The Christmas break and golf were made for each other in the Adelaide Hills. The days stretch past eight o’clock, the course is at its summer best, and whether you’re wrangling kids on school holidays, planning something different for a date, or just have time on your hands at last, Aston Hills Golf Club is open to everyone. No membership needed, no experience required.
For Families: Kids Play for Less Than a Movie Ticket
Junior green fees are $20 for 18 holes and $15 for nine, which makes a round one of the cheaper ways to burn off school-holiday energy in Mount Barker. Clubs and carts can be hired, so you don’t need a garage full of gear to give it a go. Nine holes with the kids in the morning before the heat arrives, then lunch on the deck, is about as good as summer parenting gets.
If the kids catch the bug, Golf Australia’s MyGolf clinics run through our junior program, and a full junior membership is just $150 a year. Start them on the practice range with a bucket of balls if a full round feels like a big first step.
For Couples: A Twilight Nine and Friday Dinner
Summer is twilight golf season. With daylight running late, a nine-hole round from late afternoon gets you the best of the day: cooler air, long shadows down the fairways, and the course largely to yourselves. Time it for a Friday and you can finish at the clubhouse for dinner, served from 5pm to 8pm, with 180-degree views over the course you’ve just played.
Worth knowing for the second half of the break: from 1 January 2027, a dedicated twilight rate of $50 kicks in for rounds starting after 4pm in summer. Full details are on our green fees page.
Flying Solo: Join a Round, Meet the Locals
Golf is one of the few sports where turning up alone works perfectly well. Book a tee time online and you’ll often be grouped with other players, which at a club like Aston Hills is a feature, not a bug: it’s how plenty of locals have found their regular playing group. If you’d like a steer, call the pro shop on (08) 8391 0547 and ask about social games over the break. New faces are the point of a community club.
Stuck for a Christmas Gift?
A golf lesson with PGA Professional Ben Traeger starts from $50 and suits everyone from never-held-a-club beginners to players chasing a few lost metres. Call the pro shop to arrange one as a gift, or have a browse of the gear while you’re there. It beats another pair of socks.
The Clubhouse Afterwards (or Instead)
You don’t have to swing a club to enjoy the break out here. The clubhouse is open to the public, with lunch Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am to 3pm, coffee and counter food from early, and a fully licensed bar until 6pm. It gets busy over the holidays, so booking ahead for lunch is smart, and it’s worth checking holiday hours around the public holidays before you head out.
The Practical Bits
Green fees are currently $65 for 18 holes and $40 for nine, with new rates from 1 January 2027 including weekend pricing, all listed on the green fees page. Tee times are booked online through the club’s booking system, and if it’s your first visit, our visitor’s guide covers everything from dress code to cart hire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book over the Christmas break?
Yes, booking ahead is strongly recommended. The holidays are the busiest stretch of the summer, and online tee-time bookings are the easiest way to lock in the time you want.
Can beginners and kids play?
Absolutely. Aston Hills welcomes golfers of all levels, junior rates are $20 for 18 holes and $15 for nine, and clubs and carts can be hired. The practice range is a great first stop for brand-new players.
What does a round cost?
Adults currently pay $65 for 18 holes and $40 for nine. New rates apply from 1 January 2027, including weekend and twilight pricing, and the full table is on our green fees page.
Is the clubhouse open if I’m not playing golf?
Yes. The clubhouse is fully open to the public for lunch, coffee and drinks, no golf or membership required. Check the website for hours around the public holidays.
However your Christmas break shapes up, there’s a spot for you at the end of Bald Hills Road. Book a round, bring the family, or just come for lunch. We’ll see you out here.
