The Winter Tour of England continued on this bleak and blustery day. I spose I can count my blessings as it didn't rain.
New Zealand is one of those clubs that some may have heard of, but is still a bit obscure. Its mainly a T Simpson design using many corridors created by M Ferguson. The land is generally flat and the heather keeps the golfer honest. That isn't to say that NZ would be a terribly easy with its 6100 yards against a par of 68. In the classic British tradition - the course plays longer than the card suggests. The overwhelming impression I walked away with is that the bunkering is at least the equal of any other heathland course I know of. There are plenty of centreline bunkers, bunkers running the length rather than the width of the fairway, bunkers well short of greens to create dead ground and menace recovery from the heather, and bunkers concealed by heather.
I also walked away very curious as to why the last six holes seemed so much better than the first twelve even though the land was similar.
#2 The heather pinches in at about 250.
The first example of terrific bunkering.
The 4th is the first hole the player gets a chance to open the shoulders. The green is slightly odd iin that its quite small and it can't be seen from the landing zone - but the pin stands proud. It reminds me of playing to a temporary green because its difficult to know how far to hit the second.
An attractive aspect of New Zealand is that there are two starting points. The 5th takes the player right passed the strangely attractive clubhouse.
The 6th is one of the half dozen or so par 4s that can play very long especially into the prevailing wind. The heather which cuts in on the right conceals a bunker.
A pic of another wonderful bunker. This wasn't reachable today, but the placement of the bunkers ensures that in the right weather conditions the bunkering which is in play alters.
The 7th is a cracking long par 3 made more impressive because the land used is very ho-hum. The left and right bunkers create all the interest necessary. No matter where the hole located, one or the other bunker comes into play. The right bunker has the added appeal of acting as a greenside bunker for #13. There must be 30 yards or a shade more from the left bunker to the flag.
The course continues to amble along with solid holes, but nothing which really grabs your attention until the 12th. Suddenly, a fairway is offset from the tee and you sense that archietecture has just been kicked up a few notches.
While it is difficult to tell from the photo, this green has more interest than the previous greens, but it still in keeping. There is plenty of room left to run a a shot in, but err too much away from the front bunker and heather awaits. Get too aggressive and lose it right, another heather pit awaits.
A closer look at this simplified reverse Road Hole like green area.
The 13th has a deceptively difficult to carry centreline bunker with a sneaky bunker mate tucked behind it. The holes can't be more than 320 yards, but into the wind its a sucker play to take on the bunker.
14th is the sole par 5 and it is reachable. However, the green isn't receptive as it fallsaway from the front. There is a hidden bunker on the right which can be carried, but not to great advantage as there is a bunker short of the green which must be carried for the bold palyer.
The view of the lovely right side bunker.
The 15th is unusual in that without warning a cross bunker is suddenly on the horizon.
Some bold contouring for the greens continue with the crazy wing on the back left of the green. Its well designed to make the guy avoiding the front right bunker have to risk a 3 putt.
The 16th a cool little par 3. There is more room up front then it appears, but there is alos bunkering awaiting the slightly underhit shot.
Bold design does not let up with the last two holes. The 17th is a layup, severe dogleg left. The further one gets to the outside of the leg the worse the angle to the green. One must challenge the inside corner for the angle or the approach looks like this - very little chance to get the ball to the back tier. The green also has two more awesome bunkers protecting each side. The left one is buried in the heather.
The right bunker is far more severe than it appears from the fairway and the left one is still hidden.
The 18th is another featureless drive with the interest created solely by the angle of the fairway. It is quite easy to lose the ball right into the trees.
One more than on occasion a swale is used to great effect like the one short of the 18th green. In fact, the combo of the swale with the pimple on the green is more than enough challenge to put a smile on any golfer.
A closer look.
Ciao