Southern Hemisphere Golf Course Reviews - New Zealand Golf Course Reviews
Kinloch Golf Club Review
Kinloch, North Island, New Zealand
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Kinloch Golf Club Overview: The middle of the north island of New Zealand surrounds Lake Taupo, which has geothermal wonderlands, amazing hiking, skiing in the winter, and a hidden gem of a golf course called Kinloch. The entrance is unassuming, the staff gives you a one on one explanation of the golf course and rules, you get a scorecard just for the tee you are playing and then one finds themselves in a golf course that has a wholly unique feel to it, while simultaneously feeling like it could be transplanted into several different areas of the world and be an instant classic. The most memorable golf holes are reviewed below:
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 1: The opening par four is a slightly uphill dogleg right with plenty of sand traps to deal with from tee to green. The long grass that is prevalent on this course is waiting on both sides of the hole.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 2: This par five is uphill but might be one of the better scoring opportunities on the entire course. The main thing to avoid is going right as balls headed that direction will be gone. Other than that, missing the occasional bunker is the only other real trick to getting a good score here.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 3: The first par three of the day gets right down to business with a green that has water right in front and collection bunkers behind and to the right. The only real bailout is left of the green.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 4: A tough drive awaits the player on this long, dogleg left par four. Ideally the drive will skirt by or carry the bunker on the left, but don't go left of it. The safer drive to the right will leave a much more daunting approach downhill to the green, over the long grasses and bunkers.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 5: It is rare to find a golf hole that almost perfectly aligns with a players visual tastes, architectural preferences and gives enough excitement to be labelled a fantastic hole. The 5th at Kinloch is one such effort. The slightly elevated tee shows the player all the options they have and all the danger. Being a short par four, most clubs in the bag are available depending on risk tolerance and confidence. The approach is slightly uphill to a contoured and angled green with many pin placement options. All of this with a part of the course that feels as far from civilization, with a New Zealand archetypal backdrop.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 6: After the sublime 5th, the player gets another short par four, but this one is more of a riddle. The fairway is elevated and mostly blind. The green, however, can be seen way left over long grasses and a couple of bunkers, so the adventurous can go for the green, or his the drive up the hill to what is actually a fairly flat landing area that then will play downhill to a small green with a big bunker short of it.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 8: This par five winds its way between long grasses in bunkers and feels so naturally cut out of the landscape that the golfer must feel that it was just always here. Another masterful design that gives the player options but requires solid ball striking to negotiate.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 10: The back nine heads closer to Lake Taupo and starts with this downhill par four. The tee shot is key as the second plays a little up hill to an angled and well guarded green.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 11 (left): This par three features a narrow green surrounded by several deep bunkers. The green has enough character as well to make misses in the wrong area subject to some really tough putts
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 12 (below): If a good drive is hit inside or over the bunker on the right, then the second down the hill on this par five might be able to reach the green. Of course, going to far right is real trouble. Played the "normal" route, this par five is fairly docile with missing the sand traps being the key focus.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 12 (below): If a good drive is hit inside or over the bunker on the right, then the second down the hill on this par five might be able to reach the green. Of course, going to far right is real trouble. Played the "normal" route, this par five is fairly docile with missing the sand traps being the key focus.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 15: The view of Lake Taupo is pleasant on this hole, but the shot one must hit is not. This par three is long and the tee shot has to carry a long way to get to the green. Short is bad and left is real bad with the bailout short and right leaving a really tough chip for all pins except the front one.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 16: The player can get after it on the drive on this par five as it is pretty wide open. The second shot, however, is not, as the fairway is split by a long grassed depression of sorts. The conservative play is go to the right fairway, that actually widens the farther one goes. Alternatively, a big second shot can find the small fairway elevated to the left, or, can even try to fly all the junk and bunkers to the green. Shots long and left may come back down off the hill, but putts from above the hole are really quick..
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 17 (right): This par three is downhill with another great view of Lake Taupo. The green is wide but shallow. Short is not a good option as the rough is thick and the slope quite steep.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 18 (below): The final day is a par five with a pretty wide open drive, but the lake comes into play left on the second and third shots, with it snuggling the putting surface for the final approach of the day.
Kinloch Golf Club Hole 18 (below): The final day is a par five with a pretty wide open drive, but the lake comes into play left on the second and third shots, with it snuggling the putting surface for the final approach of the day.
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