Nelson Bay GC’s clubhouse nearing completion

By Mathilda Andersson

From August 21, almost two years after a devastating fire destroyed the better part of the club sites, Nelson Bay Golf Club will have a week long schedule of member events and host a family day to mark the opening of its’ new clubhouse.

The popular Port Stephens club saw its renovated clubhouse and restaurant burn down on Father’s Day 2015, with only the course left intact.

The club’s much anticipated new state-of-the-art venue is estimated to a cost of around $10 million and local companies EJE Architects, Coffey Project Managers and Club Projects oversaw the project.

According to sales and marketing manager Natalie Kelly, the club has relatively been able to go about business as usual during the time of construction with little loss in terms of playing memberships.

“The demountable clubhouse building has served the members well, Kelly said. “The golf wasn’t affected at all during this time and we only lost a few social members due to the inability to hold functions.”

“The temporary clubhouse has served its purpose however it hasn’t been the most comfortable experience so it will be great to get into the new facility.”

The open day will be held on Sunday August 27 and will conclude a week of festivities where the club will host a myriad of events and give the public an opportunity to celebrate the rebirth of a Nelson Bay icon.

Kelly said the opening would give visitors a sneak peek of the new facilities and their potential to hold various functions, as well as promote the big Pro-Am happening in early September.

“When the building is completed we will be available for weddings, functions, conferences on a bigger scale than before,” she said.

“These new business streams will complement our weekly entertainment of live music, joker poker, trivia, poker and raffles,”

“We are certain the club will be able to attract the even wider community of Nelson Bay with our new initiatives.”

The 2100-square-metre multi-leveled clubhouse will a fully stocked pro shop, a retail space for lease, restaurant, kids room, café/lounge, sports bar and gaming facilities and balconies with a180 degree views over the 27-hole championship course and surrounding national park.

Additionally the rebuild will feature function rooms with ability to cater for small intimate gatherings or large events for up to 200 people with its own dedicated entrance, bar, balcony andoutdoor courtyard area.

The new Blue Water Grill Restaurant located within the building will seat approximately 120 patrons serving Modern Australian cuisine with spectacular views over the course.

Focused on giving back to the Nelson Bay community, the golf club has sponsored as many as seven charity golf days during this time and will be running a $11,000 pro-am as part of the Newcastle Central Coast Circuit.

“It’s really important for us, as the club is expanding, to give back to the community. We will have a lot of employment opportunities for green staff, those who work in food and beverage, admin and school work experience,” Kelly explained.

“We’ll be actively involved in events like Taste of the Bay, the June Long Weekend Country Music Festival and we’re also sponsoring the local AFL Club the Marlins and supporting their men, women and junior teams.”

Another focus of the club is in the development of Kangaroo Tours and potential for Golf Tours to international visitors as well as offering corporate ‘Stay & Play’ packages.

“The Nelson Bay Golf Club stands out because it provides a tranquil experience for golf seven days a week, as well as offering centre-of-town accessibility,” Nelson Bay Golf Club general manager Trevor Harrison said.

The clubhouse completion has pretty much run to date with only slight weather delays deferring the opening to the last week of July.

This year the Nelson Bay Golf Club will host several major events starting with Port Stephens Accommodation Golf Classic on 14-18 August; The Pro Am on 7 September; Port Stephens Accommodation Ladies Golf Classic on 11-14 September; and The Social Club Challenge on 27-29 October.

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