Club Email

Game Changer - Golf Shop Transformation

As part of our ongoing commitment to improving member facilities, Nelson Bay Golf Club is moving forward with a much-needed renovation of the Pro Shop. While the course and Clubhouse have seen significant upgrades, the Pro Shop remains outdated, with an inefficient layout, tired fittings, and inadequate staff space.

This renovation will deliver a more functional and welcoming space, with improved storage, upgraded fittings, better staff facilities, enhanced ventilation, and a redesigned entry for smoother customer flow. It will also modernise our club fitting and repair services, and elevate the overall retail experience.

During the renovation period, Pro Shop operations will continue from a temporary location and bathroom access will be in the Function bathrooms of the Clubhouse. We appreciate your patience and understanding while this work is underway and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We're excited about the opportunities this new Golf Shop project presents, and thank you for your continued support as we invest in the future of your club.

Members can view concept images, videos, and a full timeline of the renovation process at our in-club display or online here

Damaged Hole Edges

Does this practice look familiar to you?

We receive recurring requests from members to bring the damaged edges of the holes to the attention of golfers. Ball retrievers are becoming more popular, and we often fit these to the grip end of members' putters. However, if not used with caution, especially with pins left in, they can quickly cause damage to the holes.

Do we install hole savers (internal supporting plastic rings)? Well, we asked our Superintendent, Greg Stynes, for his valued opinion on the matter:

"This is a recurring request; however, we have carried out trials previously and found it caused more damage because people don’t put them back in properly and knock the side of the hole out. The main reason that our lips start to crumble is because we lack extensive roots due to our parasitic nematodes. As well, golfers don’t take care when retrieving balls from the cup. The ball collector on the end of end of ones putter is the worst culprit"

The conclusion is to take care of our holes, preferably use your hand to collect your ball from the hole. Alternatively, if you are using a ball retriever of some sort, please use it with care; ideally, remove the flagstick first before retrieving your ball.

Course Updates

This week, the waste area on the left side of the 8th hole will be mulched. We had an opportunity to book this late in the week to complete this work, as these machines are normally booked out 3-6 months in advance. We can expect substantial noise for a few days while this is operational, and we strongly request that all golfers keep their distance.

Rainfall & Course Recovery

In the last 10 days, we have received 240mm of rain. This brings our YTD rainfall to 925mm, and our average annual rainfall is 1350mm. Whilst there are some noticeably wet areas, our golf course has recovered very well. In the last 10 days, our bunkers have been washed out 3 times, and a special thanks to our Greens staff for repairing these. Our greens are very soft and will take some time to dry out. During the rain event, we were unable to cut the greens for several days. We did have some stormwater damage to the culverts on the driving range, which PS Council has now repaired. We have now had our fair share of rainfall this year and are now hoping for a dry winter!

New Favourite Products

The New Ping "BunkR" club - 64 degrees loft/14.5 degrees bounce, everything you need to pop the ball out the trap every time! - Available for DEMO from the Pro Shop

TaylorMade's P-UDI Utility Driving Iron #2 "Tour-inspired shaping for a playable and balanced look at address. Strategically positioned CG for a penetrating ball flight with backspin for players who demand shot making with long irons". Available for DEMO from the Pro Shop

Junior Golf Clinics

We are excited to welcome young golfers back for Term 2 of our popular Junior Golf Clinics!

With sessions designed for ages 6–11 and 12–17, these fun and skill-building clinics are ideal for both beginners and developing players.

Led by our experienced coaching team, participants will learn core techniques, enjoy gameplay-based learning, and have a pathway to Junior Membership.

Registrations now open

Results

Nelson Bay Cup Saturday 3 May

Congratulations to Steven Slappendal (Horizons Golf Resort) on winning the 2025 Nelson Bay Cup with a gross score of 70. Well played, Steven! The Full List of prize winners can be found here.

Thank you to Blue Water Grill, our event sponsor, and all the players for supporting the Nelson Bay Cup in 2025!

Mixed Foursome Sunday 4 May

Congratulations to Barbara Frost and Dave Warder, who won Gross and Championship, and Beth McDuff and Ray Moore, who won Nett. The full Gross results list can be found here, and the Nett results can be found here.

Congratulations to Julie Newsham, who scored a hole-in-one during this event!

Saturday 17 May - Men's Foursomes Club Championship Bookings
Sunday 18 May - Nelson Bay Junior Classic entries via MiTournament - Volunteer starters and scorers needed, please contact Duard by emailing golf@nelsonbaygolf.com.au
Saturday 24 May - 4BBB in conjunction Sponsors Nelson Bay Building & Carpentry Co (John Mudie) incl Handiskins Round 2
Sunday 25 May - Family of League Charity Golf Day -

entries via MiTournament

Sunday 1 June - L&Z Chalmers round 3
Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 June - Water Wonderland Open Tournament

entries via MiTournament

Slow Play

In recent weeks, we have had several instances of slow play. Slow play negatively impacts everyone in the field behind the slow groups. Members are encouraged to practise 'ready golf' and keep up with the group in front of them. Our slow policy can be found here.

Farewell to Jake Venckus

We sadly bid farewell to Jake Venckus this past Saturday. Jake has served our members and guests with utmost professionalism for the past four years, becoming an indispensable part of our golf operations team. He will be greatly missed.

Jake is embarking on an exciting new career opportunity, and we wish him all the very best in his future endeavours. Recently, Jake and his wife Karlie welcomed their beautiful daughter, Ava, into their lives, adding to their joy and excitement.

We look forward to seeing Jake on the course more often, as he plans to play more golf. Although Jake couldn't say goodbye to everyone in person, he has left us with a few heartfelt words to share.

"It has been a pleasure working here and meeting so many new people. Everyone has made coming to work every day so enjoyable, and not many people can say that about their job. Looking forward to seeing you all out on the course!"

Upcoming Club Fitting Events

Friday 16 May - Callaway Fitting Event Bookings

Monday 19 May - TaylorMade Fitting Event Bookings

Thursday 22 May - Ping Fitting Event Bookings

GOLF NEWSLETTER