A northern golfing road trip

By Neville Idour

Four thousand kilometres was the distance from Dunedin to as far north as Whangaroa and Kauri Cliffs that was driven on our recent road trip, enjoying golf and holiday time.

It is a wonderful way to spend your retirement years or long holidays if you want to enjoy this beautiful country and the many gems of golf courses that populate the landscape.

This was not the first time we have done this so we knew what to expect. The catalyst for doing this trip was the Bay of Islands Classic out of Paihia where we would spend six nights at the Copthorne Hotel with views to die for across to Russell and golf at four great courses. But also high on the agenda was the new Tieke Golf Estate near Cambridge.

Timing your distances each day to avoid night driving is the key to staying fresh on a road trip like this. Of course, two drivers helps too.

So then, leaving Dunedin about 8am the aim is to reach Christchurch for lunch then on to Picton and a night at the Picton Yacht Club Hotel which is now part of the Fable Brand.

While it was a 680 kilometre (420 mile) drive an early start had us there by 6pm. This makes for a relaxing overnight and then a not too rushed morning ferry sailing across the Cook Strait. It was a smooth sailing and arriving in Wellington we then would spend a couple of nights with a lady friend near Paremata.

Our stay included a round of golf at Paraparaumu with our friend’s 90-year-old father who is a member. He hit a remarkable ball especially considering a leg problem. With his golf cart he is still able to enjoy his golf. It was a delightful round on this well maintained iconic course. It was a few years since our last round but the memory of it was loud and clear.

One of the things we did not do was book any accommodation at all, apart from knowing when we had to be in Paihia for the tournament. This of course meant we could stop where we wanted to and not be tied to being in a specific destination on a given day.

Leaving Wellington we find the drive north a pleasant one and from Wellington on the new Transmission Gully highway it is simply brilliant. North of Hunterville we drive past the iconic Rangatira three-level golf course which we have played more than once and should be a must for anyone travelling through that area with its amazing cable car ride after the 18th hole. Rangitikei is another course well worth the effort with its interesting layout.

On this occasion we thought Taihape might be a good next stop as we have driven through it many times aware of it’s famous short drop down par three that is billed as the most natural par three in the world. This time we were not going to drive through and you can read my story of the club and course in a future issue of Golfer Pacific. Following our round we decided Ohakune would be a good overnight stop with a round at Waimarino’s Ruapehu Golf Club on the agenda. You can read all about this Alpine experience in last month's issue of Golfer Pacific.

Ohakune was surprisingly busy considering the ski season had not begun so we stayed two nights as there were two standout restaurants that were full both nights. We dined at Osteria both nights as the other one had too long wait times. Great food and definitely a town with a buzz.

Our next port of call was going to be Cambridge and a date with Tieke Golf Estate. We enjoyed the drive through National Park, Taumarunui and Te Kuiti. Taumarunui is home to the very nice Tarrangower golf course which we have played on occasions. It is picturesque ,undulating and not overlong with some standout holes. Well worth a visit. We spent two nights in Cambridge which allowed us a relaxing day at Tieke.

This new Phil Tataurangi/Brett Thomson designed course is a standout and a must if you get or make the opportunity. It is destined for a top five ranking in this writer’s opinion. You can read my overall review of Tieke in last month's Golfer Pacific issue.

Our next stop was one night in Tairua. This allowed us to play this gem of a layout a third time. Hopefully you read about it in the July issue. It really is a special delight and the volunteer spirit was in evidence in assisting the greenkeeper.

Following idyllic rounds of golf at Tieke and Tairua we head for Whitianga which is a wonderful base for exploring the Coromandel. Tairua is a beautiful spot with marinas and the wharf area. It was here on the waterfront we encountered Harry the chemo dog and owner Jeremy a painter.

Harry had a long operation scar down his belly from two operations to remove tumours and growths plus three lots of chemo therapy. It was the ultimate dog love as it all cost the owner upwards of $45,000. Harry is from Tasmania and used to have wombats and wallabies as playmates and he runs like a kangaroo. Now a handsome 12 years old Harry looked in great shape.

Whitianga has a much bigger feel with a beach front that stretches a long way and is perfect for that morning walk. Of course there are cafes to satisfy that coffee fix. We were fortunate enough to find the best Rocky Road cake in the world at The Fig café. Our accommodation at the Beachside Resort was managed by a lady who had been a good friend of former Wellington professional golfer Gareth Paddison for many years. The golf connection was inescapable.

The Mercury Bay Museum ni Whitianga was excellent for history of the area and some fascinating insights into the character of Captain Cook and the Ngati Hi Maori. They got on well. We then drove to Alan Rhodes Pottery at Whenuakite where he can be seen in action and loves a chat.

We enjoyed time at Mercury Bay Estate Winery at Cooks Beach where we were nicely hosted by Simone Ward. An Italian, Simone met her husband, a Kiwi, in Italy and they came to New Zealand 18 years ago, which now feels like home. They bought the winery six years ago. We ordered a pizza done the Italian way with a hand stretched base. This genuine Italian pizza was cooked at 450 degrees for just 45 seconds in an authentic pizza oven. Belissimo.

After this we stopped off at the Purangi Golf and Country Club but did not have time to play although it was tempting. It looked to be an excellent nine-holer with lovely contours and variety. The greens were pristine with lovely well maintained lush green fairways. Green fees of $20 are a gift.

Unbelieveably you could access one part of the clubhouse (there is no one on site) where the hire gear was. There were something like 20 good full sets of clubs that could be hired for just $10 plus about 10 folding trundlers for $3. The honesty system was alive and well, possibly helped by the course being a little off the busiest roads.

We leave Whitianga and decide to take the shorter 309 road to Coromandel. Unlike the coast road it is mainly unsealed but in good condition and well graded. The advantage of this route are various attractions along the way such as the tall Kauri tree grove walk, Waiau Falls and Castle Rock. Nearer Coromandel we encountered The Waterworks which is the proclaimed quirkiest theme park in New Zealand. It is fun for all, especially children. Despite the continuous rain we braved the walk for an hour with an umbrella and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Further on we come to Stuart and the Wild Pigs without Stuart who was probably tucked up warm elsewhere. The pigs were revelling in the muddy conditions alongside the road. The final point of note was the Coromandel Mussel Kitchen where you can sit in the café and watch them prepare your mussel dish. They are unique in that they do it all from cultivate, harvest, cook and serve green lipped mussels.

We stop briefly in Coromandel and check out the nine-hole Coromandel Golf Club. It has a fine looking clubhouse and like Purangi looks in great condition and yet another nine-hole gem with contours and variety in design. It is not long at 5250 metres from the blue tees.

From Coromandel the coast drive to Thames is often windy but very attractive with its views. We encountered one ridiculous 100kmh sign near Te Mata. No one in their right mind would do that on this road. A speed of 70kmh should be the maximum anywhere here. No wonder we have one of the worst road tolls in the world. There are several holiday villages along this road that would be bursting with people in summer. We made good time to and through Auckland ending in Wellsford for the night.

Next day it was a comfortable drive to Paihia and check in for the Bay of Islands Classic, a Par NZ event. Six nights at the Copthorne and its fine facilities with lovely views was idyllic. We would play four courses, Waitangi, Bay of Islands (Kerikeri), Whangaroa and Kauri Cliffs.

You can read reviews of the first three in subsequent issues, but suffice to say they are all excellent highly rated courses. A couple of treats were a three-course lunch at Kauri Cliffs after our round. The food and service were divine. Also we enjoyed a group meal at the historic Duke of Marlborough Hotel at Russell.

There are so many must play courses north of Auckland one could easily spend a fortnight just playing golf. One outstanding links course we did not get to this time is Kaitaia which offers a superb layout with great views.

So with our stay in Paihia at an end it was time to begin the drive home. We wanted to visit friends for a couple of nights in Mangawhai which gave us the opportunity to spend some time at the Mangawhai Golf Club and get the lowdown on this blossoming club. Again, catch my story in an upcoming issue of this publication.

From here it was a one night return to Cambridge as we wanted to experience the Sculpture Park nearby. Then it was a drive to Taupo and two nights with a friend whose husband, a great golf buddy, died recently. Next day it was the last hurrah in the north as we head for Wellington and the overnight Bluebridge ferry.

This is the perfect way to get to Dunedin in one day. The ferry arrives in Picton at 6.30am. Breakfast in Kaikoura around 8.30, Lunch in Christchurch around midday and an easy run home by 6pm. Done and dusted we looked back on a month that just whizzed by —which probably says “a good time was had by all.”