NZ Day 21: A Waipu Welcome to People & Golf in New Zealand!

I was fortunate to play all the great golf courses in New Zealand on both the North and South Islands! Beginning in Queenstown at the spectacular Jack's Point to the friendly Millbrook and creative Hills in nearby Arrowtown; to country golf with wine at Marlborough in the South to Craig Perk's heart and home at Rangitikei in the North on the other side of the Cook Strait; to Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers made famous by the Kiwi Challenges; to the challenging Kinloch Club and the wildlife preserve known as Wairakei near Lake Taupo; to the professional golfers' incubator at Manawatu (Grant Waite, Craig Perks and Tim Wilkinson) and the memorable Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club ; to the World Golf Hall of Famer Bob Charles' home club of Clearwater and nearby Christchurch GC known as Shirley in the rebuilding Christchurch, I played them all! But I saved the best for last—Waipu Golf Club, A True Club & Links Course! While Waipu is the name of a river, a town and the caves where you can see glow worms, to me it means 'welcome,' a Waipu Welcome to New Zealand, welcome to the heart and soul of the people and golf of New Zealand. I will leave the official definition to the folks at SilverSpikes Photography: "Waipu - pronouced "Why Poo?" - yeah yeah - but that is obviously not its meaning. Wai is a Maori word means Water, and Pu meaning Song - Water Song. It is an idyllic spot with a long sandy beach stretching along one end, and a discrete cove at the other end. A stream of salty water ambles it's way around the cliff, ducking under the Pohutukawa trees, whose branches tickle the gentle waves. Pohutukawa have a continual love affair with the turbuant waters of the easten oceans of New Zealand. When the tide is out it is great to scramble over the rocks to a private bay of pebbles - their smooth, even shape act to massage your feet in the warmth of the sunshine." Why Poo? Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin and Tigger would love being at Waipu too. I went through a good many wonderful people and golf clubs to find the joy of Waipu. All by chance and the seeking of inspirational golf like on the 'Journey to Olympic Golf.' First, I sought out the historical course of Titirangi Golf Club, New Zealand’s Only MacKenzie Design! Then there was the hospitality and suggestion after playing Titirangi by Golf Director Doug White to go play Muriwai Golf Links to experience a true links course! Not an hour later was I upstairs in the restaurant/lounge area saying good by to my playing partners. They left and I stayed watching and intrigued a bit by a cricket game on TV. As usual I was following along as best I could and just when I thought I knew what was going on the play would end unexpectedly and they would go to a commercial. I reached out  and asked the guys at the next table to help me understand what just happened. They did and then asked me to join them. I did and the topic came around to Muriwai. One of the guys, Don Fletcher, set up a game for me the next day at Muiriwai with two friends he knew were playing there and in the end showed up himself to play with us. They all knew of a fellow that I had to meet—Laurie Bell and another great golf course I had to play—Waipu Golf Club, which of course being on a Golf Journey to New Zealand, I obliged. CLICK here for Laurie Bell's Official Waipu Welcome to New Zealand! If Paul Hogan and "slipping an extra shrimp on the barbie for you" is the Australian tourism slogan, then Laurie Bell and his effervescent 'old dog' personality is the face of New Zealand tourism! Forever etched on my golfing soul and in my memory, whenever I think of the origins of golf and the golf club at St. Andrews, Scotland I think of Waipu Golf Club—it is a true golf club of members that not only play together but work together to make their golf club, including the golf course, the best it can be! Evidence: the newly designed and created 155-meter par-3 17th hole. Done in less than a year for a total cost of $NZ 18,000 (less than $US 13,000), including irrigation, lake, tees, and mammoth green. Completed by member voluntary labor that show up, like when coring the greens, when the call goes out. BBQ and some refreshments afterward the work is done of course. I don't really know what would be more fun—to play alongside these great members or to work alongside them? In a way I got to do both! The people and their spirit is what makes a club. I was fortunate to meet many of the spirited people of Waipu beginning with golfing partners Laurie Bell, his brother-in-law Greg Shanaghan and an impressive junior golfer named Baden Keown. In the golf shop I met Kim Davis who runs the club from behind-the scenes along with biker Chairman Mike van Blommestein. I have not found a more friendlier and welcoming club anywhere as Waipu Golf Club. They are true to the first sign you see—they do have a hundred thousand ways of welcoming you! This special New Zealander welcome continued on well after the round of golf. Laurie invited me to join his and his family (BIG family including their French Bull Mastiff Ruby) afterwards in Waipu Cove and then again in Auckland with the deluxe tour of the city and another memorable round of golf at Royal Auckland Golf Club. Play as many as you can of the rest, but don't miss the best—Waipu Golf Club, when you visit New Zealand! The Waipu Welcome to People & Golf in New Zealand is a most amazing experience in golf and life!