The Links Shell Cove

Location: Shell Cove, South Coast, New South Wales
Address: 1 Golf Drive, Shell Cove NSW 2529
Course: 18 holes · Par 70
Visitors: Open to public
Weekday green fee: $50 (18)
Phone: 02 4237 5955

About the course

The Links Shell Cove is Shellharbour City Council's golf course, set on rolling ground at Shell Cove on the Illawarra coast, about an hour and a half by road from Sydney. Golf in Shellharbour began in 1970 on a course on the site now set aside for the Shell Cove boat harbour; it was played as nine holes until 1976 and reached 18 holes in the early 1980s. A new course was planned to go with the harbour development, construction started in April 2000 and the course opened in January 2004. A private company ran it until 2008, when the council took over operations.

The links-style layout plays to a par of 70 and offers four sets of tees, from 5482 metres off the Quarry tees down to 4127 metres off the Railyard tees. The front nine runs through undulating ground towards the wetlands, while the inward holes wrap around a hill to the east that gives some shelter from winter westerlies. Killalea Lagoon is in view, and southerly and north-easterly winds leave little cover.

7th: a short par 4 of 297 metres from the back tees, a risk and reward drive.
15th: another par 4 under 300 metres, at 271 metres from the Quarry tees.

The course is open to the public. Tee times are booked online after registering as a public member, and green fees follow dynamic pricing based on demand, so earlier bookings tend to be cheaper. The electric cart fleet carries GPS course guides.

The practice range has seven covered bays fitted with Toptracer ball tracking, with buckets from $9 for 30 balls, and mini golf can also be booked. The course opens at 6 am and closes at about sundown, and the range stops selling balls at 4 pm. The course has a golf shop and offers tuition, and the neighbouring Shell Cove Tavern looks over the front nine.

Green fees

Dynamic pricing via online tee times (register as a public member); early Nov 2026 tee sheet: 18 holes walking $50 Tue-Wed, $60 Sun-Mon; 18 holes with cart $75 Tue-Wed, $85 Sun-Mon; from 3pm walking $35 to $42, with cart $55; 9 holes with cart $55 to $62. Electric carts with GPS. Toptracer range: $9 for 30 balls, $16 for 60, $28 for 120.

Planning your round

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