With overseas and interstate trips out of bounds this year, we have thoroughy enjoyed exploring regional NSW with our customers. This was our first road trip to Port Stephens and it won’t be our last.

We chose to stay at Oaks Pacific Blue as the resort was able to accommodate our large group of golfers and a few non-golfing partners. With everyone holidaying locally it is no easy task to find accommodation for large groups. We also wanted apartment style accommodation with enough space to stretch out, as kitchens and laundries are always a bonus on a golf trip.

Our first round of golf was at Pacific Dunes. Course architect James Wilcher has cleverly crafted a relatively flat woodland setting to create a risk-reward layout enjoyable for all golfers . Holes 1 to 9 amble through a woodland setting where tee shots demand accuracy as each hole is tight and tree-lined. The back nine laces through wetlands, is more open but surprises await; water hazards that cut into fairways, blind tee shots and bentgrass greens that hide their subtle breaks. There were some outstanding scores on the day; congratulations to Trish and Steve who walked away with the team prize and to Steve for winning the individual stableford with 44 points. A fantastic score particularly as it was his first visit to Pacific Dunes.

We stopped at Murray’s Brewery after golf to taste some gins and some brews, enjoy a late lunch and stock up on regional wines and locally brewed beers.

Some of the group started Day 2 with an early morning chipping clinic at Horizons Golf Club, honing their skills prior to the competition. Designed by Ross Watson and Graham Marsh, Horizons features intricate waterways, expansive lakes, manicured bentgrass greens, well maintained couch fairways and an abundance of native wildlife. Another superb winning score today with TJ coming in with a whopping 48 points! Team honours went to Sandra, Cathy, Vicki and Margaret.

A few of us had enough energy to go sandboarding down the dunes at Anna Bay. Getting down was easy, climbing back up was the difficult part.

Golf at Nelson Bay was a fitting close to the trip. The clubhouse was the perfect spot for breakfast. With 27 holes on offer and a number of groups playing on the day the Pro Shop staff did an amazing job getting everyone off on time. The course showcases its challenging layout and the abundance of native wildlife. We spotted an enormous lace monitor and more kanagaroos than we could count. Sandra won the individual stableford with 41 points and teamed up with Carol to take the pairs. Sandra also took out the overall individual prize with 124 stableford points over 3 days. That will see her handicap plummet!

We will continue exploring regional NSW, venturing down the South Coast in April. Save the dates - Sunday 18th to Friday 23rd April.