Golf course tour of Waahi Taakaro

Take our bird’s eye tour of the course to see what you should be playing and then grab some friends and take up the challenge! Here's how to play our course hole by hole.


No 1

Par 5 - Yellow 401m, white 468m, blue 486m

Hit it straight and you should be sweet for a par start, but spray it and you will either be wet or in the trees. There is also a ridge running along the left side of the fairway which can kick your drive into the rough or river. Further down there are trees on the left and rough on the right which can be awkward to escape and over the back of the green is difficult to get up and down from.

 


No 2

Par 3 - Yellow 136m, white 141m, blue 146m

If you’ve had a rough start, here’s some relief - a straightforward hole with a green that slopes gently from back to front. Don’t go long or left, as the thick rough will swallow wayward shots.


No 3

Par 4 - Yellow 360m, white 395m, blue 410m

One of the toughest holes on the course - and in the region - with an undulating fairway which is guarded by trees left and right for the first 250m before curving to the left. It requires a long drive down the right side of the fairway to get a clear view of the green. Go too far left and there is big trouble with trees, gnarly rough and out of bounds. Stray right and you face punching it out of the timber. Your difficulties don’t stop there as the green is a difficult one to hit as it falls away on three sides and there isn’t much room from front to back. Par is something to celebrate.


No 4

Par 4 - Yellow 268m, white 274m, blues 329m

This plays much longer than it measures because it is sharply uphill most of the way. Again there are trees and out of bounds left and more trees right if you are not straight off the tee. If your drive doesn’t carry the hill be prepared to watch it trickle all the way down.  Once you’ve stopped puffing from the climb up Coronary Hill, be precise with your approach shot to a green that slopes severely from back to front and falls away into fluffy rough on the left. Putting from the back of the green can be a nightmare to judge. There’s a toilet behind the green if you need relief.


No 5

Par 3 - Yellow 167m, white 175m, blue 179m

Take a moment to catch your breath and admire the lovely view down the valley before tackling this often tricky hole that slopes sharply from left to right. The big gums to the left catch a lot of stray tee shots, while the tall tree on the right is a distraction and difficult to hit over. Leave yourself above or below the green and you will have your work cut out to make par.


No 6

Par 4 - Yellow 345m, white 348m, blue 363m

Another splendidly scenic hole that sweeps downhill and to the left but beware danger lurks. Drive it left over the poplars and you’re out of bounds, while a bunker and more trees are ready to penalise any shots to the right. Even if you hit a good drive, for most it is still a long second into a small green surrounded by juicy rough and trees.


No 7

Par 4 - Yellow 262m, white 267m, blue 274m

A short par 4 but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a doddle as many golfers have walked away shaking their heads. You can’t see the green from the elevated tee as the fairway bends to the left. But there’s plenty to penalise a poor drive, including a creek running across the fairway, trees and out of bounds to the left and more trees and bushes to the right. If it doubt, take a shorter club off the tee to lay up. The approach requires care to avoid the bunker in front of a green that falls away sharply to the right. Take your time putting as the green can be difficult to read, sloping from left to right.


No 8

Par 4 - Yellow 302m, white 309m, blue 350m

An invitingly wide fairway to a hole that curves to the right but look out if you don’t hit the short grass. Anything left and you risk ending in a creek or the river, while right – you guessed it – is rough and trees aplenty. There is also a creek to cross about 70m out from a green which falls away to the right. Another toilet is located to the right of the green for those caught short.


No 9

Par 5 - Yellow 415m, white 421m, blues 458m

This is one of our signature holes across the Maitai River and a test of your course management skills. It is aptly named Faux Pas and has ruined many a good round because it requires a precise drive to skirt a grove of trees on the right, particularly when playing off the blue tees. However, hit it left and you risk losing a shot in the river or going into more trees. Even with a straight drive all but the longest hitters will opt to lay-up before the river, although this too requires an accurate shot to a narrowing fairway guarded by trees on either side.  You are then faced with a short iron over the water to a large two-tiered green surrounded by thick rough and out of bounds left, right and over the back. The number of balls you can see in the river as you cross over to the green is testimony that a par five doesn't have to be long to be tough.

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No 10

Par 5 - Yellow 428m, white 453m, blue 465m

This can be an  intimidating tee shot across the river to an angled fairway, as there are often people watching from the practice green or enjoying a cold one from the clubroom balcony. Go too far left and you’re in the water hazard, while long and right will leave you in the trees and having to punch out for your next shot. A safe drive puts you in a good position to make par if you can keep it out of the trees further down on the left with your second shot. More trees beckon if you go long over the green.


No 11

Par 3 - Yellow 109m, white 119m, blues 155m

Rated the easiest hole on the course off the front tees so here’s your chance to shine, but a different proposition from the back marker where you tee off through a narrow gap in the trees.


No 12

Par 5 - Yellow 402m, white 476m, blue 508m

The drive will get your attention as trees left and right will swallow up any misses and there is also out of bounds further left. The elevated view from the blue tee through a narrow shute gives the hole a different perspective. If you can keep your first two shots on the short stuff and away from the trees to the right where the fairway doglegs then par beckons, although the shallow green is hard to hold unless coming in from a height.

 


No 13

Par 4 - Yellow 268m, white 322m, blue 339

It’s your second climb up Coronary Hill so take your time to enjoy the view. It’s a bit of a beast from the back tees so expect to be playing a blind second shot with either an uphill or side hill lie to the trickiest putting surface on the course. If you can’t see the green, aim for the power pole on the hill behind it. The best place to miss the green is at the front where you are left with an easier chip up the slope. Go long and you’re dead and risk three-putting if the pin is at the front.
 


No 14

Par 3 - Yellow 148m, white 133m, blue 154m

Here’s another chance to grab par or better. A gentle mid to short iron should get you there, but aim slightly left to allow the ball to come down off the slope and nestle next to the pin. Hit it right and you’re faced with a tough up and down out of lush rough. The pace of the green can be difficult to get correct as it slides quite steeply from left to right.


No 15

Par 4 - Yellow 358m, white 367m, blue 379m

It’s all downhill from here so pause to admire the peaceful setting before striking your drive into the distance. Try to forget about the out of bounds left and the trees right. The bunker may be a nuisance but it’s shallow and easy to get out of. It’s okay to leave your second short of the green as the chip is a straightforward one to a flat green.


No 16

Par 4 - Yellow 263m, white 273m, blue 278m

Hopefully you got the hang of this hole the first time around and are ready to own it. This time you tee off from an easier position so there is no need to hit a driver that could get you into trouble. Take a club that leaves you with a short to mid iron to the flag and stay away from the right side of the green and that steep bank that will leave you cursing if your ball ends up down there.

 


No 17

Par 4 - Yellow 268m, white 274m, blue 314m

Here’s another good chance for a par. You don’t have to hit it long, just straight, leaving an iron into a green that slopes gently from back to front. But stray and you’ll wish you included your waders or chainsaw in your bag. In the unlikely event that your tee shot hits the overhead power lines, you must replay it without penalty.


No 18

Par 4 - Yellow 326m, while 337m, blue 349m

This is a tough finishing hole that has stained many a scorecard. The big hitters may be tempted to try to launch one over the tall trees on the right to shorten the hole which doglegs sharply to the right at about the 170m mark, but beware out of bounds is just beyond the trees bordering No 6 green. For most it is a smooth driver or three wood down the fairway to hopefully set up a clear shot at the green. Trees will block you out if you are too long or too short. Even with a good drive, you are faced with a long second into a green guarded by bunkers left and right. There is also the added danger of the river left and thick rough long and right. A par is a very good effort. Whatever you scored, don’t forget to celebrate your brilliance or plan your revenge with your mates in the clubrooms afterwards.