They say there is nothing like Wellington on a good day, this was a great day. Two reasons it was great, the weather was picture perfect and I was playing golf in the weather bomb, actually, it is not a bomb that refers to bad weather.

What is the good weather equivalent? A weather revelation, maybe. When a storm undergoes a rapid pressure drop, that’s known as “explosive bombogenesis.” Hence weather “bomb” – I was feeling good and had a few bombs of my own planned.

Manor Park Golf Sanctuary is a great title for this 18 hole affair in Lower Hutt. A Sanctuary is a place safe from persecution and a refuge from the torment of the world outside. This was putting me at peace.

It is situated on the banks of the Hutt River and is a skinny course, no more than 3 fairways wide at any point and mainly only two, as it goes out and back with little crossover. This allows you to read the wind either 1 way or the other way. There are no variations in direction of travel, just up or back.

The sanctuary has an environmental certification for how it looks after the wildlife in these beautiful golf surroundings. There are wetlands and the Haywards stream on course, perfect for harbouring a thriving environmentally friendly golf course.
This course is exceptional value for your money $20 Sunday to Friday.

I played off of the Terracotta tees, an interesting choice of colour palette for the day. The tees are non-gender based, grey for the short course, terracotta for the longer course and blue for Championship contenders.

The first is an excellent starting hole, only 293 metres but a creek staddles the fairway at exactly 200 metres. As your first hit of the day you need confidence. The smart shot looks like a 6 iron short of the creek and a pitching wedge into the green.

A simple start really, we had just come out of 3 days of COVID lockdown but the driving range was open during that time. I had two driver only sessions to get the big stick straight, so it seemed like a waste to leave it in the bag.

I smashed the drive over the creek up to a few metres from the green. “you can’t beat golf on a good day!” The sanctuary thing was working for me.

My playing handicap was 14 today 2 more than my index of exactly 12. Evidence of how difficult the course would turn out to be. Your handicap is an indication of your potential. According to the stats, most golfers only play to their index 25% of the time. Playing to or beating your handicap is not a regular occurrence and should be cherished.

Manor Park Golf Club is narrow from every tee box, there are no free swings here. Add in the 2 streams to flirt with and you have a challenge on your hands.

The second hole is the first of the par 3’s – there are 5 par 3’s over the 18 holes. None of which is an easy proposition. The 2nd is 178 metres, with good bunkering.

The next par 3, the 5th is 190 metres. So not exactly an attacking opportunity. The 6th is your best chance at a putt for a two today, 136 metres but the green is a 2 tier sloppy number so getting off with 2 putts is good enough for most.

The 3rd and 4th are par 5’s – two of the four long holes on course, all of them require a long straight drive and a solid second to have a pitch to the green.

The par 5’s are all 450 metres and more, the 14th is 488 metres and the longest hole on the course with the Hutt river breathing down your neck. The wise pro tip even tells you to avoid the river.

This course gives you nothing, so cherish each par you get around here.
The stretch from 12 to 17 is tough, in the heat of the summer, I was slowing down, so these testing last few were making it hard to get to my handicap challenge for the day.

I finished 1 over the 14 shots given to me and was moderately okay with that.

Manor Park Golf Club is a quiet course and simple in its appearance. The greens are good and flat. They hold a ball that is well struck, the slopes are subtle, challenging but not dangerous. It is a hard place to post an under-par net score so beware.

The holes are all named, nothing to write home about though. The 14th is “Pomare” I had to look this up, apparently the name of an unofficial suburb of Lower Hutt. How is a suburb unofficial? Are there rebel Lower Hutters fighting to re-establish their past, shoulder to shoulder with the Catalans?

Play here at Manor Park Golf Club, if you like an easy walking course and you can keep it long a straight off the tee.

Karori is the largest suburb in New Zealand. So there. Karori Golf Club is 8 km’s from here on the road to Makara, an area known for mountain biking and rural living.

The course is set down in the valley and is in a beautiful countryside setting. I was a member at Karori for a few years and really love playing here.

Normally coming out of the winter the course can be a little damp underfoot but I found it in excellent condition today.
The membership in the years gone by was strong and the club was humming, but it is getting harder to operate a golf course now. I had a quick chat with the course manager who is working hard to grow memberships and keep the club moving forward for the community to enjoy.

The tag line at Karori Golf Club is Naturally Golf, to reflect the semi-rural location, the course easily moulds into the environment. A peaceful place to play your golf and no cell coverage! I wonder if they get a nudist crowd showing up mistaking the message? With dwindling numbers maybe “Naturally Golf” could bring a different crowd, a nudist NZ first perhaps….?

The first at Karori is a hole that I dream about. A dogleg to the right where hitting too well and straight will put you in trouble with the trees. You could use an iron to get up to the corner or “slide” your driver around and over to leave an easy approach. I go for the slide and rarely execute it. But I never fail to play it out in my mind on the drive through the country lanes to the course.

The course favours someone with a power fade like me – I used to have more of a squirting slice when I played here. Two holes in the first 3 are right-hand doglegs, called “Bent” and “Seriously Bent”?

The par 3’s

The par 3’s here are all good. 3 crackers on the front nine. Number 2 over the tall tall tree, requires a high confident blow early in your round, to land on a large plateau green. The gettable 4th is inviting a good short iron at the pin.

Followed by the treacherous 6th, “Shorty’s Heartbreak” which may be some peoples vote for best hole on the course. Only 121 metres from the blues, but don’t be short or the stream and steep gully will take your ball.

Only one par 3 on the back nine, the 13th is usually into the prevailing wind and deceptively longer than it views.

Before I go any further I need to discuss the hole names here at Karori. I don’t remember the hole names from my days as a member. They may have been there but I can’t recall them. I may be going mad.

I had my own name for the 9th, It is officially called the “Big Dipper.” My name for the number 1 stroke hole was a little cruder. So these must be new?

The ninth needs a monster of a drive off of the elevated tee. Outta the screws or your approach will be difficult across a large gully. Miss the fairway and you are laying up. A par here is a great result.

The making of the course is the variety of holes and the challenges they bring. The back nine is the best of the 2 sides. With a combination of holes, some requiring a solid drive others shorter par 4’s requiring a thinking man’s golfer.

My favourite hole is the 12th looking down at the shortish 258-metre par 4 knowing one great blow will get me on the green. The green slopes back to front willing you take it on. The fairway bunkers can be in play if you mis-fire. “Dizzy Heights” makes my Best golf Holes in new Zealand list.

The 2 bunkers on 12th are the only ones on the back nine and matched with only one bunker on the front on the par 5 7th.

I love the drive off of the 15th, “High and Mighty” says it all as you look out over the pond at the green far far away– I don’t think I have parred this hole in many years trying. A long iron is usually required into a tricky green if your drive gives you a chance.

The 17th is a hole that I know the driver is not needed. At 297metres if you get too close to the green, trees and a gully make it a tricky approach. A sensible 7 iron leaves a 9 iron – this is a test of how comfortable you are with your manhood to play sensible and measured golf.

The left-hand dogleg on the 18th is a great way to finish, hitting over the blind corner and down a steep slope. Local knowledge is an advantage. The tight little green sitting behind an overhanging tree needs an accurate and confident finish to your round here.

You will not find a friendlier golf course in the area, so if you need an afternoon out of the city, Karori Golf Club is your best option. It can be a little hilly for those not match fit, but this adds interest across the excellent course design.

Mornington Golf Club is a true municipal course. I was first seen with a golf club in hand on the municipal golf course of Knightswood in Glasgow. These courses are – not country – not rustic – not local – not a community – but municipal. Probably council workmen will cut the grass – maybe with a little less passion than a local club. At Mornington Golf Club, you pay at a parking meter by the first tee – a long way from the picture on the website of a green fee custodian in the 1920’s taking green fees.

I didn’t know much about this course, never really felt the need to play here. It is a golf course for everyone and was born in 1915. This was the vision of Robert Cameron, a Scot and maybe the originator of the first public golf course in New Zealand. The history of the course has to commended by bringing golf to the common man. I am one of those, but who isn’t really?

I met one fella walking his dog, “ Lots of golfers out today!” he barked, the man, not the dog. It seemed like an odd thing to bring up, on a golf course.
Another man had a dog with him as part of the four-ball, actually a five-ball with the dog. He played a hole with his dog by his side, I watched him chunk a chip and then another one and then he barely made the green with his next chunk. The dog looked dismayed and wandered away, missing the blasted putt up the green. It gave him no chance of making a two-putt for his up up up and down down down.

I heard his partner ask what were you in for there? “Put me down for a 6” he announced, even the dog looked embarrassed.

There were Frisbie Throwers on the second fairway, throwing down towards me as I teed up. What’s going on? This place is just a big shared park. Then I recognized the metal Frisbee catcher on the fairway. It is actually a Frisbee golf destination shared with an actual golf course.

True community cross usage. If you are having a bad round bring a Frisbee and maybe a dog or a kite.

I puffed all the way around here, the course is a collection of greens, tee boxes and hills. Trees are added in because they grew here. But it is a fantastically irritating golf course.

Lots of short par 4’s from one side of a steep valley up to the other. Looking down the barrel of a 224-meter par 4 normally is a thrill. But the greens are up in the sky at the top of a hill. Tee off into the hillside in front of you, hit a blind approach and pump your legs up the hill to find out where it landed. REPEAT UNTIL you go home.

There is a treat of a 203-meter par 3, early in the round, making the walk to the elevated tee still enjoyable.

The ninth is a hoof of a hole off of the top of the course down into a valley and up to an elevated green. A par 5 that you’d like to think you’d reach in 2 at 409 metres.

This part of the course is shared by the inner city loop track as if dog walkers and Frisbee chuckers weren’t enough, ramblers were added.

I got attacked by a magpie on the 11th – the noise I made was something I was not proud of. I quickly tapped in my putt to get away from the little bugger. Play with your sunglasses on top of your hat like eyes in the sky that will keep them away. Apparently.

The greens were soft and large, easy to land on in the main. The putting surface was okay but it took a lot of concentration to focus on the “just get it in” mentality.

You whip across the busy Adelaide road to finish your round. The course has a long history from its inception and works well for a community alongside the bowls club and other rec areas.

But it is not a place for a leisurely day out. The hills were a nightmare and the set up was nothing short of annoying. You do get some great looks out across Wellington as you move up and down the course.
So take a moment to enjoy them before tackling another hill climb.

There is nothing like Wellington on a good day. It was a very good day when I ripped back my curtains. I was on a rustic tour of NZ golf courses. Is it me that is rustic or the golf courses?

Titahi is more than rustic, 9 holes of a community golf course near Porirua only a short 15 minutes from central Wellington. On a cracking morning like this one, it was definitely the best way to start my day.

Funny thing, I lived in Wellington for 10 plus years, I did not know this course was here. I visited Porirua many a time but never ventured around the coast a little bit to discover this great wee 9
hole golf course. It is short at 5,133 metres for the gents.

There were a couple of groups out in front of me when I got there. The man in the shop let me know these slow buggers might get in my way. I made the decision to just go easy, enjoy my own company and soak up the surroundings.

This is the home of the 2005 US open champ – Michael Cambell. This club is obviously exceptionally proud of the success this New Zealand golf legend had.

Cambo was a natural golfer and stood next to the greats to win a major and compete for many more in his golden era. Cambo visited my son’s school in Queenstown with the US Open Trophy, I realised that day how hard it would be for a kiwi lad to beat the rest of the world at this crazy game. And more difficult to beat Tiger Woods on the day who was his closest rival.

Check it out for just a minute…. Click here

Our spend a few more minutes and get the full story ..Click here

I spent a little time on the practice putting green. The view from here was awesome, a glimpse of the water and the sweeping course looked beautiful. I was still focusing on getting my putting game on track. Dr. Bob Rotella would be proud, as his words played over in my mind. Just put it in clear your mind and hole the putt.

The course felt on the municipal side, a course for everyone of all abilities. But not unloved, with massive sweeping fairways on the edge of the bay. It offered up some interesting stances in the fairway.

The course was in good condition, the greens were a little on the soft side but flat and true. A little links-like with limited trees to annoy a poor drive.

The view from the 3rd tee shows off the course and I felt pleased with my decision to visit Titahi Bay today. A 265-metre par 4 that makes you think you are good enough to reach the green.

The 4th was a lovely driving hole, I enjoyed a birdie on the 4th, following a sweet 8 iron to a few feet.

The golf here offers you good risk and reward dog legs 281 metre 5th and 239 metre 7th. The opportunity to score well is on offer but not a giveaway.
On the 5th I lipped out for birdie number 2 in a row. High confidence and high on the location, I was loving the game of golf today.

The 8th is a par 3 into the prevailing wind at 190 metres it needed a bullet of a hit to make the green.

Sitting up on the 9th tee ready to play the number 1 stroke hole, the elevated tee was a nice spot to reflect on a golf course that I’d put on the top of my 9 hole golf course list. A tractor was swooshing across the fairways breaking my silence.

I could have been swayed by the weather or the presence of Cambo. It may have been sitting there on the final tee 1 over the card for 8 holes.

Heading up the hill to the 9th green in front of the clubrooms is a difficult approach. I had a messy double-bogey 6 on the 9th but this didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the course.

Titahi is a must-play when the sun is up in the Wellington sky. Unassuming but impressive none the less, you’ll feel much better about life after a couple of hours here.

The day couldn’t have been better driving into Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. The warm Kapiti Coast sun was high in the sky and watching down on me.

The night before I slavered over the history of this golf club and watched videos of the course. This is not my style. I prefer the turn-up, play, discover and enjoy model. But I had an inkling that this was going to be momentous. I have to admit there was a little goosebump in my hotel room as I thought about what was to come.

The club president was meeting up with me to show me around. Dave Buck is a storyteller and very good golfer who started his golfing life as a caddie at PBGC when he was 10 years old.

The entrance is unassuming just through the village, near but not on the beach. The welcome is friendly and interested, not like an exclusive club showing off its silverware. In a small community town steeped in history, this is a place for locals to meet and play and pick fun at each other and sometimes to wager on their abilities.

“Alex” is hole number 1, paying tribute to the designer, his name and his work are held in high regard across the globe.
This is the only golf course Alex Russell designed outside of Australia. A man from Scottish heritage, he had a pedigree for sure. The guile he used amongst these dunes to create PBGC would mesmerise even the Scots.

In the clubrooms, the history of how this club grew into a world powerhouse is on display, but not too much.

In 1949 the job was finished, Alex had created his masterpiece. Only 10 years later the first NZ open was played here, and the country took notice of PBGC. A total of 12 opens later is a story in itself.

I asked if there were plans for a future Open to return – no confidence in this idea was voiced. It would be a damn shame if we can’t get the Open back at the home of New Zealand golf.

“Alex” starts with a slightly blind tee shot as your introduction to the mind games you have signed up for. I made a good shot into the green – there was greenkeeper watering. He enjoyed a good bit of laughter as I got over my putt and a gust of wind blew my ball a further 15 feet back down the steep green. A sign of greens to come.

Dave told me only 4 greenkeepers work the land and still, it is an immaculate links beauty. The locals help out with additional work when required, like a real golf club.

I was regaled with tails of great players who have walked these fairways, – Tiger -Bob Charles – Peter Thompson – Cambo. But there are golfers from all around the world putting this golf course on their list. I heard of one American chap in the clubhouse who only had time for 1 game of golf in NZ – a good choice that man.

Tourism New Zealand has a plan to elevate Aotearoa as a world-leading golfing destination and they have chosen courses across the country to be poster boys for the campaign. PBGC is firmly in that plan and should, in my opinion, head it up.

The members often caddie for overseas visitors, this is a special offering not only to play PBGC but with someone on your bag that lives and breaths the place. Not many carry a yardage book or laser scope, just years of experience.

I started brightly with 2 pars in the first 4. I was loving being with Dave and was looking forward to pushing onto a solid score. The greens were firm and in impeccable condition, a joy to putt on with many challenges, Tiger 4 putted the 2nd so I was please with my solid 2 putts.

How many was that?

The 5th is a beautiful par 3, delicate and slim, hanging on its pedestal with deep hollows on all sides. Te Motu – “The Island”.

I ended up in the left-hand hollow from the tee, like a fool I swaggered up to the chip, unaware and underprepared – I made 2 excellent chips that ended back at my feet, still with no fear, the third chip ended up over the green and into the right-hand hollow. This story of chipping goes on, more like ping pong than golf. I’m not proud of the 9 I put on the card. I am proud of the fact that Frank Nobilo registered a 7 here, whilst leading the open. I haven’t scored 9 for a while but I do have some satisfaction that PBGC got me in the most unassuming way.

Dave had a wee chuckle going on as we left the green behind.

After the wake-up, I played well and really enjoyed, the combinations PBGC has for you. Tee shots need to be put the right place, seemingly normal approach shots need more care than you know and the devilish greens are firmly in control of your ball. Maybe the course was playing me rather than the other way around.

Having a local and expert on the course with me was worth a few shots off of the card. The advice was priceless. “Don’t miss left, and you don’t want to be right here, I would suggest the middle of the green would be a good place to be.”

Hole names are in both English and Maori. None more so than Morearea Iti – Little Danger. This is my favourite hole on the course. If you played it 6 times you would have a different plan each time. Dave and Leo, the GM, both agree that number 8 takes the cake. A small green stares you down, daring you to put your puny little ball on the little smooth surface. Not the most beautiful hole but a golfing challenge you will relish.

Others have different ideas on the hole of the day, which shows you the strength of PBGC right across the 18 holes.

The 8th is the story here, play the course as it was designed. Make the shots it is asking you to make. Fight against it and you will be in a world of hurt.

From the 13th at the bottom of the course, you see the whole brilliance of the place chosen to put this golf course. The view of the Tararua ranges from here is magical. “The Divide” number 13 needs an out of the screws drive across a swale then up to an elevated green. This hole is brilliant, miss short and end up in “Russell’s ravine” – however, the back of the green is even worse.

The 14th is a tempting par 3 downhill with a full view of the pot bunkers. On the 15th tee box, the hole askes for “Blind Faith” out over the dunes to a fairway you will see when you get there. What a great stretch of 3 holes. Surely the course has run out of ideas by now.

The 16th is not unlike the postage stamp at Royal Troon. There is no easy way to tackle the 126 metres in front of you.

The 17th is world-class, a split fairway is an idea not used often enough. Choose a safer and shorter route up the right but face a harder approach or try to reach the left-hand fairway for a much easier shot at the green.

Standing on the 18th, I felt a little disappointed that my round was coming to an end. But a birdie-able Par 5 finishing hole lifted my spirits. This hole is a favourite of many, historical finishes of the Open have been witnessed here. A plaque in the fairway shows where Grant Waite holed out for a double-eagle in 1992 using a 2-iron.

Holing out for a par on the last, I was only 2 over on the back nine, I felt like a champion, I would have gleefully started again and played another 18 holes, but we settled for a beer instead.

I met a Calgary couple who get out of their winter in the Northern hemisphere for 4 months and hole up here playing PBGC every day. If you are looking for a life hack that is one you should focus on.

The Jewel in the Crown

Is this the Jewel in the New Zealand crown? I am a sucker for a links golf course, but it takes clear design and vision to lay on a course that beats all others. The best courses in the world take you on a journey, and the very best make every moment of that journey worth the trip.

Hollows and humps, moguls if you will, dunes, pot bunkers, no need for bunkers, big greens, little greens, tiers on the greens and in the eyes after the 5th and Dave’s company all made this day out very special.

Golf is about today, the course, the weather, the company but it also is about history. It is about community and friendship. Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club is all of these things rolled into one helluva golf course, which must be the home of golf in New Zealand. The best golf course I’ve played in New Zealand and straight to number 1 on the list of New Zealand’s top courses.