Opened - 1997
Course Designer – Robert Trent Jones Jnr.
Special Features – Some stunning holes requiring tee shots across the ocean -16th and 17th.
General Playability – Wind is everything here, fairways are quite generous but the wind can make it very hard with undulating and exposed greens
Undulating/Flat – Quite a few elevated tees and greens with some holes playing severely up or downhill.
Treelined/exposed – Exposed
Many/few water hazards - Water hazards will come into play on the 7th and 9th and the ocean on 17th( 648 yard par 5)
Changes to the course - Not much change since world cup in 1998
Greens
Type of grass - Creeping bent
Height of cut - 2.75mm
Speed/stimp reading -10’.
Any specific comments - Undulating andexposed to coastal winds. Speed is being controlled to allow for problems from wind which is a big factor here. Quite receptive.
Fairways
Type of grass – Windsor Green Couch
Height of cut – 10mm
General width and contouring - Average width 30m
Any specific comments - Some severe slopes will mean that balls gather in similar positions irrespective of drives.
Tees
Type of grass – Septon Brown top
Height of cut - 6mm
Collars
Type of grass - Septon Brown top
Height of cut – 6mm
Any specific comments – Collar is one hand machine width
Rough
Type of grass - Mmaintained rough is Rye/fescue/poa unmaintained is Fescue
Semi-rough - Height of cut – 30mm
Intermediate – Height of cut – 50mm
Rough - Height of cut – 75mm
Special Features - Outside of this the natural fescue rough is not maintained to give links style presentation in some places
Weather
In advance – Very hot in week before now cloudy/showers
Forecast for tournament – No accurate long range but sunny and 26 degrees on Wednesday.
Other Features
Closing holes overlook the Hauraki Gulf where the America’s cup was competed during 2001
