LISBON: New Book Captures the Spirit of Melbourne’s Famous Sandbelt Golf Region

MELBOURNE – A new large-format book brings together the eight clubs and ten courses of the Melbourne Sandbelt. Situated on a strip of sandy soil thirty-five minutes from the centre of the city, the area stands as home to one of the finest concentrations of golf courses anywhere in the world.

Great Golf on the Melbourne Sandbelt, written and photographed by golf course photographer Gary Lisbon, pairs original photography with member-written essays, original clubhouse renderings, detailed course maps, and a foreword by Sandbelt local and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy.

The release comes as the region prepares to return to the world stage. The Presidents Cup will be played at Kingston Heath in 2028 – marking the event’s fourth visit to Melbourne, following three previous stagings at Royal Melbourne in 1998, 2011, and 2019.

A Member’s Perspective Across 112 Pages

Across 112 pages and 220 images, the book covers:

• The Royal Melbourne Golf Club
• Kingston Heath Golf Club
• The Victoria Golf Club
• Metropolitan Golf Club
• Yarra Yarra Golf Club
• Commonwealth Golf Club
• Huntingdale Golf Club
• Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club

Rather than functioning as a conventional guide, the publication offers a portrait of the region assembled by the people who know it best.

“The Sandbelt has been part of my life for more than twenty-five years, and it still surprises me,” said Lisbon. “I wanted to show these courses the way the members understand them — not only through photographs, but through their own words and the history behind each club.”

Features and Digital Companions

The book includes a dedicated chapter honouring the visionaries, stewards, and custodians who have tended the region across generations.

It closes with an ideal Sandbelt Composite Course, featuring eighteen holes drawn from the best the region has to offer. Readers can build and share their own composite eighteen at sandbeltcomposite.com, an online companion that lets golfers assemble a custom round. A final section, Beyond the Eight, looks to further golf destinations across the state.

Illustrator Daniel Hille created original clubhouse renderings and detailed course maps, while members of each club contributed the essays.

Release Details and Background

About Gary Lisbon

Gary Lisbon is a Melbourne-based golf course photographer with more than 25 years of experience, having captured images at over 720 courses in 37 countries. He is a member and official photographer at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and serves on the panel that rates the world’s top 100 courses. His previous works include Great Golf Courses of the World and Great Golf Down Under (Volumes 1, 2, and 3).

About the Melbourne Sandbelt

The Melbourne Sandbelt consists of a cluster of clubs southeast of the city, built on free-draining sandy soil that leads to firm, fast golf and bold bunkering. Its courses are regular fixtures in world rankings and have hosted championship events for decades, including the Australian Open, the World Cup of Golf, and the Presidents Cup.