The club will spend close to $10 million on a complete rebuild of its clubhouse, which burnt to the ground on Father’s Day 2015, with hopes that the new and improved venue will be open by June 2017.

“It's been a tough time and it's been a challenge,”  said club president Max Pride.

“We have as a team, gotten through a very challenging period.”

Funded by the insurance on the previous building, construction is well underway on the 2100-square-metre clubhouse which will cover two levels and feature room for retail, a pro shop, balconies that overlook the course and an admin area. 

Function rooms that can cater for 230 people will be used to attract weddings, conferences and other events, as will an outdoor ceremony area, and it is hoped a dedicated sports bar will attract younger members into the mix.

“We spoke a lot to our younger members,” said Mr Pride.

“And the one thing they said is that they’d like a sports bar.”

The clubhouse will also feature and outdoor courtyard and a children’s play area. The club has employed Club Projects Newcastle, EJE Architecture and Coffey Project Management to complete the project.

According Club Captain and project team leader Peter Power, the development make the clubhouse “state of the art with the expectation that we will attract a lot of people”.

“It’ll be the best club in the district with hopefully the potential to combine other tourist attractions with golf packages,” he said. “We think it will also attract more social membership.”

The club has also employed the services of Natalie Kelly in sales and marketing to ensure that the its services are utilised right from opening day.

“We’ll be ready for weddings, functions, conferences and we’ll also be hosting a lot of come-and-try days,” Ms kelly said.

“My job will be to look at ways to incorporate fly-in, fly-out golf and other tourism package options as well.”

According to Ms Kelly the club is ready to take wedding and function bookings with major milestones int he building process already achieved.

The construction phase marks the beginning of the end of a trying year for Nelson Bay Golf Club, which remarkably saw little loss in terms of playing memberships.

According to Mr Pride, that was largely due to inginuity from staff, the board and the members.

“After the fire we went from nothing,” he said.

“Within two weeks of the fire we had temporary demountables installed and an alfresco stage adjacent the tenth tee.

“By the first week in December we had relocated into the temporary clubhouse and office, complete with kitchen and food by Blue Water Bar and Grill as well as a gaming area, members bar.”

Currently open for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights and for lunch on seven days, Blue Water Bar and Grill will also move into the new clubhouse and take over hte restaurant and functions catering.

“If there was one thing I could tell the public,” Ms Kelly said.

“It would be tom come in and have a drink or meal.”