Well, I got in last night after a 30 hr trip all on Dec. 3 thanks to the Intl. Dateline. It was 9 days of the most fun that guys can have with their clothes on. We started our trip in the northern part of the North Island at a place called the Carrington Club. It was a place that had a number of different activities to offer including skeet shooting, hiking, a 3 ½ long private beach and of course a golf course. We arrived just after a storm blew through and during our round we noticed about half a dozen holes where the pins had been blown out. The folks were as hospitable as you could ask for and we had a really nice stay. Probably the highlight was a lunch at their own winery with some tasting to liven the meal. Next stop was Kauri Cliffs. We were here 2 nights. It’s big time world class. We played the afternoon we arrived and then enjoyed the cocktail hour with some of the other guests. I guess we missed Justin Timberlake and his squeeze who were there 2 days before. Mike and I had time to work out and I couldn’t resist getting a massage and facial. (I had to pay for that.) The accommodations were terrific and to show you how great this trip was, the beer in the mini bar was complimentary. The second day we played with the head pro who was originally from (are you ready Sid) Fort Wayne. His name was Greg Bryan. Old Gip had one of those days and posted an even 80. I’m most proud of the fact that I didn’t lose one ball although if it weren’t for a sharp eyed caddie I should have abandoned one on the 16th. I’d love to go back here. You could play that course every day for a week and not get tired of it (although you’d probably go broke.) Next we drove down to the Auckland area. We stayed in a nice high rise complex and played at Gulf Harbor. It’s the home course of Michael Campbell. It had some great holes especially on the back nine but it was somewhat short of Kauri in the vista department. We had some free time after the round to pick up some refreshments for the room and some Cubans for the evenings. We flew to Queenstown the next morning. We stayed at the Millbrook resort which has been around for a number of years. We were there for 3 nights. We played Jack’s Point the first full day and Terry posted one of the pictures I took there. I really, really liked playing this course. One of my favorite holes was an uphill par 4 that had a low stone wall about 175 yds. off the tee. Between you and the wall was a sheep station. You had to carry the wall to get to the fairway. Some of the tees weren’t finished (but the blues were) and there was no yardage markers. Still had a pretty good round despite a brain fart 7 on one hole. That evening we attended a reception back at Millbrook. One of the attendees who spoke was Sir Bob Charles. Golf fans should know him. He is an extremely fit individual who looks at least 10 yrs. younger than his age of 71. The next day he went out and shot 68 in the second round of the New Zealand Open and became the oldest golfer to make the cut in a professional tournament. The guy was amazing. Mike and I followed a local named Phil Tataurangi. We had played golf at Jack’s Point with an individual named Jeff who is associated with a firm called New Zealand’s Top Courses and who happens to be Tataruangi’s agent. We were scheduled to have dinner with Tourism New Zealand folks who sponsored Mike’s trip and Jeff in Queenstown. Tataurangi joined us and he was a most interesting dinner guest. He owns a home in the Dallas area and his son goes to school for one semester in NZ and then is home schooled by Phil’s wife when he is playing on the US tour and living in Texas. From Queenstown we flew to Rotoura which is in the interior of the North Island. There are beautiful lakes in this area as well as hot springs and geysers. We checked into a top end facility called the Huka Lodge. (Google it. Rates for 2 for an evening are $2,400. That’s about $2,000 US.) There were 2 courses in this area that Mike was supposed to cover. We only had time to play one so took a helicopter of a new Nicklaus course Kinloch. After the copter we played Wairakei Golf Club. Cocktails and dinner at the Huka Lodge we something else. The manager didn’t like Mike’s request for a bottle of wine (a $120 bottle of Pinotage) and so he selected something for it and of course it was “taken care of.” We met some extremely well off people at dinner. The cognac and Cubans on the porch than evening were exceptionally enjoyable. The next day we sadly left the Huka (with a bill of $0) and drove to our last stop Cape Kidnappers. This is a sister course of Kauri Cliffs. They are both owned by Hedge Fund Billionaire Julian Robertson. To give you some idea of how much went into building this complex, the private road leading into the resort is 8 km. long. The folks at Kauri playfully refer to it as the 10 million dollar driveway. It had 12 bridges. Like Kauri it’s on the Pacific but while Kauri is almost elegant in it’s views, Kidnappers is brutishly beautiful. If you don’t have your driving A game you better have a lot of ammunition. Got away with only losing 1 ball the first round but the following morning I was a casualty of the snap-and-push. This course if fun to play but after a couple of rounds, I started longing for a return to Jack’s Point of Kauri. The staff and accommodations were again 5 star plus. All I can say about Kidnappers and Kauri is “Here’s to you Mr. Robertson…” So, that in a long nutshell was my 60th birthday trip from my son. I woke up this morning looking for the eggs Benedict and sausages and ended up with some granola and yogurt. Well at least I didn’t have to put sun block on this morning.
Great story Mike, I'd need a week off after a trip like that though. I've seen Cape Kidnappers on an episode of the Wandering Golfer, it looked like it would be a very intimidating course to play. After smoking those Cubanos do you get the urge to call Gonzo?
Thanks for a great report Gipper. I'm not a golfer, but would love for you to take me on the next trip like that when you go again! :lol: :lol: Welcome back.
Funny you should say that Terry. I'm off to Orlando thurs. Kids and grandkids are supposedly celebrating my birthday. I say supposedly because I'm providing all the rooms.
I remember a celebration like yours. I think it was back in the late 70s when the U.S celebrated its 200th birthday. It lasted for a year and the entire country participated. When is the the Skybox part of the celebration and where are we all going? On your tab of course. :lol: