NSW Golf Road Trip: The Courses to Pack Your Clubs For
NSW is stacked with golf courses worth driving out of your way for — and doing it by campervan means nobody has to be the designated driver, everybody gets their own bathroom, and you can pull up at the course, play a round, and be five minutes from a cold drink and a campsite by the time the sun goes down.
This isn't an itinerary. Think of it more as a long list of courses to consider if a golf road trip up the NSW coast (or inland, if you're chasing something different) is on your radar. We've grouped them geographically from Sydney's outskirts up to the Queensland border, added a few we reckon deserve a spot that didn't make our earlier versions of this list, and noted where you'll find a decent campground nearby so you're not scrambling for a bed after the 18th hole.
Getting the most out of it
Rent one motorhome per couple if you can swing it — everyone gets their own bathroom, and splitting fuel and meal duties across a few vans keeps costs down enough to justify the pricier courses. Have Lunch or Dinner at the course, the alt and Brekky in your Motorhome (Keep the meals simple but notorious enough for peak course performance!).
Outskirts of Sydney
Riverside Oaks — Gangurru Course $100 weekday / $125 weekend (incl. shared cart) — July 2026
An hour from Sydney overlooking the Hawkesbury River, and still one of the best courses this close to the city — kangaroos on the fairways included. One thing's changed since we last wrote this up: the second course, Bungool, has been closed since flood damage, so it's one course, Gangurru, for now. Worth checking the club's site for reopening news before you plan around it.
Central Coast
The Springs, Peats Ridge $60–$70 (18 holes, cart extra) — July 2026
Twenty minutes from Gosford, a proper championship par-72 layout through hinterland bushland, and there's a restaurant on-site if you want to make a day of it.
Magenta Shores Resort guests / corporate days only — July 2026
Heads up — this one's changed since our last update. Magenta Shores is now a private club, and public play is limited to guests of the attached Pullman Magenta Shores Resort, or corporate groups of eight or more (from around $50pp). If a Pullman stay is part of your plan, this is a genuinely lovely course; otherwise it's one to admire from the road.
Kooindah Waters $59–$79 (18 holes) — July 2026
A flat course built over reclaimed wetlands, so water hazards are the name of the game here. Consistently ranked among Australia's top public-access courses.
The Hunter
The Vintage, Chateau Elan $150 weekday / $180 weekend (incl. cart) — July 2026
Near Cessnock, this Greg Norman design is still a must-play. Play in the morning, then get amongst the wineries in the afternoon. Not cheap, but it's open to the public without needing to stay on-site.
Cypress Lakes $130 weekday / $160 weekend (incl. cart) — July 2026
Lovely views over the Hunter Valley vineyards, an easier front nine than the back. Same advice as The Vintage — golf in the morning, wine in the afternoon.
Newcastle Golf Club $180 visitor rate (18 holes) — July 2026
Genuinely special — ranked among the best regional courses in the country. One thing to know: the course is mid-way through a staged redevelopment of all 18 holes running through to 2027, so the layout you play may not match the scorecard photos online. Still worth it, just book ahead and ask what to expect on the day.
Port Stephens
Pacific Dunes $80 weekday / $100 weekend (18 holes) — July 2026
A course that caters to all skill levels — good pick if your group has a mixed handicap, or someone just needs an easier round.
27 holes across three nines in a sub-tropical setting, right in the middle of town.
A links course that suits all levels, at the gateway to Myall Lakes.
Forster–Tuncurry & Hallidays Point
Forster Tuncurry Golf Club — two courses, one club
The Forster course sits right by One Mile Beach with the front nine on the ocean side; Tuncurry is the quieter, tree-lined sister course five kilometres away. Testing but beautiful seaside golf either way.Tallwoods Country Club, Hallidays Point
Australia's only Michael Hurdzan design, carved into a hillside with real elevation changes and ocean views from the top. Watch the water and the steep back nine. Has its own on-site accommodation if you'd rather not tow the van up the hill.
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie Golf Club $80 visitor (18 holes) — July 2026
Beachside, flat, and not too hard. A relaxed round to break up the drive.
Coffs Coast
Bonville Golf Resort $210 Mon–Tue / $295 Wed–Sun (18 holes, incl. cart) — July 2026
Repeatedly voted Australia's favourite golf course, and worth the reputation — rolling through rainforest and flooded gums at the foot of the Great Dividing Range. But it's changed a lot since we first wrote this up: public (non-stay) tee times are now limited to Mondays and Tuesdays, with only a very small number of non-stay slots on other days. If you want more flexibility, an overnight Stay, Play and Dine package is really the way to do it here now.
Byron Bay & the Tweed
Byron Bay Golf Club Around $75 (18 holes) — July 2026
A little bit of a secret — it's not the reason most people go to Byron, but the location near the lighthouse affords spectacular views, and it's a genuinely fabulous course to play.Murwillumbah Golf Club $50 weekday / $55 weekend (18 holes) — July 2026
In the shade of Mt Warning, one of those lovely courses that flies under the radar but ranks highly amongst the pros.
Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club $77 visitor (18 holes) — July 2026
Two highly regarded 18-hole courses — the River and the West — right on the banks of the Tweed. Both make the country's top-100 public course lists.
Crossing into Queensland?
If you're doing a one-way rental and finishing in Brisbane, it's tempting to stop in at Sanctuary Cove (The Pines), the Arnold Palmer-designed course just over the border. Worth flagging though — Sanctuary Cove is now private, with access limited to guests staying at the attached InterContinental Resort (green fees aren't publicised, so you'll need to book through the resort). If a Sanctuary Cove stay is part of your plan anyway, it's a genuinely great course to finish on.
Hidden gems worth going out of your way for
Duntryleague, Orange $78 (18 holes) — July 2026
A golfer's favourite since the 1930s, wrapped around a heritage-listed mansion that's now a guesthouse and restaurant. The historic clubhouse is part of the experience as much as the course.
Blackheath Golf Club Roughly $50–$70 — July 2026
The Blue Mountains' rhododendron village course — hilly, scenic, and a genuinely different golfing experience if you're detouring off the coast.
Yamba Golf & Country Club $55 visitor (18 holes) — July 2026
It's just a nice, relaxed course to play in one of the prettiest little towns on the coast.
Wish list
Ellerston Golf Club, Hunter Valley — Designed by Greg Norman, privately owned by the Packer family. You'll need an invitation, or to be the winning bidder at a charity auction. We can all dream.
Image credit - all of the golf clubs
When you road-trip in Australia don't forget to pay your respects to the traditional custodians of the land on which you travel, their elders past, present and emerging. The natural environment of Australia is fragile and should be left as you found it — take only photos and leave only footprints.
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