Paparoa Golf Club in Northland is a true rural experience in a lovely valley. A short 5kms up a gravel road near Maugaturoto.

I was on my way to play Kauri Cliffs and had some time to veer off State Highway 1 and play the 9 holes here in the Kaipara District.

The local livestock keep an eye on the fairways. The greens are very well protected on each hole. You hear stories of country courses with fences around the greens. Paparoa Golf Club is one of them, which made me wonder what the ruling was if you hit part of the fence. Play it as it lies no doubt – the fence is part of the course.

I was all alone at midday on a Saturday. Not a sole around, just myself. It felt great to be here as I toddled round on my own. Me and the golf course, it felt like therapy from the Urban lifestyle of the city.

Number 1 was stroke hole 1 a long dogleg downhill. The course is split down the middle by a country road. 4 holes on one side and 5 on the other. The back 5 are the pick of the halves.

When I crossed the road to get to 5, I noticed another sole man unpacking his clubs up on the hill. There was now 2 of us.

The 5th is a tricky number, teeing off to an angled fairway over a scrub. The green is small and elevated not easy to score on here.

6th and 7th share the same part of the course up and back, the 7th is called Boomerang as a testament. A massive double fairway allows you to let rip off the tee.

There is a strip of rough which technically divides the 2 fairways. Like a flattened punk rockers spiked haircut. It would be an awfully unfortunate shot to land in this cut of rough.

The Jump was the par 3 8th – a short uphill tester. As a result of the small green it made the tee shot hard enough. The 9th sweeps you back up the hill to the clubhouse.

On the 9th Tee the squeak of the gate to cross the country road divide grabbed my attention. My other solo golfer stopped to watch me launch my ball up the 9th fairway. We shared a manly hello and an unsaid respect for each other. 2 men washing away the troubles of daily life with the help of a golf course.

I was 7 over the card for the nine, right on my 13 handicap. I am beginning to realise 2 things, single figures may a distant goal and also that the score doesn’t matter some days.

I felt revived getting back in the car for my drive further north. Much better for the experience of Paparoa Golf Club.