Waiterimu Golf Club in Waikato is not easy to find, off the beaten track, with not a lot of web presence. I knew about this course from the man at Huntly Golf Club.

Coming off State highway 1 just before Huntly I couldn’t bring the course up on the maps app. I stopped on a deserted road to do some research and find the place.

A hard-working car pulled up alongside me, a worn and weathered man barked something at me. I couldn’t make out a word. I rolled down the window and spoke at him, ” I’m looking for a golf course”

He lights up, ” Are you Scots??” He told me he was a laird, the rightful owner of Castle Inch. Following this information, he affirmed, “I’ve never been to Scotland” He then rattled off a long story starting with him being born on the side of the road in America, “on Highway 66!”

His nationality was an extraordinary mix of Scots, American, Welsh, Portuguese – possibly the father of Rohanldo – and something about having a connection to the German Reich. He did look Maori.

He owned land all over New Zealand and heard this area was up for sale that’s why he was here. He also heard a rumour that an International golf resort was planned for the area, he winked at me knowingly – I was the buyer for sure.

Pulling into an empty car park is a nice feeling. I was looking forward to the nine holes ahead of me. I get more of a kick out of a true country golf course than some courses who think they are something that they are not.

Unpacked and ready to get out there, a rain shower came through and turned into a thunderous 10 minutes of a downpour. We cuddled under the clubrooms parapet until it passed. There was a great outdoor area for post-round socialising.

A healthy mob of sheep roamed freely on the course. Electric fences kept them off the putting surface. The greens were soft and smooth and pretty good really.

This little country course was no pushover, substantial par 4’s and tough par 5’s. The 9th was the hole of the day 140 metres in full view of the nobody watching from the clubrooms.

This journey was taking me to places I never knew about. The countryside here is lovely, rolling farmland. To know that this course exists in rural New Zealand is heartwarming.

The Greenkeepers were friendly all the way around and seem to maintain the fairways will dedication. Although I did get a shit lie now and again.

As a course layout I was impressed, not a cookie cutter design. A local design to keep you challenged. The first was a tempting dog leg a bit early in the round to smash the driver over the corner, or was it?

Number 3 needed your attention off the tee at 389 metres with a dogleg it was deserving of number 1 stroke hole status.

The 5th is a deceptive par 3 at 162 metres. Followed by another dogleg at the 6th tee.

The 7th, a par 5, was a good driving hole narrowed by the trees in front of the tee box. A sloping fairway and tricky elevated green made the short par 5 a little harder than it may appear. The front nine suggests it is stroke 17 but playing it again on the back gives it stroke index 2 as it drops down to a par 4.

Number 8 is another par 5 longest on the course at 444 metres. But the hole of the day is the finishing hole. 140 metres back up to the clubhouse. A beautifully framed way to complete your round in front of those watching from the deck.

Time to go

A word on the loo. Was it a loo on the 5th? If you don’t need to go on course, don’t go is my humble advice. On the card it said toilet so let’s assume you can go there.

I’m not in a position to judge this or add it to the list of top 10 on course toilets. If it was, in fact, a toilet.

What I will say is that on the clubhouse wall there is an amazingly informative sign making sure you know where the toilets are.

By No.10 Tee apparently, which is where the 1st tee is and also this sign.

If you are nearby Waiterimu drop in for the loo or better still a round of golf on the Kiwi classic.