Arrowtown Golf Course
New Zealand has a population of just over 5.2 million people and there are considerably more than 400 courses in this most delightful of countries. This means that per head of population, New Zealand is the best served country in the world for golf courses. Not all of the courses are the same in terms of their quality and facilities, but all offer a warm welcome and stunning scenery.
Last month we had a look at Kauri Cliffs Golf Course in North Island, New Zealand and, although there is a huge difference in the two venues, and despite its humble beginnings, the Arrowtown Golf Club has established a first-class course that is widely regarded as one of the finest country courses in New Zealand.
Arrowtown Golf Club was founded in 1911 and started life as a six hole course, constructed just beyond the Arrowtown Borough boundary, 20 minutes drive from Queenstown, in the most beautiful of settings on the south island in New Zealand.
The course’s development was a laborious process, carried out with rakes, wheelbarrows, and hand mowers, with its maintenance ultimately falling to the members, who demonstrated great enthusiasm with it being commonplace to witness a member mowing the greens using a hand mower. While this club was later disbanded, a new club was formed in 1935, consisting of 12 individuals who procured 90 acres of land along the Arrowtown-Arrow Junction Road.
The resultant nine-hole course opened in 1936 and is now recognised as one of the most picturesque in the country, featuring elevated terrain interlaced with trees, surrounded by mountains. In 1946, the club sought affiliation with the New Zealand Golf Association, and this was granted the following year in 1947.
The original clubhouse, an outbuilding belonging to the Anglican Church, was acquired by the Arrowtown Golf Club at the nominal cost of £15.00. To this day, it is a very welcoming clubhouse with no pretence, just a welcoming atmosphere that is equally comfortable for its broad membership and visiting golfers.
In 1971, the club bought and developed 53 acres of leasehold land located across the road from the nine-hole course. This was integrated into the existing course, creating a remarkable 18-hole course that stands out in terms of quality. The course’s design was guided by Mr B.V. Wright, who, alongside Mr Reg Romans, was responsible for creating the original nine holes. Mr Romans, the club’s secretary at the time, went overseas with the 23rd Battalion of the 2nd NZEF and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Originally, the Arrowtown Golf Club purchased water for its course from the Ministry of Works Irrigation. However, they now obtain it from a creek flowing down from Crown Terrace, which is then gravity-fed to the course. The course has undergone significant developments in recent years, including a complete irrigation project for fairways and greens in 2001, which has greatly improved the playing experience. Additionally, the clubhouse was upgraded at that time, and now offers breathtaking views of the front nine and the surrounding mountains.
Currently, the club is constructing new tees and renovating existing ones to enhance and strengthen the course even further. They are also planning to develop new greens in the near future and are working on an overall course plan to support future course developments. The acquisition of new machinery in recent years has been crucial in establishing the course as a top-notch golfing experience.
Nopera Golf Course, Marlborough Sound
Nopera Bay Golf Club is run entirely by volunteers who care deeply about maintaining the course to a high standard and continue ongoing development. It boasts modern equipment and a comprehensive irrigation scheme to enable good playing conditions year round despite a high rainfall climate interspersed with hot dry summers. The Marlborough Sounds comprise twenty percent of the coastline of New Zealand, but Nopera in the Kenepuru Sound has the only golf course in the region.
This charming nine hole course offers entry-level golf and good,but basic conditioning to visiting golfers and local residents. Club hire and green fees for a visiting couple are around £12 each and the club Labrador welcomes all visitors with a friendly wag of it‘s tail.
If you want to play casual golf in an informal setting, then it is hard to beat Nopera as a scenic venue.