Muriwai Golf Club
Course Date
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Yardage 6764 yards Par 70
Coursre Rating 73.6
Playing Date May 6, 2011
Designer John Bourke & Alex Gresgou
Opned 1960
Caddie Yes
Golf Cart Yes (Can be driven on fairways)
Rating
Ocrall Rating
4.15
Course Layout
4
Difficulty Level
4
Greens Conditions
5
Fairways Conditions
4
Landscaping & Views
4
Level of Satisfaction
4
 
The course at the Muriwai Golf Club is a links style course that faces the sea. The fairways are naturally rolling and the holes are filled with strategically placed bunkers. The course offers a breathtaking view of the sea and forests. A series of factors such as the strong sea winds, deep roughs that can be as tall as one’s knees, and fast and un-bitable greens make this one demanding course.


Sign

A view from clubhouse


1st green

A view from 5th tee

A rainbow and me

Scorecard
 
2nd Par 5 504 yards
The second hole consists of a dogleg that bends to the left. There is a bush on the left and bunkers on both sides that come into play off the tee. The green slightly slopes from back to front and is guarded by three pot bunkers on its front side.
 

2nd Par 5 504 yards (3)

2nd Par 5 504 yards (2)

2nd Par 5 504 yards (1)
 
4th Par 4 447 yards

4th Par 4 447 yards (2)

4th Par 4 447 yards (1)
A straight and long par four. Players should watch out for the O.B. line that runs along the left side. The green is deep and slopes from right to left.
 
5th Par 4 422 yards

5th Par 4 422 yards (2)

5th Par 4 422 yards (1)
The fifth hole is a par four with a dogleg that bends to the right and has an O.B. line that runs along the left. The second shot will be a downhill lob and the green slopes from front to back, making it difficult for the ball to land properly on the green.
 
8th Par 3 167yards

8th Par 3 167yards (2)

8th Par 3 167yards (1)
The eighth hole is a downhill hole that has a beautiful ocean view. There are bunkers that are placed in front of the green.
 
12th Par 5 494 yards
The twelfth hole is a relatively short par five that consists of a slight dogleg that bends to the right and a fairway that slopes towards the left. An area of dense woods covers the left side of the hole. The green is slightly raised and is surrounded by four pot bunkers.
 

12th Par 5 494 yards (3)

12th Par 5 494 yards (2)

12th Par 5 494 yards (1)
 
15th Par 4 432 yards
This par four is a relatively straight hole that consists of fairways that slope sharply from left to right. There is a beautiful view of the small mountains that lie beyond the green.
 

15th Par 4 432 yards (3)

15th Par 4 432 yards (2)

15th Par 4 432 yards (1)
 
16th Par 4 357 yards
A short par four with a slight dogleg that bends to the left. The fairway itself slopes from left to right and the hole ends with a green that is elevated, very wide, and not so deep.
 

16th Par 4 357 yards (3)

16th Par 4 357 yards (2)

16th Par 4 357 yards (1)
 
18th Par 4 423 yards

18th Par 4 423 yards (2)

18th Par 4 423 yards (1)
The last hole is a demanding and straight par four. The tee shot will require the ball to be hit onto a naturally raised fairway. The green is triple-tiered and consists of big undulations.
 
19th hole
It is a 45-minute drive to get to the Muriwai Golf Club from the city of Auckland. Since the distances measured at the course are in meters, I have converted them into yards for this review.

The Top 100 Golf Courses of the World (top100golfcourses.co.uk) ranks Muriwai Golf Club as the 20th best course in New Zealand in 2016. It was ranked 17th in the top 25 courses in New Zealand in 2010 by a panel of NZPGA Professionals and Golf Travel operators.

Harold Babbage originally designed the course in 1960 and John Bourke & Alex Gresgou renovated it between 1996 and 2003.