Whakatane

Whakatane more often than not grabs the annual prize for the sunniest town in New Zealand, but it’s not just the weather that entices visitors to the Bay of Plenty region, another shining light is the course at Whakatane Golf Club.

Founded in 1932 and designed by Charles Redhead, Whakatane is set close to close to the sea, overlooking Moutohora Island or Whale Island. The layout is often described as a links course and there are a few links-like undulations in evidence and the soil is sandy, but the layout is parkland in character.

The course is a par 70 and plays at just over 6,000 metres from the back tees. There are some demanding par fours on the card, but perhaps the best hole at Whakatane is the one-shot 16th, a 194-metre beast from the tips, with a medium-sized green surrounded on four sides by steep-faced bunkers.