thoroughly enjoyed the course.
⭐⭐⭐☆ (7.25/10)
📊 RATINGS SUMMARY
| Category | Rating | Notes (optional but encouraged) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Condition | ⭐⭐⭐☆ (7.5/10) | Overall in good condition but large areas - offline - were quite muddy and some of the tee boxes a little bare. |
| Difficulty | ⭐⭐⭐(6.5/10) |
Not a difficult course but still challenging, some choice pin positions made it a little more testing today. |
| Tee Condition | ⭐⭐⭐(6/10) | I play here semi frequently and was sad to see some of the tee boxes looking quite bare today. I understand it is hard in winter with the amount of traffic here, but it was a decline in conditioning since I last played here. |
| Fairway Condition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐(8/10) |
As always, the fairways here are in very very good condition - good drainage on the fairways makes them a pleasure even in winter. A few weeds popping up but I am sure they will treat them like they always do. |
| Green Condition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (8/10) |
Greens were great today and were a lot faster than I expected. The slopes on some of these greens make them a challenge despite not being very contoured. Fewer pitch marks than other times which is a huge plus - well done. |
| Bunker Condition | ⭐⭐⭐ (6.5/10) |
The bunkers in general looked to be well maintained and recently groomed. We did, however, see a few throughout the round with pools of water in them and looking rather sad. |
| Clubhouse/ Bar & Food | (0/10) |
Sadly, the bar was closed, we were looking forward to an after round drink. This facility is a non for profit bar run by the members and I think they were still playing comp and had not been able to open it yet. |
| Pro Shop Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (8.5/10) |
Warm, efficient and friendly service from the great crew at Dorset, as always. I love that they announce over the PA system the next group on the 1st tee. |
| Value for Money | ⭐⭐⭐ ☆ (7/10) | Green fees have gone up again recently - $3.00 this time. I still think it is value for money but not as great as it was. |
Would you play here again?
✅ Yes
It is one of my go to courses that I really enjoy. A good vibe at this place as well.
📝 THE REVIEW
First Impressions & Standout Features
First impressions were the speed of the putting green, in the middle of winter I was not expecting them to be running so fast and true. The condition of the greens was definitely the standout feature today.
I was very impressed with how well the fairways are standing up during another Melbourne winter. Not just dry but many of them still like perfect carpet and running well.
Best Holes or Memorable Moments
Another course with a pleasing par 5 opening hole that we managed to easily par. Being even with the card after 5 holes and finishing the scramble 7 over was a bonus. Our handicap today was 8 so we did well.
The drive hit by my partner on 4 was a highlight. Meeting a couple of really nice playing partners was also a highlight of the day, thanks Ian and Michael for the enjoyable round.
💬 General comments or suggestions
Keep up the continuous great maintenance of this great inclusive facility. I know it is not a priority but if you get the chance, continue the drainage of the areas just of the fairways.
I would love to see green fee increases paused for a few years as well.
📸 COURSE PHOTOS
🎥 VIDEO
🗺️ COURSE LOCATION
🔁 Previously reviewed
Yes
