As co-hosts of the adidas Australian Amateur in 2025, Commonwealth and Cranbourne have different reasons for taking on the challenge of preparing their venues for an event of this stature and history.

For Commonwealth, it is about showcasing its reimagined Melbourne sandbelt course and continuing a strong club tradition of supporting great young playing talent. Commonwealth also has its eye on big professional events in the future, with this week as a stepping stone.

It looks pristine after the rain and sunshine on Monday, and even the historic clubhouse has had a coat of paint.

For Cranbourne, which is hosting on the first two days of the championships after hosting in 2022, it’s about leaving a legacy. The club will close in 2026 as part of an agreement reached with Huntingdale, so it is a last opportunity to show off what is also a brilliant golf course.

Commonwealth knows that its rating among Australia’s top courses had slipped – from a customary spot between 15 and 20th to outside the top 30 when Golf Digest and Golf Australia magazine last rated the course in 2022 – and that this needed to be addressed.

The Renaissance restoration of the course, including new greens with Pure Distinction bent grass putting surfaces (replacing Poa Annua) and a transition to Santa Ana couch fairways, has won applause already.

“We want to highlight Commonwealth and its return in terms of the enhancement of the golf course and its reestablishment as the quality golf course it’s historically been,” said Peter Paccagnan, Commonwealth’s General Manager.

“We’ve corrected the things that have held us back in terms of design and conditioning.

“For us it’s two-part: it’s doing that and highlighting what a great championship course it is, but it’s also giving back to the game. We’ve got a passion for the younger golfers, supporting juniors from regional areas and guys like (club alumni) Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman and we still support Pennant golf. For us it’s giving those youngsters a chance on a championship golf course.”

Commonwealth has previously hosted a men’s Australian Open (in 1967) and various women’s Australian Opens, and Paccagnan and the committee at that club want to get back into that space.

“We’ve put no ceiling on what we can do when it comes to tournament golf. We think the golf course is strong enough and that it can stand up to the best golfers, and we’ve seen that when they’ve come through and played the course.

“We’ve enhanced our car park and our practice facilities, and we’ve got a significant piece of land next to the course, 33 hectares which we own, which in time will become usable for tournament infrastructure.”

Cranbourne’s CEO Andrew Kenny said the club was proud to host the championship as “a fitting finale to its illustrious history”, pointing out that it is the second time the national amateur championship has been held at the venue.

Said Kenny: “As the club prepares for its impending closure in early 2026, this milestone event will be a tribute to the legacy of Cranbourne Golf Club and its significant contribution to Australian golf.”

As for Commonwealth, its members are eyeing the course ratings for 2026 with high hopes.

“We’ll let the judges make the call,” said Paccagnan. “We think we’re in the mix with some of the better courses in the country now. The conditioning in our opinion is as good as anywhere, and that’s important, but as people get to learn and understand Commonwealth, it has an intricate nature and it’s a very strategic golf course.

“The golf architecture experts enthusiasts understand that and hopefully in time the broader community understands that as well.”

Two great golf courses and an historic event. It’s a powerful combination for Melbourne this week.