Since first seeing the pictures of this course a few years
ago, I was sure it would have to get played if the opportunity arose, and
thankfully it did. This is one of the most spectacular settings for a course
you will ever see and the scenery is definitely on a par with the likes of
Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers, albeit more of an alpine experience. My tee time was around 8.30 but as is usual with the excitement that accompanies such trips I was there at 0730, half an hour before anyone working there bar the greenkeepers arrived. It was a crisp start to the day with very low lying cloud initially surrounding the 18th green and making it even more atmospheric than normal. The mountain range of the Remarkables the fascinating backdrop on one side of the course with lake Wakatipu on the other.
The half hour prior to starting at least allowed the camera to get a work out.. It would be busy for the next 4 hours. ( 18th green)
The opening hole is a
gentle but interesting introduction of what is to come, a gently turning par 4 with a generous fairway the rewards a draw. The second ( below) begins a stretch of 3 holes that all travel significantly up hill to the plateaux. The second is a strong mid length par 4 with accuracy the key from the tee to an uphill approach and a green guarded at the front.
The 3rd is the first of a strong collection of par 3s, This time uphill and about 180 yards off the back to a greatly undulating, split level green. The ragged bunkering a strong feature of the course.
The 4th if as another short/mid range par 4 up hill but aesthetically different from the second and is a strong hole, though the approach does bear resemblance to the second. None the less a good hole and offering many a photo opportunity. The greens on this day I have to say were very slick and I was impressed with the subtle contouring.
Below the par 4 4th before we reach the top of the hill.
The 5th is a lovely dogleg par 5 that exposes the
fantastic views but also offers a good, risk reward opportunity for being more
aggressive off the tee. The fairways are fairly generous but stray off them and you will be punished by very long grass. It's a short hole but the direct route to the green is uphill and semi blind over a very large waste bunker.. The large rock in the fairway is a marker from the tee that you don;t want to fall too far right of.
6 in my view is the first world class
hole, a short par 4 maybe 340 off the back. It again asks the question of how
aggressive you want to be off the tee, with the fairway narrowing considerably by a bunker that comes in from the right side. Not the hole to hook on either.
The par 3 seventh is visually stunning with its infinity
green perched high above the lake, though perhaps seeing and hearing about this
hole prior to playing it removed some of the wow factor that I was expecting. The nature of the hole, 140-150 yards but playing only really pitching wedge distance due to the height is fun although tried and tested. I understand you probably cant ignore the possibility of making this hole when the scenery around you is just begging for it! It actually falls to a flat looking green that turns out to be pretty nasty if you fall on the wrong side of the hole.
below, the signature 7th.
The 8th is strong par 5 with a tough second to an
elevated and blind green past some well positioned bunkers. The view below is looking back down the fairway about 100 yards short of a fine and undulating green.
and the 9th
is just a good, long and tough golf hole with bushes lining a fairly generous but not huge fairway. Even with a strong drive you are left with a long approach to an elevated and well protected green below.
The back 9 offers more in terms of strategic golf
with positioning being key off the tee on 10 and 12. The impressive par 3 11th
sandwiched between them. A very large but undulating green again protected on the short side by large bunkers and a tricky uphill pitch if you fall between them.
The impressive 11th above.
Looking back on the par 3s, I felt there was
a good variety and actually preferred the 3rd, 11th and 13th as oppose to the more glamorous 7th.
The 14th is a heavily bunkered par 5 reminiscent of those at Kinloch on the North Island ( never a bad thing) though my favourite
hole would certainly be the 15th with the wall along the left
acting as a fascinating hazard to avoid and again influences your tee shot with
bunkers right taking the overly cautious bail out. A lovely interpretation of
the cape style hole on this par 4 and one of my favourite par 4s, pictured below, it doesn't get much better if you can pull of a nice draw from the tee here.
The 16th is a ' long' par 4 that plays hugely downhill, with the ball seemingly staying in the air forever against the backdrop of the remarkables. It has a double fairway but maybe not the most strategic of holes due to the huge distance that is possible off the tee..
below, the 16th green from close to the 3rd tee.
The 17th is another downhill hole with bilateral bunkering at driving distance but a second shot that lacks maybe a bunker of two to deal with prior to getting to the green..
The 18th, a little reminiscent of Kinloch with
its lake down the left side is an incredibly tough par 4 off the backs and deserving of
its number 1 rating. I enjoyed it although it maybe isn’t too in keeping with
the rest of the course. It’s the sort of heroic finishing hole that more modern
‘championship’ venues seem to favour these days. Here is the green and its misty surrounds from the morning..
So overall the course is very strong and I’m sure it’s a
must play if you are anywhere near Queenstown, probably the south island for
that matter.. It reminded me a lot of Jack Nicklaus’s Kinloch on the North
Island with its rugged bunkering and the style of some of the holes. Overall it certainly is a world class course a deserves to finds its place in the top 100.
I find there isn't much between the top NZ courses I have played thus far, they are all great. I reckon in terms of the course and forgetting all else then Kinloch shades it for me with Kauri cliffs, Cape kidnappers and Jacks point in that order. though I'll probably change my mind tomorrow.
