Golfing New Zealands’s Sherwood Park: The Pro’s Perspective

Sherwood Park Golf Club is a vibrant and progressive golfing venue situated in a rural environment with full greens, tees and fairway irrigation. Like all similar facilities it has sprung from humble beginnings and is nowa leading and arguably the fastest growing Golf Club in New Zealand. The original Club was at Sherwood Rise in the eastern suburb of Onerahi and consisted of 9 holes on a 27-acre site. The Club prospered and after 16 years in 1967 it became obvious to all concerned that expansion was necessary to cope with the demand for golf as a leisure activity. No suitable land was available locally so a new property was acquired on the west side of town at Maunu, the present site. This park-like setting amid native flora and fauna is on land below the ancient volcanic cone of Maunu Mountain and the original name of Sherwood Rise gave birth to the new name of Sherwood Park.

The farm land as it was then, was transformed into an 18-hole golf course, utilizing the old farm dwelling as the clubhouse. With great foresight, the course was planned for a future clubhouse on the present site which has views of the beautiful Whangarei Harbour and beyond. Many hours of voluntary labour have contributed to the first-class golfing venue that now exists. The course is a challenge for anyone from Tiger Woods to your elderly grandparent.

Probably the most talked-about holes on the course are the 13th and 14th. The par 4 13th requires an accurate tee shot to set you up for either a lay-up shot short or to the area beside the two lakes on the left, or to set yourself up to have a go at the guarded and elevated green. The par 3 14th can be daunting. You are playing almost straight back over the lakes you’ve just negotiated on the 13th. The prevailing wind swirls and often the flag on the 13th green is waving in the opposite direction to the flag on your target green, making club and shot selection a challenge.

Nine of Sherwood Park’s holes have an Out-Of-Bounds and all are on the righthand side. Several of the boundary fences are ancient stone walls built by the early settlers in the area. For the big hitters, the 1st, 10th and 15th holes provide a chance to drive the green, but anything too wayward will be disastrous!

There are a lot of hardy souls who play at Sherwood Park. Even when some might consider the course unplayable in abysmal conditions, they play on regardless.

Three top golfers stand out among many who have risen to the top of their sport. They are Kevin Billington, Dale Clarke and Gary-John Hill. Kevin is now in his 50′s but still wins Club Championships, Open Tournaments and plays rep golf for the Northland province. Dale has had numerous achievements most notable being Sherwood Park course records: 63 off the Blue Competition tees.

When Dale returned from pursuing a Professional career in England he re-set the record off the Black Championship tees with a whopping 5 under par 65!

Sherwood Park Champion, Dale Clarke

Now living in Melbourne, Australia he’s taking up a position at the Melbourne Golf Academy where he’ll prepare for the Australasian Tour School Qualifying in November, 2008

Gary-John Hill is about to start a three-year Golf Scholarship at the South Eastern Louisiana University in the USA. He’ll be playing NCAA Golf around the USA for the next three years.

Gary-John Hill

Visitors are always welcome at the Sherwood Park Golf Club. And even though they’ve risen slightly – click on Club information – green fees are still modest with club rentals at NZ$20 and Electric golf carts at NZ$30 per round.

Overseas Visitors who are planning are lengthy stay and want to consider short-term membership should contact Steve Byles C.E.O. to discuss fees. Phone: (09) 434 6900 ext. 2   email: sherwood@golf.co.nz

by Derek Clarke, Club Professional/Director of Golf-copyright 2008

Photos courtesy of Sherwood Park Golf Club

On Derek Clark – from my”Birdies” book:

“Derek recalls his own youth, twice winning the Northland Junior Championship in the 1970′s. Young Dale has won this Championship three times — like father, like son, I say. He’s also won the Caltrex Eagles New Zealand Junior Championship a few years ago as did two other ‘young guns’ now of international note: Michael Long and Michael Campbell.”