Ricky Ponting's Membership Attempt at Royal Melbourne Golf Club
A Cricketing Legend's Golf Ambition
Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting, a highly skilled golfer with a +3 handicap and an ambassador for Callaway, made an application for membership at the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club. This move came as Ponting, celebrated for a career-best round of 64, sought to establish new roots in Melbourne after his retirement from international cricket.
Ponting, who had a career-best round of 64, sought to join the exclusive club in February 2013 after relocating to Melbourne post-retirement from international cricket.
The Rigorous Path to Royal Melbourne Membership
The process for gaining entry into Royal Melbourne is notably stringent. Membership at Royal Melbourne requires a rigorous process, including a proposer and seconder with at least eight years of membership, and four additional sponsors with a minimum of five years of membership each. The collective membership tenure of all individuals supporting an application must total at least 36 years.
Ponting's application was supported by prominent figures such as former Essendon chairman David Evans, then Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland (who now heads Golf Australia), Goldman Sachs investment banking head Christian Johnston, and former Foster's executive James King.
Temporary Membership and Clubhouse Scrutiny
In March 2013, shortly after submitting his application, Ponting was granted temporary membership. This was primarily to allow him to assist the club's pennant team.
During this temporary period, he played a round with Shane Warne, Stephen Fleming, and AFL personality Sam Newman. Sources connected to the club later suggested that the group's post-round behavior in the clubhouse was unfavorably viewed by some existing members. This disapproval reportedly came from the club's "wets" and "dries" groups, known for their distinct post-game social habits.
Sam Newman, a member of the National Golf Club, rejected claims of misbehavior. He attributed any disapproval to what he described as an an "insular, patronising, elite" culture within Royal Melbourne, which he believes resists individuals outside its established social circles.
Mounting Opposition and Eventual Withdrawal
Royal Melbourne's membership approval process has a demanding threshold: it mandates a ratio of seven "yes" votes for every "no" vote. Documents indicated that 27 members intended to vote against Ponting's application, necessitating 189 "yes" votes for his success.
One cited reason for opposition was Ponting's use of "mate" instead of a member's name on the practice range.
Lyn Swinburne, who chaired Royal Melbourne’s membership committee at the time, was perceived by club sources as being against Ponting's application. Swinburne declined to comment on the matter. David Evans, one of Ponting's proposers, facilitated a meeting where Swinburne reportedly advised Ponting to "look for another club."
The club maintains a policy of not commenting on individual membership applications, a stance reiterated by General Manager Michael Burgess. Beyond written rules, unwritten guidelines are also rumored to affect membership for certain professions, such as real estate agents and jockeys, reportedly to prevent potential conflicts with existing wealthy members.
On November 17, 2017, over four and a half years after his initial proposal, Ponting withdrew his membership application from Royal Melbourne. The very next day, he was granted membership at Metropolitan Golf Club.