Pauanui in June

This is our first weekend away from home (Auckland) post Covid-19 lock-down. We decided we wanted an easy drive distance with a Golf course we haven’t played and comfortable accommodation with great food. Well after all that’s what we like and what this blog is about.

The town of Pauanui is on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the mouth of the Tairua River on its south bank. Fabulous twin harbour towns on The Coromandel’s east coast, Tairua and Pauanui offer a superb setting beside the Pacific Ocean for exploring. Close by is Mt Paku, a twin-coned Maori pa sculptured hillside that was once an island, while offshore lie the Slipper, Shoe and Aldermen Islands. Best known for weekend getaways from Auckland and Hamilton, fishing, surfing, and walking it is also home to Lakes Resort Pauanui an 18-hole course nestled in a unique valley setting and meandering its way through picturesque natural native wetlands and lakes.

Weather

Rainy! Not much more to say. It was not particularly cold, but the umbrella went up and the rain jacket went on more often than I like.

The rain, low cloud and mist gave the round a brooding feel. The air was heavy, and the ground was heavy so needless to say the golf felt heavy.

This is not to say the scenery was not stunning. It was beautiful in a grey and wet way.

The Course– Lakes Resort Pauanui

The course is flat, so walking is easy. We played the 18 holes in four hours walking. There is a bit of distance between greens and tees on the back nine, but this is not a hardship. The surrounding scenery is very pretty with the hills, native bush, and waterways. There is housing around the course but at no stage are the properties intrusive or at risk of being in play.

Sadly, it was not in the best condition and looked in many places as if income is not keeping up with operating expenses.

The layout is fun and enjoyable but it’s tough and quite narrow. The ‘beach’ bunkers were interesting but tired looking. The greens were ok and putted at a moderate speed. That’s nice when you don’t know the course. It meant there was some forgiveness.

I played off the ladies’ tees, slope rating of 131. Distance 4854 metres or 5,308 yards. Scott played the Men’s White Tees, slope 122, distance 5,412 metres or 5,918 yards.

Each hole was different from the last, I did not feel bored or that we were just walking up and down. That’s worth a mention because even in its run-down state it was still interesting and challenging.

When you get to the 18^th if you are not playing the Black Tees it’s worth the climb up the stairs to see the view. It really is very fantastic.

The wooden boardwalk between the 4^th & the 5^th through the wetlands is fabulous.

The Hotel– The Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort

The hotel is situated at Pauanui Beach, set on a hillside in amongst the native trees. You can’t see the beach or water from here but it’s only a short walk to the popular surf beach and picnic area.

The accommodation is in separate chalets along boardwalks and it felt secluded and private. There is a hotel courtesy cart that can deliver you and collect you from your chalet if you find the slopes and distance a challenge.

Note there are limited options for eating out at night in Pauanui and the resort is not within walking distance to the small-town center.

We chose to eat from the bar menu in the lounge on Friday night. The food was good, and I would like to make a special mention of the smoked fish croquettes. Really, really, good. Creamy smoked fish filling w red pepper aioli. The lounge area is comfortable with a big fireplace for winter and an expansive deck for summer. It was busy on Friday night with a mix of guests and local property owners.

They make a point of talking about their cocktails but beware, we waited 25minutes for ours. It was not a good experience. They were under-staffed for a busy night and I think the cocktails were a mistake. Having said that when our Lychee Capriosca’s arrived they were genuinely nice.

In town on Saturday morning we found it busier than Friday afternoon indicated it could be. Cabana Café for breakfast seemed to be the people’s choice. We just wanted takeout coffee. The service was really friendly, and it had a relaxed vibe. The Bakery, called The Bakery, was well stocked with fresh sandwiches, pies, donuts, breads. All that you might want for taking to golf, the beach, hiking or cycling.

On Saturday night we had booked a table at the Hotel restaurant, Miha. Bookings are necessary and we can see why. The menu was interesting and inviting and our food was beautifully prepared and presented. We started with local fresh Oysters and bubbles. Then I had the Chateaubriand Steak, Filet mignon served with creamed spinach, Yorkshire pudding and topped with chateaubriand sauce. Our waiter suggested this be paired with a stunning Craggy Range Te Kahu 2018, from Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay. Scott had the Pan Seared Duck Breast, served on a parsnip puree, broccolini and cranberry compote and the waiter suggested the Te Mata Gamay Noir wine which worked perfectly.

We indulged and finished with a classic Tiramisu and a Chocolate Walnut Brownie and a glass each of the De Bortoli Noble One.

Then we moved to the lounge and completed the evening with a Baileys. It was a very pleasant evening and made up for the Friday night shortfall.

The summary – 83/140 = 59%