New Zealand
Golf Courses: Wairakei Golf Course - Taupo

Located in the heart of the North Island in the Lake Taupo region with its rising steam and thermal attractions, this outstanding parkland course lies on 450 acres of natural rolling countryside.  It offers magnificent tree-lined fairways and large greens.  Add this to the natural contours of the land, three water hazards and 108 well placed bunkers and you get a course that plays long and demands accuracy.  Wairakei is home to New Zealand's most famous par five, the 14th known as The Rogue, named after a geyser, which used to erupt in a nearby field.  The course was ranked by the prestigious US Golf Digest Magazine to be amongst the top 100 courses in the world outside the USA in 2005.

Designed by Commander John Harris, Michael Wolveridge and Peter Thomson with the aim of producing New Zealand's first internationally recognised golf course, there is little doubt in any New Zealanders mind that this trio exceeded all expectations.  The end result is a course that sprawls over 450 acres of natural countryside.  This, coupled with the 6444 metres from the championship tees, has lead to worldwide acclaim.