[Grant Saunders]

Approximately 12 months ago I posted a handful of pictures of this recently redeveloped course in Christchurch New Zealand. At that stage, it was not yet open for play.

The course has now been open for play for the past year and several contributors to this site (what is the plural for Golf Club Atlas posters? A gaggle?) have now played the new layout. Even though the the number with first hand experience is small, I felt it worthy of creating a more detailed photo tour. Of course, this discussion isn’t merely limited to those who have seen the course in person, and any contributions would be encouraged.

I will apologise in advance for some cutting and pasting from my previous thread but it is Friday afternoon and my brain is fast reaching weekend mode.

First, some background....

Harewood GC is a 36 hole complex located about a 5 min drive from the Christchurch airport. Recent development of the airport has involved a runway extension which forced the acquisition of a parcel of land on which one of the Harewood courses sit. This obviously has caused some disruption to the course and the club were compensated for it accordingly.

The club chose to use some of the money gained to upgrade the “Woodlands: or “old” course (both the same it has 2 names for some reason) and deal with some of the agronomic concerns while also creating an architecturally enhanced product. As a fairly typical parkland type course in NZ, it featured holes heavily dominated by trees and uninspiring greens complexes. To rectify this, the club contracted Scott Macpherson and Greg Turner to overhaul the course and charged them with the task of creating a golf experience that appeals to the membership and simultaneously provide a test of golf for the top level golfer.

The redevelopment entailed 18 new greens, rebuilding all tee complexes, rebunkering of the course, adding length and involved the complete rerouting of the first 5 holes. To date, there have been over 530 large trees removed also.





From the aerial, what is immediately notable is the lack of bunkering. There is 12 in total on the whole course.

Also evident is that despite 530 trees removed, many still remain.

All hole measurements are from the Blue tees (the blacks play approx 300m longer) and are also in metres.

The first hole is a dogleg left par 5 of 504 metres. The left hand bunker sits around 250 from the tee with the right hand one around 275.
While the inside line does shorten the hole, it will make the angle to the green more difficult if you are going for it in 2.



This photo is taken showing the lay up area and a large deep swale that is best avoided to have a view at the green. You can make out the left side of the green is more hidden and guarded than the right hence the right hand approach being more favourable.



The green itself is a semi punchbowl green which is rather small in size. The front left side feeds in from an angled downslope making is crucial to judge distance correctly to that side.






The 2nd hole is a par 4 of 269 metres.

A single small bunker sits front and centre of the green in your line of sight. This bunker and collecting swales along the right hand side will grab any ball in their vicinity.





A large form which the green feeds off from the left generates a left to right tilt in this long narrow green. Approach play from the left is not recommended and keeping our ball on the green from this angle is quite an achievement.



 The smart play is to leave yourself around 30 – 40 yards short of the green with an approach straight up the length of the green. Short par fours like this tend to make people (like myself) abandon sensibility and go for broke using resulting in making life very difficult for yourself.

[Leo Barber]

I had the pleasure of playing this course a month ago.  Clever track.  Actually the first two holes were two of my favourites.  Just loved the feel of the first.  Very open a bunker in the distance and some great visuals of the port hills.  Overcome by the occasion I roped the drive so any architectural merit of the hole was lost on me after I dunked my fourth in that wonderful little depression.  Loved the green and set the set for some "thinking" stuff to come.

2nd hole was a Gem.  There for the taking but I suspect more than often players walk away having paid the "croupier".  The guy I played with was a Pro and after we all ripped our drives he was standing over his second lamenting the lack of more greenside bunkers and calling the hole bland.  He had a chorus.  The first guy chipped weak and his ball got gobbled up by a hidden swale and swept away to antartica.  The Pro chipped and his ball sprung forward off one of the greens contours.  He sunk a 6ftr for par wiping sweat from his brow.  Of course I knew the kind of evil bastard the guy that shaped the green was so I played conservative and took a boring par.......next hole

[Niall C]

Looks fantastic although I'll caveat that by saying whether its plays fantastically would have to do with whether it played firm which it looks like it does.

Niall

[Grant Saunders]

Looks fantastic although I'll caveat that by saying whether its plays fantastically would have to do with whether it played firm which it looks like it does.

Niall

Niall

The course consists of topsoil overlying alluvial river beds and gravelly material so drainage is very good despite not being sand. The greens are of sand construction. South Island rainfall in NZ is fairly moderate and the famed Canterbury Norwest wind can literally change a course from winter to summer in only a couple of days.

Firm and fast is a philosophy reflected in the design with much encouragement to run the ball into greens. No example exists of a green being blocked off at the front to force aerial play.

Leo

I agree in that the first 2 holes are among my favourites also. The first green sits into its surroundings so nicely and is unusual (for NZ anyway) in its punchbowl style. The second hole with its long Paraparaumu Beach 16th hole type green really is a sucker hole in that the temptation baits the golfer into trying for too much. I would think that myself going for the green would maybe hit the surface 1 in 15 times. The misses would leave all manner of difficult little recovery shots leading to very few birdies and probably number of bogies.

It is interesting in that the player is presented with 2 "gut checks" on the first 2 holes and offers the opportunity for early heroics. Successfully pulling off a great shot so early in the game is apt to set a positive frame of mind for the rest of the round. Likewise, failing to pull it off can frustrate the golfer and alter the mindset to one of feeling the need to catch up and possibly force aggressive play in the middle of the round where conservative golf is more sensible. To me, these holes are a critical part of the pace of the course and how the frame of mind the golfer has upon reaching the third tee will dictate how the rest of the round plays out.

[Grant Saunders]

The 3rd hole is a par 3 of 164 metres.

After the previous 2 holes with the birdie opportunities the 3rd is a hole where par will never be a disappointment. While not considered overly long by todays standards, the almost shallow green divided by a ridge running through it demands a well executed shot. The front left half is protected by a subtle depression but offers some support at the back to help the player. The right hand side is fairly benign in the foreground yet the lack of support at the back makes it very easy to run through the back into a low. It is very important to place your ball on the side of the green where the pin is to avoid negotiating the ridge while putting.



Viewed from the left, the low area that needs to be dealt with is visible and the ridge through the putting surface clearly evident.



This front on view illustrates the shape of the green and shows how easily a ball can run through the right hand side.




The 4th is a par 4 measuring 326 metres.

This shortish par 4 is most likely drivable for some people when playing downwind. In my opinion though, driver isn’t a smart option as hitting not just the fairway but the correct part of the fairway is key. This hole is a good example of needing to approach a left pin from the right and vice versa. Its surprising how evident this strategy is when its is considered how narrow the green is.

From the tee the player can see the green but they are presented with a relatively wide expanse of fairway to position their ball. In some ways, I found this tee shot harder because of the width and it is quite easy to lose focus of a target and put a bad swing on it. Choosing a club to advance the ball 200 – 220 metres leaves a full approach in which I feel to be an advantage.



Upon reaching your ball, you can see the perpendicular lines of movement running laterally across the fairway. This scale and direction of movement continues up and through the green where there is a swale crossing the green which must be dealt with.





A false front and slope feeding in from the edges at the front of the green do a nice job of creating the left pin vs right pin conundrum from back down the hole. Pin placement in respect of front or back offers the player a number of shots they may attempt to get their ball near the flag. Certainly the back position requires a fair degree of both thought and execution.



Viewed from behind, the swale is very apparent

[Leo Barber]

Grant I really liked this hole.  I will say however, I like my short Par 4s to present more of a picture from the tee.  First time play obviously and perhaps those that play it day in and out it is more apparent but it offered very little from the tee in terms of decisions you have discussed.  It looked like your classic kiwi drive it to the dogleg.  I loved the greens complex once it presented.  Ballsy contours and had all the hallmarks of the great greens it was modelled on.  At this stage I was mouthing "clever" my partners were voicing rediculous.  How do you measure that? should you measure that?  I was eyeing the girl on the dancefloor hahahaha GCA.com stop it

[Grant Saunders]

The 5th is a par 4 of 338 metres. This hole probably ranks as the most controversial of the new work and certainly is the most memorable. The green itself is affectionately referred to as “the Beast” by the ground staff and is somewhat feared by equipment salesmen as any new greensmowers being considered are taken straight out to this green to see how they cope.

It has been the recipient of much criticism from both golfers and greenkeepers alike which is unfortunate but ultimately a reflection on narrow minds. The failure to acknowledge that it is ok to push boundaries in a controlled fashion speaks volumes to the lack of perspective. It does however show the clubs willingness to embrace something so clearly different and for that they must be applauded.

I would love nothing nore than to just hang out on this green for a few hours putting and chipping.

For the record, this is probably my favourite hole to play.

From the tee the fairway bunker to the right is very prominent. It sits into a rise that runs across the fairway at approx 240 metres from the tee. The prudent play is to select a club that positions your shot slightly left and short of the bunker. It is an interesting phenomenon that is hard to discern from the photo, but from the tee the green appears to be only just beyond the bunker.



Once the hill is cleared, it then becomes apparent the amount of ground that exists between the crest of the hill and the bunker. The wide shallow green is guarded front left by a deep swale that feeds up and through the middle of the green. As per the 4th hole, a left pin is better approached from the right of the fairway.



As viewed from the front right of the green, the swale is clearly visible. The swale meanders through in a lazy fashion as opposed to a more geometric type shape.



This photo gives a good indication of the scale of the contours. As per the photo, the swale is in fact pinnable and contrary to what you may think, one of the most difficult hole locations.



The green viewed from front on

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Grant,

I drool when I see these kind of greens. It looks great.

The crticism is to be expected - anything "outside the box" in any aspect of life will be partly negatively criticised but also partly praised.
I praise. 

[Leo Barber]

Grant, the 5th Hole.  Having eyed up the girl on the dance floor (the 4th) and having introduced myself (ripped the drive on the 5th) I then proceeded to spill my drink all over her (boned a sand wedge).  Was gutted to miss an opportunity to dance with a great lass.  This is a wonderful hole.  The greens complex is so clever, the hole so thoughtful.  I love the way the middle flows into a deep depression but the opportunities abound.  Disyneyland without the queues.  Hmmmmm I think the fun police were on patrol the day i played it.  Like nothing ive seen in NZ....worth the price of admission

[Grant Saunders]

John

Here in NZ I think a lot of golfers lack any real perspective that is obtained only by venturing out of your comfort zone and seeing new things. Hopefully in time as the world and different things become more accessible by either travel or simply searching things out on the web, perception will change.

Leo

The 5th hole is the girl in the bar who knows what she wants and wont put up with shit from the posers. Very secure in herself, there is no overdone makeup or skanky clothing showing off the goods. She is bold and lots of fun is approached with the right attitude but very unforgiving if you show up full of yourself expecting to score. If not shown respect she may well kick you square in the nuts and send you limping on your way.

[Grant Saunders]

The 6th hole is a par 3 of 135 metres. This bunkerless green features a multi level surface that is somewhat elevated from the approach area. A series of contours and swales form the main obstacle to be dealt with from the tee and upon missing the green. While not very long, club selection is key and finding the same level as the pin will reward you with a very makeable birdie putt.

This hole signals the end of an opening stretch that can most definitely be described as sporty and a great way to warm into the round. Scoring opportunities have been offered but the player may feel as though they could have taken greater advantage of them. These holes also represent the greatest change in the course as they were all significantly re routed and new playing corridors created.

From the tee, the front right and left are both guarded by low areas that gather shots that fail to reach the putting surface.



The back left to front right fall of the green shows up in this photo



The contouring of the surrounds stands out better in this early grow in photo.



The 7th hole is a par 4 of 361 metres. This hole begins a sequence of holes where the focus is on testing both the players physical and mental abilities. Pars should be looked upon as most satisfactory and acknowledgement that bogie is also acceptable, particularly if you find yourself out of position. If you feel that you have thrown away shots early in your round, the next few holes are not the place to try and recover them.
Apologies for the average quality of these photos. Hopefully Kyle Henderson makes a trip out here one day with his camera and captures some of his usual stunning pictures.

From the tee, it is important to find this fairway. The right hand side is more inviting yet will require negotiating the front right green contours with the second shot.



This photo is taken just past the landing area and shows the approach to this 2 tiered green. Finding the right level is of huge advantage. My last effort here saw me find the back edge with my second and putting to a pin on the bottom level. 4 putts later I headed to the next tee.



This view from the front left shows the contours more clearly. Im sure there are greenkeepers immediately noting the lines generated as the mower struggles with the slopes and transitions. This in no way impacts ball roll or play so get over it!!

 

[Emil Weber]

looks like some fun around the greens! thanks for posting.

[Grant Saunders]

looks like some fun around the greens! thanks for posting.

Emil

Missing the greens on this course is great fun.

[Grant Saunders]

The 8th hole is a par 4 of 365 metres. The hole features a fairway bunker on the right hand side which is to be contended with to achieve the preferred to line to this front right to back left angled green.

While a similar length to the 7th on the card, they run in opposite directions and will play different based on wind direction.



From the landing area, on the right hand side, it is possible to read the contours that will attract a ball into the greenside bunker. They will also however offer the astute player the opportunity to utilise them to direct a ball up onto the left hand section of the green should the pin be there. The lack of support on that back left of the green makes flying your ball over the bunker a rather testing prospect.



The green is tiered form low right to high left which adds to the interest when approaching or playing recovery shots. This photo also shows off nicely the bunker style that was adopted. It is a good balance between formal and informal and is maintenance friendly.





The 9th hole is a par 4 of 360 metres. It favours a right to left shaped shot from the tee yet sets up for a left to right approach. Approaching form the right hand side offers the player a backstop slope to use but does require carrying your ball over a deep low area that runs along the right of the green.



From the landing area, it is possible to make out the low to the right. It is also clear how the green feeds off the form high to the left hand side. It is quite a deep green (its hard to make out in the photo) and it is difficult to commit to flying a ball well up the length of the green. What is evident from the photo is how this green lends itself to landing a ball on the front of the green and running it up and over the slope towards the back. This is a fun shot to play.



Apologies for the close up photo of the green. The only one I could find was from grow in.

[Tom Fagerli]

This place looks like a really fun place to play. The greens must be a hoot to pitch and chip onto.

[Grant Saunders]

The 10th hole is a 388 metre par 4.

The trees on he right hand side of this dogleg right hole need to be flirted with in order to achieve the best angle to this green. Plenty of room to the left off the tee will likely lure the golfer into playing it safe but they are then faced with an uncomfortable second shot.



Viewed here from the left hand side of the fairway, the front right to back left green shaped sits at a shallow angle to the player. The greenside bunker to the left is not really in play but does make playing away from it to the right appear the more attractive option. Appearances can be deceiving!



From the right hand side of the fairway, the green is far more receptive and its generous size gives the player a good dose of confidence about finding the green.



This fronting view of the green reveals a putting surface that is large and pitched from back to front. Most of the movement within this green is on a more gradual scale compared to previous greens. The form to the front right feeds into the green but more importantly it is hiding something….



This deep (approx 3 metres) hollow is lurking to catch the player who chose to play away from the bunker. A classic example of appearances being deceiving, the penalty for finding this is probably much worse than being in the relatively benign bunker on the left. From the bottom, the player is unable to see any part of the putting surface and possibly not even the flag depending on where it is.  Getting the ball up and down from here is a real challenge.



Finally, an arty type photo just for fun

[Kevin Pallier]

Grant

I'm glad I was talked into by a kiwi to play this course 

I've been offline for a while but would like to say it's a great venue not too far from Christchurch airport - well worth a play if in the area.

Cheers for the photo tour.

[Grant Saunders]

The 11th hole is a 374 metre par 4.

Form the tee, a small but well positioned centre bunker encourages the player to choose which side of the fairway they are going to play for. The left hand side is more inviting but the right offers you a better view of whats happening at the green.



Viewed from left of the fairway bunker (although a bit difficult to make out in this photo) the green sits on a slight front left to back right angle. The front left corner, when approached form this side, is hidden by a low rise form that can make it difficult to judge what distance to carry your second shot.



This photo taken from short of the green illustrates better the small tier in the back third of the green and also shows how the green runs of to the right hand side.



This photo shows where the back edge of the green is in relation to the 15th green over the ridgeline. I really like the way the short grass continues up and into the other surrounds complex rather than adding a strip of rough to separate the 2. During the construction, it was looked at the possibility of this becoming a double green. Designer Scott Macpherson, who has vast knowledge of double greens, instead opted to keep them separate as the angles didn’t quite work. Hopefully he can chip in some thoughts on that process.

[Grant Saunders]

The 12th is a 405 metre par 4.

This strong par 4 comes at a stage in the round where the player has some idea how their round is progressing. Where the previous holes ask the golfer to make some decisions on how to attack the hole, this is simply a test of ones ball striking. A long demanding hole with a left to right dogleg, the golfer is gifted a much more user friendly putting surface than encountered to date in the round. Ordinarily, this type of hole would seem somewhat uninspired. However, due to the fact it presents a different kind of test compared to earlier holes, this hole fits into the overall pace of the course well and is welcomed because of the variety it creates.

From the tee, the golfer is faced with a demanding tee shot that must be worked left to right. As you haven’t been tested in this way so far in the round, it is an opportunity to commit solely to execution of the shot.



The approach is to a relatively benign green with plenty of encouragement to run the ball up.



This photo shows the subtlety of the green when compared to those already played in the round. The pin in the background is the 6th green and this highlights the social feeling of playing this course as opposed to isolated holes.



The 13th is a 170 metre par 3.

A good strong par 3, this hole nicely ties in with the long 12th and the demanding 14th hole to create a 3 hole stretch where your round can be defined. While not overly long, the right hand side with its bunker and steep run off is best avoided. An up and over type form running laterally across the green makes for a fun challenge in trying to judge how far up the green (or short) to land your ball.

A left to right shaped tee shot appears to be the preferred shape, but a right to left may in fact be better to counter the greens contours which encourage the ball to run to the right across the surface.



The “roll” through the green can be seen here coming from the left and bleeding out across to the right of the green. The very back edge of the green is in fact lower than the front as is hinted at by the fact Kevin Pallier’s feet are hidden from view.



The green as viewed from the front left.

[Grant Saunders]

Grant

I'm glad I was talked into by a kiwi to play this course 

I've been offline for a while but would like to say it's a great venue not too far from Christchurch airport - well worth a play if in the area.

Cheers for the photo tour.

Kevin

It was an absolute pleasure to play with you and Pup that day at the end of your trip.

Great point too about the proximity to the airport. At approximately 6 or 7 minutes by car, it is incredibly accessable.

[Tom Kelly]

Grant,

Thanks for the tour, it looks like a really interesting course. A few quick questions;

How much is it to play in comparison to other NZ courses? Does its proximity to Christchurch push up the price?
What sort of condition is it maintained to?
Is the land as flat (overall elevation change) as the photos make it look?

[Grant Saunders]

Grant,

Thanks for the tour, it looks like a really interesting course. A few quick questions;

How much is it to play in comparison to other NZ courses? Does its proximity to Christchurch push up the price?
What sort of condition is it maintained to?
Is the land as flat (overall elevation change) as the photos make it look?

Tom

Green fees, as per their website, has it at $75 nz dollars for non affiliate and $50 for affiliated golfers. Compared to courses in the main centres (Auckland and Wellington) the affiliated fee is very reasonable. The average in Auckland these days is probably closer to $60 and for far less interesting courses.

Condition wise, it is very solid for good golfing. It is definitely less manicured in out of play areas and the rough has an inconsistent coverage to it in places which actually makes for a good form of penalty.

Overall, there is minimal elevation difference across the property but it is made up for by the nice small scale movement that generates lots of uneven lies and unpredictable bounces.

[Tom Kelly]

I was hoping you'd say it was reasonably priced as it looks like a great example of a simple yet really effective golf course. No overblown maintenance budget for pointless hazards or over manicured turf just a course down to the bare bones, that uses what is available to it to full effect through really interesting design.

It looks like a great example of what a relatively basic golf course blessed with less than ideal land can be. Why don't we have more courses like this right across the world?!

[Grant Saunders]

The 14th is a long straightaway par 5 of 512 metres (from the black, it plays 558 metres).

Out of bounds down the length of the hole on the right hand side contributes to the challenge and the feeling of needing to hit your drive well creates apprehension on the tee. The prevailing wind sees this hole playing into it.

From the tee, the natural tendency is to play to the left away from the OOB. This is a sensible option but it will however provide a more uncomfortable angle when playing the second shot whether it be laying up or going for the green in 2.



From the landing area, the right hand half of the fairway offers the golfer a more user friendly angle to lay up to the left hand side of the hole. The front left to back right shaped green is easier approached form the left hand side.



From the lay up distance, it can be seen that the green has no support along the left hand side and any shot hit with too much weight will roll through and down a bank. A difficult recovery shot will be faced from down there. Also now visible (though not in this photo) is the tier that runs across the green on an offset angle to the player. It is this angle tier that makes approaching form the left favourable as it sits more square to the player from here.

Note in this photo Kevin Pallier’s solid impact position with the right heel nice and close to the ground still. Also to note is the higher position of the left arm in relation to the right indicating his natural ball flight to be a draw. He hits this draw with frightening consistency and you would be best to avoid playing him on a course with predominant right to left holes.



This photo show ups the tier much better and highlights the lack of support running along the left hand side.



The 15th hole, and last of a great set of par 3’s, plays 170 metres long.

Sitting on a front left to back right angle, this green is best approached with a left to right shaped shot. There exists some nice form short left which is quite suitable for landing the ball short and running it on. The right hand side of the green is guarded by a swale running alongside it. While not the worst place to miss the green, this swale does create a testing up and down and you are better served to avoid it.



As seen in this photo, a ridge extends from off the back of the green and into the putting surface. This ridge can make for interesting putting if you find it between yourself and the hole.

The surrounds at the back of the green extend up and over the form to become part of the 11th hole as noted earlier. Again, it is a feature that I am a fan of.

[Leo Barber]

Grant

Very good thread and enjoyable read.  Its a course that could have been so "stock standard" yet I think all involved have produced something that will be enjoyable to play day in day out for most.  I think courses like this will be a massive step forward in educating kiwis about good creative design - unfortunately for most used to straight unimagitive tracks with flat greens and "fair lies" it will be a long lesson.

As I relook at the photos I still think the course suffers slightly from lack of width in the playing corridors and a touch of claustrophobia with all the big pines - It doesn't so much affect the way it plays but probably more the way it feels.  My favorite hole on the course is still the 1st and part of that reason I guess is the feel of spaciousness and the view beyond to the port hills (as well as a great driving hole, funky depression and cool greensite!!)

Really hard to produce "great" par 3s on such flat land but this set is really good.  Not a fan of the "hip" on the 15th, reminded me of NZ architecture from the late 90s early 2000s but.... created some real challenge and interest no doubt. 

Locally this course has been really polarising Grant as I alluded to in my first paragraph.  How has this been reflected in greenfees that you know of and what do the actual membership think most importantly?  Did they gain, lose, get disgruntled

I really liked it and I love the polarisation because it has sparked a debate we needed to have.

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