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Wairakei Golf Course has a spacious valley-parkland layout. The course
has elevation changes of about twenty meters and strong winds that blow
through a forest that is surrounded by several low-lying mountains. 108
strategically placed bunkers will force players to play this hole with
precision and accuracy. Playing during the autumn period can be an enjoyable
seasonal experience, as the scenic view of autumn leaves in the forest
can be truly beautiful.
Scorecard |
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The second hole is a par three that is both long and downhill. The green
is double-tiered and slopes from back to front. Bunkers are placed on the
both sides of the green. Players should be especially aware of the left
bunker, as it is very deep and difficult to get the ball out of. it is deep. |
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| The landing area on the tee shot is quite tight at this hole.
There are bunkers between 220 and 270 yards both on the left and right sides
that squeeze the tee shot. A bunker in middle of the fairway at about 100
yards in front of the green may obstruct a player’s second shot. This will
mean that players will need to make a decision whether to hit short or wide
in order to avoid this bunker. The green is elevated and is surrounded by
a strategically placed bunker on its left. |
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| The sixth hole is a scenic hole that consists of a dogleg
that bends to the left. The tee shot is a tremendously downhill shot. A
carry of 250 yards is needed in order to either clear the left fairway bunker
or to reach the open downhill fairway that spreads out next to the bunker.
The green is steeply elevated and has a well-posited bunker placed in the
front. |
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The eighth hole is a neat hole that consists of a sharp dogleg that bends
to the right. Players should be aware of a lake that comes into play on
the right side off the tee. The second shot is an over-the-water shot that
will require the ball to land on a double-tired green. |
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The wide green at this hole is elevated and sets into the side of a hill.
Anything short of the green will feed the ball into one of the three bunkers
that guard the front side of the green. |
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| A very short and tight par four that has a rightward facing
dogleg bend. An accurate tee shot is required due to the combination of
a narrow fairway and a body of water on the right side. There is a creek
that crosses the hole at about 240 yards off the tee. Long hitters will
be tempted to hit their ball beyond the creek. However, a carry of anywhere
between 240 and 260 yards will be needed in order to surpass the creek.
Furthermore, any errant shots will have the ball end up in ether a water
hazard, a tree, or a bunker on either side of the hole. Nevertheless, if
players manage to find their risky but long drive successful, the ball will
become very close to the green, giving a much higher chance of a birdie.
The green is shallow, slightly elevated, and is split into an upper right
and lower right section. |
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| The thirteenth hole is a straight, yet challenging hole. Though
the fairway is generous off the tee, players should beware of the bunkers
on both the left and right sides. A large pine tree on the left side protects
the green. This will probably require an approach shot to be hit from the
right to left side. The green is deep and thin and is surrounded by bunkers
on both sides. |
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| A par five signature hole that consists of a dogleg that bends
towards the right. A long and accurate tee shot is required in order to
land the ball past the tree lines and onto the relatively narrow fairway.
Players, especially long hitters, should be aware of the fairway bunkers
that are placed both the left and right sides. A tall pine tree hinders
the second shot, forcing players to make a decision to either hit the ball
towards the left or the right side of the tree with either a fade, draw,
or straight ball. The third shot is a slightly uphill shot that requires
the ball to avoid the two deep bunkers that are strategically placed in
front of the split kidney shaped green. |
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The fifteenth hole is a beautiful par three with superb backdrop of a field
of autumn leaves. Three bunkers and a drop-off in the front protect the
wide green. |
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| The last hole is a par five with a slight dogleg that bends
to the right. The tee shot is a downhill shot that consists of three bunkers
that are waiting to catch an errant drive. Players should beware of the
body of water on the left and a bunker in the middle of the hole on the
second shot. The deep green slopes from back to front and is surrounded
by bunkers on both the left and right sides. |
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In order to get to the Wairakei Golf Course, it is a three and a half
hour drive from Auckland, a ten-minute drive from Taupo, and a twenty-minutes
drive from Taupo Airport. There is a Wairakei Resort Hotel right next
to the golf club. Since the distances are measured in meters, I have converted
them into yards for this review.
The Top 100 Golf Courses of the World (top100golfcourses.co.uk) ranks
Wairakei Golf Club as the 8th best course in New Zealand in 2016. It was
ranked 1st in the top 25 courses in New Zealand by a panel of NZPGA Professionals
and Golf Travel operators. There are 400 golf courses in New Zealand.
The other Peter Thomson, Michael Wolveridge designed course are Christchurch
GC in New Zealand, and are Moonah
Links, Hope
Island GC, Alice Springs GC,Twin Waters GC, Camden
Lakeside GC and Sea Temple G&CC Riverside Oaks GC, CC Tasmania,
etc.
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2nd Par 3 235 yards