With Doug White, Titirangi ‘s Golf Director.

What a great way to start off my visit to Auckland and the North Island! Titirangi Golf Club is consistently ranked as Auckland’s No. 1 golf course and one of the best in all of New Zealand. I agree! Great conversation and interview with Golf Director Doug White. I could not have asked for better playing partners- Mr. Yang, my partner and golfing pals Lou and Bill. Lou even brought me a tasty homemade chicken, avocado and tomato sandwich. Doug’s suggestion to play Muriwai the next day and inadvertently meeting Don Fletcher after the round at Titirangi (of course I had a cricket question!) led me to meet and play Muriwai with Richard Parsonson who led me to Laurie Bell and the Waipu Golf Club, like Muriwai, a true New Zealand links course. Such is the comraderie and networking on this ‘Golf Journey to New Zealand.’

With my golfing foursome at Titirangi Golf Club- Bill Anderson (L), Lou Travaguia (White striped shirt) and the mysterious Mr. Yang with whom I partnered!

Lou gave me a homemade chicken, avocado and tomato sandwich on the 10th tee and I wasn’t even his partner!

Another Real Journey with the namesake tour company across Lake Wakatupi on the authentic 102-year old steamship TSS Earnslaw. As exciting as the cruise was the destination, the Walter Peak High Country Sheep Farm, was interesting. What a tasty BBQ and fascinating demonstrations of sheep dogs and sheep shearing!

Real Journeys is the name of the tour company and true to their name my journey to the Milford Sound was authentic, incredible and an insight into pristine nature like I have never seen before!

I played The Hills, Michael Hill’s Championship Course, designed by John Darby. Need I say more? No. but much more will be written… home of the 2015 New Zealand Open which will be televised March 12th to the 15th. Mark your calendars as you will want to see this course even if only on TV!

I took the scenic trip on the way back to Queensland heading south out of Christchurch down along the Catlins Coast. I came across the Moeraki Boulders on the way to Dunedin and afterwards the Nuggets Lighthouse. Near the lighthouse I saw my first penguins ever in the wild. I must be close to Antarctica! Of course the scenic tour led me to a golf course… or did the Otago Golf Club lead me to the scenic tour? I did not quite make it all the way to Queenstown and spent the night in Kingston, home of the Kingston Flyer, on the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu.

Remember the 1980 movie Airplane with Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack and Robert Hays as Ted Striker?

Dr. Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?

Ted Striker: Surely you can’t be serious.

Dr. Rumack: I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley.

Shirley is the name of a golf course and I am serious too-she is a hidden jewel, perfect topography and desing and one of the best I have played!

From the Christchurch Golf Club, a.k.a. Shirley’s website:

The Christchurch Golf Club has a proud history that dates back to 1873. The club is the second oldest in New Zealand and the fifth oldest outside the United Kingdom. The Club Patron is former Club Champion Sir Bob Charles, New Zealand’s most successful professional golfer.