Titirangi GC- hole 14
Titirangi Golf Club was originally formed in 1909, but the acclaimed course we know today only came into being when the legendary Dr Alister McKenzie visited Auckland in 1927. McKenzie was on a world wide tour, a tour which ultimately had a huge impact on golf design world wide with courses like Royal Melbourne and other sandbelt courses benefiting from his input.
At Titirangi he redesigned the course, suggesting a routing that used the natural terrain to wonderful effect. That routing remains intact today!
After some redesign work by Chris Pitman in the 1990's, the course has in recent years been given, and is still undergoing a facelift by Clyde Johnson, a young course designer based in St Andrews Scotland who did his internship with Tom Doak- and the results are impressive...
Titirangi GC- hole 4The land is not perfect for a golf course with some fairly flattish spots, mixed with some steeper undulations and ravines- which all made the routing of the course a real challenge if it were to remain interesting.
So its a real credit to MacKenzie how good the course is considering those challenges.
Titirangi GC- Hole 13
This being my first visit to Titirangi, it was hard to guage what it was like a few years back before the renovations, but there looks to be some holes with noticeable improvements- such as the 2nd and the 8th holes with new bunkering and use of water hazards.
The white sand bunkering around the course looks fantastic and is a nice contrast to the craggy pines and green grass.
This is particularly so on the par 4 18th hole with it's green surrounded by a swarm of Mackenzie-esk style bunkering.
Titirangi GC- hole 18
In summary, the best holes on the course are 3, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 18- but there are many great holes.
I felt the only real weakness on the course is the treelined par 5 17th hole named 'highway'. I'm hoping some works in the future improve this rather unimpressive hole.
Titirangi GC- hole 11
Overall Titirangi was a pleasure to play, and should be part of any golfing itinerary in the area.
Report & drone photography by Rory Wood, The Travelling Golfer
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