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— Explore New Zealand 18 Holes at a Time —

Wairakei International Golf Course
          near Taupo, North Island, New Zealand
            Highly-ranked resort golf for international guests

        We have an affinity for "natural" golf courses—courses that seem to attach themselves to an existing topography without requiring bulldozers to do a lot of rearranging.
        Few courses can be so pristine, so protected, and still so interesting as Arikikapakapa in the middle of Rotorua, New Zealand’s geo-thermal park.
        In sharp contrast, just down the New Zealand’s Highway 1 about 50 minutes from Arikikapakapa is another thermal zone golf course that takes advantage of a very natural setting, yet offers all the amenities to attract country club golfers from around the world. And, with the opening of Wairakei International Golf Club in 1970, New Zealand had its first entry in the listing of top-class worldwide resort courses. In 2005, Wairakei International was ranked #56 on Golf Magazine's top 100 of golf courses outside the United States.
Course photos: www.wairakeigolfcourse.co.nz

Length & Par: 
    Championship Blue Tees:   Par 72, 6429 meters (7031 yards)
    White Tees:                        Par 72, 5801 meters (6344 yards)
    Ladies Red Tees:               Par 68, 5084 meters (5560 yards)

Greens Fees (per round, daily):
        Registered Club Members: NZ$100 (approx. US$50)
        Non-Club Members: NZ$200 (approx. US$100)

Open and Playable Year Round

Minimum Handicap: None

TEE-TIMES: advance booking of tee-times required.
    Visitors welcome always.
    Proof of club membership may be requested.

Facilities & Rentals:
        Golf Carts: NZ$40 (about US$20)
        Pull Carts (trundlers): NZ$6 (about US$3)
        Club Rental: NZ$27-$50 (about US$13-25) (includes trundler)
        Shoe Rental: NZ$10 (about US$5)
        Driving Range
        Changing rooms for men and women
        Club Pro Shop
        Practice area and putting green
        Bar and restaurant
        Caddies: NO

LOCATION: About 40 miles south of Rotorua and about 5 miles north of Taupo, in the approximate center of the North Island of New Zealand.

Address:  Wairakei International Golf Course
                State Highway One, PO Box 377
                Taupo 2730
                New Zealand

Bookings (from the USA):   TEL:  011 64 (0)7 374 8152
                                       or FAX: 011 64 (0)7 374 8289
    OR have Home at First book a tee-time for you as part of your
    independent New Zealand travel itinerary—it’s FREE!

Nearest HOME AT FIRST lodgings:
    Near Taupo, 15 minutes drive south of the course.
    Near Rotorua, 1 hour's drive north of the course.
More information about HOME AT FIRST's Rotorua/Taupo destinations and lodging: ROTORUA/TAUPO

OTHER GOLF IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA: Approximately 20 other courses are located in the Rotorua/Taupo region.

HISTORY OF WAIRAKEI INTERNATIONAL GOLF COURSE:
        Although golf followed European colonization to New Zealand very closely, being well-established by the first decade of the 20^th century, international interest in New Zealand took root only with the 1970 opening of Wairakei International, the country’s first course designed to lure tourist golfers. The concept and design of the course was both ambitious and forward-looking. The consortium that did the original planning for Wairakei International conceived it as an expanding resort project with a challenging golf at its center.
        Initially, despite its design by English golf course architect Commander John Harris, Wairakei was not especially successful. Its location away from any of New Zealand’s major tourist arrival centers—Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch—plus its initial modest clubhouse, pro shop, and practice facilities, limited its appeal to New Zealand visitors. In the years since, new ownership with considerable new investment, plus a course upgrade designed by 5-times British Open champion Peter Thomson, has resulted in facility that ranks with resort courses around the world. More importantly, in recent years the Rotorua/Taupo region has become a desirable, internationally recognized tourist destination, especially for outdoorsmen. Only adding to Wairakei’s appeal is its close proximity to the high-end, fishing-oriented tourist resort, Huka Lodge, virtually across the road from Wairakei.

                PETER THOMSON

THE COURSE AND SOME NOTABLE HOLES:
        Wairakei International is a handsome parkland course set among rolling, tree-lined hills on the uplands central plateau of New Zealand’s North Island. Streams and ponds and generous bunkering combine with the hills and trees to make this course play long and demand accuracy. The course is manicured and kept lush, even during times of summer drought that can parch other courses in the region. Its white, curbed, concrete cart paths provide a distinctive border accenting to many holes.
        Despite its length, Wairakei is best known for its four par-3’s. Hole number two is an early test—235 yards (143 yards from the whites) across a gully to a two-tiered green protected by bunkers on three sides and trees to the back. Par here is good. However, the top-handicap holes on the course are long ones. The elevated tee of the 6^th hole overlooks a long (475 yards from the blues) open fairway in the midst of impressive scenery. A long second shot to the green will need to be very precise to avoid any of the six guardian bunkers at the green. Shorter hitters may play short in order to drop a wedge on the green and go for a one-putt par here. Even more daunting, the 600-yard-long (from the blues), par-5 14^th hole requires three carefully places long shots just to get on to its elevated, two-tiered green.
        Wairakei is a course with three tee lengths appropriately challenging for most regular golfers and a resort that will appeal to most country club members at a price they will find comfortable. It is not New Zealand’s most challenging course, its most elaborate resort course, its prettiest course, or its easiest to get to. It is, however, an important course. Wairakei was the prototype for international resort golf in New Zealand, and grew with a growing resort region. In its footsteps have grown other resort courses, like Millbrook near Queenstown on the South Island and Kauri Cliffs in the far north of the North Island. Its success, and the success of its followers, insures that resort golf will be a visible part of the development of New Zealand as a world tourism destination.

THE REGION:
       The geo-thermal region surrounding Wairakei Golf Course, extends from the geyser lands of Rotorua (one hour north) to the volcanoes an hour south of Lake Taupo. Immediately in the Wairakei area are the attractions of Huka Falls, the engineering curiosities of New Zealand’s geo-thermal power plants, and, especially, Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake and a superb location for water-based recreation. Sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, and fishing are primary activities here. Lake Taupo has earned a reputation as one of the world’s great fresh-water fisheries, known especially for record trout and fishing contests that draw entries from around the world.                             Photo © HOME AT FIRST
        The region is also home to a large Maori (native New Zealander) population, who understand the economic wisdom of inviting tourists to become familiar with their traditional South Pacific culture.

Read more about HOME AT FIRST's independent fly/drive
travel program to New Zealand's ROTORUA/TAUPO region.

Want to learn about other courses throughout New Zealand including
some of the greatest tests of golf in the Southern Hemisphere?
See our NEW ZEALAND COURSE GUIDE for more information.