Ash Barty makes a move to Melbourne in another sign she’s serious about taking up golf

Ash Barty makes a surprising move to the bogan heart of Melbourne in another big sign she’s serious about taking up golf after shock tennis retirement

  • Ash Barty has played a round at Peninsula Kingswood Country club in Melbourne
  • The 26-year-old loved the course and could make a move down south
  • The retired tennis star has the skills to make a career switch to the pro tour

Former tennis no.1 Ash Barty has taken her golf swing to Melbourne and now wants to become a member of the Peninsula Kingswood Country Club in another big hint she’s considering a career switch to the pro tour. 

Barty, 26, was very impressed with the quality of the course when she teed off two weeks ago at the club, which is ranked the fifth best in the country by Golf Australia.

Ash Barty swings with an iron while playing a round at the Peninsula Kingswood Country club in Frankston North two weeks ago. She was so impressed she wore one of the club’s caps – and wants to become a member 

Barty was pictured on the club’s twitter page as she hit an iron shot on the fairway, and posing with other players accompanied by the caption ‘Little warm up for @IconsSeries in June for @ashbarty’. 

‘She enjoyed it so much she wants to join,’ Peninsula general manager Anthony White told the Herald Sun. 

The development is the latest addition to a long list of signs that Barty is keen to make a switch to playing golf professionally after shocking the sporting world by retiring from tennis aged just 26.  

Playing off a handicap of four, Barty has honed her skills with the clubs at Brookwater Country Club, 30km south of Brisbane.

Barty has won two tournaments on the course – her first win dating back to 2020 when she gave the French Open a miss due to Covid-19 chaos and took out the women’s match play championship, a tournament where golfers move onto the next round by winning more holes than their opponent over a full 18.

Barty also took out a weekend stroke tournament at the club in April.  

The three-time grand slam champion is building a grand home beside the Brookwater course with golf pro fiancé Gary Kissick, on a block of land that set the star back $882,000 last year.

Barty pictured with fiancé and PGA golf trainee Gary Kissick at their home Brookwater Golf club, where the two met in 2016

Barty pictured with fiancé and PGA golf trainee Gary Kissick at their home Brookwater Golf club, where the two met in 2016

Barty watching the Richmond Tigers play the Melbourne Demons in round six of the AFL at the MCG, where the Tigers lost 54-76

Barty watching the Richmond Tigers play the Melbourne Demons in round six of the AFL at the MCG, where the Tigers lost 54-76

Barty is often pictured lapping up Melbourne’s sporting scene, spending her recent 26th birthday supporting her beloved Richmond Tigers at the MCG. 

In 2019, Ash Barty wowed 15-time major champion Tiger Woods at an exhibition tee-off where the two hit balls over the Yarra River before the Presidents Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

‘She’s got a great swing, are you kidding me?’ Woods said.

Barty will also feature in golf’s inaugural ICONS series in the ‘rest of world’ team, beside other sports megastars like Tottenham striker Harry Kane and boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. 

Barty dials in at the 2019 pre Presidents Cup exhibition, hitting over the Yarra Valley with Tiger Woods, who was amazed by her swing

Barty dials in at the 2019 pre Presidents Cup exhibition, hitting over the Yarra Valley with Tiger Woods, who was amazed by her swing

In 2021, a membership at the Peninsula course would have cost Barty a $9,000 buy in – $6,500 as the joining fee plus a $2,500 annual membership. 

Fellow Aussie personalities like Andy Lee and cricketer Scott Boland are members at the club.   

The club is located in Melbourne’s Frankston North area, known to locals as ‘Franganistan’ for its bogan element.

Realestate.com.au found that Frankston’s median house price guide is $10,000 less than Victoria’s median of $780,000. 

Melburnians would attribute that dip to the area’s infamous reputation.   

Barty and the Rest of World team will take on their American rivals in the ICONS series in New Jersey, starting June 30. 

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