Wairakei International Golf Course

Wairakei International Golf Course

Originally built by the New Zealand government’s Tourist Hotel Corporation, the Wairakei International Golf Course is set midway between Auckland and Wellington, in the heart of the spectacular scenery of the Lake Taupo region. Built as a green fee facility, rather than club facility, the course, is open to all who spend their holidays in the neighbourhood of Lake Taupo.

Wairakei

Offically opened in 1970, the course lies on 450 acres of natural rolling countryside and was developed to meet the rigorous design standards required for world class championship competition. The difficult job of design was put in the hands of the late Commander John Harris, Michael Wolveridge and Peter Thomson. Commander Harris was England’s leading and most travelled golf course architect, whose family had been involved in the construction of Moor Park, Wentworth and Sunningdale. Wolveridge, an Englishman who appreciated the subtleties of golf course architecture, was enriched by a spell on the US professional tour. This pair was enhanced by the involvement of one of the world’s greatest ever playing professionals, Australian Peter Thomson, 5 times winner of the British Open plus many other tour events. With the aim of producing New Zealand’s first international recognised golf course, there is little doubt in any New Zealander’s mind that this trio exceeded all expectations.

The par-5 14th hole here at Wairakei is one of the longest and most challenging in New Zealand. At 548 metres, this hole would be a serious test of golf if it were a straight, wide open fairway with a large, friendly green. But it has a monstrous pine tree in the middle of the fairway that, like one of those giant trees in The Lord of the Rings, seems to come to life by forcing players to go right or left with their second shot. Once that is safely achieved, the third shot is to an elevated, kidney-shaped green protected in front by sand traps. Reaching this green in two is next to impossible and for many who take on The Rogue, as this exceptional hole is called, just reaching it in three is something. It's the number-one-rated stroke hole on the Wairakei International Golf Course.

Wairakei International opened more than 30 years ago but it took the rest of the world time to catch on. It wasn't until 1996 that Golf Digest rated it among the top 20 courses in the world outside of the US. The clubhouse includes a café and bar, but save that for after your round. Your first stop (after paying green fees at the pro shop) ought to be the new driving range.