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The 14th at Wairakei
International Golf Course - Taupo |
NORTH ISLAND EXPERIENCE
10 Days, 7 World Class Courses, 8 Rounds of Golf and an Outstanding Golf Experience
DAY ONE
Welcome to New Zealand:
Your VSL Golf representative will welcome you to New Zealand as you enter the Arrivals Hall at Auckland International Airport and assist you to your transport to the Stamford Plaza Hotel in downtown Auckland.
The Stamford Plaza Hotel is less than 5 minutes walk to The Viaduct Basin, Auckland’s premier restaurant precinct. Take the chance to wander around this vibrant area to unwind after your travel and to enjoy a relaxing evening in the City of Sails as you prepare for your unique New Zealand North Island golfing experience.
DAY TWO
Heading North:
Early morning departure per luxury coach for a four hour drive through New Zealand's scenic north to Carrington Resort on the timeless Karikari Peninsula.
Carrington Resort features 5-Star accommodation, an 18 hole course and their own enchanting vineyard. A round of golf in the afternoon will be followed by cocktails and dinner in the elevated clubhouse with stunning views out over the sand-dunes to the Pacific Ocean.
The tournament standard 18 hole Carrington Golf Course was inaugurated on December 15, 2003 and designed by American golf course designer Matt Dye.
The unique feature of the Carrington Golf Course is that, although it has an oceanside location, it looks and plays like an "inland golf" course, complete with rolling hills, vales, and natural water hazards. It is not a typical "tabletop" oceanside golf course, which is sighted on a flat plateau with man-made obstacles, produced from artificial contouring of the land. Instead, Carrington stresses the natural contours of its location on the gently sloping lower levels of a hill side site adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.
DAY THREE
Another Spectacular Course:
Morning transfer to Kauri Cliffs (approximately 30 minutes easy drive) for a morning round at a course rated as the 30th best golf course outside the USA by Golf Digest, Kauri Cliff’s reputation is well deserved. Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean amongst spectacular countryside, Kauri Cliffs was designed and built by David Harman of Golf Course Consultants, Orlando, Florida.
The par 72 championship golf course measures 7,119 yards/ 6,510 metres and offers five sets of tees to challenge every skill level. Fifteen holes view the Pacific Ocean, six of which are played alongside cliffs which plunge to the sea. The beautiful inland holes wind through marsh, forest and farmland.
The golf complex includes a world-class practice range, putting and chipping greens, a well-stocked golf shop, and ladies’ and men’s locker rooms. Callaway ladies’ and men’s rental clubs are available.
Afternoon return to Carrington Resort for the evening – try a bottle from their Karikari Estate Cellar to celebrate your first 2 rounds of golf in New Zealand.
DAY FOUR
Back to Auckland:
Early morning transfer to Kaitaia Airport for a short flight to and transfer to Stamford Plaza Hotel. After lunch travel to the renowned Gulf Harbour Resort course approximately 40 minutes from your accommodation. The 6,400 metre, par 72 Gulf Harbour Country Club hosted the Golf World Cup in 1998 and the New Zealand Open in 2006 and 2005. Gulf Harbour is a Robert Trent Jones course that features stunning views of the Hauraki Gulf.
Following your round continue transfer back to the Stamford Plaza Hotel situated 200 metres from the waterfront and 5 minutes walk from one New Zealand’s premier dining precincts. Enjoy an evening at Aucklands Waterfront Viaduct Basin.
DAY FIVE
Heading South:
Morning transfer per coach to Pauanui on the nearby Coromandel Peninsula to the Puka Park Lodge nestled amongst 25 acres of New Zealand’s most beautiful native bush and less then 2 hours from Auckland.
Play the nearby Pauanui Lakes resort course in the afternoon a course that can be a formidable test, challenging but not impossible. Opened in late 2006, the beautifully presented course is a delight and has quickly garnered a reputation as a challenging course in delightful surroundings.
DAY SIX
Inland:
Morning transfer by coach to the spectacular Lake Taupo region in the central North Island with accommodation reserved for you at the exclusive Huka Lodge on the banks of the Waikato River. Consistently rated as one of the world’s top retreats, Huka Lodge has regularly hosted royalty, heads of state, movie stars and sporting celebrities.
During the afternoon enjoy a round at the nearby Wairakei International Golf Course.
Designed by Commander John Harris, Michael Wolveridge and Peter Thomson with the aim of producing New Zealand's first internationally recognised golf course, there is little doubt in any New Zealanders mind that this trio exceeded all expectations. The end result is a course that sprawls over 450 acres of natural countryside. This coupled with the 6444 metres from the championship tees and 108 large well placed bunkers has lead to worldwide acclaim.
DAY SEVEN
Options Galore:
Again you can enjoy a morning round of golf at Wairakei or maybe you could try The Kinloch Club.
The Kinloch Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, is one of only 25 around the globe to be included in the prestigious Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, a collection of Signature Courses in destinations hand-picked by Nicklaus himself. Kinloch is the first and only Nicklaus-designed golf course in New Zealand.
You are only 40 minutes to New Zealand's thermal capital and the excellent Springfield Golf Club course and locally there is the Centennial Golf Course, home to the Taupo Golf Club. There are plenty of options for some extra golf all within good proximity of your accommodation or you could enjoy trout fishing on Lake Taupo where your catch could be served as lunch on your charter boat or you may choose to helicopter into the region's wilderness and fly fish for New Zealands famous Rainbow Trout in pristine solitude.
Within 2 hours travel by car is one of New Zealand’s great hiking areas and the chance for a day’s walking in the Tongariro National Park.
The options are extensive and we can help you to enjoy "rest day" in New Zealand's exciting and intriguing Thermal Paradise.
DAY EIGHT
On to the Bay:
Transfer by coach to through spectacular hill country to the Hawkes Bay a major wine producing and fruit growing region. Check into Mangapapa Lodge.
Mangapapa is everything a gracious homestead should be. Built of weatherboard, the colonial style house has a veranda that wraps around the upper story giving breezy viewpoints of the 20 acres of lush, manicured gardens brimming with roses and established trees.
After lunch transfer by coach to play Kauri Cliffs sister course the Tom Doak designed Cape Kidnappers. If you like scenic outlooks while you play golf, this is the course for you. Cape Kidnappers is another challenging course and again has a fabulous Pacific Ocean backdrop. Like all the Courses on the tour, Cape Kidnappers is uncrowded and superbly presented as befits one of New Zealand's exclusive courses.
To quote Tom Doak from the Cape Kidnappers website “Our goal in designing golf courses is to create interesting holes you wouldn't find anywhere else. That wasn't hard to do at Cape Kidnappers, because the site is not like anywhere else in golf. If it were any bigger or any more dramatic, it would probably be cordoned off as a national park. It's an overwhelming experience to stand up on the cliffs, 140 meters above sea level, and look out across the waves far below in Hawke's Bay.”
DAY NINE
Capital Experience:
Morning transfer by coach to Wellington (approximately 4 hours) and settle into accommodation at the Bolton Boutique Hotel Located at the junction of Wellington's central business district and political heart, Bolton Hotel offers stylish and elegant accommodation in a friendly and professional setting. After checking you have the option to travel to the most famous links course in New Zealand, Paraparaumu Golf Club (approximately 40 minutes north of Wellington). Host of numerous New Zealand Open Championships, Paraparaumu has been played by many of the world's great players including Tiger Woods during a recent trip "down under". Paraparaumu is a great golf experience and like the true links courses all round the world – if the wind blows the experience will be even greater!
Alternatively you may prefer to spend your last afternoon relaxing in Wellington, the interesting and colourful capital city of New Zealand. In the evening you can select one of the many world class restaurants and enjoy a celebration of your golfing tour of the North Island of New Zealand.
DAY TEN
Homeward Bound:
Transfer to Wellington International Airport for your departure from New Zealand.
The 15th Fairway towards the
Pacific Ocean at Carrington - Northland