Port Stephens in Winter

Our last trip to Port Stephens was in summer, this winter trip was quite different. The group was smaller and an all woman group. We chose to stay at Oaks Nelson Bay Lure Suites. Apartment style accommodation with enough space to stretch out is always a bonus on a golf trip.

Our first round of golf was at Pacific Dunes, where course architect James Wilcher has cleverly crafted a relatively flat woodland setting to create a risk-reward layout. Holes 1 to 9 amble through a woodland setting and the back nine lace through wetlands. Most in the group were playing the course for the first time and playing it blind - there were many surprises on the back nine; water hazards that cut into the fairways and collections of casual water that happily swallowed up golf balls. The lesson well learnt was to stay on the fairways as balls that strayed were lost, even balls that one imagined would be just in the rough somehow made it to ball heaven. Needless to say scores were not high!

The course at Nelson Bay was in excellent condition. We played the Brushbox and Gymea Lily combination of holes. Scores were a little higher than at Pacific Dunes but not by much. The bonus at Nelson Bay Golf Club is having GPS in the carts as most of the group had not played the course before; everyone at least had some idea of the lie of the land. Warren and the rest of the Nelson Bay team are always super organised and helpful no matter how busy the course is. A few drinks and snacks and a fun rules quiz in the clubhouse was the perfect way to finish the a happy day of golf.

A very early start at Horizons had us all warmly rugged up and hanging out for a steaming cup of coffee. The pairs multiplier event added a little pressure and playing through the sprinklers on the 9th hole added a laugh a two. Scores were higher, but not nearly as high as they were in our last outing to Horizons; we’ll put that down to the season.

We were happy that the group mixed well together and believe that a few new and strong friendships have been forged.

Our next escorted trip will be to Orange in September followed by a longer roadtrip down the NSW South Coast in November.