Phil Tataurangi and Tieke

By Neville Idour

Phil Tataurangi is something of an icon, forgive the expression, on the New Zealand golf scene. 

His brief covers the whole spectrum of “the greatest game”. From a player at the 1992 Eisenhower Trophy and PGA Tour winner to golf course designer, Tataurangi is making an indelible mark on the sport in his home country.

His latest achievement, in partnership with Brett Thomson and their team at Mahi Tahi Golf Projects, is the breathtaking Tieke course at Tieke Golf Estate at Tamahere just south of Hamilton.

Therefore it was essential to get Tataurangi’s take on the project. He was more than happy to oblige.

How long were you involved on the project?

.”We worked with the club on the design and through the construction for four years. Even though it was for a relatively short period of time, I felt connected to the ancestors of the place. I spent time with the Ngati Haua kaumatua (elders) to retrace and recapture the genealogy.”

Are Windross Farm (in Auckland) and Tieke the only two courses you have designed? 

``Yes. I’m currently consulting to a handful of clubs around potential course renovation or redesign projects.”

How did your involvement in golf design come about?

``I’ve long had a passion for golf course design and architecture dating back to my junior golf and amateur days. Playing professional tournament golf didn’t always expose me to the “best architecture” per se as there are so many different influencing factors that determine PGA Tour venues.

“When new TPC courses were being built I enjoyed spending time with the architects and the PGA Tour design personnel. I was able to learn and understand different aspects of design, construction and agronomy not only as it related to tour events but for the other 51 weeks of the year. 

``When I had spare time on the road, I sought out different courses to play or walk around and after my playing career I planned trips to revered layouts that I’ve studied by means of different architecture literature.''

Your partnership with Brett Thomson? What do you each contribute in designing a course and seeing it through to completion?

“Brett has nearly 25 years experience in the industry, mainly here in New Zealand, being involved in some of the country’s best recognised courses. His professional training and background is in landscape architecture and resort master planning. He also has several different technology skills which help bring plans to life.

``I guess I’m a little more “on the ground” having spent most of my life playing the game. My lens is naturally influenced by the psychology as well as the physiology of the different people that play the game. 

``Ultimately, all golfers have different physical skills, strengths and weaknesses. But we all play through our eyes and minds so continuing to ask different questions of the golfer, I believe makes the game interesting and fun.

``Together we bounce different concepts off each other not only from an aesthetic and playability point of view but also from a functional aspect of construction, maintenance and agronomy.”

When you received the approach was there any specific brief or were you given a blank canvas?

“At Tieke we were provided a brief by the board. Respectfully, there were many concepts that were either not appropriate or applicable to a member golf course in the Waikato on a site as special as the old Lochiel course. 

``We worked with the board to help develop their understanding of the uniqueness of the land, the reasons behind the concepts we put forth and how some of the brief they gave us could be provided for in a slightly different way. Thankfully they trusted us to bring our ideas to life.”

How did your vision view the challenge and evolve?

“The design most definitely evolved the more time we spent on the site, as trees came down and as dirt started to get moved. Largely, the look and feel of the course that’s been completed is not far off what we envisioned. As is often the case though, a few holes inevitably differ from how they were conceived on the plans in comparison with when they actually came to life on the ground.”

Any specific hurdles and challenges to overcome?

“Numerous. But that’s a given beforehand that not everything will go exactly to plan, so being nimble with the design and open to how that will need to be executed during construction is a large part of the fun. Some holes/features looked like they were nature’s gift. Others required some creative thinking, skilful shaping and generally making something from nothing. Hopefully, the golfers can’t tell which ones are which!”

What specific elements in regard to set up and playability did you want to achieve and were they fulfilled?

“Playability and pliability are a couple of our go to concepts. Playability for the handicap golfer is one of our core beliefs. We don’t want our courses or renovation work to be boring or uninteresting but behind every design feature or decision in the field I will ask how will the 20 handicapper play this hole? 

``An assumption is often made that the best holes are always the toughest. I’d contend that’s not always so. Often the most fun holes to play, at least from my point of view, are the ones that offer multiple different strategies and present opportunities for all golfers to succeed … or at least be tempted into revealing the extent of their capabilities (that’s design speak for screwing it up when they thought they were going to be a star).

``From a pliability standpoint my experience has long been that the golf courses that are the most intriguing, change their character from time to time. Sometimes the weather plays its part in that too. But with most rounds played by members or regulars, it’s a given that locals get to know their courses well. In some ways different holes can even become predictable. To get a bit of spice, often people play another course that presents different or unknown challenges. 

``Although I wholeheartedly encourage people to do this, I’ve wondered why member courses don’t change things up from time to time – effectively offering multiple courses within one layout. Different routings, different par, different tee locations, different pin placements and even a different number of holes just for something different.

``So this was central to our thinking at Tieke. Although we spent a bit of time establishing the new or main routing we had the future of the game or the club in mind also. Essentially there are a number of holes that we designed to be played from different tees with par variability and the options to mix up the main routing so the order in which the holes are played is a little different. 

``At the last count, collectively across the five sets of tees there were over 100 different routing combinations that could be played. Its all there for the club to embrace as they see fit for different competitions, tournaments or member play in the future. And we hope they do.”

On that note we thank Phil for his time and look forward to his next project.