HOLES AND PARS
The Te Puke golf course has a par of 72 and creates a challenge for all levels of golfer.
The course features a challenging 6151m off the blue tees, through to a more sedate 5250m on full-irrigated fairways.
It offers a course where accuracy and (on occasions) length are important. The narrow fairways put a premium of placing your shots in locations away from the lush rough. Depending upon the season, the rough can be fast growing and it is a certain way to lose shots if you are wayward.
Take a tour of our 18-holes, with drone footage:
Par 5
439m
462m
476m
Stroke
3
14
Hole 1
Par 3
97m
129m
146m
Stroke
17
18
Hole 2
Pro’s Tip:
This is a great opening hole demanding an accurate tee shot down the right hand side of the fairway. Positioning your second shot up the left hand side of the fairway will give you a nice opening to the green for your third. From here you will be setting yourself up for a good opportunity for birdie.
Pro’s Tip:
A straight forward par 3 but beware to gauge the correct wind direction. Play to the middle of the green to take the bunkers short of the green out of play.
Par 4
344m
357m
388m
Stroke
1
8
Hole 3
Pro’s Tip:
A good aiming point from the tee for the club golfer is the fairway bunker situated through the fairway. For the long hitters set up to hit a draw around the corner to leave yourself in a good position. Par is a good score on this hole and take note putting down hill on this green as it can be deceptively fast.
Par 3
145m
158m
173m
Stroke
15
16
Hole 4
Pro’s Tip:
Another great Par 3 and again its important to gauge the wind direction. There is a deep bunker short and left of the green that is a real hazard to get out of. Playing to the middle or back of the green is a good play here. Hit the green in regulation and 2 putts for par will leave you feeling happy!
Par 4
295m
324m
341m
Stroke
11
10
Hole 5
Pro’s Tip:
Accuracy from the tee here is essential. A 200-220 metre shot from the white tees to the plateau will give you a clear shot to the green. Unless you have supreme confidence with your Driver it is wise to play for position on this hole. On your approach shot play to the front of the green and let the ball roll out to the hole. Missing the green long is no no here.
Par 4
296m
322m
332m
Stroke
7
2
Hole 6
Pro’s Tip:
The #1 stroke hole for men. Accuracy is key from the tee and its important you pick out a specific aiming point from the tee. The fairway slopes from left to right so aiming down the left hand side of the fairway is a good line from the tee. Play within your capabilities on your second shot to the green. Giving yourself a good opportunity for par on this hole will result in the hole being played well!
Par 4
296m
333m
345m
Stroke
5
4
Hole 7
Pro’s Tip:
A great left to right dogleg Par 4 that demands an accurate drive from the tee. Hitting through the dogleg will get you into trouble so its important you find a club that hits you 200 metres from the tee. The approach shot is a demanding one with pot bunkers short. Play to the middle of the green and take dead aim! Par is a good score here.
Par 5
415m
465m
530m
Stroke
11
10
Hole 9
Pro’s Tip:
A dogleg right Par 5 and an exciting finish to the outward nine. The communications poll in the distance is an ideal aiming point from the tee. On your second shot there is a well placed fairway bunker that can cause havoc if you decide to enter. Therefore taking the bunker out of play is a good call by either playing short or playing to the left of it. Take dead aim on your third shot to set yourself up for an exciting birdie opportunity!
Par 4
293m
307m
329m
Stroke
13
12
Hole 8
Pro’s Tip:
Another great Par 4 with a dogleg to the left. Once again hitting the fairway is key to a good start here. For the longer hitters beware of hitting through the fairway and its important to get a right to left shape from the tee. The approach shot calls for pin point distance control and its wise to play a lower trajectory shot into the green as the wind can swirl on this hole. Putts on this green tend to break more than other holes on the course.
Par 5
451m
460m
474m
Stroke
2
10
Hole 10
Pro’s Tip:
This is a dogleg left Par 5 and its essential to get it in the fairway from the tee. The ideal line from the tee is up the right hand side of the fairway with a right to left shape ball flight. Go left off the tee here and you will find yourself in a spot of bother. On your second shot aim up the right hand side of the fairway to give you a good opportunity to open yourself to the green for your third approach.
Par 4
304m
346m
377m
Stroke
10
1
Hole 11
Pro’s Tip:
This is a great long straight Par 4. Back yourself from the tee to hit a straight drive here. For the long hitters the fairway narrows the longer you get from the tee. The approach shot to the green can be exposed to the wind and therefore a lower running shot would be a good play. Par this number two stroke hole and you’ll have a happy walk to the 12th tee!
Par 3
130m
141m
155m
Stroke
18
17
Hole 12
Pro’s Tip:
The easiest hole at Te Puke but still demands respect from the tee. Playing a shot to the middle of the green is a good play. Going long or left of the green will test all of your talents to get a par.
Par 4
311m
345m
381m
Stroke
6
3
Hole 13
Pro’s Tip:
A dogleg Par 4 to the right which demands an accurate drive from the tee. The ideal play is to aim down the left hand side of the fairway with a left to right ball flight finding the middle of the fairway. If you find the trees with your drive then take your medicine by playing back to the fairway. Take dead aim with your approach and play to the middle of the green.
Par 4
304m
318m
354m
Stroke
4
9
Hole 15
Pro’s Tip:
One of the most challenging holes on the course. A good aiming point from the tee are the greenside bunkers in the distance. Play to the middle of the green on your approach as the left pot bunkers to the left are a no no.
Par 3
128m
144m
166m
Stroke
16
15
Hole 17
Pro’s Tip:
This is the 16th stroke hole on the card that can play a lot harder than what it looks. Watch the wind here and a good play is to the front left hand side of the green where you will get a kind bounce to the right. A tricky green to gauge the speed of the putt and subtle burrows. Better to be firm and hit straight on putts here.
Par 4
310m
322m
350m
Stroke
8
11
Hole 14
Pro’s Tip:
A dogleg left Par 4. Set up with your 3 wood to play a right to left shot from the tee. Again hitting the fairway here is essential. There are pot bunkers short right and left of the green that must be avoided. Beware of the wind direction on your approach here. This green has subtle burrows that are hard to read and the best way to putt here is aim straight and be firm.
Par 4
266m
281m
320m
Stroke
12
13
Hole 16
Pro’s Tip:
Another challenging hole with a slight dogleg to the right. If it is down wind, back yourself with the driver to get the ball into the gully just short of the green. Otherwise a good play from the tee is a 220 metre shot to the top plateau. Avoid the pot bunker short of the green as this is the toughest bunker on the course to get out of! The green is sloped right to left and will favour a bounce to the left.
Par 5
400m
481m
493m
Stroke
14
5
5
Hole 18
Pro’s Tip:
My signature hole of the course. A straight long Par 5 that demands another straight shot from the tee. The pond on the right is situated perfectly for the club golfer who loses there tee shot to the right. Once in the fairway from the tee its important to take the fairway bunkers up the right hand side out of play. For the approach to the green bear in mind you are playing up hill and to a green that will hold to a full shot played in. The green slopes from back to front and being under the hole here will be a huge positive.
Te Puke Golf Club
Te Puke Golf Club
Totals
Total (Hole 1-9)
Total (Hole 10-18)
Total
NZSCR
Slope
Yellow
2617m
2634m
5252m
73.0
120
White
2870m
2855m
5725m
69.1
116
Blue
3029m
3072m
6151m
71.5
119
Distance Markers - Red (100m), White (135m) & sprinklers are all measured to the middle of the green.
Pro's Tip: Come into our Club House and enjoy the hospitality at the cafe and our bar for a refreshment. See if you can find on our honours board how many times Pax Hickson has broken his age!
Credit: Thanks to Devon Campny for the great drone footage of the holes