Inside the elite golf club furore over Daniel Andrews becoming a member as ex-premier launches bid to ‘soften up’ head honchos to get admitted

Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews is reportedly putting pressure on senior figures at the prestigious Portsea Golf Club in a bid to be accepted as a member.

Andrews’ bid to join the club on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne’s south-east divided members, with some still angry at the ex-leader for his strict Covid-19 rules during his time in office.

By extending restrictions for the Melbourne metropolitan area to include the Peninsula, Andrews effectively banned the sport from being practiced during the pandemic.

The former Victorian premier (pictured with Golf Australia chairman John Hopkins) has reportedly started putting pressure on senior figures at the Portsea club to be allowed in

The ex-prime minister’s friend, property developer Max Beck, approached the club in early October about Andrews’ membership. The matter was referred to the committee despite no formal application being made. Herald Sun reported.

Andrews and Beck were then seen playing golf with a senior Portsea figure at the Kingston Heath club last Tuesday in an attempt to “soften him up”, according to the publication, which also stated that a former Victorian Labor minister is ‘outraged’ about the possibility of Andrews not being admitted.

One Portsea member revealed that Andrews has ‘very strong chances’ of getting into the club.

“It’s a tricky issue because he has every right to apply to be a member, but it is then up to the membership to decide whether that person is suitable for their club,” they said.

‘You can’t just ban people because of their political beliefs.’

A Portsea Golf Club member (pictured) believes Andrews has a ‘very good chance’ of becoming a member

A former Victorian Labor minister is reportedly ‘incensed’ at the possibility of Andrews being knocked back as Member for Portsea

Beck has called the anti-Andrews faction at the club “small-minded” and supporters of his membership bid have singled out a group of female members who they claim have campaigned against the ex-prime minister online.

Portsea’s next intake of new members will begin early next year, but it is not known whether Beck will go ahead with Andrews’ application.

The furor at Portsea comes after members of the nearby National Golf Club rioted when Andrews tried to get involved.

Members sent a letter to the club committee setting out their clear position against the Prime Minister’s potential membership.

One member bragged about hitting a golf ball with the ex-PM’s face printed on it, while another added custom ‘FUDA’ number plates to their BMW, with the letters standing for ‘F*** You Dan Andrews ‘.

The letter from National Golf Club members urges the committee to adhere to standard membership procedure when considering Mr Andrews’ application.

A member of the nearby National Golf Club had the number plates on their BMW modified to read ‘FUDA’ – an abbreviation of the phrase ‘F*** you Dan Andrews’

This includes the ‘crucial’ step of sharing a candidate’s name on the club’s notice board for 21 days from the time the application is submitted.

It also reflects the views of more than 100 golfers, who claim Mr Andrews does not possess the qualities that align with the club’s ‘fundamental values’.

“It is imperative that every potential member, including Mr Andrews, aligns with the fundamental values ​​of our golf club,” the letter said.

‘Showing good character, sociability and a genuine interest in meeting and becoming friends with fellow members.

‘Unfortunately, Mr Andrews is noted to lack these qualities, and his inability to remember scores for each hole due to poor memory further highlights concerns about his compatibility with our club.’