Clearwater Golf Course, New Zealand

Clearwater Golf Course in Christchurch, New Zealand, was the home for the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship and the USPGA Nationwide Tour. The par 72 championship course was designed by John Darby in consultation with New Zealand golfing legend, Sir Bob Charles, The golf course is built around a series of man-made lakes, bringing water into play on 14 holes; combining elements of links golf inspired by the great Scottish courses with parkland golf, more reminiscent of Florida.

It’s not possible to identify a ‘signature’ hole as such because Clearwater is blessed with a number of great golf holes. But two come to mind. The par-3 11th demands a clean strike to carry the ball over a small lake to a green with a big sand trap in front. The par-4 18th, gives Clearwater one of the best finishing holes in New Zealand, it plays from an elevated tee to a green that juts out into a lake bringing water into play short, left, and at the back.

The front nine will get you used to the excellent condition of the course and take you into an open, linksy landscape, with flattish good-width fairways, copious bunkering and occasional views onto neighbouring rural countryside (and farther afield to the start of New Zealand’s Southern Alps). Water comes into play from time to time on the front-nine (not least at the par-4 8th and par-5 9th), but nothing like as much as on the inward nine, where small lakes, ponds and fairway crossing ditches threaten on just about every hole. If water is not visible somewhere out of the corner of your eye, it is probably straight in front of you.

Among many challenging holes, the par-5 14th demands very precise shot making if you are to stay out of the reed-lined water hazards on your hop-skip and jump journey towards the putting surface. As you become engrossed in your game, the occasional passing plane on its way into Christchurch airport will feel like a minor distraction. In the end it is the water and John Darby’s testing layout that will command your full attention.