Golfing in Cardinia Shire Council
On Melbourne's south-eastern fringe, where the growth corridor along the Princes Highway gives way to rural hinterland, Cardinia keeps its golf simple: two 18-hole courses, one club and one public. Garfield Golf Club at Vervale, established in 1929, is a members' club that welcomes visitors and social groups. Its par-69 parkland layout includes six par-3s, couch fairways and a pond or two waiting for a stray shot, and it suits average players who want a challenge without being overwhelmed. Pakenham Golf Course is the public option, a par-72 parkland course whose front nine is friendly to all abilities before the back nine stiffens, notably at the 10th and 11th. Bunkers come into play often enough to reward straight hitting, and the clubhouse food is a drawcard in its own right.