Turangi will delight

By Neville Idour

Turangi is one of several central North Island courses well worth sampling. On our recent road trip this was the first one we played and it was a great way to start our first time experiences.

We were well looked after by the young lady on duty, Tatiana Siddells, who has been working there for seven years. She recalled coming to the course as a six-year-old with her nanna and grandad and has, as she put it, “been hanging around as a member since I was a little girl.”

She explained how much the forming of the course was owed to a group of Italian born tunnellers who arrived in Turangi to work on the Tongariro power scheme in the late 1960s.

Following the leasing of land and drawing plans for a nine-hole course, people in the area in 1967 formed the Turangi Golf Club and as the story goes “spent two years talking golf and drinking beer before actually playing any golf.” Nine greens were in place in 1969.

With the arrival of the Italians, with their boss Alessandro del Favero, a keen golfer, things took off. He donated money so the club could buy a used tractor, as well as paying for the construction of a toilet block and a veranda for the clubhouse. He also hired a Taupo golf professional as resident club manager and when the course opened in 1969 his company sponsored the celebratory party,

He also donated a lot of his workers man hours to do much of the development of the second nine holes. Apparently he removed workers from the power scheme to get it finished, using those big earth-moving machines to shape the holes and mould the greens to a high standard. Volunteers had to clear bush to enable the extension to 18 holes. His company would go on to sponsor an annual tournament.

The government department managing the power scheme sold a former men’s canteen building to the club. The spacious 185 square metre structure was modified to provide a very decent sized clubhouse.

So to the course which can best be described as pleasant walking on mainly flat land, with attractive deciduous trees and water features and nice variety in hole design. The course is well groomed and in autumn the tree foliage colours are spectacular.

The course is no pushover at 5762 metres from the white tees and 5134 metres from the yellows. All of the holes have self explanatory names to add interest and anticipation.

Devils Grip sets the scene. A par four of 338 metres has a water hazard to clear off the tee. Angel’s Smile and Lucy follow. The fifth, Roller Coaster is a par four with a magnificent sculptured wooden bird greeting you. The seventh, Plateau, is 126 metres to a raised plateau. You need enough club to avoid rolling back off the green. The ninth Gambler, a 458 metre par five, provides options to complete the front nine.

The 10th, Windy Crossing, is a 145 metre challenging par three with a hazard and foliage to avoid. Accuracy is required. The 11th, The Knob is a shortish 275 metre par four which plays up a rise then it is down gently on The Gap par four 12th. As you may guess, trees either side form a rather narrow approach to the green.

The remaining holes, all par fours except for the 15th a par five, in the main have water present in some form. Holes 15, 17 and 18 all have a dogleg element, with 17, The Terror, well named. With a decent dogleg right and water right of the green it commands close attention.

This is a course that you would be happy to have as your home club with fairways and greens of a high standard. It boasts a friendly welcoming atmosphere as was the case when we played.

Green fees are $40 affiliated, $45 non affiliated for 18 holes and $25/$30 for 9 holes.

Carts are available for $45 and $30 for 9 holes.