Day 34 - Paraparaumu Beach

Posted by Jamie on 3 February 2010 | 2 Comments | Tags: , ,

Paraparaumu Beach is a rare pleasure, a pure golfing experience.  Located around 40 minutes north of Wellington, Paraparam’ – as it’s known to the locals – sits on a fine isthmus of golfing heaven, and looks across to the picturesque Kapiti Island.  The course’s reputation proceeds itself, and having played there once or twice before Mike & I knew roughly what we were in for.  A treat.  

Paraparam’ is a pure links.  There are no lakes or 50 metre wide bunkers – just subtle undulations and menacingly long grass.  And sublime greens that run faster than Ussein Bolt.  The wonderful thing about courses like Paraparam’ is that no two days are the same; each day you are at the mercy of the elements.  Today was no different.  A fresh-ish southerly made stopping the ball difficult down-wind, and getting the ball on in regulation difficult into the wind.   There are no easy shots, but the course is fair, and good shots are more often than not rewarded.

We were meant to be playing with a chap by the name of Ricky Bartlett, who several years ago played every course in New Zealand in a year.  Good effort (there’s 393 or so).  He did it hard too, playing by himself and having rest days at home every now and then.  Unfortunately Ricky had to pull out with a cricket injury, so we’ll have to hear his stories another day.  But thankfully we had good company in two Borrens – Tim and Guy – and the General Manager / Course Superintendent (that’s right, a dual role), Leo Barber.  A 5 ball.  Mike and I played with Tim and Guy last year, in a howling southerly in the middle of winter.  They’re both good golfers (T off 2; G off 6), and good sportsmen generally (it goes with the territory, being a Borren – see Day 17’s blog at Riversdale, which we played with Tone Borren, another golf snake).  It was also great that Leo joined us – apart from just being a good punter, he told us about the club, his golfing experiences and how to get around the course in one piece.  Great course, great company and great weather – hard to beat really.

The first notable occurrence of the round was Guy’s eagle on the par 4 6th.  He sank an impossible chip; impossible because the pin was cut at the foot of a severe slope (and the greens being lightning fast...).  High fives all round.  Michael had an eagle putt on the next, but the girl’s blouse left it short.  Weak.  That said, at risk of giving him a big head, reaching the par 5 7th with a couple of 2 irons into a stiff southerly (when the rest of us couldn’t get up with driver, 3 wood) is pretty impressive.  He did the same thing on the par 5 18th too.

The haggle weighed heavily in Michael and Guy’s favour for the bulk of the round, but Tim (and I) managed to pull it back to all square with a few holes to go.  Then Michael made 2 birdies in the last three, putting the honours beyond our reach.  Good on ‘im.  Tim played some very steady golf himself, and if the putter had run hotter he might have shot sub-par.  As it happened, he had a solid 76.  

I could never get sick of playing Paraparam’.  Having grown up playing links golf in Scotland & Ireland, this mode of golf gets my wheels spinning.  It feels like getting back to my roots.  All the more so given we just went out for a few holes of night golf – it’d be rude not to, I guess, given our hosts (the Borrens) live on the 11th hole.  Good clean fun.

All in all it has been an epic day.  One of the best courses in the land – as Leo put it, “the spiritual home of New Zealand golf”.  I’m not suitably qualified to corroborate his quip, but I can’t imagine he’d be far wrong.  A special place indeed; I can’t wait to return.  The hospitality was second to none too.

Thanks to Leo & the team at Paraparam’ for hosting us, and to the Borrens for having us to stay (and for feeding us).  What a day.

Up the coast to Waikanae tomorrow, which is also a links layout (for the most part).  We’re meeting Greg Howard there, the kind gentleman that footing us a few of his TrueGRIP possum skin golf gloves to get us through the year.  Should be another good day.

Peace, JP

Check out the video below!!

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Comments

  • Not sure Alex Russell would have approved of your routing re the night golf but the hoody worn by jamie certainly looked at home here in Kapiti (just not at coastlands haha). You guys have a career in marketing awaiting your return

    Posted by Leo Barber, 05/02/2010 10:29am (1 year ago)

  • BEST VID YET GUYS!! AWESOME!

    Posted by Sam Bree, 04/02/2010 7:24am (1 year ago)