Te Marua: A hidden treasure in Wellington

By Neville Idour

Te Marua Golf Club, just north of Upper Hutt in Wellington, has to be a hidden treasure, but not for it's 353 members who can enjoy it anytime. It has to rank high on the list of non marquee courses with a variety of terrain, parkland beauty and magnificent views.

The club boasts an interesting and, at times, fraught history.

In 1924 W E Gill and a group of golf enthusiasts set out an area of land on which to play golf. This was south of the clubhouse comprising most of the existing back nine. By 1931 nine holes were ready for play after most of the stones had been dug out and moved by horse drawn carriage and dumped on the Hutt River flat.

In 1931 a meeting agreed to form the Te Marua Golf Club as an incorporated society with 40 foundation members. On July 15,1954, the land was purchased thus securing the nine-hole course. The layout continued to evolve over the years until the 1960s when it had gained the reputation for being the finest nine holes in the Wellington district.

Caption: Looking out from the clubhouse to the 18th green at Te Marua Golf Club, Upper Hutt, in Wellington.

In 1966 a further land purchase allowed the course to be extended to 18 holes. Architect commander John Harris, who designed Royal Canberra, was responsible for the design and he worked with the original character of the land to create a picturesque course where native birds flourish. He was a British course designer who later went into partnership with the legendary Peter Thomson and they designed Wairakei golf course in Taupo. In 1967 a clubhouse was built on the current site.

We jump to February 17, 2004, and annus horribilus (a year of extremely bad events) when all plans and visions went out the window. The course had survived three floods in seven days but then a major land slip diverted the Hutt River across the second and seventh fairways making them totally unplayable. Annual subscriptions were due by the end of February. Some members left for other clubs while loyal ones stayed. Remarkably play continued on an 18-hole layout utilzsing two temporary fairways and greens for 22 months.

Numerous meetings between the club and the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) in February and March left the club in a precarious position not knowing whether the river would be redirected to its original bed or left on the course.

The club employed earthmovers Dixon and Dunlop to clear the landslip and redirect the river. Thankfully the work was completed by late March with finance from the club and the GRWC. In April a concerted effort was made to source funds from various local organisations as well as club members who pitched in. Rimutaka Tavern, Quinns Post Tavern and associated charitable trusts and the Upper Hutt Club came to the party.

So the work of building a substantial concrete block retaining wall and repairing the two fairways was completed in April, 2005, after further flooding in April, 2004, and then surviving a 4.6 metre flood on October 16.

The year of 2004 had been a very challenging year so it was a relief to get through 2005 and hold it’s annual tournament, the Te Marua Masters, in December.

Caption: Part of the spacious clubhouse of the Te Marua Golf Club.

So to the course. The course is built on gently undulating land adjacent to the Hutt River which is alongside eight of the holes. There is elevation on some holes which provides challenges and there are a few bunkers that have been added over the years to add to the skill required. However the course is considered to have an average degree of difficulty. The course record of 63 was set during the 2023 Te Marua Masters on December 28, 2023, by Anthony Ilton-Maher.

From the white tees the course stretches 5570 metres. There are some truly memorable holes and none more so than the first, a par four at 378 metres from the white tee. It is called Waterloo for very good reason. All holes have appropriate names.

The first hole requires a carry of about 140 metres over the Hutt rRiver to reach terra firma. As the stroke one hole it is a reality check starter. There would be few more demanding opening tee shots in New Zealand. The second, named Ambush, is a 137 metre par three, is stroke 15 and has a tree to avoid.

Caption: Sonia Walsh in the golf shop at the Te Marua Golf Club.

The occasional dogleg adds interest especially Nos 8, 14 and 16. We progress through some more intriguing names. Gap, Gibraltar, Donga, Arthurs Pass then Bend a dogleg right par five of 449 metres. The 15th Drop is a 125 metre par three to a green with native bush in evidence. The 18th, Totara, gives a pleasant 325 metre run home to complete a most enjoyable and peaceful round of golf. Various reviews give a true picture of the experience. “Challenging”, “fantastic views”, “friendly”, “great food”, ``awesome club”, “very social’, “in great condition”, just to quote a few.

The clubhouse lounge is spacious and can comfortably cater for 120 people seated and still leave room for a dance floor. Doors open out to a decked area and lovely views. So it is ideal for weddings and photos and other functions.

We spoke to the shop manager Sonia Walsh who has been with the club since 2011. She talked about the membership saying: “We have 302 men, 33 women, six juniors, usually around 30 summer members 10 male life members and two women. We ran the 2024 New Zealand Maori Championships over six days in January. At the end of December each year we run our four-day Te Marua Masters tournament which attracts around 150 players.”

What about programmes to attract women such as ‘She Loves Golf’? “ We gained a few members last time we ran it.”

Who keeps the course looking so good? “We have two full time greenkeepers and one part time.”

The club is very pro-active and in very good heart with its excellent facilities, according to Walsh. An influx of close to 80 members in the last few months speaks volumes and the club is currently running a promotion. During August all green fee players can go in a draw to win a summer membership. So if the opportunity presents itself in Wellington, make Te Marua a definite. You won’t be disappointed.