Taupo (Centennial)

Taupo itself sits on the shores of Lake Taupo, which occupies centre stage in the volcanic Central Plateau area. It’s the jumping off spot for Tongariro National Park, home of one of the world’s great walks, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It has also become an unlikely hub for high quality golf, especially after the construction of nearby Kinloch (opened in 2008), but Taupo Golf Club has been here a lot longer than that.

The club officially opened for business in 1931 and golf was played over a 9-hole course that is now part of the club’s second string Tauhara course which was extended to 18 holes in 1954 due to popular demand. Further expansion of the town, due to burgeoning tourism, farming and other businesses saw the construction of a new course, the Centennial, completed in 1973 (three years after its higher profile neighbour, Wairakei).

Designed by two-time New Zealand PGA Championship winner Ernie Southerden, the Centennial itself is a fine example of a classic Kiwi inland course, set amongst the thermal activity prevalent in this region. The majority of the holes (1-15) meander through parkland, although they are not as remorselessly tree-lined as at many club courses in this country, and the occasional use of wasteland brings welcome variation. 16 and 17 skirt some of the thermal wastelands before taking the golfer back home with a challenging short hole to finish.

The Centennial course has been the venue for the NZ Amateur twice, in 1986 and 2004.