Tasmania’s Great Golf Courses: An East Coast Road Trip
You might come to Tasmania with Barnbougle already on your list. The clubs are coming, the courses have been discussed, and someone in the group has watched rather a lot of flyover videos.
Leave a little room in the plan.
A Tasmania golf road trip can also include nine holes at a country club, a long lunch by the water and a few mornings when nobody needs to pack the car. Our suggestion is to start near Hobart, follow the East Coast to Bicheno, then continue to Bridport for Barnbougle.
Give Bicheno three or four nights along the way. There’s a local course worth knowing about, and plenty for the people whose idea of a holiday doesn’t involve a scorecard.
Start with 7 Mile Beach near Hobart
If you’re flying into Hobart, 7 Mile Beach makes a natural first golf stop. Near the airport, its 18-hole South Course moves through coastal dunes, sheltered hollows and holes beside the beach.
The design makes good use of the ground. Short grass around the greens gives you different ways to approach a shot, while the changing shape of the dunes asks you to think about where you want the ball to finish. It’s worth looking through the official course guide before you play.
Allow a southern overnight stay around your round. Once you’ve played, you can turn your attention to the East Coast without trying to fit an ambitious drive around a tee time.
Check playing days and availability directly with 7 Mile Beach before settling the rest of your itinerary.
Play the local course in Bicheno. There’s already a golf recommendation in our local guide, and it came from someone who stayed at Cooinda.
What our guests say
Peta suggested:
“The 9 hole golf course nearby if you get the chance - a top notch country course.”
That’s a lovely reason to bring the clubs out during your Bicheno stay.
Bicheno Golf Club is about five kilometres north of town, with nine holes and 18 tees. Visitors are welcome, and the club’s website has current details on green fees, competitions and equipment hire.
Make this an easy morning out. Have breakfast, play a round, then leave the afternoon open. Nine holes fits comfortably into a coastal holiday, particularly when your travelling companions have other things they’d like to do.
Contact the club about the best time to visit and any equipment you’ll need. A small club’s hire arrangements and clubhouse hours deserve a quick check before you arrive.
Take some local advice between rounds
What the locals say
One of the suggestions in our local guide is to explore central Bicheno on foot. Give yourself time to browse along Burgess Street and stop for coffee, rather than hopping straight back into the car.
After golf, you could head to Lobster Shack at the Gulch for seafood. For East Coast wine, The Farm Shed brings together producers from around the region. Ask about something you haven’t tried before.
Our guests have also commented on how easily they could walk from Cooinda to the cafés and shops. Once the clubs are put away, it’s a pleasure to let someone else choose where the afternoon goes.
A holiday for everyone in the car
A few nights in Bicheno gives a mixed group room to enjoy different days. While some head out to golf, others can take a walk along Waubs Beach, browse town or settle into a book overlooking the water. Save time together for the Blowhole, Redbill Beach or a booked penguin tour after dark. With another full day, you could explore Freycinet National Park. Check the current park information, entry requirements and walking conditions when planning your visit. Wine lovers can use our East Coast wineries itinerary to choose a separate day out. Confirm opening hours and arrange a designated driver or other suitable transport before visiting cellar doors. This is why we suggest staying a while. You can have a golf morning and a walking day without making every outing depend on the next checkout.
Continue to Barnbougle in the northeast
After your Bicheno stay, continue to Bridport for the Barnbougle part of the trip. Plan accommodation in the northeast for these rounds, with a separate travel day from Bicheno. Barnbougle gives you three different courses to consider.
The Dunes
The original Barnbougle course was designed by Tom Doak and Mike Clayton. Wide fairways weave through the dunes, but choosing the right line still matters. Wind and pin positions change the best approach, so there’s plenty to think about even when the fairway looks generous.
Lost Farm
Designed by Bill Coore, Lost Farm has 20 holes, all of which can be played in a round. The course stretches along the coast, beside the Forester River and inland, giving it a different feel from its neighbour. If golf is the main reason for your holiday, allowing a separate day for each course gives you time to enjoy both.
Bougle Run
Barnbougle’s 14-hole short course has 12 par threes and two par fours. Set high in the dunes behind Lost Farm, it’s another option if you’d like a shorter round during your stay. Check tee times and the resort’s current playing arrangements directly before booking your travel around them.
How to give the trip enough time
For a comfortable starting plan, allow: One or two nights around Hobart for arrival and 7 Mile Beach. Three or four nights in Bicheno for a local round, beach time and an East Coast day out.
Two or more nights around Bridport for Barnbougle. If Cape Wickham or Ocean Dunes are on your wish list, plan a separate King Island leg. They aren’t part of this mainland driving route.
Add time for your onward journey, and adjust the order to suit your flights. If your dates are tight, choose fewer rounds so you can still enjoy the places between them. Book the courses you most want to play early, then coordinate accommodation. Pack layers and wet-weather gear, check any club-hire requirements, and leave a generous gap between driving and golf.
Come back to the beach at Cooinda
For the Bicheno part of your Tasmania golf holiday, Cooinda on the Beach gives you a whole house to return to. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms for up to six guests, a fully equipped kitchen and direct access to Waubs Beach. Make dinner together, stretch out on the deck or spend a cool evening beside the indoor wood fire.
There’s also a traditional sauna for a slower finish to the day. A few days here leaves space for another round if you feel like it, or a morning with no plans at all. Explore Cooinda and check availability for your East Coast stay. And if you discover a course, a café or a walk you think the next guests would enjoy, tell us. Peta’s recommendation is a good example of how useful that can be.