Login / Register
Rowes Bay Golf Club is an 18-hole public-access golf course in Townsville, Queensland, approximately 10 minutes from the city centre. The current men's Blue course plays to par 73 over 6,188 metres and is rated 72 with a slope of 124 by Golf Australia. The layout occupies low-lying ground between the Rowes Bay coastline and Townsville's conservation parklands, with natural waterways, mature vegetation and views toward Castle Hill forming part of the setting.
Golf at Rowes Bay began on 4 November 1967, when 78 members played the unofficial opening of the first nine holes after extensive volunteer work. A second nine was subsequently developed and opened for the 1974 season. Alongside the main course, the club operates Townsville's only nine-hole par-3 golf course, providing a separate short-game and beginner option.
The course is an 18-hole parkland golf course. It plays to par 73, 6,188m, course rating 72 and slope rating 124. The course originally opened in 1967. It is open to the public. On-site facilities include Par-3 Course, Practice Facilities, Pro Shop, Golf Lessons, Club Fitting, Club Repair, Golf Cart Hire, Club Hire, and 4 more.
Rowes Bay developed during the Australian golf boom of the 1960s. The club's official history records that a steering committee for the then Rowes Bay Country Club was active by 1965. Its founders wanted a club that differed from many contemporary organisations by providing equal rights for associates and members.
Building the first course depended heavily on volunteer labour. After that work, 78 members took part in the first game on Saturday 4 November 1967, an event the club describes as the unofficial opening of its first nine holes. No reliable source located identifies a professional golf-course architect for that original layout.
There is no documented architect or surviving formal design statement in the sources located. The course developed across the low-lying coastal landscape beside what is now Townsville's conservation parkland, and the current routing incorporates existing waterways and vegetation rather than occupying a heavily engineered residential setting. The main course is supplemented by a separate nine-hole par-3 layout intended for shorter rounds, beginners and short-game practice.
Rowes Bay initially operated with nine holes. Development continued until the final nine holes were completed and opened for the beginning of the 1974 golfing season, creating an 18-hole course that was then par 72. The modern configuration is rated as par 73.
In 2017 the club marked 50 years of golf at Rowes Bay and documented its history in a commemorative 'Celebrating 50 Years of Golf' booklet. The facility has also expanded its golf offering beyond the championship course through the separate nine-hole par-3 course, professional teaching, junior programs and retail and fitting services.
Rowes Bay has developed a substantial competitive program in North Queensland. The club runs long-established men's and women's Rowes Bay Opens and has hosted PGA Legends Tour competition, including the Rowes Bay Legends Pro-Am. Its 2026 calendar identifies the 48th Rowes Bay Men's Open and 48th Rowes Bay Women's Open, reflecting the continuity of those events.
Rowes Bay operates as an 18-hole golf club with public social play as well as a range of membership categories. Golf Australia currently lists the men's Blue course at 6,188 metres, par 73, with a scratch rating of 72 and slope of 124. The separate nine-hole par-3 course remains open alongside the championship layout.
The club publishes social, junior, senior and twilight green fees, while golf bookings are handled through the Pro Shop by telephone. Facilities include professional instruction, club fitting and repairs, equipment and cart hire, junior golf programs, practice facilities and clubhouse and function areas.
No conditions reported yet
to report conditions
Help other golfers by uploading photos from your visit.
| Fee Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9 hole | ||
| Social - Main Course 9 Holes | $30 | Current published social green fee. |
| Par-3 Course - Social 9 Holes | $25 | Current published social rate for the separate nine-hole par-3 course. |
| Other | ||
| Social - Main Course 18 Holes | $40 | Current published social green fee. |
| Junior Under 17 - Main Course | $15 | Current published junior green fee. |
| Senior - Main Course | $25 | Current published senior green fee. |
| Par-3 Course - Junior Under 17 | $15 | Current published junior rate for the separate par-3 course. |
| Par-3 Course - Senior | $15 | Current published senior rate for the separate par-3 course. |
| Mix n Match | $35 | Published by the club as 'Mix n Match'; the website does not further define the combination, so no additional interpretation is added. |
| Mad Monday - 2 Players & Cart | $90 | Current published Monday special for two players including cart. |
| Tuesday-Friday - 2 Players & Cart | $100 | Current published Tuesday-Friday special for two players including cart. |
| Twilight | ||
| Twilight Golf 3pm-6pm - Single With Cart | $45 | Current published twilight package. |
| Twilight Golf 3pm-6pm - Pair With Cart | $70 | Current published twilight package for two players. |
Prices are indicative and subject to change. Contact the course to confirm current rates.
Help other golfers by sharing what the course was like when you played.
