On The Road to Schytherbolle

We’re in no hurry to get back to the City of Sails with its snail pace traffic jams
so we’ll sneak in a game at Warkworth

Image from warkworth.nzgolf.net
The above photograph and the photo of the clubhouse on their web site don’t capture the beauty and well presented condition of the course.
Or the new clubhouse.
Looks like they put their money into their clubhouse and not their photography.

Here’s a link to the vineyards in the area
And a shot of one of the better hostelries (Boutique Lodge and Vineyard)
in the area.

Image from the-castle.co.nz
We're now near the fringe of Auckland
And coming next "The Fringe of Heaven" The MacKenzie designed Titirangi Golf Club

Here's how we get there

Image from mangawhai.nzgolf.net/
Here's confirmation that it's by the seaside but not alas a true links course.
But it is a verrrry good golf course. One of the top ten slope ratings in Godzone.
And in such an out of the way wee place.
But not so out of the way we can get away with not booking a tee time in advance

Image from magicalmangawhai.co.nz
Here's a glimpse of the course from the clubhouse

And from the outside looking in.

And here's a glimpse of the golf course.

And a good overview

And here's where we click to book a tee time
If Muriwai and Titirangi are the must play courses in Auckland. This is one of the must play courses in Northland

Image from highlandgames.co.nz
A wee bit like Scotland especially around January 01 where they have
a Hogmanay party and the Highland games the next day.
By the way the guy in the photograph is throwing the hammer not swinging the latest breakthrough in oversize drivers.

We’ve bypassed Whangarei on our way south because you guessed it we’re still looking for links’ style golf courses and we’ve got it here at Waipu.
And here’s where we’ll play

Image from waipugolfclub
Oh by the way they’ve now put the axe to lots of trees and it now has that blasted heath look about it.And some bonnie heather to boot.
By the way the photos on their site don’t do full justice to this bonnie piece of linksland.

Can't say you'll be piped to the tee by a piper.
Image from maggiesplace.co.nz which is a wee place to stay while at Waipu - A wee bit of Scotland in the North Island New Zealand

Image from golfselect.com.au/
You know how it’s been said Fred rarely answers the phone because there may be someone on the other end wanting to talk. Well here’s the result of one call he answered with "Yes I’ll come."
Could be you saw their game on The Golf Channel - Shell's Wonderful World of Golf. Fred Couples taking on Michael Campbell at Kauri Cliffs.
For the record Boom Boom beat Michael by two shots but hey that was before Michael came good and won at Pinehurst.
And here’s what Fred thought of the area.
"I got taken for a helicopter ride this morning and I can honestly say this is by far the prettiest place I’ve ever seen."
Here’s a shot from Jasons – A great resource for travel info on Godzone

Image from jasons.co.nz
And the accomodations aren't that bad either.

OK Kauri Cliffs is a bit like Pebble Beach with some inland holes but trust me there’s 15 holes with sea views and six holes played along a clifftop that plunges into the sea.

The above is not a no trespassing warning to golfers to "Keep Out"
It’s a beautiful piece of Maori work at Carrington Club
Matt Dye – He of the Pete Dye dynasty had a hand in developing Carrington
which as you’ll observe is more parkland than linksland but we won’t pass on playing this parkland paradise.

Image from carringtonclub.co.nz
And here’s a view from the accommodation.

There’s also Karikari Estate

Image from carrington.co.nz
They produce a very good chardonnay and what’s more you can drive your golf cart just a wee bit down the track to visit the vineyard and buy a bottle
There’s also some very impressive big game fishing around here
I've yet to see a sign on a wharf advising that "Zane Grey fished here"
But nevertheless it's true because he discovered the beauty and the big game fishing long before many other people.

Image from makogamefish.co.nz

By now we’ve met lots of fellow golfing travellers who’ve confirmed what I’ve already written. Telling us we must play the MacKenzie designed Titirangi.
But don’t worry we’ll get to “The Fringe of Heaven” (aka Titirangi) when we get back to Auckland.

Image brought to you by the course architect responsible for the major course upgrade. And I add he’s done a fine job. However having said that “A dinnae ken if MacKenzie wid hae made that new bunker on the 2nd hole quite sae big.”

I digress. We’re heading for, you got it, a links’ style golf course. But not before we’ve crossed the Rawene Ferry

Image from communities.co.nz
In case you’re feeling a bit lost here's a wee map

Image from northland.co.nz
Where we’re headed for is just west of Kaitaia. Of course it’s a link's style course!

Image from ahipara.co.nz
OK so the guy in photo isn’t the Golden Bear and the woman isn’t Anika Sorenstam and the course isn’t among the top 100 world but it’s still worth a visit.
Especially since the price is right and going forward we’ll need lotsa plastic fantastic funds as we head for Carrington at Cape Karikari which is approximately Nor Nor East from Ahipara (see preceeding map)
And not "by the way" but "Just do it." If you're visiting in January
We've been told there's a two day golf tournament held at Ahipara in January and apart from the golf there's the opportunity to mix and mingle and experience real Maori culture and hospitality. Not your touristy Rotorua stuff.

Since it’s agreed we’ve got lots of time.
Let’s head for the Kauri Coast and trip around the North.
By the way this tree is not one of the obstacles
you’ll come across at Kauri Cliffs.

Image from communities.co.nz/WaipouaForest/
But it is a very famous tree on our clockwise trip around the North. The tree is called Tane Mahuta (Maori for "Lord of the Forest").
It is 4.4 metres in diameter and 17.7 metres to the first branch.
But let’s not rush. Just North of Auckland there’s Gulf Harbour
designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr

Image from gulfharbourcountryclub.co.nz
Not really a links course although it has some wonderful sea vistas.
There’s a good photo on the golf section of the home page
See if you can talk the starter into just playing the back nine.
Explain you’re in a rush to go North and got to be at Bayley’s Beach outside of Dargaville so you can get in nine holes as the sun is setting on the big beach with beautiful sunsets.

Image from kauri.coast.co.nz
Sorry no glossy photo of the golf course just an on line comment which I agree with
from Graham L. Jones, Dargaville, New Zealand
"Picturesque seaside course open all year round.
Tends to play longer than measured due to elevated greens.
Green fee $15. If the golf's no good you can always go fishing!"
Not so sure about the green fee as of 2006.
But still small enough to suit my Scottish sporran.

Decisions, decisions and do we?
Or go south to wonderful Wairakei

OK so it’s not a links course but it’s the nearest thing to the Kings Course
Gleneagles that I’ve ever seen or played on in the Southern Hemisphere.

Since we've decided there's lots of time, let's do it and go North
However if we want to get in as much golf as possible and not got lots of time
Give the North a miss unless there's lots of money available and we can hire a helicopter to take us to one of THE great golf courses of Godzone

Now where have you seen that smiling face before?

Kauri Cliffs is near to Matauri Bay
And here’s a wee photo to whet your appetite for the area

Image from aatraveller.co.nz
If you think this is an awesome view , wait until you see the golf course

Incidentally, and in my experience while travelling in some less enlightened lands.
There is no bridge connecting Sydney, Australia to New Zealand.
So you’ll have to fly or better still take a relaxing cruise to ready yourself for the (golfing)challenges ahead of you.

Decisions, decisions and do we?
Do we head towards the wee pointed place at the top called Cape Reinga

Image brought to you by northlandnz.com
This is a great site for doing your homework on where to go in Northland.
And for getting a second opinion about where to golf while up North.
The site provides a detailed PDF file.
But remember PDF files are sloooooow
A bit like Ben Crane on the golf course. But well worth the download wait.
Of course I’m assuming you’ve got Adobe reader on your computer

There’s also a detailed PDF map of the Northland Wine Trail
So if you’re interested click on the link and then go and
pour yourself a wee dram while it downloads.
And here’s a link to a fast loading map of Northland with a zoom feature.
Could be handy if you had too big a wee dram

By the way Fred was here and where he was we’ll soon see.


And Jack has just been here having a look at the course he’s designing near Taupo.

We’ll come to that too.
Alas my source doesn’t say how many fish he caught while here. But the golden bear guy keeps coming back for more

Ok so where have I been for the last wee while hence no postings.
Well eat your heart out those of you shivering and there's no
show because of snow..
If you're like me and like links' style courses. How about this glimpse from
one of Godzone's best links' style golf courses.

Click here to find out more about playing Muriwai

Trust me I've played some of the best in Scotland and Muriwai is verrrry good.
If you've read the previous posts you'll see I was on my way from Royal Dornoch
and got as far as the Isle of Arran en route to travelling the world.
However since it's summer here thought I'd take a break from snowy Scotland
and give you a guided tour of the golfing variety in Godzone.
Caveat emptor - should you buy into coming to Godzone based on my comments.
I reiterate I'm a links’ man and prioritize on them rather than parkland courses.
For those not familiar with Godzone geography here's a wee map.

Image from New Zealand on the web