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 3^rd.

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 2^nd 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 3^rd 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 4^th 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 5^th 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 5^th 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 6^th – 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 7^th 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 8^th 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 8^th 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 9^th – 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 1^st just pips the rest. The amphitheater beginning to a 2-tiered green is a great opening challenge. The guy in the shop likes the 7^th – 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 8^th and 9^th they must be a contender.