A dedicated five kilometre ‘Xcluder’ fence circles the entire course perimeter. At 2 metres tall, the fence is a defence against all types of predators to protect the wildlife inside the sanctuary. Wairakei International Golf Course is an amazing wildlife sanctuary that also doubles as a golf course. Inspiration from New Zealand’s largest fenced eco sanctuary, at Maungatautari Mountain Sanctuary, spurred the owner to create this unique place to help protect our Kiwi population. There is a Kiwi Burrow on site that hatches the latest batch of our beloved Kiwi. The SAVE THE KIWI team have been dedicated to successfully growing the population of our favourite bird.
This place is unique and outstanding. Some people consider the course their favourite in New Zealand; the greens are definitely the best I’ve played on. There are a plethora of top-class golf courses in New Zealand, I would say Wairakei is up there on the LIST of NZ’s Best?
You know you are at a top golf course when there is a wee pyramid of balls on the practice range for you to warm up with. Add a selection of outdoor art sculptures to feed your soul, golf here is already awesome before you get onto the 1st tee.
The starting hole is the self-titled album ” Wairakei” – a par 5 that is very pleasing on the eye. A nice pond with water trickling in front of the tee box, takes your ear and an impressive bunker covering what feels like 90% of the fairway pokes you in the eye. You do need to piece your way up this fairway, if you don’t land in the bunker off the tee, there are plenty more to catch your second shot and don’t forget the 5 bunkers around the large 2-tiered green. A par 5 to start should make life easy, but it didn’t for me, as I overthought the strategy.
There is no doubt that when the course designer took on the golf course , there was a fire sale on bunkers; 108 bunkers must be the most in New Zealand. It is a shame that all that beautifully manicured fairway turf was dug up to create all these deep holes with sand in them. But seriously, the bunkers are positioned across the course to keep your brain on alert on each and every hole.
The first par 3 is the 2nd hole, “Awaawa” ( gully) is straightforward, unless you are off the Black tees ( 215 metres from there). Then off to the 3rd, a second par 5 in the opening 3, “Karapiti” – this is the name of an impressive local blow hole – which blew so hard that it collapsed into itself in 1987. I was going to have to blow hard to get this 500 metre hole under control. The good thing here is that there are only 3 bunkers. But the cranky old course designer put a pond up the right side of the fairway.
The “Old Oak” behind the 4th is a great looking part of the course, the hole is a shorter par 4 with a wee creek crossing the fairway well short of the green. It does creep up to the edge of the green and combine with a bunker to keep you honest.
The beautiful 5th is a 135 metre par 3, and it looks stunning, 3 pot bunkers at the front of the green are outdone by a meandering creek that follows you up to the green. I liked this hole, there is a bank at the back of the green, so overclubbing a little is sensible.
I may be trolling through each hole in this story, that is because they are all so very worthy of mention. I wished I was playing better to get full value from the course, but it didn’t matter. This golf course is bloody awesome and this was under lined on the 6th tee, “Rawhiti” is an elevated tee box with a great look at Mount Tauhara. If you have the fitness and desire, a jog up to the top of Taurhara is a trip you should make when in Taupo.
Now at some point, a “Devil’s Elbow” needs to be introduced into a round of golf. The clever folks of Wairakei called theirs “Farmer’s Folly” – if you haven’t played here before, look closely at the Flyover on the website. I wish I had. There is a pond on the right at the point of a sharp dogleg to the right, aiming straight and short up to the fairway seemed logical. I took on the pond and never saw that ball again. Our group had wagered that anyone coming home with the same ball as they started with would win a nice bottle of wine. The cork is still in the wine after the first nine. What a fine hole this is, I would be happy to include it on my list of favourite holes in the country.
Holes 11 and 12 are thinking golfers’ challenges, your driver needs to sit down on these shorter par 4’s with educated hazards to test your top 2 inches.
Now I have added the “Farmers Folly” to the list of best holes in New Zealand, a second addition to the illustrious list is the ” The Rogue.” A great name for a golf hole and no less than it deserves. You need to challenge the fairway bunkers off the tee, otherwise you’ll never make it! The elevated green in the distance is intimidating if you can find a spot to land your second shot. There are more bunkers in all of the perfect places to put your second to afford a decent shot at this green. The green is skinny from front to back, of course. Good luck playing this Rogue.
“Paenga Tui” is the last – a par 5 to mirror the opening par 5. No let up in the fairway bunkers to find your tee shot, plenty of water on the right, a creek short of the green and water left of the green. It all looks amazing, you should be pleased to find a par on the last.
To sum up my day at Wairakei International Golf Club, I had some great company to share the experience with, my golf was disappointing, probably because of the eagerness to play one of the legends of New Zealand. The course is magic, the challenge changes as you traverse the eighteen holes, the condition of the course is immaculate, and the facilities are top-notch. Add in the dedication to preserve the local wildlife, and this equals a true contender for special golf.
