Muriwai Golf Club

Muriwai Golf Course is a links course as it is situated right alongside Muriwai Beach on the West Coast of Auckland.



It is located about a 45 min drive from Auckland City.


















The encroaching sand dunes have forced some major changes to the course over the past ten years as new holes have had to be created to replace those lost to the shifting sands. But several of the new holes are now the hardest holes on the course and have improved Muriwai as a test of golfing ability - especially when the wind is blowing, as it usually is!

The new 4th hole, being rated as the hardest hole of the whole eighteen, will really stretch the average hitter, especially off the back tee or into the prevailing sou'westerly wind. Not many players will reach the uphill green in the regulation two shots. And when you do reach the green, you may find you are left with a 20 metre putt on what is one of the biggest greens on the course.

The new 5th hole will also need a long iron or fairway wood for your second, when you are hitting straight into the teeth of the sou'wester. It is a relief to escape to the downwind 6th where reaching the hole in regulation is a lot easier.

The 8th hole offers a lovely view of the coast, especially now the tee has been moved to a more elevated position. You can hit anything on this par 3 from a 3 iron to a 9 iron depending on the wind direction - true links golf! And watch out on the green - all putts tend to drift towards the sea, despite the green seeming to slope the other way.








The 12th hole is one of my favourites but not because of its links nature. In fact it is more like a hole you would find on a resort course with its elevated tee and profusion of fairway bunkers. The pine tees bordering the left provide welcome relief from the wind and give the hole a very different character. Many wise locals play this hole using two 3 irons and a wedge as this tactic takes out of play the bunkers that are placed to catch errant drives and fairway woods.

The 13th hole is one of my least preferred holes and also is hated by most visitors. The problem is that unless you hit a huge drive, you are faced with a long iron to the green. That might be OK unless you were hitting across a narrow green with big swailes on both sides that feed your ball into gullies left and right. At times you can hit a perfect second but an unfair bounce will see you chipping from 20 metres off the green. All in all, a poorly-designed hole - one that was 'tricked up' to add a degree of difficulty.

Which makes you wonder if it was the same designer that came up with what I regard as the signature hole of Muriwai - the 14th. From the elevated tee, pine trees confront you left and right and a long  drive is needed to carry the hill so that your ball trickles down leaving you with a mid to long iron. And an accurate one at that at it must pierce the narrow gap between two St.Andrews-like pothole bunkers that guard each side of the long green. A par here is one that is well-earned.

Another variable hole awaits. If the pin is located on the lower right tier of the green, this hole is pretty straightforward. But if the pin is placed on the far left on the upper tier, you need two clubs more and will be trying to land your ball on a green with no depth with bunkers in front and behind. This is a golf shot beyond the abilities of most club players, especially if you cannot see the green as is usually the case.

The 17th tee offers perhaps the best view of the golf course from the elevated tee but the hole does not do the view justice, being a short iron to a large green.

The long 18th is a challenging finishing hole, especially as it usually is played directly into the wind. A pin location on the back top tier means most players will struggle to get there in regulation. And any shot slightly off course will catch the mean-looking array of bunkers.

Then is is off to the pleasant clubrooms where you can tell a few lies to the friendly bar staff and watch the sun going down over the Tasman Sea.