Meandering through a magnificent 100-acre seaside layout in sub-tropical Northland, Carrington Club, New Zealand’s most-northerly Golf Club Resort is proud to be a member of “The Golf Cluster” - one of the country’s premier golf courses along with Kauri Cliffs, Gulf Harbour Country Club, Formosa Country Club, Jacks Point Resort, The Lakes Resort, Wairakei International, Cape Kidnappers, Clearwater Resort, Terrace Downs and Millbrook Resort.

On a spring day in November in 2003, my husband and I met E. J. “Big Ted” McDougall prior to him becoming Carrington Club’s Resident Pro. It was on this well-known Kiwi professional golfer’s recommendation that we stop by to meet the folks at Carrington and view the work in progress. Matt Dye, renowned U.S. course designer was finalizing layout alterations to blend with extensive conservation areas developed to restore natural wetlands. At that early stage we could only dream of playing a round or two.

Carrington is now noted as likely the longest course in the entire South Pacific. This awesome par 72 is approximately 6417 metres (7267 yards) from the Black “Tiger” tees and from my Reds, 4619 metres or just over 5000 yards. Plenty of power or Maori mana seems necessary to play long and straight from any tee.

Recognizing the importance of mana, Carrington pays respect to the culture and beliefs of the indigenous Polynesians, the New Zealand Maori, in a very special way. Next to each set of tees stand Tekoteko (carved figures) designed and crafted by local Maori craftsmen - Master Carver Takirirangi Smith and Carvers, Paki Wilson and Paki OCarroll. These commissioned carvings are best understood from the Maori story of creation and the pre history legends of New Zealand - Aotearoa, The Land of the Long White Cloud. I think of these particular images as representations of Nature’s fearless forces. Like many other icons, hopefully just a touch or light rub will exude enough mana to turn a duffer like me into a lean mean golfing machine. One can only hope.

Carrington’s colourful and detailed course and “yardage” book shows distances in metres. For club selection I convert metres to yardage simply by adding 10 percent. From the Black tee, the Par 5 No. 14 “Grinder” is one of the longest in the country at 605 metres (667 yards) but thanks to Matt, the Par 3 No. 7 “Punawai” may be one of the few holes to give us high handicappers a chance for par. The Red tee is just 63 metres (70 yards) over the edge of a large bunker to the widest face of the green while the other tees play much longer over the water to a green surrounded on three sides by wetlands.

This amazingly beautiful 3000-acre complex has much more to offer golfers. From the 9th hole one can drive up a path in state-of-the-art “IQ” Club Car carts to Carrington Farm’s Karikari Estate winery and vineyard for a tour and wine tasting. This young winery has won over twenty medals in its first two vintages, all thanks to Winemaker, Ben Dugdale, Vineyard Manager, Ed Brodrick and their team. Another path leads down to Karikari Beach below the vineyard. Nestled among 15-metre high dunes, Carrington’s secluded and seemingly endless stretch of white sand shoreline offers views across Great Exhibition Bay in the South Pacific to New Zealand’s northern-most land mass - the North Cape Peninsula.

In a climate much like areas along California’s southern coast, this 5-star Qualmark resort complex boasts luxurious accommodation and fine dining with menus offering the best of local ingredients. For me, freshly caught seafood is the ultimate. By road the drive is only about four hours north of Auckland. If touring north up Highway 1 through the popular tourist centre, the Bay of Islands, it is little more than an hour from Kerikeri. As another alternative, Air New Zealand conveniently operates daily flights to the nearby Kaitaia airport where Carrington will arrange pickup. Another option is to arrive directly from Auckland by helicopter.

Close to nature in every way, Carrington Club offers the ultimate golfing challenge. One round leads to another then another, especially with an exchange rate that greatly favours the US and Canadian dollar. A round is a reasonable NZ$135, carts NZ$40 and club hire from NZ$20. Rates are reduced for Carrington Lodge/Villa guests.

After a flight on Air New Zealand from either Vancouver, B.C. or Los Angeles LAX, the plan for my next trip is to get all the kinks out with a stroll along balmy South Pacific shores then after an intensive golf lesson – get out on the course and Break 100!

More information: www.carringtonclub.co.nz

Photos Courtesy The Carrington Club