USD
Birdies & the Benz: A Weekend Golf Getaway in Torquay
Written by Stephanie Mikkelsen
A car-share app takes the kiosk queues out of hiring a ride for an upcoming golf weekend away on Victoria’s Surf Coast.
Having never played golf other than a few rounds of putt-putt, it was with this naïveté that I suggested my partner simply hire clubs for our three-night stay at The Sands Torquay. My mistake. No matter how serious the swings, hiring clubs – especially when teeing off on a course like the one at The Sands – is a no-no. Too many variables, I was schooled: no control over the feel, the length, the weight of the clubs. So, with a partner insisting he must take his own set of clubs, the first conundrum of the weekend arose: how would the aforementioned clubs fit, along with two suitcases, in my compact Mazda 2? While my car is perfect for zipping around Melbourne and squeezing into the tightest of parking space, it lacks the Mary Poppins magic of infinite space. All the Tetris talent in the world wouldn’t help so instead of scaling down the luggage, the answer came from scaling up our ride.
Extra space to boot
Enter Turo, the car-share marketplace where local hosts list their cars and vehicles for short- and long-term rentals. Some hosts are individuals, others are verified car-hire operators, and finding a ride is as easy as scrolling on your phone via the app (although the desktop browser is just as simple to navigate). But where Turo has the edge on traditional car hire services is its option to filter for hosts who drop the car off at your address – no lining up at kiosks, no scouring crowded car parks, and no chance of being handed the keys to a different make or model than the one you actually booked.
As easy as it was to book a ride for a golf weekend, the drop-off process was even easier. Josh, our host from AutoChimp Rentals, gave plenty of heads up when he was on his way and even arrived early. A quick handshake later and he was running me through the features of the Mercedes-Benz GLA Class 2022, kitted out with Apple Car Play, an extra lightning cord and hint of new car smell. Yes, the choice of Mercedes-Benz ticked the form and function boxes; it gave us the extra room while also being a treat to drive. It was, as declared by my partner, ‘The nicest car I’ve ever driven’. Two birds, one booking.
The golf clubs, our suitcases and extra gym bag all fit in the car – and then some. Unlike if we’d been in my car, my partner had nothing crammed in at his feet; the freedom to fully stretch out the legs a welcome upgrade, even if only for the 90-minute drive from Melbourne’s north-east suburbs to Torquay.
Staying at The Sands Torquay
The Sands Torquay is an ideal base for a golf weekend. This contemporary resort, on the fringe of the town centre (also walking distance), is a sprawl of stylish accommodations and a top-tier golf course. Designed by Australian golfing legend Stuart Appleby, The Sands’ course is an 18-hole, par-72 stretch that, ahem, green and seasoned golfers alike will want to take a swing at. Practiced putters will find more than a fair share of challenging holes, especially when the coastal breeze kicks up and headwinds send drives curling.
Exploring Torquay
While golf may be top priority when staying at The Sands Torquay, there is plenty to do in between tee-off times. It’s a flat 20 or so-minute walk to Gilbert Street and the route cuts straight by The Salty Dog Cafe, a chilled stop for post-swim coffees and snacks. If you’re passing by later in the day, the upstairs Bomboras Beach Bar does drinks and live music on weekends. Mavis Mavis does good coffee and toasted sandwiches, or water-facing Doc Hughes along the Esplanade is a reliable option for all-day dining, including a crowd-favourite happy hour. Fishos Torquay and Pholklore are two more oceanfront diners; the former promising simple seafood done well for lunch and dinner. Go to the latter for Vietnamese street food and great cocktails.
Pearl is tucked away from the main drag but is well-worth seeking out. This tiny two-man kitchen operation dishes up a tight menu of regularly changing cicchetti and generously portioned pastas. The cool kid on the Torquay block is Mortadeli and its recently opened pasta bar-slash-grocer. It was on a browsing visit of said grocery shelves that I was again thankful for the extra boot space in my weekend ride; easily stashing newly acquired deli swag, including two huge panettones, in the back footwell of the car, out of harm’s way until home time.
With one footwell still to fill, I had zero hesitation in picking up more take-home goods on a next-day visit to Ket Baker in Wallington, about a 30-minute drive from Torquay. Visit to say hello to the resident free-roaming peacocks, admire the veggie patch and scoff some of the best pastries and sourdough the Bellarine Peninsula has to offer. It makes an ideal mid-morning pitstop on the way to Portarlington, the seaside town famous for its mussels. Here, there are a handful of shops – with yes, a great bakery with behemoth-sized sandwiches, savouries and sweets – and down the hill is Pier St, a pretty place for a lunch of local-caught seafood. When the sun is out, don’t miss nabbing a seat outside for views over the water and pier. If you want to get more hands-on, join one of the trips with family-owned Portarlington Mussel tours to see how these molluscs are harvested. Many local fishmongers can pack up local catches in cool boxes for those wanting to take any seafood home.
Eager to hit the road too? Check out this NSW Mult-Generational Family Road Trip.
