The Course
The Howick Golf club is situated in a picturesque clifftop setting on Musick Point, bounded by the blue waters of the Hauraki Gulf and the Tamaki Estuary. On a good day the views out to the Hauraki Gulf and its many islands is simply breathtaking. While not long the layout is challenging with tight fairways, rolling topography and smallish greens with lots of trees to penalise wayward tee shots. Please browse through the hole by hole guide below to sample what Howick Golf Club has to offer. |
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Par 4 
296m 
296m 
287m |
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A tee shot placed centre to right of centre will leave an elevated approach to a wide shallow green where it pays to go with a club more than you think. A steep bank to the rear will on many occasions allow the ball to run back to the green. |
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Par 4
333m
325m
317m |
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Beware of a lake to the right off the tee. Anywhere on the fairway here will leave you with a blind shot (the flag stick is usually visible) to a two tiered green. A steep embankment left of the green is not the place be, it can be a nasty uphill pitch back to pin from there. |
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Par 4
312m
304m
304m |
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This sharp dogleg left hole traps many players from the tee with trees and a road hazard on the right and tall pines left. Longer hitters may be best to take a 3 wood from the tee to clear smaller trees down the left side. From the fairway you should have a short iron or pitch to a flattish green protected by a bunker on the left side and a road close to the right side. |
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Par 4
346m
326m
310m |
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Doglegs right with a fairway bunker protecting the right corner and flanked by tall trees either side. Centre to left of centre is best from the tee, leaving a mid to short iron in to a gently sloping green. Be careful to take enough club to clear a tall pine to the right and short of this green, especially when the pin is positioned on the right front. |
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Par 4
321m
316m
311m |
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From the tee anywhere centre to left of centre is the place to be. Too far right can leave your approach blocked out by a large bushy conifer, too far left is not great either with large pines or smaller shrubs blocking progress. Most approach shots will be from a valley at 60 -135m out to a deceivingly sloped green where you are always best to play to the right of the flag, from where the ball will always (well-almost always!) run left. |
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Par 3
130m
120m
91m |
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Trouble almost everywhere except to the rear of this green. For most it is only a mid to short iron over a lake with steep slopes to the right, left and front. The green itself slopes from the back and can present players with some very tricky downhill putts especially when the surface is hard and fast. |
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Par 4
334m
324m
279m |
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A long drive on this dogleg left needs to land as far left as possible without finding the trees. The fairway slopes severely right, so much so that even the most well placed drive will almost always come to rest on the right side. A medium to long tee shot will leave a mid to short iron from an up-slope to the elevated green where you do not want to go too long and right. |
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Par 3
113m
108m
93m |
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Depending on wind direction this hole can play anywhere from a sand wedge to a long iron. Most times though it is a short club in to a sloping green protected by a greenside bunker on the right. Over the back of this green can leave a very tricky down hill chip shot. |
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Par 4
351m
340m
315m |
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Most tee shots will feed left on this fairway sometimes finishing in the left rough. An elevated mid to short iron approach is the usual play to a long back to front sloping green with water left and a couple of bushy conifer trees on the right. |
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Par 3
156m
150m
108m |
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A precision mid to long iron or even a Fairway Metal is required to this elevated par 3. Always take a club more if you can, there is not too much trouble close to the back of the green but a shot landing on the front slope can often roll back in to a lake, especially during summer. |
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Par 4
350m
345m
345m |
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Slightly uphill between rows of tall pines demands a good straight drive here. Your approach shot needs to carry on to the green for best results keeping clear of a right side bunker and a couple of nasty mounds on the left. The putting surface itself is fairly flat. |
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Par 3
176m
168m
165m |
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Wind plays a large factor on the next two holes when selecting the correct club. The 12th can play anywhere from a short iron to a wood. A little to the right of the flag is the best line to approach this green which slopes from the rear and to the left. Do not go long and right, you may find yourself in a road hazard. |
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Par 3
167m
162m
127m |
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Usually a mid to long iron is required here to a green set close to the cliffs of Musick Point. Medium to strong westerly winds are often not felt when standing on the tee, an airfoil effect takes place where wind hits the cliffs and rises a few metres above. Often there can be zero breeze at ground level but 20-30 knots only a few metres above. Always look at the tree tops and aim a little right if a strong breeze is running. In saying that do not go too far right - it’s all out of bounds! |
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Par 4
348m
339m
306m |
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A drive positioned anywhere on the fairway will leave an approach shot across a gully to a gently sloping green protected by a greenside bunker to the right. Beware of playing too far left off the tee, tall overhanging pines make any shot to the green a difficult proposition. |
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Par 4
396m
388m
380m |
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There is only one tee shot required on 15 – straight! Very narrow at only 15-20 metres in places, the fairway runs off either side to rough and is flanked by very tall pines. The green is of a reasonable size and slopes from front to back which makes it a little tricky at times to hold an approach shot on the putting surface. |
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Par 5
426m
418m
362m |
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Another straight drive is needed here to a slightly uphill fairway. Longer hitters will need to carry a fairway bunker on their second shots keeping clear of a tree on the right 40 – 50 metres out. Approach shots played toward the left side of this green will usually feed right to the flag stick. |
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Par 4
385m
380m
374m |
Panoramic views of the Hauraki Gulf Islands from the tee on 17 make this a favourite photo opportunity for many. The hole itself is very good with a distinct “linksy” feel about it.
From an elevated tee you should position a drive centre to right of centre on to an undulating fairway which feeds most shots to the left. Situated on the cliff tops Out of Bounds runs the full length of the hole to your left. A mid to short iron approach is usually required to a narrow slightly elevated green which slopes away to a steep bank short and right. |
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Par 5
511m
418m
411m |
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More stunning views from the back tee here which calls for a tee shot across a corner of the cliff tops and native bush to an undulating fairway where a little left is better than finding trees on the right. Be careful not to play a fairway shot too far out to the left, cliff tops and Out of Bounds lurk menacingly close to a sloping green protected by a right side trap and Out of Bound over the back. |
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