The course
Clifton Springs Golf Club is an 18-hole course at 92–94 Clearwater Drive, Clifton Springs, just north of Drysdale on the Bellarine. It sits up above Corio Bay, and the club makes a lot of its views: it talks about 180-degree outlooks across the bay, and from the pro shop you look over the 18th green to Corio Bay and the You Yangs.
The club describes a championship-style layout with couch fairways and quick, sloping greens. It doesn't publish a par or length on its own site. Top 100 Golf Courses lists it at about 5,800 metres and par 71, with 34 on the front nine and 37 on the back, where there are three par 5s.
How it's laid out
Top 100 Golf Courses describes two loops of nine coming back to the clubhouse, on roughly 100 acres, with holes 5 to 9 in a separate section to the south. It singles out the 6th, a 142-metre par 3 to an angled green behind a small pond, and the 485-metre par-5 16th, the last of three par 5s on the back nine.
A long history
The club believes golf here started with a clifftop hotel for holidaymakers who came by paddle steamer to the nearby mineral springs. Its first recorded competition was on 20 November 1909, on a nine-hole links set out by Dick Banks, and the club marked the centenary in 2009. Planet Golf says the present club formed in 1970, when the course's then owners expanded it to 18 holes. The City of Greater Geelong owns it now, and the club has run and maintained it since 1 January 1993.
Visitors and booking
Casual players are welcome, and the club has a "Play Golf" page set up for exactly that. Book a round through the online tee sheet linked from that page, or call the club on 03 5251 3391.
Members' competition days are Tuesday (men), Wednesday (women), and Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (men and women), according to the membership page. The club doesn't publish which times are held back for competitions, so look at the tee sheet for the day you want. Monday and Friday aren't on that list, so they're worth checking first.
We couldn't find a dress code on the club's site. Standard golf gear is the safe bet, and ask about shoes and spikes when you book.
Green fees, carts and hire
When we checked in October 2026, the club listed adult green fees of $42 for nine holes and $60 for 18. Seniors were $38 and $54, and juniors (under 18) $30 and $42. Twilight rates kick in after 3pm during daylight saving and after 2pm the rest of the year, though the page didn't say how much they are. Check before you book.
Carts and buggies
Carts were $40 for 18 holes and $30 for nine, and a pull buggy $5. The club says it has a fleet of 20 motorised carts.
Club hire
$20 for 18 holes and $15 for nine, so you can leave the bag at home if you're travelling light.
The simulator
The renovated pro shop has an indoor golf simulator. Non-members paid $20 for 30 minutes or $30 for an hour. There's a bar in there too, which makes it a reasonable plan B if the weather turns.
The bistro
This is where Clifton Springs stands out from the smaller Bellarine clubs. The bistro is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, looking down over the course to the Bellarine coastline. You can book a table online, and walk-ins are taken on the deck, first come, first served.
The club runs weekly specials. When we checked, they included $15 pizzas every day, a $30 pot and parma on Wednesdays, a Monday seniors' deal, happy hour from 4pm to 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and kids eat free on Sundays. These change, so look at the club's "Eat" and "What's On" pages before you go.
The club says that in 2026 it's starting a five-year strategy and redevelopment plan, covering the course, the facilities, the pro shop and food and drink. It hasn't published a works timetable, so it's worth a quick call if you're booking a group.
Getting there and pairing it up
From Holyday House in north Torquay, allow about 45 to 50 minutes to Clifton Springs. It's on the Geelong side of the peninsula, so it's an easy one to fit into a Bellarine day.
Curlewis Golf Club is a few minutes away if you're keen on 36 holes, and Portarlington is further along the bay. Several Bellarine cellar doors are close by too, so a morning round and a late winery lunch is a good day out (see our wineries guide, and sort out a driver). Back at the house there's off-street parking for multiple vehicles, and if you need somewhere to keep the clubs, ask us.
Clifton Springs Golf Club FAQ
Can visitors play Clifton Springs Golf Club?
Yes. The club welcomes casual players. Book through the online tee sheet on its site or call 03 5251 3391, and check around member competition days.
How much is a round?
In October 2026 the club listed $60 for 18 holes and $42 for nine for adults, with separate senior, junior and twilight rates. Check before you book.
What par is it?
The club doesn't list it on its site. Top 100 Golf Courses gives par 71 over about 5,800 metres.
Can I get lunch there?
Yes. The bistro is open for lunch and dinner seven days, with views over the course and the bay. Book online or take a spot on the deck as a walk-in.
How far is it from Holyday House?
About 45 to 50 minutes' drive from north Torquay.
This is an independent guide; green fees, booking rules and visitor times change, so check with Clifton Springs Golf Club before you go. For every course within reach of the house, see our Torquay golf guide. The events guide lists what's on around the Bellarine, and the markets guide might fill a weekend morning. When you're ready to lock in a golf weekend, check availability and send us an enquiry.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 15 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Play Golf — Clifton Springs Golf Club
- Memberships — Clifton Springs Golf Club
- Eat — Clifton Springs Golf Club
- Our Story — Clifton Springs Golf Club
- Strategic Plan 2026-2030 — Clifton Springs Golf Club
- Clifton Springs Golf Club — Top 100 Golf Courses
- Clifton Springs Golf Club — Planet Golf