History of Rotorua Golf Club The first recording of golf in Rotorua dates back to 1902 when a recording was made in the record of the New Zealand Parliament that 'Golf links will undoubtedly prove a source of pleasure to the many visitors and enquiries are being made with a view of establishing them'.

The 18 hole course has a variety of features that are worthy of mention. The pumice ground allows for rapid drainage after rain, so we are very rarely deprived of play and greens recover in a few minutes after rainstorms. There are a number of bubbling mud pools and steam vents that are to be avoided, especially to the left of the 9th green and a strange sulphur mound to the right of that green.

A monster of a thermal crater guards the left of the spectacular 14th hole- descent into which is not advised! Holes number 14,15 and 16 are played across or alongside a lake, and apart from the added danger of water, the sight on a chilly winter’s morning of steam rising from the lake is something to behold. There is absolutely no substitute for accuracy on these three holes, known as Amen corner by locals, where so many matches are won or lost by the smallest or errors- they are classic risk and reward holes, so keep your head down. Holes 3,4 and 5 play across a warm water stream that seems to attract a lot of stray golf balls, and that reinforces the view that accuracy is much more important than length on most holes on this course. Holes 6,9, 14 and 17 are testing par threes and danger lurks everywhere except on the greens- so beware!! The ninth has featured on a New Zealand postage stamp and has been written about by golf writers from around the world- the punishment for missing the green is terrible indeed. The 14th has only recently been opened (Feb 2001) and has already attracted the title of our signature hole, you will be very pleased to come away with a par here.

Every golfer has a favourite hole and the 18th always attracts comment-from the great views from the elevated tee across to the Whakarewarewa thermal reserve and the forested hills beyond, to the devilishly tricky second shot between two big trees to the well guarded green- a par here is well earned.

The most feared hole in many minds is the bunkerless fifth- out of bounds down the right, a monster tree on the left and a bubbling steaming creek just in front of the tee calls for good straight shots. The shallow green is easier to hold for your second with a wedge in your hand, than with a 5 iron so it’s a good test of nerves too. The two par five holes, 7 and 10, have special challenges; The 7th has a blind tee shot with out of bounds down the right and the 10th is across a sulphur dome with trees tight to the fairway and a busy road behind an elevated green with a invisible borrow to the north.

The 13th is an acute dog-leg right that gives the bold hitter a chance to drive across the trees guarding the elbow and thus giving an easy pitch to the green, however many a foolhardy player has sliced the ball on to Old Taupo road and watched it bounce along the ashphalt!

The entire course was rebuilt in 1996, with new bunkers and large undulating greens, so the benefits of that development are now becoming effective. Don’t be deceived by the apparent shortness of the course, it will not surrender to par unless you hit every fairway and every green in regulation.