Top-notch greens are hard to find on a country golf course. In the blazing heat of Waikato, I found just that at Horsham Downs Golf Club. Situated north of Hamilton, near Flagstaff the club is a wee stunner, nine- holes of great golf.
I sat in the car looking out over the Waikato River, a peaceful fast-moving body of water. Peaceful until a jet ski buzzed by. The golf course is on the east bank of the Waikato, it doesn’t really come into play unless you hit a big sliced thin on the 3rd.
I caked myself in sunscreen from the boot of my car, it was hot and I wasn’t too used to sunshine as yet this summer. There were plenty of folks around on the course and a few were getting ready in the car park. The chap in the shop was a proud Waikato man in a rugby shirt to match his pride. He juggled the shop and bar, he ducked away to serve a couple of beers whilst I was printing my card. He gave me excellent instructions on how to get around the course and set me on my way with a large drink.
The opening hole is an exceptional way to get going, a par three of 167 metres into a beautiful two-tiered green, flanked by a couple of bunkers. A challenge from the get-go for sure with the added bonus of the incoming driveway in front of the green.
The blind drive off the 2nd is interesting, a short par four of 266 meters. If you know where you are going a well-hit drive up and over the hill might have a surprise eagle putt at the end of it. Or you might just nestle into one of the 2 bunkers sprawled in front of the green.
From the 3rd tee, you can see a glimpse of the Waikato River, but it shouldn’t be in play on this 143-metre par 3. The back of the green is all out of bounds so the pressure to not thin your tee shot is the biggest worry. I was very impressed with the greens at Horsham Downs Golf Club, they have put a great deal of effort into maintaining top-quality greens at such an unlikely course. You can have the confidence to fire at the flag and know you’ll get a receptive surface.
I started with a solid three bogeys in a row, my frustrated gate made it to the 4th tee box and was delighted to view another par 3 down into a bowl of green below.
I felt my fortunes improving as I stood over the shot into the classy green which was 144 metres away. A quality strike and 2 indifferent putts secured my first par of the day, and at the last of the par 3’s on the course. It is unusual to have 3 of the first 4 holes as par 3’s.
I nailed a drive up to a blind and narrow 5th fairway and bowled up to my ball swigging most of my drink, it was hot and the fairways were baking. As Winton Peters might say, “The drapes don’t match the carpet “– the fairways are typical Waikato country course fairways, with limited irrigation they are at the mercy of the weather. Not poor just not up to the standards set on the greens.
My shot from the middle of the 5th fairway was down into a green some 40 metres below, a little daunting with the driveway behind. Another par secured I moved across to the 6th – the longest par 4 at 383 metres with a road all down one side. My ball is still bouncing down that road…triple bogey later I needed more liquid.
The only par 5 is the 7th only 423 metres, if you know where the fairway was on this hole – it is an easy drive, and you can really let loose. A large bank on the left side of the fairway almost guarantees success, if you don’t go too far left, your ball will make its way onto the fairway. The green is a monster – I found that out when I got there in 2 mighty hits and took 3 mighty awful putts to make par.
With only 2 holes to go I could see the clubhouse from the 8th tee and knew there was beer there. The final two holes are unique for sure, both have two greens, one for the front nine and one for the back nine. Normally you will find different tee boxes so this was unusual. All holes have 2 flags one for each nine so encouraging you to go around twice. The issue I uncovered on the 8th fairway was that the distance marker in the ground didn’t tell you which of the two greens you were 135 metres from, an added challenge for sure.
When I was heading down the 9th – having avoided the OB on the right – I felt very satisfied with my outing. Only 258 metres, the last is a hole that could be a Wrecker if you take a swing to get there in one blow. The OB might get you or the tree in front of the green if you are on the wrong angle.
The green I was shooting for was small and sloping steeply towards me. I played a safe 4 iron up to a good spot to attack the hole. That I did and came off the last with a tap in par.
It is difficult to pick a hole of the day, I reckon the 1st just pips the rest. The amphitheater beginning to a 2-tiered green is a great opening challenge. The guy in the shop likes the 7th – because it is a hole with no danger on either side of the fairway. He said to me when I was enjoying a beer on the outdoor deck that he would challenge any small course in the country to compete with their greens. Who am I to argue? Horsham Downs Golf Club is up there as one of the best nine-hole courses in the country, just for their greens alone. Add in the target golf of the three excellent par 3’s, the risk-reward of the short par 4’s, and the quirky double greens on the 8th and 9th they must be a contender.
Across the picturesque landscape of Southland, there are six 18-hole golf courses. Invercargill Golf Club is the jewel in the crown and is the oldest. Established in 1900 it has a reputation as the best in the South. The New Zealand Open was hosted here in 1960 and the way back in 1934 Eugenio Saraceni as his birth name goes, played here. Gene Sarazen was 32 years old when he trod the Links of Otatara and famously proclaimed that these links had the best fairways in New Zealand. Thanks Gene, but I will be the judge of that!
A year later Gene was at the Augusta Masters and hit his second shot, a four wood, into the hole at the par 5 15th – the albatross helped him win the tournament. He went down in history and went on to be a legend of the game winning all 4 majors.
THE NEST
I was looking forward to playing at Invercargill Golf Club, I chose a windless and warm day to make the trek to the linksy course just 6 minutes out of Invercargill city centre. The course is halfway between Invercargill and Oreti beach, where Burt Munro roared on his famous World’s Fastest Indian. I wonder if he was a member of the golf club. If you haven’t seen the movie, go to the video shop and rent a copy, it is awesome.
Preparing for my round putting on my shoes I encountered a wee rip in the side. I pondered the possibility of playing with a hole in my shoe, it was dry so no worries there. As I walked to the golf shop, I could feel the side of my shoe coming apart. Bugger, I will need to invest in new shoes. The lady in the shop was very helpful and I picked up some Ecco shoes that looked smart. I saw this as a lucky omen, the last time I had a successful pre-round shoe purchase and low score combo was at Cromwell Golf Club. Superstitious or not, the choice infused me with a sense of buoyancy for the round ahead.
There is a charming putting green in front of the clubhouse, I used it to test out the shoes. I didn’t stay long as I was eager to get into the course proper. Looking around at the lay of the land, it may have been built on links land, with a sandy bottom but there was more of a parkland feel with more trees and native New Zealand bush than I expected. There was good undulation to the look of the course which pointed it towards a links feel. The bunkering across the course underscored this links point alongside the shapely greens.
The scorecard I had didn’t have hole names on it, but there was a second scorecard that did provide this missing narrative. There was simple wooden hole numbering on each tee, with no hole names on the course. The first hole is a short par 4 at 290 metres – “the Nest”. The course isn’t overly long, a tad over 6,000 metres with 3 par 5’s and 3 par 3’s. A smart play off the first tee is a long iron and focus on the approach to the lovely setting in the undulations of the first green.
1st green
It is wise to research Invercargill Golf Club before visiting, this is not a course where you pull the driver from your bag on every hole. A good strategy and a calm head will minimise the effect of that inconsistent loop in your backswing. Unfortunately, the driver was needed on holes two and three, they are long, with a stroke index of 3 and 1 respectively. The 3rd 402 metres, is called “Rushes” – don’t rush – the tee shot needs a long and accurate shot to a narrow fairway. And then get up to an elevated green surrounded by deep bunkers.
The par 3’s are excellent, only three of them, so enjoy every moment. “Schoolhouse” the 4th is 139 metres and flat, seemingly simple enough except for the protective bunkers and the narrow green. The Takitimu mountains are a majestic southland feature seen from many golf courses and that usually leads to a hole name with this signature. “Takitimu” the 6th is well placed next to the clubrooms if you have forgotten to put a drink in your bag.
4th green
I do like an “Elbow” – the dogleg 7th hole is 327 metres and about 200 metres up to the bend of the elbow. A nice wee hole.
The stretch from the 8th through the 11th offers some good scoring opportunities. A couple of par 5’s and shorter par 4’s. I enjoyed the elevated outlook off of the 10th tee box, aptly named “Outlook” which has an attractive opening shot to a fairway with a ridge that needs taming.
The next part of the course was very enjoyable, the 12th – a testing 183 metre par 3 – was easy on the eye, a shapely green with a rotten-looking deep bunker in front. My hole of the day and now added to the best holes of New Zealand List.
Your eyes will water on the 13th if you attack the last par 5 on the course. A full 500 metres with water, OB, and boasting the name “Eastward HO” – confronting all the “Westward HO’s “across the country. I haven’t met this polar opposite name to date.
The run home from here was a pleasure, undulating fairways and great bunkering stood out, I thought that “Pines” -the last – was an appropriate final challenge to find a spot on the narrow fairway just in the right spot to avoid the rows of tall pines.
The course has impeccable maintenance which ensures an enjoyable but challenging test. The layout incorporates thoughtful design, the varying fairway undulations, deep bunkers, and strategic hazards require a clever golfer to navigate.
My new shoes performed well on the sandy-bottomed ground; I got off the course on my playing handicap for the day. A testament to picking a windless day, the rough here is not particularly punishing but there is plenty of danger if you stray. The greens are the best in Southland so there are no excuses on the putting surface.
With only half a dozen Southland courses remaining on my checklist to complete, the allure of Invercargill Golf Club will pull me back for another round. It is the best in the region, it is storied with history and undeniable quality making it an irresistible destination for your golf in the South.
The Tour of Southland is a historic and popular local cycle race. I was oblivious to its existence as I headed to Gore Golf Club on my own tour of Southland. I met the Tour on the road from Winton, they were going at a great lick through the Southland countryside. A marshal was holding traffic in front of me to allow the Tour to speed on, he told me they were headed for a finish line in Gore. I assumed their speed and the extra energy in the Tour today was fuelled by the excitement to get to Gore to secure an afternoon tee time at Gore Golf Club, one of the best courses in the region.
I managed to get around and ahead the Tour, arriving at Gore Golf Club on a pleasant southland day. Gore Golf Club has a rich history dating back to 1903, I was intent on making the 120-year-old course proud of my effort to get across to take it on. Southland has 24 golf courses, and only six of them are a full 18 holes. Gore is reputedly one the best in the region.
I got on my bike and sprinted to the start line, the first hole, “Hokonui.” A par 5 at only 431 metres but stroke hole 4 – be suspicious when you see that little matric. Hokonui is a small town in Southland, a radio station, the hills in this region and the name of a famous Moonshine, which was no doubt present at the opening day of the club.
There is a creek 40 metres short of the green on the 1st – which is invisible to the unsuspecting. A clever hole to get you underway, 2 big blows will get you there, but the smart golfer will start with a lay-up in two and focus on an accurate pitch.
1st Green
There had been a bit of rain lately in the region and this made the course soft but still in good condition. The greens at the outset were flat and quite slow, most likely because I was playing at the start of the summer season. The course is parkland and tree-lined on most holes with wide fairways. Across the 18 holes, it is predominantly flat with limited bunkering.
The first par 3 of the day, number 4, was a roadside hole of 184 metres, in the heavy conditions it required a full carry to get up to the green. “Croydon” was a flat a simple hole if you can blank out the road all the way down the right. The name of the hole is a nod to the area of Gore the course sits in, the course is often referred to as Croydon Links.
Whisky Creek tempting green
Inevitably, a Southland staple, there was a Whisky “something” in the hole names. The 5th was “Whisky Creek” a short par 4 that you can attack – your approach to a small green that tilts towards you, needs some attention. Up to this point, the greens were flat, from here on in there was nice undulation and the greens were quickening as the sun burned through the damp. The south is a region with much Scottish heritage, settlers from the motherland took to farming, making whisky, and playing golf from the early years. There is a Moonshine Museum and some great stories of early times of whisky making. Check out more here.
When I walked off the 5th the group of 4 in front were sitting on the 6th tee box enjoying a beer. Waiting for me to play through. They were from Island Park Golf Club on a weekend annual jolly. Gore Golf Club, followed by Invercargill Golf Club and back home via Milton Golf Club.
Hole of the day number 6
The 6th is an uphill par 3 of 155 metres “Mokoia” needed an extra club to get up to the small green, I was advised by the group. I hadn’t been playing well to this point and was a bit nervous about hitting a 5-iron into the green. I was given the seal of approval when I dropped the ball 6 feet from the hole.
I had two more groups of Island Park men in front of me, following the par 5 7th another short par 5, 410 metres – I worked out that the creek in front of the 1st would have been in a similar place to the front of the 7th – I laid up and popped the approach to a few feet. The group in front had stopped to let me through (or to have a beer)
I got off the 8th and through the 2nd group in good spirits, the sun was drying the course, the golf was getting better, and the surroundings were very pleasant. The 8th finishes at the clubhouse “Tuturau”
The 3rd group of I.P.G.C Clansmen let me through on the 10th – following a nice short par 3 of 123 metres. I was on the 9th green, one of the men shouted “If you don’t f*#k about too much over that putt you can play through!”
A nice drive, in front of them off the 10th was greeted with congrats and civilities. I was beginning to rack up a few pars and missed birdie putts. The 11th is a par 3 to a sloping green, a pretty wee number, “The Gully” I notched up another missed birdie putt and swiftly got onto the 12th – a real slog up hill to a soft fairway and it played all its 410 metres.
On the 13th a group of 6 men drinking Speights were not going far or quickly, they let me play through. The 13th tee shot is over a deep gully up to a small green, par 4 at 217 metres. I didn’t know how to approach the hole. I grabbed the driver and swung for dear life to get out of the way of the 6 men out for a drink, with the odd golf in between. The ball came to rest 2 feet from the hole! There was a collection of well-dones and the like. They had no idea I had struggled to hit a straight drive all day to this point. I tapped in for an eagle, quickly tidying up the scorecard!
I was certainly enjoying the course a lot better following a flat uninteresting start. 14 – “Dusky” was a nice driving hole and it had an excellent looking green with a dangerous tiering in the front and an OB road behind. I hit a lovely iron onto the back edge, my game was working just fine now.
14th Green
The 15th, “Old Clubhouse” was a short par 4, 302 metres back toward the old clubhouse, another chance to keep the momentum going. I didn’t take it as no one was watching anymore. The same story of capitulation on 16th “Mount Wendon” which had the largest green on the course.
I was pondering my hole of the course nominations, trying to not pick the 13th because of my epic tee shot. The 17th “Fishers” was in contention, 142 metres, road on the right, a deep bank on the left and attractive sloping green. I parred well after missing the green.
17th Tee
I would say the 6th was my top pick of the course and is fairly placed on the best in NZ list.
I stood on the last very pleased to be there at Gore Golf Club, but one big challenge to come 370 metres back toward the clubhouse, “The Gums” was long with no run out of the fairways. I was on a playing handicap of 10 for the course, a solid bogey would put me on 80 for the day and nett 1 under for the par 71.
I was short in 2 and faced a tricky pitch up a ledge in front of the green, I played a percentage pitch and run up to 15 feet for safety. The I.P.G.C. Clan were out front of the clubhouse having beers and a good time. I rolled the putt in with a rattle on the flag stick and got a cheer from the crowd. Gore Golf Club is not only steeped in history, making it a must-play for golf enthusiasts, it is a quality golf course. The layout of the holes is clever, and challenging and requires mixed skills and some intelligence to find your way around.
Gore deserves a place on the Top New Zealand Golf Courses List, the history, the quality greens and the challenging course layout are what this little game is all about.
Tapora Golf Club has made a bold move by installing synthetic greens, becoming the first golf course in New Zealand to do so. The decision has been met with mixed reactions, with some golfers praising the new, consistent playing surface, while others complain that it’s not as “natural” as real grass. Not everyone will agree – when you go against the grain.
So, what does the future hold for Tapora Golf Club? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: they’re not afraid to think outside the bunker.
It was a holiday weekend, celebrating Matariki, it seemed just right for a trip to the most progressive club in the country. The essence of Matariki is:
Reflection: reflect on the past and learn from these experiences. Tapora Golf Club is 59 years old, it has seen its share of ups and downs. But the community club has taught me that golf is good for everyone!
Remembrance: time to gather and share stories and memories. After our round, Wally took us through the history of the Cowbell Cup, which Tapora retained this year. A competition between Pararoa Golf Club, Mangawhai Golf Club, and Tapora.
Celebration: The abundance of the land, has provided New Zealand with 383 golf courses. What else is there to celebrate?
New Beginnings: Who better than Tapora Golf Club to look forward to our future with their revolutionary greens?
My Ponsonby tractor enjoyed the drive to Tapora – especially the final stretch of unsealed road. It arrived in the car park looking not too out of place with the local Utes. The local legends, Wally and Edith were in the clubrooms looking after the crowd with food and beverage on the holiday weekend.
I printed a card on the new card printer, with an NZ golf booking registration screen and eftpos facility on site. This is an additional feature in the last few months.
Before I dig a bit deeper into the synthetic greens and how they play, a word of warning, this golf course is tough. The combination is long holes, undulations, narrow fairways, and elevated two-tier small greens. All add up to a course of 5,990 metres and a nightmare waiting to happen if you let it happen to you.
The Nine holes have been expertly designed to give you a different challenge from the varied tee boxes when you play the full 18 holes. There are 2 flags on each of the greens, red for the front and blue for the back.
A wide target greets you on the 1st tee, for a par 5 to start, which is a welcome site. “Kia Ora” – take advantage of this hole it is a gift compared to the rest of the collection.
My first glimpse of the opening green was a buzz for sure, mesmerised, and desperate to find out if my perfect approach would hold the surface. I never found out on the 1st as I missed the green. I chipped onto the green with unknown outcomes of how that would go. Fairly normal to be honest.
Is the grass greener?
1ST Green
Health and safety tip – If you hold your putter onto the surface as a wee brace as you bend down to mark your ball it will slide along the green propelling you forward.
My first putt was a poor effort at an up-and-down par, all me, nothing to do with the surface. The greens run true and are slower than I thought you would get.
2nd Hole is back towards the clubhouse a long par 4. The fairways are good well drained but they don’t offer much run, lengthening everything somewhat.
The drive at 3 is tricky to the very narrow fairway which does have banks on each side to help. The green is a nightmare up to a pedestal 2-tiered delight.
The 4th gives you some water worries off the tee and a very small green to hit. I’d given all of my handicap to the course by the end of that hole. It rained hard for a minute or two, we were next to the clubrooms and a warm beer would have been a blessing. But we gamely pushed on to see the clouds part once again.
“The Pricker”, the 5th, is exactly that up to an elevated green, with a large slope out front, so coming up short is not an option.
The 6th is “Mt Hopeless”, an incredible undulating fairway in front of you from the elevated tee box. And again a two-tiered green elevated for your delight. I bagged my first par of the day here. I was getting used to how the greens performed, if you hit a good putt with good direction and good weight it will pay dividends. Not unlike any other green in the land.
MOUNT HOPELESS
There are some great golf holes but you will have to wait until the last of the nine to confront the god given golfing hole of the day. You will most likely arrive there in tears after shooting at the 179-metre par 3 over water to a teeny wee green.
The 8th
The Hole of the Day
The ninth hole from the top tee is formidable and beautiful. ” Hazard County” dares you to fly over the hazard on the right without going too straight into the other hazard through the fairway. The view from up here is magical. Happy Matariki! Reflect on your decision to cut off more than you should have done. Remembrance of the new Titleist you took from your bag. Celebrate a perfect second attempt just to prove that no matter how useless you are there is always the potential for New Beginnings.
HAZARD COUNTY
It’s still too early to say whether Tapora Golf Club’s decision to install synthetic greens will be a success. However, it’s certainly an interesting experiment, and it could have a major impact on the future of golf in New Zealand.
If synthetic greens prove to be a success, it could lead to more golf courses in New Zealand making the switch. This would have a number of benefits, making golf more accessible all year round in areas with harsh climates.
Local volunteers would certainly be on board, as they see their greens destroyed by the never-ending weather events. The surfaces are more than acceptable for any golfer, and much better than the majority of rural courses. It looks to me to be an excellent investment.
There is something special about Tapora Golf Club, the revolutionary greens are well worth your time to play on this New Zealand first. But there is more at play, the challenging golf course, the amazing surroundings, and the warmth of hospitality in the clubhouse.
The township of Kerikeri is populated with over 8,000 souls, the largest town in Northland. A town steeped in history, with the oldest building in New Zealand as a testament to that. Mission House has just turned 200 years old and is a great place to visit when in the area. Kerikeri is the fruit bowl of New Zealand. Abundant with Citrus, Kiwi fruit, Feijoas, Tamarillo, and plenty of avocados.
There are many reasons to visit this part of Aotearoa, but none more so than the golf courses of this region. “Winterless North” is the tagline often used, so a game or two in the colder months of the year is still on the cards.
The Golf course in Kerikeri, Bay of Island Golf Club, is one of the premier courses in the region and recognised New Zealand-wide to be of top-class pedigree. But before we journey down these fairways, I want to highlight a 9-hole course just 15 minutes out of town.
The golf course between Kerikeri and Kaikohe is Okaihau Golf Club, it sits and presents itself in an ancient valley. Step into this history of rural golf where a mere nine holes beckon your adventurous spirit. Born in the year 1928, the club still goes strong today. I just pulled up to play, no fear that the course would be too busy to let me on, I was right with only a few cars in the car park.
A rural offering of 2,647 metres for the par 36 nine holes, not long by any means reflected in my low playing handicap for the day.
1st TEE
First, the opening hole is a modest par 4 at 276 metres. Your drive needs to traverse over a gully with a road on the left, no need to fret, the fairway’s wide open, so even on the first swing of the day you should be fairway bound. The shot up to the first green needs to be confident due to the hill, 2 extra clubs for the distance introduced me to the soft and true surfaces. Seems like an easy way to start if you stick to the simple plan. I had a 7, not part of the simple plan.
1st Green
The second hole, another short par 4, 283 metres, but a challenge indeed. A blind tee shot, and I released that the lack of local knowledge may hold me back today. It was an enjoyable run through the first holes in a rural setting with some cows watching my every move across the fences. If they only knew I had used up my handicap strokes on the first 3 holes they may have turned away in shame.
The 5th was again blind but a stripped pole pointed the way, or didn’t really it seemed to mark the middle of the sloping fairway, so a local may tell you to be right of the pole. Luckily for me, the power fade was out in force and left me in a great spot.
The sixth hole is a beautiful par 3 shooting over a gully to a target with two bunkers guarding the green and a view of the clubhouse. This was my favorite hole of the day, maybe because I had steadied the wobbly ship with a couple of pars.
I had a triumphant moment as I lasered my tee shot at the 111-metre par 3, excited for a moment that I would be closer than I was.
Onto the seventh hole, which took some detective work to find, across the car park. It’s a short par 5, a mere 411 meters, with some mighty fine trees on the left side. I made a birdie here, sending a peach of an approach toward the downhill green.
The course is not very well marked with hole names or maps, but it is a functional country course with a short and well-maintained rough. The fairways are wide, and the greens are good. And the bunkering across the course is attractive.
The onsite toilet was well-signposted and delightful.
The final shot to the ninth hole under the clubhouse is a nice way to end the round, with an American pine overlooking the green.
the last
The American Pine stood tall observing my final endeavours on the last – following the birdie on 7th I was back on track for a on handicap round. But two solid bogies to finish put me right back in my box.
Okaihau Golf Club surprised me a little, with the $25 green fee you can play all day, in a lovely setting, with a well-thought-out golf course.
Bay of Islands Kerikeri
Announcing itself as a premier 18 holes in the region Bay of Islands Golf Club, is a must-visit when playing in Northland. As the sun peered timidly over the horizon, I headed off for an early morning encounter with the Bay of Islands Golf Club in Kerikeri.
I arrived and was greeted warmly in the shop, the gent was watching the Masters. Amidst the excitement of the Masters, the genial gent greeted me, willing to share his wisdom with a first-timer like myself. Taking time out from the Masters madness, he provided me with invaluable tips and a printed map of the course. Ah, the camaraderie of golf, where a bit of knowledge and advice can make all the difference. It is nothing much to stop and give your customer a bit of knowledge before they set off. I also was told to have a putt on the practice green to get a feel for the true and firm, but not lighting surfaces.
A straightforward par 5 first hole was welcome as I dusted off the sleep in my body. First out on a course is a treat, all mine to grapple with, awesome! The fairways immediately felt up to par, on volcanic underbelly these would be dry and very playable year-round.
1st green
A simple wee shot into the first green was received well and I stood over a birdie putt to start my round with just me and the course to know, despite missing a birdie putt, the greens proved delightful—firm, yet not excessively slick. I tapped in for a par and saw a man on the course many holes ahead of me. Geeze, he must have started an hour before me. My special moment alone with the course exposed for what it was, just another player to grace its fairways. Oh, and there over a hill I saw another group ahead of me.
Out and back to the clubhouse for 1st and 2nd and then off to the renowned 3rd hole. Following the advice I had received in the shop, I approached the challenging par 5 with care, navigating its 492 meters, complete with a dogleg left and three tiers.
A strategic hole with the playful name of “The Big Cheese,” it perfectly encapsulated the course’s delightful naming etiquette. The approach to The B.C. was well framed with bunkers and water, a very challenging and attractive hole.
A strategic hole and beautifully named, “Ken’s Folly,” the 4th is stroke hole 1- for a 282 metre par four -how unusual. The voice of the bloke it the shop rung in my ears, 4 iron off the tee get in position and take 2 more clubs to get fully up to the green. I did both those things and made green in regulation, easy peasy = 3 putted, of course.
Ken’s folly
I was enjoying Bay of Islands Golf Club, a mature and well-cared-for course for sure. While I didn’t achieve an ace on the par 3 5th hole aptly named “The Ace,” the subsequent stretch of holes showcased the course’s consistent quality. The bunkering across the course stood out, although I skilfully managed to avoid them until now.
The 9th is meaty but lovely 354 metre par 4 back up to the clubhouse. A thoroughly enjoyable front nine and by now the sun had warmed the course and me. A quick drink stop in the clubrooms to check the Masters progress and onto the back nine. The 10th tee had 3 guys on there, who didn’t offer me a place to play through, not cool. I had to push passed them as they had teed off, I was on a mission to get around in under 3 hours.
13 th and best of the day
I was sizzling around the back nine until the 13th, as is always the case the 13th is the signature hole. It made me stop for breath and appreciate its beauty.
A par 3 of only 110 metres, but with a downhill drop of over 20 metres to beautiful little green surrounded by 3 bunkers and an adorable pond. These shots are very difficult to judge if you have never played the hole before. A bit like the 7th at Pebble Beach – I had played that on the simulator at the range once, so I was all ready for this challenge.
It was stroke hole 18, obviously because the locals had worked out which approach to take, and so did I thanks to the simulator. A three quarter 56-degree wedge did the job and got me out of there with a missed birdie putt for par. This hole and the 3rd might appear on the BEST GOLF HOLES IN NEW ZEALAND LIST.
The tee shot from the 14th back in the trees is a nice touch and I liked the 15th, “Timewarp” – the name was enough. It is a 281-metre par 4, tempting you to a bomb of a driver to the narrow green around the slight dogleg or drop a 5 iron into the fairway and nail the approach. I took the sensible route.
When I reached the 17th they had started club day as a shotgun start, which meant a ridiculously slow final 2 holes. This left me a tad disappointed, and I met a local man filling out his card who had the same worry, if you can’t finish your round without others getting on the course it is not ideal.
My Kerikeri adventure was a positive one, Okaihau Golf Club was an unexpected treat, would it make the Top 10 Nine Holes in New Zealand List? and Bay of Islands Golf Club certainly presented itself as a standout golf course.
Welcome to the captivating realm of Southland, where the splendour of New Zealand’s southernmost region meets the artistry of golf. Prepare to be impressed as you delve into the premier golf courses that grace this picturesque landscape. Join me on a captivating journey through Southland’s lush fairways, where golfing prowess intertwines with breathtaking panoramas, offering an experience that is more than a rural backwater, with warm-hearted locals and a cheese roll, the golf in this part of Aotearoa is remarkable.
The 24 courses available are made up of six 18 holes courses and seventeen 9-hole affairs, plus a 6-hole cracker on Stewart Island.
THIS IS A BLUE COD SANDWICH – Worth the visit to the south even if the golf courses are closed!
Invercargill Golf Club (Otara Links): A true links 5 minutes from Invercargill. The course was established in 1897, it has history! It lies as an exquisite masterpiece, near the “Fastest Indian” famous beach, Otari. With its meticulously crafted 18-hole championship layout, this sanctuary of golf beckons players of all calibers. The course weaves through undulating terrain, challenging golfers to navigate strategically placed bunkers and conquer lightning-fast greens., the Invercargill Golf Club is the epitome of golfing excellence. The best in the South.
Queens Park Golf Club: Step into a realm of tranquility at the Queens Park Golf Club, situated amidst the idyllic beauty of Invercargill’s beloved Queens Park. This jewel of a 18-hole course effortlessly blends nature’s splendor with golfing finesse. Meandering fairways, artfully framed by majestic trees, guide players through a serene parkland setting. As you traverse this harmonious landscape, you’ll revel in the allure of the well-manicured greens, offering an oasis of relaxation and a delightful escape from the everyday hustle.
TE ANAU Lakeside magic
Te Anau Golf Club: Embark on a spellbinding journey further south into the awe-inspiring Fiordland region, where the Te Anau Golf Club beckons amidst breathtaking natural wonders. This 18-hole marvel presents an extraordinary golfing experience, harmonizing with the magnificent backdrop of snow-capped peaks and the shimmering Lake Te Anau. Here, golf transcends the ordinary, becoming an immersive journey through nature’s grandeur. Indulge your senses, challenge your skills, and revel in the fusion of golf and the ethereal landscapes that define Te Anau Golf Club.
Nine Holes of Abundance
If you are looking for the shorter version of the game, Southland’s 9-hole courses paint a vibrant mosaic of golfing treasures, each offering its own unique charm and unforgettable experiences. So many to choose from so your golfing dreams will flourish in the South. Prepare to be captivated by the vivid colors, warm hospitality, and natural wonders that await you in this golfing paradise. Let your golfing adventure in Southland begin!
Tokanui Golf Club: Tucked away in the tranquil countryside, the Tokanui Golf Club presents a rustic haven for golf enthusiasts. This hidden gem showcases a delightful 9-hole layout that winds its way through rolling farmland. With its wide fairways and subtle contours, the course invites players to immerse themselves in the simplicity and serenity of rural Southland. As you navigate the course, enjoy the scenic vistas and embrace the warm hospitality of the Tokanui Golf Club community. There is never a dull moment when you play Tokanui, the Southernmost mainland course in Aotearoa.
Tokanui
Kingston Golf Club: Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the Kingston Golf Club is a charming retreat that captures the essence of its picturesque surroundings. This rustic 9-hole course boasts breathtaking views of the lake and a majestic mountain range. Golfers will appreciate the course’s natural contours, which harmoniously blend with the rugged landscapes. As you revel in the tranquility and marvel at the captivating vistas, the Kingston Golf Club offers a captivating escape from the ordinary.
KINGSTON
Bluff Golf Club: Situated in the southernmost town of Bluff, the Bluff Golf Club showcases a unique golfing experience that combines coastal beauty with rugged charm. This scenic 9-hole course meanders along the stunning coastline, providing panoramic views of the Mokomoko inlet. and the famous Bluff Hill. As the fresh sea breeze invigorates your game, the course’s undulating fairways and well-maintained greens offer a delightful challenge. After your round, savor the local hospitality and perhaps indulge in Bluff’s renowned seafood delicacies. Fowlers Wild Bluff Oyster shop.
BLUFF
These rustic 9-hole courses in Tokanui, Kingston, and Bluff embody the essence of Southland’s unspoiled landscapes, inviting golfers to embrace the beauty of nature while enjoying the game. Whether you seek a peaceful escape, captivating vistas, or a touch of coastal allure, these courses promise a golfing experience that is truly unique to Southland.
If you are looking for a quick nine holes, (or a slow nine) we have many choices across the country. I found nine samples in different locations across New Zealand.
What is the ideal number of holes for a golf course? Is 18 holes really the golden number? The traditionalists need to listen for a minute before starting a march and camping at the gates of parliament in protest. Park your purist thoughts on the well-known 18 holes that have been the bread and butter of the game long established by the Royal and Ancient.
Following the rule changes in 2019, we all quickly got over the iny or outy debate over whether a flag should be in, out, or held. Is this the next big hurdle to questioning the fabric of our game? Why is the perfect number of holes 18?
Playing a full 18 holes, including getting to and from the course, plus the after-match beers and sausage rolls will take up a full day. It isn’t for everyone. If you want to open your club to a range of players, this thought might be holding you back.
There is nothing better than a respectable 9 holes. It is short enough to get done before breakfast in the summer, and you can squeeze it in between finishing work and getting home for a late dinner. Some say that 12 holes are perfect, enough time to recover from a bad start and long enough to put the pressure on the second half if you get off to a flyer.
Don’t get me wrong, 18 holes are the real challenge to level the playing field for all of us inconsistent hackers out there. A full range of opportunities to be the hero or the villain over 18 holes certainly sorts the wheat from the chaff.
On this trip, I discovered Mangakino Golf Club and their 4-hole bash, a late evening event that is great for extended families to give our game a go. A progressive club with a mission to attract new players to the game.
The selection of 9-hole golf courses in our country is impressive. The latest leg of my journey to play every course in the land allowed me to tick off nine of the 9-hole courses.
One Quarter of the way through!
On this trip, I made it over the threshold of one-quarter through the country of golf courses. Golf course 96 was a memorable milestone at Mossburn Golf Club and I had a wee lie down on the soft greens to celebrate.
the softest grass in the land.
The First of the nine courses is the Southern cracker at Bluff. The course is 15 minutes out of Invercargill, in an area called Greenhills. The course is a sloping affair overlooking the Mokomoko inlet. On approaching the clubrooms down the driveway, you get a good sneak peek at the sweeping layout.
It is cash only with no room for online payment, I was skint for cash and left a note worth $10 that I’d promise to pay somehow. I “Set Sail” down the aptly named first with the course to myself except the company of a mower man.
The course is a simple layout up and down the slope. The open nature of the terrain was good for confidence off the tee, with only a smattering of flax bushes in your way most of the time. The greens were on the rural small side, so a difficult proposition to get on.
The mower man was following me around the greens– I was getting trimmed and non-trimmed variations on the soft flat surfaces. It would be tremendous if on the PGA tour they stuck a greenkeeper on the course to work around the pros during a tournament. The Bluff man wasn’t worried about me hitting the greens as he moved about his work grabbing the flag as he buzzed past the hole.
The hole names were cool, Kaitoa, Tarewa (up to a hanging green) , Moki Moki( a skint or lizard.) Maranui ( Long sands ) and finishing on the 9th with Anchorage ( which marries nicely with Set Sail at the 1st) and they didn’t mess with new names if you repeated the nine to make up 18 holes. I have never seen the point in that.
The nine holes measure 2,545 metres, it is a short course but the hill and the wind make for a challenging journey.
Dunedin – a city of golfing heaven and tradition
Dunedin has many golf courses in and around the city. The oldest club in the land, Otago Golf Club set a foundation for golf in the Scottish-branded Southern City. They say the Scots came 12,000 miles and landed in the Bay of Islands. They found it a wee bit too hot. So, they marched south until they found a climate more like home, stopping when they could go no further and get no colder.
Gladfield Golf Club didn’t appear to be up for that. A walk-up and play public golf course 15 minutes from central Dunedin. The main sign on the way in claims a $15 green fee will get you on this nice wee course, the discounted rate of $10 is offered where you pay. This is good psychology, to underpromise and overdeliver. With an extra fiver in my pocket, the spirits were lifted on the first tee.
There is a wide and downhill drive to start you off and give you a warm feeling of achievement. I followed a nice drive with a sweet gap wedge leaving a birdie chance first up. Four putts later I headed to the second tee.
A four-ball of local fellas were still fluffing around on the 2nd tee, the last combatant topped his tee shot a good 10 feet. “You can play through chief” was the friendly advice from the fellas. Feeling gallus I jabbed a thank you and commented that it would give them time to practice! “We saw your putting…” they retorted, and I felt better now being part of the local banter. My tee shot off the 2nd was a ripper, and the fellas acknowledged the effort for me. But this hole is a monster. A sharp sharp dog leg to the right and then up and up a hill. There is a dangerous drop-off if you miss your second to the right, it makes you aim well left to leave an approach that gets a view of the green. This is a cool hole.
The course is not a bland old public golf serving, it has some chops. There were two par 3’s back-to-back, the 4th and 5th are attractive and challenging. The 6TH has a hedge along the right-hand boundary of the fairway, 2 men ahead were in the hedge, they saw me and waved me through. I got up close to them and passed the time of day. There was a hole in the hedge, and you could see golfers on the other side. “What is in there? “I asked the men.
“That’s JJ”s another 9-hole golf course.”
This is the first time I’ve seen two 9-hole courses side by side. Was it a messy breakup of golf lovers? Was it bravado from competing neighbours to see who could make the best 9? Who knew? The only other side-by-side courses that I know to date are Gulf Harbour and Whangaparaoa which are next to each other on one fairway.
Gladfield Golf Club is a great place for a quick hit when you need to stretch your legs before getting into the city of Dunedin. Don’t pass it by.
The next day, I got a very early start, waking up to the waves on St. Clair Beach. I wasn’t sleeping on the beach, I was in an apartment overlooking the famous surf paradise.
On the easternmost part of Dunedin out past Portobello, is the Otago Peninsula. If you trek over the hill on a winding road, you’ll discover this hard-to-find 9-hole golf course. Otakou Golf Club is 3,085 metres of links golf that you will enjoy at every turn. A remote wee place where you will need $15 of honest money to cover the cost of the round.
When you drive into a car park of an unknown golf course in a quiet, out-of-the-way location, you don’t know what to expect. It is a common thought of mine, “I don’t know what to expect from this course today”. Which is a little dumb, a bit like walking into a random restaurant you’ve never been to before. You don’t know what to expect, it will have food and some beverages, but the rest of the experience will be a mystery until you try it. Otakou Golf Club will have 9 holes on the menu, but I do hope it isn’t all vegan.
The course has a linksy feel, humps and hollows, with contoured links-like greens. The greens were excellent, firm, good rolling and better than you’d expect. There were a few too many pine trees on the course to make it feel like a true links. (whatever that really means) The course has a sandy bottom and is well laid out, with no hills to speak of.
Scrubby sandy rough is an indication that the course keeps at one with nature. The approach to the greens allows for the traditional bump and run that makes it feel just right.
This could be the best Nine holes in Otago and is pushing for a spot on the best of New Zealand List.
A mix of long par 4’s gettable par 5’s and attractive par 3’s. The 8th is 286 metres long from a blind tee shot giving the course authenticity in the links world. Risk and reward is a huge part of the links experience. And followed by the last at only 226 metres so reachable, with a road so close to the fairway to make you think twice.
THE LAST
If you are looking for a nine-hole menu of taste sensations then I’d suggest you add Otakou Golf Club to your hit list when in Otago.
The course is an up-and-down affair, 9 holes that offer many challenges. Treelined fairways, nice bunkering and a view of the Kaikorai Estuary are pleasant.
It is only 10 minutes from downtown Dunedin to visit this little parkland beauty that claims to be the premier 9 holer in Dunedin. I did pull up to the car park, unsure what to expect, which by now was to be expected.
The first is an awesome way to start. A short par 4, with a steep hill down to the fairway that was nice and wide. Golf will be easy today.
The last is your opposite, a long tough uphill challenge and a very tricky way to finish. Get your punches in early when stroke hole 1 is your last.
The course is in good condition, the greens are somewhat better than most at the nine-hole level. I met a cross-section of locals as I sprinted around, I nearly felled a young couple from the first tee as they appeared from nowhere, hidden at the bottom of the steep slope. My drive whistled over their heads, not a good look. They let me play through. I met a lovely local couple who were having a leisurely game. I stopped for a natter with them and also 2 slow-moving gents from across town who were enjoying the peaceful facilities. Dunedin is a very friendly place with amazing local people, this is aligned with the world of golf.
The 8th is a good hole, a semi-driveable short par 4, with many hillocks and humps to negotiate, some local knowledge on where to land would have been a help. The nice wee green is protected by a bunker.
8th
This course is tidy, not remarkable but worthy of your attention. For a well-utilised 9-hole golf course it is in better condition than most and has the variety across the nine holes to make a play for the best in New Zealand List.
In the hills of South Otago, the little town of Clinton has a golf hub worth a visit. The course is 9 holes, formed back in 1937. The town is called the five-horse town as it celebrates its local Clydesdales. Located in the centre of the town are sculptures created to celebrate the long agricultural history. A few years ago there were 3 horses, but with inflation and progression, they are now 5.
There are under 300 people in Clinton, so it is magnificent that it can maintain a golf course that is a fair challenge and very tidy.
For the $15 green fee, you will get a curious wee course. The fairways are wide in places but there are enough trees to keep you focused. The downhill first is called “Popotunoa”, named after the hill reserve in the distance.
The greens are soft and typical for a rural course. Flat, small and approachable. The rolling course is an easy walk, in pleasant surroundings.
“Little Moe” the 6th is 118 metres over a gully with the road terribly close behind the green. A great wee hole you should play once in your golfing life.
Little Mo
The day I pulled over was a roaster in the south, I stopped to gather plenty of liquid for me and my company. By the 5th we’d drank everything and were sweating our way around this great nine-holer. We were the only players, probably because you should never play golf at the height of the heat like us dehydrated losers.
Halfway between Dunedin and Balclutha in the Otago countryside is a nine-hole golf course that will surprise you. Toko Golf Club isn’t pretending to be anything other than a place for the local community to meet and walk with golf clubs. I may have had no expectations in the car park when I arrived, “I don’t know what to expect from this course today”. By the time 9 holes were done and I was back in the car park I was expecting to come back and play again. I had found a course that ticks a lot of boxes.
The mainly flat easy walking course is in good condition, including various pretty gardens. There is a creek that weaves through the course and plays a part in four of the holes. There is limited bunkering, only in play on 3 holes. This is a normal country course set-up, keep the maintenance low and use the resource well.
It is a great course to play on wide enough fairways and short enough rough not to lose your ball, on the first there was a two-armed man raking the bunker, a friendly fella enjoying the rake, the sand and the scorching heat.
The dog leg 4th is a nice hole as is the par 3 5th. On the 6th make sure you take your tee shot up the 7th after your approach to the 6th green to save time. And don’t tell the rules committee. Toko doesn’t seem to need many rules.
Country courses with limited membership hinge on a few good ladies and gentlemen. It was 29 degrees when I got out of the car. There were 3 guys sitting in the shade of the clubrooms. “whoosh it’s hot today fellas.” I said. “Come back when it heats up.” I was told by the good southern men in the shade. The online payment wasn’t working I left another promissory note that I’d pay somehow.
“Are you a good golfer” I was asked by one of the men. Be careful, this is a question you can’t answer. It is relative to nothing, good v’s the effort you have put into the game over the years, or good just today, or good is better than the average. “I’ll let you know when we finish.” I’ll walk with you said the ex-shearer Melvin who took up golf later in life.
“Is there a tap somewhere ?” “yes over by the gate, the water is funny but the prisoners drink it.” (the is Otago Correctional Facility is nearby) I filled the water bottle, the liquid was brown like dirt, I packed it in my bag anyway.
The Greens are country-soft but well looked after and true. There was a choice the club made a few years back. They had a chance to acquire the farmland next door and turn the excellent current nine into a full eighteen. A wise old member warned the committee that they could expand to a full 18 but most likely the quality would drop, they had no time or money to maintain additional holes. So, the decision to keep 9 and make it a top-quality course was the right one.
I enjoyed the company of Melvin on one of the better country nines. I was nearly out of golf balls going up the last couple of holes. I am not sure how this happened, there were spares in the car, but I didn’t check my ammunition levels before getting out on the course. You hear that occasionally in the professional world where the caddy only packs a dozen balls and the pro sprays a few around and hands out a couple to the local kids on his way around. The caddy notices on the 16th or somewhere that he is on his last ball, lose it and that is disqualification! The caddy is best to keep that a secret from his employer.
You know that a tube of toothpaste is always near full, right up to the moment when it is near empty. It’s like golf balls, you have a bag full of them and then hold on, why is there only an old Titleist with JC written on it and a pinky orange slightly rubber number that just appeared in your bag? Where did the rest end up? There are many things in life that fit this irritating order of the universe. Petrol gauges show full and then the panic of the red light appears as you pull out of a country golf course with no idea where the closest garage will be. And of course, the charge on your phone fits this model, plenty of charge right up til the screen dims and you’re on less than 10% .
I emptied the muddy water from my bottle on the ground in the car park, I was stunningly thirsty, but there was no chance of me drinking it.
Deer capital and soft greens
The town of Mossburn is known as the deer capital of New Zealand. The 9-hole golf course is not dear, $10 and you are away. A flat course with wide fairways underneath the attractive Takitimu Mountains.
The course is the rural variety, small green that was so so soft, if I had brought the rolly puppy dog from the toilet tissue ad he would have loved lying on the grass, I gave it a go on the 4th. It took a good few minutes to get up, very enjoyable.
The first is stroke hole 1, which we don’t like that much as a starter. A long tree-lined hole with long fairway grass adds extra degrees of difficulty.
There was no one around except a wee dog and some sheep penned between 2 fairways. Surprisingly it was humid for a trip around a Southland course, there were large sprinklers firing out protection to the greens. These weren’t going away quickly so there was the need to dodge the sprinkler to and fro as I putted.
The course boasts many majestic Douglas fir trees. The layout is not remarkable, but it is an attractive place to play.
Halfway around I met a nice fella who was wondering which fairway was needing cut the most. I pointed him to the first.
Mossburn Golf Club does mess with different names for the second of the same nine, but I must say in their defence, just like Tuatapere Golf Club they have significantly different tee boxes. The ninth particularly goes from par 3 to par 4. So I’ll let them off this decision.
These types of golf courses are all over Southland, very local affairs, looked after by the community. Not the most trodden of golf courses but well-loved for their contribution to local life. I was honoured to be here on my quarter point on the journey to play all 392 in the land.
The last two of my nine nines are in the North Island. Mangakino Golf Club, north of Taupo, is mainly flat easy walking golf. A pretty little place to view from up at the club rooms looking down across the layout. In the heart of the dam country, there is a hydroelectric power station at Lake Maraetai.
I arrived at the car park late in the day just before 7 pm. Enough light to see me around before heading to my accommodation for the night in Taupo. To my surprise, there were many cars and some activity in the clubrooms.
It was probably twilight and it was probably finishing up, so I headed inside the clubrooms to pay my fees. I was warmly greeted by a lady asking if I was here for the 4-hole frenzy. I wasn’t really, I told her. I might play the whole 9 if that’s okay.
She took $10 from me and told me to hurry up and join the family on the 1st tee. I missed them as they took off as a family 4 ball. It seemed the community were being encouraged to get into golf. Nice one I thought.
I walked up and joined the family and played alongside them at the first. They were lovely people getting introduced to our lovely game. They released me on the 2nd to march on to get around before dark. The course was in country nick and very pleasant.
The front and back nine differ by 180 metres – the front has 2 par 3’s the back has 3 of them but one less par 5. This would make for a thoughtful second run at the nine-holer.
There is a nice lake -Maraetai – flanking the course and the undulation down the far end of the course makes it a worthy experience. The 5th/14th is a 243-metre par 4 or 133-metre par 3. This is the hole of the course for sure just for that variation but a very intrusive pond at the front of the green makes it a challenge from either tee.
I also love that the 7th is stroke hole 1 on the front as a 376-metre par 4 and stroke hole 18 on the back as a par 5 404 metres only.
The last is a nice wee par 3 under the club rooms, when I got there the family were just finishing their 4 holes, I put my tee shot 2 feet from the pin. I looked a shoo-in for the closest to the pin prize. Except, the guy who won it took away the marker after he hit his shot! That is one way to guarantee the prize.
There were pizzas in boxes being passed around the club rooms and I joined in with a lite beer and talked with the crowd. A friendly bunch who had forgotten all about covid and were enjoying their community place. The guy running the show told me he was trying to get the club back on its feet. Make it more of a focal point for the local community and those with a bach to get involved with the locals. He was certainly going to give it a nudge and spruce the place up a bit.
Very good luck to him and the community there, golf will keep us all in high spirits, even in a pandemic.
To conclude the Nine o’ Nine, I took on my first Taranaki golf course. This region looks like a very interesting challenge with its 19 courses offering a range of experiences. Urenui Golf Club is north of New Plymouth by 30 kilometres.
The course is short and flat, ideal for holidaymakers who are attracted to the swimming spots and caravan park that borders the course. An unusual $12 green fee is required in cash, if you have only folding money this leaves an honest man’s choice, pay $15 and contribute more or put in a tenner and feel like a bandit stealing the club of $2. You decide where you sit. I found a two-dollar coin in the car and saved myself from the dilemma.
Who doesn’t love a Pouhutaka tree-lined fairway? This course has much to offer aesthetically. Views out over the Tasman and Caravans banking around one green to vindicate its name, the 5th, “Caravans”
The tee boxes with the ocean in your backdrop are excellent. Add in a couple of tempting dog legs and it makes for an entertaining golf course.
I enjoyed this course, it is well suited to the jandel-wearing golfer as well as me in my proper shoes. I met a one-armed man in the bunker raking to his heart’s content. I later found out he is a local legend who looks after the course. The Taranaki golf course kept in shape by a one-armed greenkeeper | Stuff.co.nz
The course was in fine condition and what I would say was an interesting find on the coast of Taranaki. This region might surprise a few with what golf it offers. I’ll be back to find out.
At the time of writing, there are 392 courses in New Zealand. Nine-hole golf courses are the backbone of small-town New Zealand golf. The quality of these courses is variable, but always the golf courses are there because of the hard work of local people. Building a golf course for your community is no mean feat and maintaining it takes dedication.
I have loved discovering these amazing places and will continue my journey to play every one of them. Go well, fellow golfers.
Houhora Golf Club is the most northerly golf course in the country. The golf course is on state highway 1 halfway between Kaitaia and Cape Reinga. I had an early start, to beat the traffic for the drive to the Cape, a once-in-a-lifetime place to visit. On the return from the most Northerly point in New Zealand, it was only right to pull over and complete the list of “most northerly things to do in New Zealand.”
Luckily, I was in the Jeep, the drive up to the clubrooms from the road is steep. The crew in the car were worrying about a hilly outing. There were a few cars around and many carts, fuelling the worry warts of the steep terrain ahead. The Wednesday haggle was finishing up and the clubrooms were open for business and full of lively types.
$15 will give you the pleasure of this country golf course. I paid my money and asked the barman if he could lend me a pencil. He produced a box of blunt pencils and old pens, and as he rifled through the collection, he settled on a white pen, which he handed to me. Lo and behold it was one of mine! It was a logoed pen with Kingsgate on it, one of the hotels in our chain. The marketing manager will be delighted that our name has covered all parts of the country, is this the most “Northerly Kingsgate pen in the land?” I’ll add it to the list.
VIEW BACK up the 1st
The first tee at Houhora Golf Club is up a steep track, more hills; the worry warts were concerned. The main concern was that we hadn’t played in a long time, so golf fitness was sure to be questioned today. The top of the hill and view from the 1st tee was inspiring.
The course is in a rural setting and mainly flat once you get down into it, Phew. A collection of rusty old swings of the club from the elevated tee got us going just nicely. It was a warm day with a wee breeze to help lower the sweating.
The course is 5,622 metres long for 2 nines, a standard par 72. There were no hole names in sight today. There are good scoring opportunities on the first 3, including the short 1st, a nice 122 metre par 3, and a gettable par 5 3rd.
par 3 2nd
The fairways were in good condition as country golf goes, there was placing, but most of the time my ball sat up nicely in the fairway. There are a few strategic bunkers across the course which have an unmanicured rustic feel, and the greens were at the back end of their latest coring and were heavily sanded, but still firm and true. I can imagine they perform well year-round. The greens were not overly large which is very typical for a country nine. The course has many areas where little red stakes are visible. A few of these had water, the majority will have water when the rains come. These areas are intrusive and appear all over the course, avoiding them will help with your scoring for sure.
Beware the red stakes
The 5th is a par 5 with a well-thought-out design before the green, to give you a reason not to attempt getting on in 2. A pretty little pond and 2 bunkers with a narrowing fairway give you all the clues you need to play sensible.
From the tee on the 5th, you can see the whole course in the valley in front of you. This is the farthest point of the course away from the clubrooms and you can look across the course and see where you came from. This is not a reflective ancestral statement …unless you want it to be.
Golf fitness was now being questioned as the wind dropped, and temperatures started to rise. I struggled through the next couple of long holes, hoping the clubrooms were going to be open to lubricate the dehydrating body. I promised to return the pen to the man up there so I’m sure he wouldn’t go home. The pen was not on brand as it started to register double bogeys on the card. I must have a word with the marketing manager about the effectiveness of these pens. Time for a rebrand, I think.
Green Gold on the 7th
On the 7th I hit a perfect pull to land my ball on top of the neigbouring avocado orchard’s protective sun net. My second attempt landed next to a stanza of tall bamboo, it was old dry bamboo and very tall. It swayed in the light breeze, creaking and moaning at me as I hit a tired old pitching wedge toward the green. The bamboo reflected the need for more golf to push the needle of lifestyle balance back to the positive. I was creaking and moaning as I put the bag on my shoulders and walked away from the bamboo.
Big bamboo
Around the course, there is a great collection of trees, not just Bamboo you’ll also find palm trees, pine trees, and some local Kauri.
The last was the final test of fitness, the longest par 4 on the course that needs a strong approach shot up a steep hill to a green below the clubrooms.
Scoring will be forgotten today but not the location and the experience of ticking off the “most Northerly golf course in the land.”
Back down the last
Back in the clubrooms, the barman got his pen back, he had wisely spent the time sharpening pencils. I ordered libations as we needed a lift as we had tired badly coming up the last. A combination of not enough golf time, early rising, the heat, and some steep inclines.
Houhora Golf Club keeping up standards
The restless night, the night before, in the worst accommodation I’ve ever experienced didn’t help. And I have slept in many rough old places. I won’t name and shame but soft beds, no thrills, spiders, overpriced, noisy with a crack in the bedroom door that you can see through. Plus, a meal that was incredible. If you had offered me that meal as my death row final dinner, I would have gone to the Pearly gates starving.
Anyway, I was not starved of a great golf course today, happy to know I was in the clubrooms drinking “the most Northerly beer I’ve ever had”.
The “most Northerly on course toilet in New Zealand” was in good order. There was a male and female toilet, which is unusual. And clean, unlike last night’s accommodation offering.
Take a drive one day up ninety-mile beach and visit Cape Reinga. These are iconic landmarks in this little country that you should see once. Houhora Golf Club should be part of this memorable trip if you know what is good for you.
This is the black sand course, a true links masterpiece on Muriwai beach.
I hadn’t played a full round of golf since April at Jack’s Point. Today I jumped in the car and headed to Muriwai Golf Club. The car hadn’t moved far since the awesome news that Delta was in the community and we were living with the virus. We were not living with it, we were hiding from it in our apartment.
If any game on earth is the game of the pandemic, it is golf. There is no risk, none, that you will be grabbed by Johnny COVID when wandering the fairways of a golf club. It seemed okay for the public to exercise on a golf course with their dog, or partner, or bubble but don’t bring a wee ball or an iron stick with you, elst you’ll end up a statistic.
I have played Muriwai Golf Club before, in the rain, heavy rain at that. My return to the club was thrilling, there was not a puff of wind and the sun was very welcome on my face. The people here are friendly, nice beach town people.
1st Tee
I moved fast to the 1st tee to get a lick on, it was a late start but there would be plenty of light to see me around. The 1st is upon an elevated tee looking out across the course and the ocean, I was glad to be right here.
It is one of the easier par 4’s, 322 metres with a downhill tee shot. The par 4’s across the course are all longish, the shortest of the collection is 319 metres. I would pick, that with the wind blowing hard, the length of a par 4 would become irrelevant, taking the win downwind and taking your medicine into it.
As I got to my ball resting in the middle of the 1st fairway, not the rough, a bunker, or sand dune, I remembered what I love about Muriwai. The grass is awesome, it is Kikuyu. I am no student of grass, but this stuff is lovely. Tightly shorn Kikuyu fairways give you a perfect lie every time. I popped the ball on the green and walked up to the elevated surface.
The green looked amazing, so true, and right up my alleyway. I had a new putter in hand and in a positive frame of mind for my evening on these greens. There was nothing wrong with the previous putter, I just like this one more.
Will it change my fortunes?
I once went to dog training classes (with a dog, not on my own) the lovely trainer commented after the first session, “ the dog doesn’t need training the owners do.” Similar idea to the putter and its owner I think.
A solid par secured on the first, and off to the second, a par 5. The par 4’s being long and not easy scoring holes contrasts with the par 5’s. Four of them on the course, not all gettable in 2 but with good course management, these are your best opportunity to get a respectable round on the card. The sweeping dogleg 2nd heads back to the clubrooms and starts a run of holes where the ocean isn’t as evident. I claimed another par, thrilled with my opening after such a long layoff.
There are 4 par 3’s at Muriwai Golf Club, the 3rd is the longest at 175 metres, a fair clip indeed. The par 3’s are all unique and a good scoring chance if you’re on your game.
The course which was built in the late 1950’s – it has been a favourite of many over the years. A top 20 contender in New Zealand for sure amongst those who keep score. I rate it highly on my Top NZ Golf courses list. The location is serious links, the condition of the grass and the greens plus the magical black sand bunkers give it an edge. The black sand is very black when it is raining, it looks cool.
I was puzzling over what keeps Muriwai from challenging the top 10? Why is Paraparaumu Beach better? The difference is found on the stretch through the 2 long par 4’s of the 4th and 5th and onto the par 5 6th finishing with another long par 4 at the 7th . This stretch is nice but not exceptional, simple holes with none of the clever challenges of other top courses. It doesn’t mix it up enough to deliver a true golfing great. But I’m being a bit picky.
Or it could be the ridiculous Kikuyu grass.
In a past paragraph, I lorded the grass here as the reason you have to play. But a word of warning to those that are not students of grass like me. The rough has long Kikuyu grass, not the deep hard to find your ball rough. But the grass grows up from below itself, is that possible? What I mean is that your ball sits on top of the mess of kikuyu waiting to devour your clubhead.
I’d forgotten this and foolishly took a recovery club out on the 7th to recover from a poor tee shot. I swiped madly at the ball and watched as the ball popped upwards and backward – the grass sucked my club under and I was sucked in. I don’t recall hitting a shot backward before.
Writing the double bogey on the card on the side of the 7th green was disappointing. My assessment of the course at this point was nice but average. I had a sweat up and trudged up the wee hill to the 8th tee. Ahh now, this is class, playing straight back at the ocean a par 3 to rival the best that you’ll find. Links bunkering and a small sloping green to tangle with, this is links heaven.
8th Tee dreamy links stuff
At 143 metres the length means nothing when the wind blows, they talk about pitching wedge to driver is the range of club choices due to the wind. No wind today, I’ll take the win on that one. The 8th gets this course back on track, the 9th adds more to the story. Heading back to the clubrooms, the approach to the green needs your attention elevated with sloping drop-offs on each side. A Norfolk Pine behind the green frames the picture well.
I picked up more water at the shop, I was beginning to falter in the heat. My golf fitness was being put to the test as I moved swiftly to the back 9. I enjoyed the start of the second half, it felt more like it should. And then the 12th took my fancy, a par 5 that looked at one with nature and the god of links.
12th Hole of the day.
A dogleg to the left with a sweep of spindly trees and bunkers all the way up the fairway, making it a really good golf hole. 4 greenside pot bunkers were the icing on the cake. I secured a par making it 3 out of 3 pars on the long holes so far, my plan was working.
The greens today were in fantastic condition, not slick but so true that you had confidence in your stroke every time. The new putter was playing along nicely and was put to the ultimate test with a 7 foot birdie putt on the last of the par 5’s, the 14th . I popped it in, and walked off the green grinning at my one under across the four par 5’s.
This was not the same story on the par 3’s where I couldn’t equal the accuracy. Even the short 103 metre 17th couldn’t yield a par.
This is a cracking wee hole – uphill only a gap wedge in hand but a scary shot to the undulating green, the green is quite big but if you miss it like me, you’ll struggle.
I stood buggered on the 18th needing a par to go around bang on handicap, a fine feat given the layoff. But the 18th is 374 metres, beautiful to look at but a tough way to finish.
It took a whollop off the tee and a fully flighted 5 iron to the back tier of the green. This finishing hole is one of the best around, missing short or right is not an option on your approach. The gallery on the clubhouse balcony will be watching too.
The Kikuyu also means you don’t get the run up of Scottish links, normally a bump and run will get you up onto a green but the Kikuyu grabs the ball and gives you nothing if you are short. The trusty new putter got me home in par and everyone was happy.
I was impressed with Muriwai Golf Club, one of New Zealand’s finest places to play. A quick mention of the hole names, every hole has it’s own name. No Temptation or Devil’s anything in sight. “Long Tom Kirkup,” “Where’s Joe,” “Don’s Leg” and “Thar she blows!” have a personality not borrowed from someone else. Be your own golfer people, with your own name, good work Muriwai. I personally would put the 12th ahead of the 8th on my best holes of NZ list. But you should go and make up your own mind.
Let me take you on a journey around a world-class 18 holes. If you know Queenstown, you have already won a watch. A phrase used in Scotland to indicate you got lucky and received more than you were expecting.
Queenstown has a spectacular charm that is hard to ignore. Twenty minutes drive from the town, heading towards the Remarkable Mountains and you will meet with Jack’s Point Golf Club.
Driving into the car park, I was a little excited, trying to contain my enthusiasm, just in case, all the hype was misguided.
The backdrop of the Remarkables was not new to me, I lived a long time in Queenstown. The one thing with the Wakapitu basin is that it gets you every time, no matter how long you’ve looked at the spectacular surroundings.
Preamble over… let’s get to the course. The first is a relatively short par 4, the angled fairway is wide and inviting. The rough down the left-hand side not so much. The green is massive with bunkering protecting the front.
When you walk the holes at Jack’s Point Golf Club you don’t see the other holes. Each hole is its own experience with its own personality. This is a very unique feature and it allows you to immerse yourself in the moment.
The uphill par 4 2nd hole needs an accurate drive ( or else!) The approach up to the green is threatening with steep bunkers overtaking the landscape.
The bunkers also have some bedrock sticking out of them, so they may appear beautiful but don’t go in them. You get a good view of the Jack’s Point suburb from here.
Everything is in its infancy around here. The golf course was finished in 2008, the design by John Darby lends itself to you not knowing the age of the course. So much of the environment is laying weaved into the course it seems they are one. The vegetation and surrounds tell a tail, the design was sensitive – to tread lightly, not disturbing the land. Losing none of what mother nature built here.
I was in heaven playing the game I love – in this location – on this course. It didn’t matter how I scored today, I had Won my Watch. The 5th was a challenge, a 497 par 5. Shoot out over the wasteland tussocks if you dare. Avoid the rock if you can. Get up the hill and position yourself to hit your 3rd shot into the impossible green. Good luck.
Every minute I was on the course was a blessing. Nowhere more so than the 6th Tee. 282 metres downhill from the Blues. I would advise playing as far back that you dare off the tees. There are 5 to chose from, you miss some of the natural challenges if you go right up the front.
You need to go for the green on the 6th, if you miss the target you will roll the dice on what you are left with.
This would be anybody’s favourite place in the world. Looking over the Wakatipu taking on the 6th. Then the 7th arrives, a par 3 to be in awe of. The short infinity shot at the green is just brilliant.
The native matagouri bushes that are common to the area are most visible around this part of the course. These untouched bushes date back over 500 years. I was beginning to believe the stories, this isn’t a golf course carved out of the land, it is the land. Each hole has its own distinct and separate mana.
The 5th, 6th, and 7th are a stretch of genius. Does it get better than this? The 8th is a tough par 5 that keeps on giving. There is no better or worse here, it ALL works.
You move away from the lakeside and head back towards the Remarkables on the 9th. Not disappointed, the views were better or different.
There are 2 par 3’s early on the back 9, the 11th, and the 13th. If you thought the 7th was worthy of your attention, well these 2 will make you weep at their beauty. Just go here and play them, your life will be richer.
Over the Flock and the Wall
On the 15th I was cocooned in this golf course and now something new. A tee shot over a sheep-filled paddock, over the perfect stone wall to make the angled fairway. You will love this tee shot unless you end up in with the sheep. This is Mr Darby’s favourite hole around here.
My round was coming close to its conclusion. On the 16th I was aware we were heading home. But no time for complacency a downhill tee shot with a tussock-filled danger zone in the middle of the fairway.
There is a wee bonus par 3 after the 16th, not sure why, but it would rank as one of New Zealand’s best un-numbered golf holes.
And finally, on the 17th tee, you can see 2 holes at the same time, down the 17th a monster 536 metre par 5 and then back up the 18th to the clubhouse.
The 18th has the lake on your left, the walk up to the green is amazing. I felt magic having completed the 18 holes at Jack’s Point Golf Club. If you played here every week you would never get immune to the infectious beauty of the course. Its natural environment stunning backdrop and immaculate presentation will course through your veins. There is no vaccine to cure that. Number 1 golf course in New Zealand for me now.
The journey to play every golf course in New Zealand
