Rotorua Golf Club is one of the oldest golf courses in the country. First established in 1906 the current location of
the club was settled on in 1912. In January, 1927 the club was visited by Alister Mackenzie after arriving in New Zealand via ship from Australia. Although records are scattered, he did meet with fellow golf architect Charles Redhead at that time and wrote that he played "in a foursome over the best course in
New Zealand, and at the end of the round we had lost between us 14 balls." To which course Mackenize was referring to in his statement is unknown, however he was in the Rotorua area and confirmed that he advised Redhead on the placement of a few bunkers and trees for the course.
Whether in the area to fly fish or searching for a bit of New Zealand golf history, Rotorua GC provides a golfing experience that can not be had anywhere else. Gurgling mud pools and steaming thermal vents line parts of the course and make playing a round here like doing so in the Jurassic-era. The area is well-known for being a historic location for sulfuric activity and relaxing mud
spa's. Rest assured however that while playing the course is not nearly as... effervescent?... potent?... odorous? ...as other
parts of the town.
If you are not accurate this course will eat golf balls... as it perhaps did to Sir Alister so many years ago. For slightly easier play and a round with the locals, try next door's nine-hole "Thermal Course."
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Info Play and Signature Holes
3rd: Players
should take care to pay attention of their tee shot- as over-cooking it will put the ball into a creek that runs from side-to-side and prior to the raised green. Advice: take an iron off of the tee and leave a full wedge to the elevated pin. Other notable holes include 14, 15, and 16 which are played
around a lake. When instructed in the clubhouse to secure an extra
ball or two, these holes are the reason why
14th,15th, 16th: These three holes all play around the thermal pool, with the par-3 14th easily swallowing golfballs.
"They have a course in Rotorua, in the middle of the volcanic region, where the turf is as good as on any golf course. Its excellence seems to indicate that an excess of sulphur is favourable to the development of the finest of the dwarf golfing grasses.
The founder of the club was a cockney, and in addressing the preliminary meeting, said, 'We will 'ave the only course in the world that 'as 'ot 'oles, for 'azards.' The course is indeed full of'ot 'ales where balls frizzle up and explode. At intervals there were geysers spouting 100 feet or more, natives cooking and doing their washing in the adjoining hot springs, sulphur fumes everywhere, and many places where a stick is charred if it is pushed through the turf." - Alister Mackenzie
