The last item on my Golf Bucket List is being able to photograph and experience golf in New Zealand, Melbourne, and Tasmania. I will be leaving on February 2 and returning March 7th for my trip of a lifetime. I have been thinking about this for almost 20 years.
I have divided the trip into 4 sub regions:
1. South Island of New Zealand. 2/6-2/16. True Links courses are one of my passions, there are EIGHT on this island- Chisholm Links, Otakou (9), Oreti Sands, Hokitka, Westport, Karamea (9), Nelson, Takaka (9). Playing all of these will pretty much take me around the whole island. Flying in and out of Christchurch.
2. North Island of New Zealand. Flying into Auckland on the 16th until the 25th. True Links course-Paraparaumu Beach, Titirangi a Mackenzie course, two Doak courses at Cape Kidnappers and Tara It (links) and Kauri Cliffs are the five courses I am focusing on here. This will take me on a figure 8 loop of the island providing a nice overview. Also, played the back 9 at Mangawhai GC.
3. Tasmania 2/25-3/1. Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farms are two great courses by my favorite architects that I will experience plus take a drive down to Hobart and play Tasmania and Royal Hobart.
4. Melbourne 3/1-3/7. So many great courses in this region I will only be able to see a handful. Kingston Heath course will be a great experience. There are two True Links courses- Barwon Heads and Port Fairy I am also going to play. Maybe, I will have to make a return trip just to play Melbourne area golf in the future.
I have contacted all the above courses and have them all scheduled. I will probably end up photographing around 20 courses on this trip so you all will be able to enjoy about another 2500 photos.
