Is This the Future of Rural Golf in New Zealand?
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?
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.
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 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.
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.