CLUB Profile

Tairua Golf and Country Cub -A course with many signature holes

By Neville Idour

My wife and I recently enjoyed a four week road trip from Dunedin travelling in the North Island playing several golf courses as part of a great holiday. What more could one want?

Over the next few issues we will focus on one of the gems we played on our travels. First up we will focus on an unheralded jewel of a course we first played 8 years ago, situated halfway between it’s illustrious neighbours Whangamata and Whitianga. We found it a standout then and wanted to revisit this wonderful layout at Tairua, a lovely seaside holiday spot with a resident population of around 1,600.

On arrival we were greeted by Jan Stanley the nine hole convenor and and Hannah McGuire an enthusiastic newer member. Both waxed enthusiastically about the club. A recent nine hole mixed tournament drew 80 players from 15 different clubs. The weekly mixed scramble can see 20 turn up. A coaching clinic in June with former New Zealand touring Professional Marnie McGuire was fully booked.

The Tairua Golf and Country Club has about 210 Golf members, approximately 70 women and 140 men. plus Bowling Club and Croquet members. The golf club has a significant number of country members, many of whom holiday in Tairua or regularly travel to play there in preference to their home towns such as Auckland. It is easy to see why.

An impressive and very detailed Pictorial History of the club was published in 2010. It reveals modest beginnings in 1966 in Hikuai as a 9 holer on a farm paddock that was provided free of charge by Lands and Survey. This farmland course did have it’s drawbacks though. The greens were the favourite resting place for the permanent residents – the sheep. Therefore putting usually required the removal of their droppings from the line before playing.

So a search for more suitable land began and the existing site just off the main road at the north end of Tairua was found. The 120 acres bounding the Pepe estuary were purchased from Derek Cory-Wright for the princely sum of 10 pounds per acre. Work on the original 9 holes began in 1970. The Farmland course had it’s closing day on the 28th November 1970. The new 9 hole layout was designed by five locals with the guidance of the Architect Harry P. Dale. This course was laid out by former Akarana greenkeeper Frank Hazelden so it has impressive credentials. Opening day was in March 1971.

In 1973 the Golf and Country Club name was born. The clubhouse, a fine facility was finished in 1976.Work to complete 18 holes began in the early 1990’s and was ready for play in 1994….. and so the course has principally remained until the massive project a few years ago to raise the level of the flood plain that housed fairways 1 , 17, and 18 by between one and one and a half metres. The waste dredgings from the new Marina were transported to the course and laid by the Marina contractors. The fairways were shaped and grassed by them, all at no cost to the Club. Now the former drainage problems after rain are history.

We were privileged to enjoy the company of Greenkeeper Geoff Cambie for our round eight years ago on this delightful course and he was a fund of knowledge and anecdotes. Geoff is the only paid employee to this day and he is assisted in his massive task by many willing volunteers who he appreciates very much.

During this visit we chatted with Geoff beside the 7th green which was being completely relayed, a massive task. He explained. “ Because of Covid last year and this year we have tripled our green fees take so we have the money to do a bit more work on the course and improving it. The greens have no drainage. They were built pretty much with clay under just six inches of topsoil. So we have removed it all and dug down and put drains in, filled it with sand and added fine topsoil with sand on top for seeding.” Geoff was accompanied by three other willing men. “Yep” said Geoff “ three or four volunteers every day of the week when I need them. They do all the rough mowing and most of them have got knowledge of some sort. For example John is a drainlayer so he can drive the digger.” For such a small club it is admirable that they have their own digger and green mowers. This year they bought a new rough mower.

As an overview the course can be described as of modest length, gently undulating, easy walking and extremely picturesque with lovely bush and water views. The men face a 5,211 metre challenge, the ladies 4,645 metres. Before you say that sounds easy let us have a closer look at what is a journey of unfolding surprises.

As with any good course the first a par 4 allows a comfortable start to the round. Not too many worries here. The second a 162m par 3 for the men and 152m for women requires an accurate tee shot. The third is a pleasant 321m gentle dogleg right, again an accurate tee shot the main requirement as I found out.

Our first taste of elevation comes at the fourth, ‘Wilson’s Pond’,as we reach the tee on this knockout 118m par 3. Must be the Signature hole? The glorious view reveals a pond meandering on the left to swallow a pull and a tree that guards the shallow, wide green with gentle borrow. Designed by Alan Wilson, an original club member this is the first of a number of holes that truly excite at first glimpse. A well elevated wedge or 9 iron will clear the tree but do not overhit .

Caption: Wilson’s Pond, which is the fourth hole at Tairua.

On to the fifth a 324m par 4 which, from an elevated tee plays over an exquisite variety of bush, where an errant fade will bring out of bounds right into play. Six, ‘Blacklers’ offers a dogleg left to the green with Mt Paku in the background and water left approaching the green. The seventh is only 295m but doglegs left nearing the green. The right placement and length of drive is essential before a tricky shot through a narrow entry to the green.

The eighth is a challenging 475m par 5. The first 2 shots are key here. The second shot must stay a little right and long enough otherwise the late dogleg left could prevent a clear shot to the green as I would experience.

Each hole seems to be providing it’s own unique character now and the ninth is quite breathtaking at just 244m….a real teaser. Again I was sure this was the signature hole…but was it? From the tee the fairway gently slopes to a beautifully bush surrounded green. However there appears to be a tree close to and guarding the green. On the right there is a lateral hazard, on the left out of bounds. Mmmmm.

Caption: The ninth green, known as Amen Corner, at Tairua Golf Club.

It is here that Geoff regales us about the big hitters from Auckland who think they will blast their way round but find that the big off line shots on this hole and many others leave them with a lost ball and their tail between their legs. We tee off and find as we walk to our balls that the tree is actually 80 metres short of the green and not the obstacle as first thought. But there is a creek in front of the green 20 metres out. A superb green greets us sloping right to left with gentle undulations. The setting is idyllic. Surely this is our own ‘Amen Corner’.

The tenth grabs the attention with it’s pretty outlook but don’t be deceived. It’s 333m of lurking danger for the errant shot…..trees and hazard left, hazard and bush right to intimidate those big hitters from the elevated tee. But there’s more…. The fairway narrows towards the green meaning a somewhat precise second shot is called for.

A longish 378m 11th is difficult into the wind with out of bounds right and an elevated green. The 12th ‘Duffer’ a short 109m par 3 is well named as it is easy to misjudge length to a generous green. It may be generous but with it’s deceptive slopes a tee shot that ends above the cup will leave a very tricky downhill putt. Overhit and it’s ‘Goodbye Charlie’ and a lengthy uphill putt for par.

The 13th ‘The Pond’, a short 223m par 4 is another ‘signature hole’. Very pretty outlook it plays across a lovely wet lands pond to an incline to the green with a false front. Easy to misjudge if you try to drive the green which has subtle breaks. A standout hole indeed. The 14th is an incline, side sloping in places, that doglegs left to a green protected by a bunker. Geoff explained that over the years the original bunkers were allowed to grow over because of the cost of upkeep and insufficient manpower. However there are now 3 bunkers on the course again.

Caption: The Pond which is the 13th hole at Tairua.

Moving to the upper reaches of the bush clad part of the course we reach ‘Psycho’ a superb 145m par 3. So named because of it’s intimidation factor. Geoff related that many a time in a match one player might ask if his opponent ‘has enough balls in his bag’ or ‘ is he taking an extra couple of balls up to the tee just in case’. Out of bounds right and a slope left of the green play on the mind as you play across a steep gully. A short shot will roll back down the steepish slope leaving a nasty chip to the green. Likewise missing left.

Caption: The 15th hole at Tairua which is named Psycho — and for for good reason.

16 is a spectacular if shortish par 5 which doglegs right past trouble left and right before facing a very tricky shot to an elevated green round two huge pine trees from a side sloping fairway. Enough said. The 17th is stroke hole 1 and at 502m is appropriately named “The Wrecker’. This dogleg right has out of bounds and wetlands right. 18 is a nice finishing hole. Not too difficult at 310m it plays to an elevated green by the clubhouse. The approach shot needs enough length or it will roll 20 or so metres back down the slope. A satisfying conclusion to this jewel on the Coromandel. So what of the future? This active country club survives and thrives on the back of a hard working board, committee and volunteer members. Of course Greenkeeper Geoff Cambie does a marvellous job keeping the course in pristine condition. Geoff in fact was a big city dweller who felt attracted to the lifestyle he could enjoy in Tairua many years ago. This job is perfect for Geoff and his work is indeed a labour of love.

Volunteers sell firewood every winter to raise 1,000’s of dollars. Holiday makers provide the bulk of green fee revenue. The club has a full variety of memberships. Full membership is $705 and country membership $518.

The Club’s 50th jubilee was celebrated during Easter weekend 2015. The club is a pivotal part of the Tairua community and is an ideal venue for functions. Something the township lacks at present. Visit the clubhouse on a Friday or Saturday evening and you may enjoy a hearty meal and a great friendly atmosphere.

As a final thought, this course will delight the golfer who wants a fair challenge, the opportunity to use a variety of clubs and shots and enjoys constant variety and attractive surroundings. So next time you are driving through Tairua , don’t. Stop and play this friendly hospitable jewel.

TAIRUA GOLF and COUNTRY CLUB

283 Main Road North, P.O.Box 53, TAIRUA 3544

Ph 07 8648416 Fax 07 864 8410

www.tairuacountryclub.co.nz

Men. Par 71. 5211m. Ladies. Par 72. 4645m

Men’s Day-Sat. Ladies-Tues. Mixed-Thurs.