Matthew Mollica's excellent profile on Titirangi is posted...

[Ran Morrissett]

...under My Home Course.

Matthew Mollica's super keen eye for architecture is evident in the ongoing Cape Kidnappers thread and once again here with his careful hole by hole analysis of Titirangi on the North Island of New Zealand. When I was there over a decade ago, Titirangi was somewhat dull in appearance as the bunkers had lost much of MacKenzie's usual joie-de-vivre. Based on Matthew's photos, things have certainly improved since then as native Chris Pitman has done much to enthuse life back into them.

Coupled with how MacKenzie utilized the valleys and ravines in various manners as well as some stand-out par threes (just look at Matthew's great photo of the fourteenth  and tell me you wouldn't like a crack at that hole each and everyday), it is easy to agree with Matthew when he perfectly sums up the course by writing, 'While certainly not MacKenzie’s best work, Titirangi provides enjoyable golf, over a site which has been used to its fullest extent. I eagerly await a return visit, for another dose of The Good Doctor’s brand of pleasurable excitement.'

Cheers,

[Thomas MacWood]

Mathew
I enjoyed the profile - Titirangi looks like great fun. I recall seeing an original Mac drawing of one of the holes, does the club have his plan or set of plans?

The site looks to be very interesting, the par-3s standout and appear to take advantage of interesting land.

Was the recent work done a restoration or a completion of the design that MacKenzie intended but never executed or a redesignin in the MacKenzie style or something else?

[corey miller]

It's almost eight years since I have played the course and at that time they were just starting the restoration process.  Congrats on what looks like a job well done.

Matthew

Would it make sense if I started on #8?  Somehow the holes don't seem to match my memory.  Also does the Redan actually play like a Redan?  I don't remember much right to left tilt on that green at all.

[Mike Erdmann]

Matthew,

Thanks for taking the time to put together the course profile!  I played Titirangi about five years ago and it's exciting to see the work that has taken place since that time.

[Matthew Mollica]

Cory - The 1st and 8th tees are close to the clubhouse. I too started my round on #8.

I've not played North Berwick or NGLA or other really noteable Redan's but I understand the philosophy. The Titirangi Redan doesn't really play like one. I was a little confused with the name. The green tilts a little back to front and left to right as well.

Tom - I sense the work done by Pitman & co was largely cosmetic restoration of bunkering, and some tweaking of green contours. I think the biggest effort was at the 13th green which was pushed back dozens of yards, with a newly configured green complex. The routing seems to be unchanged. One or two new tees have been built, with no appreciable angluar change provided. They're just new pro tees.

I'm not sure what documentation the Club has from MacKenzie's time there. I was very keen to speak with whoever could give me some information at the club, but got little. They manager was very interested, sympathetic but unable to assist. The Club will publish it's history next year. Alas the Club historian was not about during my visit.

Titirangi is hosting the MacKenzie Cup soon FYI.

MM

[Paul_Daley]

Matty M:

I enjoyed reading your balanced, well-written account of Titirangi. Nice going, too, with your photographic skills, which more than adequately get the job done. Keep up the great work young man!

[Neil_Crafter]

Matt
Nice profile and enjoyed the photos - good work .
Chris Pitman is an expat Brit who worked in Asia for some time and then moved to NZ.
While his bunkering at Titirangi is attractive and in a 'Mackenzie' style of Pasatiempo meets Meadow Club, I personally do not believe there is any evidence that the Titirangi bunkers ever looked even remotely like the Pitman versions, certainly no Australian courses had any like these. We know from the Titirangi historian that Mackenzie spent a day building a bunker for the club (at their request) before he left Auckland. I've certainly never seen photos of the early bunkers, but it would seem apparent that there were no Morcoms or Russells at Titirangi and it is more than likely that the subsequent bunker construction would have been more utilitarian than artistic. Mackenzie wrote that Titirangi sent him photographs of the completed holes and it would be wonderful to see them one day if they still exist.

Tom, I have only ever seen one green plan of Mackenzie's for Titirangi, probably the same one you've seen, perhaps there's more around.

Neil

[Ash Towe]

Titirangi G.C. is indeed to be congratulated upon the changes made there.  The membership have been extremely patient over the time the improvements have taken. 
Anybody stopping over in Auckland and would like a game, then this is the club to play.  The secretary is a pleasant and welcoming man and will do his best to accomodate your requirements.
Ed Getka wrote some interesting and complimentary comments when he visited Titirangi when he visited there 15 months ago.

[Mike_Clayton]

Frank Nobilo was a member here when he was a kid and there was an Australian/NZ tour event at Tititangi for many years.
Frank caddied for Al Geiberger in 1978, I think, and remember him telling me Geiberger said 'it was the longest 6400 yard course he had ever seen.'
MacKenzie would have liked that.

[Matthew Mollica]

I understand what he means Mike. Par 70 and the shortest club most would hit into a par 3 is 5 iron. Some need rescue or fairway wood. There's some long par 4 approaches to be had too, especially 3, 9, 12 & 17. I would like to see this quality more often in newer courses.

Thanks for the background on Pitman, MacKenzie et al too Neil.

MM

[Andrew Summerell]

Great work, Matthew.

Your review gives the reader an insight to the qualities of the course, while your photography allows us a visual perspective, especially considering the work that has taken place there over the last few years.

It is a course of much strategy; yes, even on some of the par 3’s.

[Tony_Chapman]

Matt -- Thanks. Nebraska sure is a long ways from NZ, so it's always neat to read this write ups. That second hole just screams MacKenzie; if only Augusta looked that way....

[Padraig Dooley]

I really enjoyed this profile Matthew, it's pushing me to make the trip later in the year.

Does anybody have any before pictures of the bunkers?

[ed_getka]

Matthew,
   Good job on the profile. Thanks for taking the time to include photos. What do you think could be done to improve the course at this point?
    What did you think of the routing? I have a hard time visualizing other routings, but this one seemed to take advantage of many of the attributes of the land.