Gulf Harbour Criticism

[Brian_Ewen]

I have never played it , but I was surprised at the criticism for Gulf Harbour here .

Whats the views of our Southern Hemisphere GCAers ?



NZ Golf deflect Gulf Harbour criticism
08 September 2004
By MARTYN WATTERSON

New Zealand Golf chief executive Larry Graham is close to clinching a major coup that will see the January 20-23 Australasian PGA Tour event co-sanctioned by the world's second largest tour.

Numerous high profile Europen golf stars could play at Gulf Harbour, perched on Auckland's Whangaparoa Peninsula, but Michael Campbell today lambasted the course, calling it the worst designed one he's ever played on.

"It will be very exciting for the New Zealand sporting public to watch some of the best players in the world compete, but unfortunately Gulf Harbour will be the worst spot to stage the championship," New Zealand's No 1 golfer said.
"The New Zealand Open should be played on a decent golf course and not Gulf Harbour."

Graham said today that while it was disppointing one of New Zealand's favourite golfing sons made the comment, he preferred to focus on the positives.

"I'm not in a postion to react to that. These guys know their trade, but my business is to try and bring theses opportunities to New Zealand. I'm part way through negotiations. We're pretty excited about it and we've had an amazing number of favourable comments.

"No doubt we're going to get some people that aren't happy."

Graham said they had consulted with people about the suitability of the course – which hosted the 1998 World Cup – but they would deal with any issues golfers had once the event was confirmed.

Graham could not explain why Gulf Harbour was selected because the negotiations had started before he joined New Zealand golf, but the larger corporate sector in Auckland was always a major factor.

"My understanding is that we are a bit shy on golf courses capable of running an event of that magnitude in Auckland," he said.

"The commercial apsects and a whole raft of considerations are critical."

"If Michael wins I'm sure he'll be happy to take the cheque, and we'll be delighted if he does because it will be one of Australasia's richest golf tournaments."

The New Zealand Open would follow the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne.

If the event received European backing, the 88th New Zealand Open would become this country's richest tournament with prizemoney close to $1.7 million.

Greg Turner, who won 12 tournaments in an 18-year pro career before opting out of tour life last year, backed some of Campbell's comments.

Turner last played at Gulf Harbour in 1998, but has never been comfortable with the design.

"There's greater emphasis on tee-shots, so you end up hitting greens that are well above you.

"Personally I don't agree with that approach and as a consequence you end up with an awful lot of blind and semi-blind shots to greens where you don't have a very good image of what's required."

Turner did not rate Gulf Harbour as one of New Zealand's top-10 courses, but " visually it can look stunning and I'm sure it will televise well."

Turner, who is on the Australasian PGA Tour board of directors, could not confirm if the Open was close to securing the backing of the European Tour, but he was quietly confident.

"At this stage I would be surprised if the event wasn't co-sanctioned.

"There are a lot of things lined up to make it possible and I would be very disappointed that between the Australasian, European and New Zealand Golf they couldn't get the deal done."

[Ash Towe]

First of all I really hope that the NZ Open becomes co-sanctioned.  We have only two professional tournaments and the Open needs a significant boost.  
Gulf Harbour has an inland first nine and a cliff-top second.  The wind is a significant factor.  The rational for the situation of some of the bunkers around the greens is sometimes difficult to understand.  The ground game is not an option on almost every hole.
Greg Turner is correct in his comments and in addition some of the second shots which he refers to are to shallow greens which are difficult to hold.
Gulf Harbour was sold to a group of locals recently and they are aware of the criticisms.  It would not surprise me to see some changes in the future.

[Brian_Ewen]

We are talking a RTJ jnr design ? .

[Mike_Clayton]

Brian

It is a RTJ Jnr course - I have never played it but there was almost universal criticism after the World- Cup.
Tony Johnstone played for Zimbabwe and with RTJ in the pro-am - which was a really stupid choice by someone who didn't know of Johnstone's distate for the designers work.

After 9 holes the designer said to Tony ' well,that was the starter,now for the main course'

'Shit' said Tony, I've already got food poisoning'

Turner also has had to seriously blunt his normally forthright views because he is now on the board of the Australian Tour.

The problem is, there is only one decent course in NZ even close to one of the two major cities - Auckland and Wellington -  and 40 miles from Wellington is to far for the sponsors to be convinced to play Paraparaumu.

Kidnappers would be perfect but the owner would need to really contribute to the budget.
It's all about the sponsor entertaining clients at the event and Auckland is the place they want to be.

[Tom_Doak]

This isn't really about golf course design ... it's about the politics of the New Zealand Open.

[tonyt]

Brian, I'm not surprised at the criticism. I enjoyed playing the course, but it is no architectural treat. Still better though than the horrid piece of rubbish used to host the Nationwide Tour stop near Christchurch. Ahh, such a beautiful part of the world, and yet such a terrible track.

At the end of the day, Auckland is the desired host area, and Gulf Harbour hase the space for infrastructure that many of the quaint older clubs in Auckland don't (which aren't great courses anyway).

Hard enough to get Wellington corporates up to Pram, let alone trying to lure them down from Auckland. If the Kiwis are upsizing to Euro Tour status, then the logistics have to work.

[Mark_Guiniven]

I recently got back from Cape Kidnappers and the more I thought about this topic the more I see this whole thing as a joke. Especially how they got Cambo to cow tow in the end.

You can make every rational argument why a tour event can't leave a major centre, but in the end, is the New Zealand Open important enough not to play it at one of your best courses? On the worldwide scheme of things, the answer is NO.

Right now that means it should go to Cape Kidnappers and stay there, at least for the short term. Not Gulf Harbour for five years.

Julian Robertson wants it, but he shouldn't have to put up with the NZGA people trying to empty his pockets just to get it. It could go back to Paraparaumu Beach in a few years if they follow through on the good measures they've started with Greg Turner recently.

If co-sanctioned means a tacky, corporate, and ultimately forgettable four days at a less-than-stellar course with the end result being a two stroke win to Maarten Lafeber and thousands of kiwi youngsters turned off the game, do we really need it?

Consider the alternative. The date after the Heineken. Julian Robertson. Tom Doak's Cape Kidnappers. Geoff Ogilvy and Ernie Els chasing down an inspired Campbell in front of thousands of sun-soaked fans on one of the most demanding and visually spectacular courses you could put on television. Much better.