Day 9 Whanganui – Castlecliff Golf Club
Finally a round of golf! Sadly days 5 to 8 were rained off.
Day 5 was planned to be a round at Shannon but the weather turned to steady rain and cold so we decided on a day off.
Day 6 we tried to play Foxton- back 9 closed for wet weather and front nine full, then we tried Levin- club day so full, finally we called into Otaki- Front 9 closed for coring and back 9 very wet. By this stage it was early afternoon and grey and drizzly so we headed on to Wellington. Fingers crossed for improved weather the next day.
Sadly Day 7 we were booked to play Paraparaumu but icy winds and steady rain put paid to that idea.
Then Day 8, driving from Wellington to Whanganui via Feilding to play Fielding, you guessed it, raining and cold. Just not worth getting wet and getting our gear wet.
SO– Day 9, CastleCliff Golf Club. What a great outing. Our enthusiasm, elevated by 5 days of no golf, was not dashed by our round at Castlecliff and the really friendly members and staff. It’s a bit of a drive out to the course but we stopped in at Castlecliff Beach, neither of us had been there before. It is a typical west coast beach, surf, stones and driftwood. Rugged but fun. Castlecliff, even though a beachside area is quite rundown and the industrial area of Whanganui separates it from the main town. Heads Road follows the Whanganui River to the Heads as expected, then you turn right along the coastline and eventually reach the golf club. It’s only a 15minute drive but you do feel quite remote. It’s not like many beach areas in New Zealand that have developed into large shiny house ocean view suburbs.
The Weather
A bit of a mixed bag really, we started in grey overcast conditions, which turned to rain, to drizzle, to muggy grey, to rain, to clear sun, to grey, to drizzle to muggy patchy sun…..I think you’ll understand what I’m saying. I was grateful for my many clothing options.
The Course
An 18-hole course located on the West Coast of the North Island mid-way between Wellington and New Plymouth with views of Mounts Taranaki and Ruapehu (on a clear day) as well as stunning vistas of the Tasman Sea as far as the South Island (on a clear day)
Par71 for men & Par72 for women. Ladies yellow tees, slope 117 (vs 119 at home), 4964metres (5429yards). Men’s white tees, slope 115 (vs 124 at home), 5549metres (6068)yards.
Technically through location a links course, but the club has planted over the years rows of Pines and Palms, maybe for shelter? Maybe to add difficulty or interest?
Anyway the fairways were firm from sandy drainage, the course was mostly flat with a couple of elevations to tees or greens. Easy walking. #8 hole was reduced from its usual Par 4 to a Par 3 due to low lying water that made a large area of the fairway un-playable.
The greens were in good condition but slow.
When we arrived the carpark was already looking busy and there is no online booking at this club, you can call and book a tee but we were operating on hope. This paid off and we were able to walk on at the back of the morning field. The club Pro was there to set us up and get us started.
We did come up behind a single player who had walked on without checking in, but he let us through and then we also were let through by a group of 5 older men. The pace flowed pretty well until the last few holes but it was a Saturday morning on a relatively fine day.
EVERYONE we came across were friendly chatty and welcoming. So unlike our home course.
Holes 1 to 11 are played out and away from the clubhouse with toilets available between #8 & #9. Then 12 through 18 play out from the clubhouse in the opposite direction.
Best holes?
The course is surprisingly fun and interesting. It looks from the carpark to be flat and back and forth but once you are underway it becomes varied enough to be a good day out.
A couple of holes have the ladies tees at a longer distance than men’s but inevitably turn out to be Par 5 vs Men’s Par 4.
# 4 is really the first hill you get to. You walk up from the 3rd green to a raised tee playing down onto a Par 3 green in a basin surrounded by trees and a couple of defence bunkers.
The #5 is a long Par5 that ends with a multitiered green guarded by bunkers on the left. These are the little aspects that make it an interesting course.
Without doubt #8, Par4, and #9 are the signature holes. As previously mentioned #8 was reduced to a Par3 due to wet but we made the happy mistake of going to the main tees which presented us with a fabulous vista out to the back of the course, looking across the sand dunes to the Tasman.
Then # 9 is a Par 3 with the tee raised and level with the raised green across a deepish gully. I cannot imagine how hard this might be on a windy day.
When we got to #12 I thought the last 7 holes might be a bit dull because it really does look flat and up and down, but actually with the doglegs and a couple of fun Par3’s plus the undulating fairway of #18 it kept its interest right the way through.
#13 (par3) is called The Crisis. I think it could be, but we both played it well. One guy in front demonstrated the opportunity for crisis by hitting the tree on the right and falling just below it.
The Golf summary – 48/50
Food, beverage, accommodation and other activities
In Whanganui we are staying at Aotea Lodge and it’s very comfortable. It’s about a 20minute straight walk into town for Art Galleries, eateries etc.
Eateries in Whanganui are not a plenty. There are plenty of Thai, Mexican, Japanese & Pub outlets. We did read about Mint & Frank and checked both out. Frank is a very nice looking bar with burgers, pizza etc. Mint, owned by the same people, looked from the outside as mainly a daytime café but once we went in we found it to be large and very busy. Every table was reserved (Friday night) and then Saturday night fully booked.
We lucked out again and got the last table available.
They have a full 2 page menu of cocktails, a few beers and non-alcoholic drinks. Strangely no wine list, but then I didn’t ask. We enjoyed indulging our fondness for cocktails whilst on holiday. We also ordered the cheese stromboli which is a variation on a Calzone.
The mains looked great but we were replete after our drinks and stromboli, tired from the days travel so did not stay to try. One thing we did note was a number of tables complaining and enquiring after their orders. It looked like they might have been short staffed or a bit un-organised. But from our experience it was fun and yummy.
The other thing we highly recommend if you are in town on a Saturday morning are the Whanganui River markets. Open 8.30am till 1pm, the food and arts on offer were the best we’ve seen for quite a while. We were able to get food to eat on the course as we played.
Just up from the markets on Taupo Quay is a great Deli called The Burrow. ‘Boutique Gourmet Deli Food and Gifts’.
If you have time whilst in Whanganui, the Durie Hill Elevator is well worth a visit and the 176 steps climb to the top of the war memorial caps off a round of golf nicely.
