Wainui Golf Club

NZGR Review

Wainui Golf Club

Tier 2-Championship Club Course
Date reviewed: July 2018 55 tees (Standard tees-5500m)

Established: 2016

Location: 35 Windmill Drive, Wainui, Auckland 0992
Web: www.wainui.online
Contact: Ph 64 9 444 3437
Contact: Head Professional-Mike Duncumb
Pro Shop: Yes
Course Type: 18 Hole-Championship, Parkland (Puddicombe Golf)
Turf: Greens-Arrowtown Browntop Bent; Tees & Fairway: Troy, Egmont, Sefton Browntop Bent; Semi Rough & Rough: Govenors fescue, creeping red, sheeps
Practice Fairway:Yes
Green Fees: NZ Resident $59, International $155
Food/Bar: Full licensed clubhouse and bar
Coffee Rating: 4 stars
Friendliness Rating: 3 stars
Accessibility: 3 stars
Dress code: Golf attire
Rating: PAR 72, 65 Tee (6485m) NZCR 75.7 Slope 137/59 Tee (5921m) NZCR 72.5 Slope 128/55-Standard Tee (5519m) NZCR 70.0 Slope 127/50 Tee (5009m) NZCR 67.30 Slope 117.

Introduction
In the past few years there has been a lot of changes happening to golf courses in the greater Auckland region, as land prices soar and changes in land tenure put the squeeze on large open spaces of prime land. Golf courses sit squarely in the cross hairs of this tussle and there has been a number of casualties (Aviation, Chamberlain Park, The Grange, Papakura...). Of note is the recent course developments north of Auckland and in south Auckland, namely Wainui Golf Club and Windross Farm. Wainui being the former Peninsula Golf Club and Windross Farm formerly the Manukau Golf Club. These two golf courses are like chalk and cheese in terms of layout and style, but as mentioned, they share a common story, having sold up their courses for development and built new architecturally designed courses nearby.

Wainui Golf Club is located in Silverdale, approximately 25 minutes north of downtown Auckland, just south of Orewa and inland from the clubs former home on the Whangaparoa Peninsula. The course was designed by Puddicombe Golf, who also designed The Lakes Pauanui and The Remuera Golf Club. Even though the course is well north of Auckland City, access via the northern motorway is easy.

The first thing that you notice when you arrive at Wainui is the sprawling fairways and the large clubhouse which sits overlooking much of the course. The clubhouse is reminiscent of the type you find at Japanese golf courses, with a big turnaround area in front of of the clubhouse and extensive car parks. One almost expects staff to come out and valet park your car.
The course is well spread out over open, rolling countryside and covers a large area. Most holes have few, if any, trees and much of the course is dominated by strategically placed bunkers, undulating greens and tightly laid out fairways. There is a strong emphasis on precision tee shots.

...as land prices soar and changes in land tenure put the squeeze on large open spaces of prime land. Golf courses sit squarely in the cross hairs of this tussle...

Before embarking on your round you need to decide which tees to play from. The course has a non-gendered, numerical system for the tee sets (45/50/55/59/65). The numbers refer directly to the distance (55 tees = 5500m, 65 tees = 6500m). Once you have done this you can head to the driving range, which is adjacent to the first tee, and get ready for your round.

Front Nine
The first hole (par 4, 335m, stroke 10/NZGR 11) is a good introduction to the course and an opportunity to gain confidence ahead of more testing tee shots. From the tee the fairway heads downhill and then flattens off at a landing area that narrows just short of a well placed bunker on the fight hand side of the fairway, around 210m. The tee shot from the 55 tees lines up well to the left hand side of the fairway, which is lined with mature pines, so the ideal tee shot is down the centre or towards the right hand side of the fairway. From the fairway it is a reasonably straightforward approach shot to a green that is wide but not deep, so you need to be dialed in for your distance. Anything short and right will find the front right bunkers. The green is not complicated, so potentially a good birdie hole if you can find the fairway.

Just on the other side of the trees sits the 2nd tee (par 4, 270m, stroke 11/NZGR 7). For the first time player this hole presents a myriad of problems, so you need to consult your course book, or take a walk down past the tees to scope out the hole layout more thoroughly. From the slightly elevated tee you can only see part of this dog-leg left, but you cannot see down into the middle and lowest part of the fairway which narrows considerably and is beset on both sides by hazards from which there is no hope of finding your ball. Your play from the tee fall into two options, hit a mid to high iron to the first part of the fairway (about 150m), or go long and past the hazards up to the right. A third option would be to just give it a decent nudge with the big stick and hope to get up near the green, but second hole in you may want to err on the side of caution. Even if you go for option number one, you still need to be accurate, as the fairway is only about 20m wide. Assuming you make the fairway, your second will be 120m or less to a reasonably straightforward green that slopes from left to right. Get the tee shot right and birdie is a good chance. Get it wrong and double bogey will be a certainty.

The first par three on the course (157m, stroke 16/NZGR 17) is probably the least complicated hole on the course, in that it has no bunkers and carries slightly downhill to a large green. The green is about 30m deep and there is a false front of sorts, so careful club selection is key here. Anything really long could be trouble, but generally speaking you will be very disappointed if you do not make par at the least.

The fourth (par 5, 453m, stroke 2/NZGR 4), is the first par 5 on the course and may be the first time you consider taking your driver out of the bag-the fairway is highly visible from the clubhouse which makes it a real signature hole. This hole is a complex par five which is configured as a dog-leg left and uphill, so the first hurdle is to get your tee shot in play. To do this you need to avoid a large bunker which juts right out into the fairway from the left hand side at around 200m. To carry the bunker you need to comfortably hit your drive, slightly uphill, 220m plus. If this is not an option you can lay up short, or head out to the right where the fairway juts out, but this will add distance to your next shot. Your second shot on this hole is complicated by a series of bunkers that start from about 80m out from the green, as well as the heavily contoured edges of the fairway, which is only 15m wide in places. There are bunkers are on both side of the narrow fairway, so you really need to pay attention to the distance. If you clear the initial bunker from the tee you may want to go for the green in two, where long is better than short and there is a nice grass swale backstop behind the green which affords a relatively easy up and down. The green is the least of your worries on this hole, as it is not complicated. The main thing to focus on is a clear strategy with attention to your landing zones.

The 5th hole (par 4, 332m, stroke 4/NZGR 10) is a reasonably uncomplicated, straight hole, which, as long as you stick to the script should be a straightforward par or better. The script being hit less than driver down to the middle of the fairway, short of the fairway bunker which sits on the left hand edge of the fairway (around 215m from the tee). Compared to the previous hole, this fairway is rather generous (35m wide) and from there you should only have a mid or higher iron into the green. You can opt to drive past the bunker, but there is a swale on the right hand side which tends to funnel balls away, so what you may think is a great drive may end up off the fairway. The green is wide and not deep, but it has a natural backstop, so you can really go for it on the approach. This is important, as anything short may end up on the false front. Once aboard the green does not present too many difficulties.

A short walk away is the 6th tee (par 5, 425m, stroke 18/NZGR 15). This straight par 5 shares similar traits to the 4th hole, in that the hole is designed to encourage you to carry the gully and find the immediate landing area (up to 220m). There is a well placed bunker at around 180m on the right of the fairway, so any shortish fade will be in the sand, so if you want to take it further you will need to play a confident tee shot to carry the bunkers which guard each side of the narrowing fairway and over a ridge.  If you find yourself in the first part of the fairway, then you are in the best position to lay up to a prime spot where you should have a wedge in your hand for your approach. The green is really undulating and there are swales all around, so pay careful attention to the pin placement and the best bailout area. The green slopes from front to back and away to the left, so you may have an awkward two putt depending on the pin placement.

The 7th (par 4, 320m, stroke6/NZGR 5) is the first of two holes on the course that have a forced layup, followed by a 90 degree turn and carry over a hazard to get to the green. From the tee your first job is to select the best club to put yourself in position on the fairway and this will be less than driver, as the fairway runs out at about 200m. The fairway is plenty wide (around 45m) so getting in position should not be difficult. However, anything left will run down a slope into long grass and make your second very tough. There is space on the right, but this will make your second shot much longer. There is another small, quirky, area of fairway just a bit further up to the left, but to get there requires negotiating a downhill slope and flirting with the hazard, so best avoided.
The second shot is the tough part of the equation. The elevated green is large with multiple tiers, so you need to pay careful attention to the pin placement and hence, your distance. There are two well placed bunkers front left, so you need to carry those as well. As mentioned, the green is really undulating so a tricky two putt depending on where you end up.

The 8th hole (par 3, 130m, stroke 14/NZGR 16) brings water into play for the first time in the round, as this and the next hole skirt the small lake. This all or nothing par three requires a well hit tee shot to carry the water and front bunker. The green sits at an angle to the tee, so sets up wide rather than deep, meaning your landing area may only be 15-18m long. Anything short is obviously going to be wet or in the bunker and anything long will head down the slope over the back. The bailout area is on the right and probably the easiest up and down opportunity on the course as the green is pretty flat.

The final hole on the front nine (par 4, 315m, stroke 8/NZGR 6) is a tricky dog-leg right that requires a clear strategy and precision shots. From the tee you look at the fairway and all you can see is a series of bunkers jutting well out from the right hand side and the lake on the left, leaving a narrow fairway to land on. To be fair, the contouring of the fairway sets up landing areas, before and between the bunkers, but generally speaking this is a tight fairway. Once in position you turn up towards the green and may have anything from a mid-iron to a wedge in your hand, depending on how far down the fairway you ended up. The green, which is linked to the 18th green, is large and has a lot of slope and undulations. If you are above the hole the speed can make it difficult to make par, so take note of the pin placement.

The front nine on this course throws a lot at you. with everything from tricky dog-legs and compulsory lay-ups to water carries and complex bunker negotiations. By the end of the nine you may well have used most of the clubs in your bag, but you have no time to take it easy, as more of the same is waiting for you on the back nine.

Back Nine
The 10th (par 4, 327m, stroke 11/NZGR 14) is a short walk away from both the previous green and the clubhouse. Whereas the end of the front nine takes you uphill to the clubhouse, the 10th takes you straight back downhill and out in the opposite direction. The strategy here is pretty straightforward, aim for the power pole in the distance with less than driver to put yourself in a position to attack the green with a high iron or wedge. The fairway slopes away to the left as it heads downhill, but you cannot go right, as you will find deep rough and a tough angle into the green. The green has a bunker at the front and at the back, but otherwise is pretty easy work, despite the ridge that splits the green in two.

The 11th (par 3, 105m, stroke 17/NZGR 18) is the first par three on the course and by our rating the easiest hole on the course. From an elevated tee and at 105m, the distance will never trouble you, but there are three bunkers you need to contend with (front right, left and back) and a ridge down the middle of the green. Choose you club wisely and par should be a formality.

From the easiest par three to the number one stroke hole, the 12th (par 4, 363m, stroke 1/NZGR 2) is another dog-leg hole with a forced layup. This hole is a slightly longer, mirror image of the 7th hole, and requires a solid, accurate tee shot to set up the approach shot over the gully to the green. The tee shot should be less than driver, as you do not want to go much past about 200/220m. Right hand side of the fairway is best, as it will lessen the distance to the green, but don't get too greedy, as anything in the gully will be an immediate reload. Once in the fairway, you will be looking at an approach of 120-130m from an elevated position across the gully to the sloping two-tier green. The green is not difficult, but the slope and tier can lay doubt in your mind on the approach, so commit to the shot and keep it solid. There is two bunkers short of the green on the left, but this is not a problem unless something diabolical happens. All up, a cool golf hole that requires two of your best shots to get in position to make par.

If you made par on the previous hole, then this should stand you in good stead to deal with the next few holes, as things are about to get tight. The 13th (par 5, 442m, stroke 5/NZGR 3) is an awkward par 5, that effectively has a forced layup off the tee. From the tee box you can only see a small part of the fairway, as the hole turns right from about 200m and the fairway narrows dramatically to about 16m wide. On the right is a bank with deep rough and on the left is a sharp drop off and then hazard. A tee shot of less than driver is required to get you in the best position to move forward. No room for macho tee shots here, as anything less than precision will be punished severely. Once on the fairway the view and outlook does not improve much, as you will need to layup with a mid-iron to the next narrow landing area, which is preferably over a small ridge. If in doubt go for a walk up the fairway to get the lay of the land. If you can negotiate this shot then the approach will become much more straightforward, even though the green is slightly elevated, with a considerable drop off on the right and bunkers right front and back. If it as any consolation, the green is pretty flat, so if you can get on in regulation you may have a birdie chance. All up, this hole is tricky for the first time player and will punish any shot that is not well thought out and executed.

No room for macho tee shots here, as anything less than precision will be punished severely.

The 14th hole (par 5, 487m, stroke3/NZGR 1) offers an equally, if not tougher assignment than the previous hole. The biggest hurdle here is the tee shot. Even though it is downhill, the entire left hand side of the first half of the fairway has large pines all the way down and the tee box is set on the left hand edge. Your tee shot needs to be solid and out to the right, but not too far right of the narrow fairway (20-30m wide). If you can get far enough down you can line up your lay up shot, or go for the green in two. But if you are short off the tee you will need to still get around the corner. The landing area for your layup is again very narrow at around 15m and has a bunker on the right hand edge of the fairway just for good measure, so precision is again required to get in position on this narrow snaking fairway. If you can layup successfully then you should only have a wedge or so in your hand to negotiate the green and the large trees that guard the entrance. The green has a ridge dividing the green in half, so as per usual on this course, pay close attention to the pin placement.

If you can negotiate the 13th and 14th without major damage then you will be doing well, as it must be noted that they stand out as overly punishing holes that are not only out on the edge of the course, in terms of location, but also on the edge in relation to the style and layout as compared to the rest of the course.

Compared to the previous two holes, the 15th (par 4, 275m, stroke 7/NZGR 8), is a somewhat easier assignment, albeit a quirky short par four. This uphill, dog-leg right looks complicated from the tee box, since all you are presented with is a carry across a gully and what looks like a split fairway. Upon closer inspection you will see that the fairway actually runs out to the left and then turns right up to the green which is nestled against a backdrop of native trees. With all that in mind, your tee shot need only be a low iron/hybrid, or at most a fairway wood up to the left hand side of the fairway. Anything right from the tee will end up in a dense gully and will not be found, so finding the left is imperative. From the fairway you should only need a high iron or wedge to the green, but you need to be below the hole, as the green is multi-tiered and complicated. Again, another hole requiring two precise shots to get on in regulation, irrespective of the short distance from the tee.

From this point the course heads for home with a trio of distinctly different holes to finish off the round. The 16th (par 4, 340m, stroke 9/NZGR 12), is yet another dog-leg right and this one has a slightly blind tee shot to keep things interesting. From the tee box you are faced with a carry across a gully to a flat fairway which is guarded by a hill on one side and dense bush out to the left. The key here is to get the correct distance. If in doubt, longer is better than short, but if you can keep it in the fairway it is a big advantage. From the corner the fairway heads up to the right to an offset green that is guarded by two bunkers on the front right. The green is relatively straightforward, but the tee shot and approach again require good accurate play, so a good test at this stage of the round.

The penultimate hole is a great par three which demands your best club selection and a solid swing. The 17th (par 3, 150m, stroke 15/NZGR 13) is all carry from an elevated tee position to a green that falls away on all sides. The front is well guarded by two large bunkers, so anything short will most likely be in the sand. To get safely aboard your club selection must be spot on, as the green is wide but not deep, so it is easy to overshoot. If you can get the tee shot right, a reasonably flat green awaits, but anything off the green will be a very tough up and down.

The 18th (par 4, 282m, stroke 13/NZGR 9) brings you back to the small lake  and  up to the clubhouse. From the tee you shoot over the water to the middle of the fairway. No heroics required here, as there are conveniently placed bunkers on the left hand side of the fairway around the landing area and more water up on the right, so just a low iron/hybrid or fairway wood at the most from the tee. The fairway is wide, so it should be an easy assignment from the tee, then just a wedge or so from there up to the green. As mentioned earlier, this green is connected to the 9th, but this portion is less undulating, yet still has two distinct levels. Keep your style and composure on this hole, as the entire hole from tee to green is in perfect view from the clubhouse.

Greens (Average Green Size 581 sq/m)
One of the most outstanding features of the course is the greens. They are very consistent, well manicured and quick, with very good stop. There are many greens with either multiple tiers, strong contours or significant slope, so you need to pay a lot of attention to the pin placement, as in many instances you do not want to be above the hole. Generally the greens are quite big, so plenty of space to land, but this can also mean you may have lengthy lag putts if you end up in the wrong spot.

Summary
Wainui Golf Club is an interesting golf course, with an equally interesting recent history. The course has a large footprint as it is spread out over a large area, so you may notice the long walk. As one of the newest, architecturally designed, golf courses in the country, a visitor will have high expectations and in some aspects the course really delivers. The greens, for example, are very good, really well manicured with great hold and plenty of speed. However, in some cases they seem overly contoured, especially for what is essentially a club members course. As is the case with some heavily contoured greens, they do not tend to have much natural borrow, but rely heavily on the architecturally contours put in place. But on the whole the putting experience is really top notch. 

As mentioned earlier, the clubhouse is reminiscent of what you might encounter on a Japanese golf course and some of the holes also have a Japanese feel to them. The 13th, 14th and 15th, for example, are all narrow, carved out of the hillside and have a forced layup. These holes seem to heavily control the golf experience by way of punishing anything even slightly off script, leaving little room for personal expression, or the ability to force the play. This is also a theme that is present in other parts of the course, where at times you get the feeling of 'do it this way or the highway'-hole 2 is another example of this. In similar fashion, the bunkering on the course heavily dictates play at times-the 9th being a good example of this, where the bunkers overly dominate the tee shot.
There are a number of dog-leg holes on the course (10/18 in fact...) and some of them are really great. Holes 7 and 12 are the pick as they are very satisfying, in that they demand great shots to firstly layup and then attack the green over a gully carry. Scoring well on these holes means you are playing good golf.
The par threes on the course offer some real variety, with everything from straightforward short holes to water carry's, elevated tees and full shots requiring real precision. They are not the kind of holes that will make or break your round, but deliver some very good challenges.
Overall, the course offers some really fun and at times, demanding golf holes. It is the kind of course that may polarize players, as some of the holes can be frustrating, especially for a first time player. You may hit some tee shots that seem perfect, but may end up being less so and this can frustrate you during the round, so just be patient, especially on your first outing here.

Top 5
1. 12th (Par 4, 363m). The number one stroke hole lives up to its reputation, requiring two excellent shots to get on in regulation. This hole gets your attention from the tee and demands some solid shot making.
2. 4th (Par 5, 453m). Standing on the tee you stare down the bunker you need to carry well down the fairway. One of the few holes that you really need to rip it off the tee. Great view of this hole from the clubhouse.
3. 7th (Par 4, 320m). Another demanding dog-leg. The tee shot is pretty easy, it is the second over the gully and up to the green that is the money shot.
4. 17th (Par 3, 150m). Pick of the par three's. Pure shot making and club selection required late in the round.
5. 14th (Par 5, 487m). Even though this hole is very tight, it is very satisfying if you can get the ball in the correct position. Visually a great hole.

NZGR Rating
Course Difficulty: 3.6 stars
Greens: 4 stars
Course facilities: 4 stars
Value for money: 4 stars
Experience: 3.5 stars