Tara Iti

[Ira Fishman]

We are playing Te Arai on the mornings of January 2 and 3. I have not played 36 in a day in 10 years, but if someone knows a secret for me (just me) to find a way play Tara Iti one of those afternoons, please PM me.


Thanks!


Ira

[Jeff Schley]

We are playing Te Arai on the mornings of January 2 and 3. I have not played 36 in a day in 10 years, but if someone knows a secret for me (just me) to find a way play Tara Iti one of those afternoons, please PM me.


Thanks!


Ira

Ira did you get your stocking stuffer?  Haven't seen you mention Tara Iti yet, so unless you were sworn to secrecy do tell us your impressions, which would be good to hear from you as your GCA eye is noted here.

[Ira Fishman]

We are playing Te Arai on the mornings of January 2 and 3. I have not played 36 in a day in 10 years, but if someone knows a secret for me (just me) to find a way play Tara Iti one of those afternoons, please PM me.


Thanks!


Ira

Ira did you get your stocking stuffer?  Haven't seen you mention Tara Iti yet, so unless you were sworn to secrecy do tell us your impressions, which would be good to hear from you as your GCA eye is noted here.

Jeff,


No holiday surprise, but no complaints at all. The golf in NZ and AUS (and everything else) has been wonderful. We finish tomorrow at Royal Melbourne West which is a storybook ending.


Ira

[Tom_Doak]

We are playing Te Arai on the mornings of January 2 and 3. I have not played 36 in a day in 10 years, but if someone knows a secret for me (just me) to find a way play Tara Iti one of those afternoons, please PM me.

Ira did you get your stocking stuffer?  Haven't seen you mention Tara Iti yet, so unless you were sworn to secrecy do tell us your impressions, which would be good to hear from you as your GCA eye is noted here.

I would have helped if I could have, but the only way is when I'm in New Zealand. 100% have to play with a member there now.

[Ira Fishman]

Tom,


I know you would have. But you did plenty in introducing us to Peter Wood who did a fabulous job organizing our whole trip. We were fortunate enough to meet with Peter and Rory at The National.


Ira

[Jim Tang]

Ira -


What are your impressions of Te Arai? I was there last March and I thought the entire property, from the golf to the lodging to the restaurant to the beauty of the natural environment, was stunning.

[Ira Fishman]

Ira -


What are your impressions of Te Arai? I was there last March and I thought the entire property, from the golf to the lodging to the restaurant to the beauty of the natural environment, was stunning.

Jim,


We thoroughly enjoyed everything about Te Arai. Both courses are top drawer requiring care and thought from tee through green. This is an imperfect analogy but South struck me as C&C’s Pac Dunes and North as T. Doak’s Bandon Trails in terms of a seaside golf complex. The lodging, food, and service are first rate, particularly how the building architecture is appropriate to and even enhances the natural beauty. It is hard to beat dinner overlooking the 18th on the South onto the ocean. We also found the vibe very low key even with or maybe because of all of the young kids enjoying the massive version of Punch Bowl.


Jim, you probably don’t remember that we met briefly in the bar at Ballyneal. The Te Arai courses may not attain that level but they sure are close.


Thanks for asking my opinion.


Ira

[Jim Tang]

Ira -


I very much remember meeting you at Ballyneal. You were with your wife and I remember you mentioned the two of you loved the course because it was very playable for her. I believed you stayed on site for a day or two.


I love your comparison of Te Arai South to Pacific Dunes and Te Arai North to Bandon Trails. That's a pretty good way to think about it. One of the par 4's on the North (is it the 6th?) reminded me of Ballyneal's 7th, which is the short par 4 with the E green and large greenside embankment on the left. On the North, the embankment is to the right of the green and it can be used in the same way to feed approach shots to the flag. So much fun.


Tom Doak, when you built that green at Te Arai North did you have Ballyneal in the back of your mind?

[Ira Fishman]

Ira -


I very much remember meeting you at Ballyneal. You were with your wife and I remember you mentioned the two of you loved the course because it was very playable for her. I believed you stayed on site for a day or two.


I love your comparison of Te Arai South to Pacific Dunes and Te Arai North to Bandon Trails. That's a pretty good way to think about it. One of the par 4's on the North (is it the 6th?) reminded me of Ballyneal's 7th, which is the short par 4 with the E green and large greenside embankment on the left. On the North, the embankment is to the right of the green and it can be used in the same way to feed approach shots to the flag. So much fun.


Tom Doak, when you built that green at Te Arai North did you have Ballyneal in the back of your mind?

Jim,


Very good memory. And thanks.


Ira

[Tom_Doak]

I know you would have. But you did plenty in introducing us to Peter Wood who did a fabulous job organizing our whole trip. We were fortunate enough to meet with Peter and Rory at The National.

Ira:


My post certainly wasn't aimed at you . . . it was aimed at whichever people here would have read your thread and wondered why I didn't help, and also at everyone else who wants to hit me up to play Tara Iti someday.  I can't help anyone, unless they bring me along! 

[Tom_Doak]

One of the par 4's on the North (is it the 6th?) reminded me of Ballyneal's 7th, which is the short par 4 with the E green and large greenside embankment on the left. On the North, the embankment is to the right of the green and it can be used in the same way to feed approach shots to the flag. So much fun.

Tom Doak, when you built that green at Te Arai North did you have Ballyneal in the back of your mind?

Hi Jim:


Long time, no see.


I think it is the 6th green on the North you're referring to, although I don't see how it plays much like the 7th at Ballyneal.  Originally, we were trying to settle the green into a nook between [exposed] dunes, but at some point it became clear that the big dune at the back was going to have to be grassed all the way up in order to make any sense . . . which was the same realization that inspired the E green at Ballyneal.  So, yes, I thought of that hole, but no, we weren't really trying to imitate it, it was more of a practical thing.


Note that was one of the last holes built so I have only seen and played it once, still in rough shape, two years ago this week.  Not sure when I will get back to see it at full speed.


P.S.  There are a bunch of greens on the North course where you can [and sometimes should] putt up a slope at the side of the green to avoid having to putt over a big contour IN the green.  You can blame those on me, but most of the big contours within the greens were shaped by Clyde or Angela, who are as hard to talk down from it now as Brian Schneider was at Ballyneal.