Elite golf club ejects former political figure over controversial conduct

Golf clubs have long been bastions of exclusivity and tradition, where membership is as much about social standing as it is about the love of the game.

But what happens when the rules of the club are bent, and the sanctity of membership is called into question?

This is the tale of how the former Victorian Premier was ousted from one of Victoria's most prestigious golf clubs. It's a story that might just have you questioning the unwritten rules of club etiquette.


Dan Andrews, a name synonymous with the stringent lockdowns of Melbourne during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been making headlines again, but this time on the fairways rather than the political stage.

The Herald Sun first broke the news that Andrews had been surreptitiously ushered into the elite Moonah Links Golf Resort on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula, thanks to the assistance of billionaire friend Max Beck.


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Dan Andrews was removed from Moonah Links Golf Resort under controversial circumstances. Credit: Depositphotos


Beck, a club Foundation Member, reportedly facilitated Andrews' entry by swapping his wife's name for that of the former Premier on a membership.

At first glance, this clever maneuver didn't seem to break any of the club's rules.

However, other members' reactions were swift and severe. The backlash was described as 'frothing and feverish,' leading the club to publicly state that Andrews was not a member despite the earlier reports.


The Moonah Links Golf Resort addressed the controversy head-on with a social media post, emphasising their commitment to providing a world-class golfing experience and distancing themselves from the political furore surrounding Andrews' membership status.

'Moonah Links Golf Resort wishes to address recent public speculation regarding former Premier Daniel Andrews,' the page wrote.

'We can confirm that Mr Daniel Andrews is not a member of Moonah Links Golf Resort.'

'Moonah Links continues to focus on providing a world-class golfing experience and supporting events that promote sport, tourism and community development.'

This isn't the first time Andrews and Beck have been caught in the middle of a golf club membership controversy.

Andrews had previously been discouraged from applying for membership at several other elite courses around the Morning Peninsula, with members expressing strong opposition to his potential inclusion.


The controversy seems to stem from Andrews' role during the pandemic. His policies included strict restrictions on golf in Victoria, leaving many golf enthusiasts feeling sidelined.

For our readers over 60, many of whom are avid golfers and club members, this story might resonate on a personal level.

It reminds us that club memberships are often about more than just the game; they're about the community, the values, and the standards that members collectively uphold.


Credit: YouTube

Key Takeaways

  • Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has been removed from membership at the prestigious Moonah Links Golf Resort under controversial circumstances following his attempt to join quietly with assistance from billionaire friend Max Beck.
  • The move to grant Andrews membership sparked significant backlash from other members and the broader community, leading to the club issuing a public statement confirming that Andrews is not a member.
  • This is not the first time Andrews and Beck have faced criticism over attempts to secure golf club memberships at elite clubs in the Mornington Peninsula area.
  • The controversy surrounding Andrews' memberships at golf clubs is tied to his role during the Covid-19 pandemic when he enforced strict restrictions on golf and other activities in Victoria.
Have you ever witnessed or been part of a membership dispute? What do you believe should be the criteria for accepting or rejecting a club member? Let us know in the comments below.
 

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Exactly!

I am totally sick the elitist attitude of some of these wanker filled dumps.

For @DLHM and my anniversary, I considered taking her to the South of Peth Yacht Club for a celebratory dinner. Firstly, you have to be a member to dine there, and secondly, an associate membership costs $319 per annum, up to $3186 for an ORDINARY member aged over 26 years of age.

The food is probably overpriced crap with a plate of chips costing around $18!

Understandably, we went elsewhere.

Anniversary4.jpg
 
WE had a shut down here in Tasmania I wouldn't have gone out during the worst part of covid anyway
Our Premier didn't cop what Daniel Andrews did and it wasn't him who sneaked into membership it was his mate
 
I love golf and there’s nothing better than walking around a beautiful golf course like in Tasmania which has many. It’s a great game to play for mental and physical health even though I’m really bad at it.☹️🤣
 
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Couldn’t agree more,Collette. He was dealt a bum hand and did the best he could with no support and no idea what was the best idea. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but people were dying! Andrew’s was damned no matter what he did. I feel terribly sorry for this man and his family.
I fully agree. Andrews, like all heads of state, had to make incredibly complex decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic—decisions that carried real ethical weight and serious public health implications, all without the benefit of a playbook or precedent. He was navigating uncharted territory under immense pressure, constantly balancing competing priorities like civil liberties and collective safety. Principles like harm minimisation, equity, and the protection of vulnerable populations were central to many of these choices. Were there mistakes? Of course. But the author of this article reducing that leadership to some simplistic narrative driven by personal dislike, as the media enjoys facilitating, completely ignores the ethical complexity and public responsibility involved.
 
A recidivist liar when questioned on his policy's... or, "I can't recall...."! From running over a teenage cyclist to wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on the Commonwealth Games debacle, amongst MANY other lies, he deserves all the contempt he has brought upon himself. In his very own words, any statements of reply from Andrews'....."IS NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT IS WRITTEN ON"!
Totally different issue to the decisions made in lockdown. Like I said I’m not a fan of politicians but the issue of the golf club is ridiculous. Pay back for not being able to play golf during lockdown is just childish.
 
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Some decisions that you make in life can come back and bite you in the bum. One of Dan's rules during all his covid lockdowns - was NO golf allowed. Golf clubs are now taking their revenge for that decision of his. If you didn't live in Melbourne/Victoria during Dictator Dan's lockdowns then you won't really understand what we all went through. Hope all gove clubs dont allow him to be a member.
I was in Melbourne during lockdown. we actually lived out of Melbourne in a small town and seeing as you were restricted to a radius of five kilometres it really made it hard for us as not much was that close, but we kept healthy and got through it. Many weren’t so lucky. My husband is a keen golfer but he never complained about not being able to play, it was for the sake of trying to keep the virus at bay.
 
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Sorry, but I’m not a fan of politicians but I thing this whole thing is stupid and unfair. we had a one in a hundred year pandemic, no instruction book supplied. People were dying in droves overseas, NSW were doing a bad job at stopping the virus coming into Australia. We had an absent Prime Minister who didn’t give didly squat as long as he could go to his rugby games and Victoria has a team of people who did what they thought was the right thing to try and protect us. In hindsight, some measures may have been a bit of overkill. But it did save many lives, people have short memories. Time to let it go now and move on
Most idiotic response ever. To find and write excuses for this crooked and selfish man, is totally out of the question and ridiculous.
 
Couldn’t agree more,Collette. He was dealt a bum hand and did the best he could with no support and no idea what was the best idea. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but people were dying! Andrew’s was damned no matter what he did. I feel terribly sorry for this man and his family.
Well you might feel sorry for this man But I feel 100% sure that there are not many people like you around.
This man made up his mind even though no other states were as hard as he acted even though the whole World was doing it differently than what he was doing and he always acted without remorse like him.
The only reason he did it in that way was because he was following the Chinese rules of locking everyone up.
In closing he was nit dealt a bum hand, he was dealt the same hand as any other Premiers were dealt with.
 
Most idiotic response ever. To find and write excuses for this crooked and selfish man, is totally out of the question and ridiculous.
So you don’t agree, that’s fine. So my response is idiotic just because you don’t agree. Not really a grown response is it
 

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