GolfCross – a clever Kiwi creation well above par
Kiwis are an ingenious bunch – while the nation’s claim to inventing Pavlova might come under scrutiny on occasion, and we tend to share ownership with Australia, there are many other quirky inventions that are definitely ours.
New Zealanders are especially talented when it comes to creations of the adventuring, adrenalin seeking, outdoors-y and downright crazy type.
Think of Bungy Jumping; dreamed up by AJ Hackett and launched (literally!) in 1987 when he illegally plummeted from the Eiffel Tour to test the feasibility of his idea (fortunately with great success).
The Zorb is another wacky innovation created when two brothers, David and Andrew Akers, decided that careening downhill in a giant blow-up plastic ball might just be a bit of fun!
So it really comes as no surprise that Kiwis have made up their own take on the age-old sport of golf, called GolfCross.
Golf purists may well be aghast at the notion, but converts to GolfCross rave about its excitement and strategy.
About the game of GolfCross
GolfCross was conceived by Wellington cartoonist, writer and inventor Burton Silver, in 1989, so it’s been around a while.
Silver says his aim was to establish an original Kiwi form of golf that celebrated the splendour of New Zealand’s rural environment, a love of rugby and Kiwis’ do-it-yourself innovative spirit.
Surely only a Kiwi would attempt such a marriage that flies in the face of the Royal and Ancient?
The new variant has similar rules to golf but uses oval balls (like mini hard rugby balls) and goals instead of holes.
The same clubs are used, but no putter. Players tee off as usual, but from a “tee cup” (not to be mistaken for a “tea cup”), which is a high rubber tee, a miniature version of the rugby kicking tee used by Dan Carter, another very famous Kiwi innovation!
The traditional green is replaced by a “yard”. A player whose ball lies in the yard can turn the suspended goal net to suit them. The challenge is then to master the lofted shot into the goal.
All shots are taken using the “tee-cup” so it’s easier to get a good clean club connection. This also means the fairways and yards don’t need manicuring like normal golf courses. So in New Zealand, at least, the courses are on rural farmland – a great use of a few paddocks!
According to New Zealand golf-pro Greg Turner, GolfCross relies heavily on strategy, tactics and taking risks.
What – an oval golf ball?
It might sound odd but the oval ball design was developed to give players more control over where the ball travels.
Players can position the ball on the tee in five main ways, each of which results in a different flight path.
Set it up on the tee in the standard position allows the player to hit it straight every time.
As it spins on two axes it is virtually impossible to hook or slice.
But a different ball angle on the tee can generate controlled hooks and slices, backspin, topspin and even double-curves – the best way to see how this works is to watch a GolfCross demonstration video.
Perhaps the ball’s most unusual feature is its high-pitched “singing” as it sails through the air. A clever little ball with musical ability – astounding!
Golfers often say that after playing GolfCross their usual golf game also improves, as their understanding of the shot grows and they gain more confidence with their swing.
Where to play GolfCross?
Just like Bungy and Zorbing, while GolfCross was invented in New Zealand it is now all over the world with courses in Australia, Germany, France, UK, Canada, USA and Argentina.
In New Zealand, it’s played in three locations: Bay of Plenty, Martinborough, north of Wellington, and the Central South Island near Mount Cook.
So if you want to embrace the quirkiness of this unusual sport or just want a story to tell friends, here are the locations and some suggestions of things to do along the way:
Ngawaro, Bay of Plenty
Ngawaro, is a nine-hole GolfCross course in the Bay of Plenty about 25 kms south of Tauranga and north of Rotorua, along State Highway 36.
It is part of a 260 acre working farm and co-exists with a regular golf course – the best of both worlds! Like a lot of rural golf courses in New Zealand, the sheep are the spectators and keep the fairways mown.
Once you are in the area you can’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the sites and attractions of Tauranga and Rotorua.
Tauranga is the largest City in the Bay of Plenty and the gateway to the region’s golden coast and comes with plenty of trendy shops, cafes and restaurants.
The main beach, The Mount, is one of New Zealand’s favourites and ranked by TripAdvisor as being one of the best in the world.
Here you can try a surfing lesson, enjoy a swim or just soak up the sun. If you’re feeling energetic, the view from the top of “The Mount” is phenomenal and on a clear day you can see the active volcanic White Island.
Inland, if you want to get out into nature, McLaren Falls is a top spot for camping, fishing, kayaking, bushwalks and picnics.
It’s an easy stroll to the waterfall and if you’re lucky you might see glow-worms when the sun goes down.
It’s also home to one of the best botanical collections of trees in the North Island and a favoured venue for summer concerts.
Rotorua arguably has the most tourist activities per head of population of any town in the North Island, so you can’t really pass it by.
It’s best known for its remarkable geo-thermal attractions, bubbling hot pools, shooting geysers, natural hot springs and Maori culture.
But on the back of this, it’s developed a tourist industry covering everything from relaxing in spas, to white water rafting, jet-boating and zip-lining through native forest.
Maori cultural attractions include Ohinematu, a Maori Village on the edge of Lake Rotorua, offering great cultural insights into Maori life and history.
If you really want to get away from it all, especially out of the summer season, try camping at Hot Water Beach at Te Rata Bay on the shores of Lake Tarawera.
You can get here on foot but only if you are up for a serious walk of 5-6 hours. As the name suggests, the beach is a natural hot spring so you will welcome a soak after the long walk. You can even cook fish in the warm sand!
Taking one of the local Lake Tarawera Charter boats would be an easier option and will give you the chance to marvel at the scenic lake over-looked by Mount Tarawera, a volcano that erupted in 1886 leaving a lasting mark on the surrounding area, seen in great detail at The Buried Village.
GolfCross in Martinborough
Station Bush GolfCross is just ten minutes from the town of Martinborough, the boutique town and home of the Wairarapa’s wine industry.
This is next to a river on a working farm owned by a couple of avid golfers who always dreamed of having a golf course.
Popular with picnickers, the problem with the land was occasional flooding, making fairway and green-keeping a thankless task.
GolfCross was the solution because it doesn’t have greens, so now this beautiful setting can be enjoyed by golf enthusiasts.
After your nine-hole round you can head to Martinborough and choose from one of its famous 20 or so vineyards for a relaxing glass of wine, a meal and a chat about the day’s scores and stories.
Martinborough is a place to amble for a few hours or longer. Full of colonial buildings, boutiques of artisan products and of course wineries, to experience it at its best try cycling around leisurely along its crisscrossing paths and tracks.
Martinborough is also gateway to the South Coast of the North Island where you can visit Cape Palliser, the location of a historic cast iron lighthouse built in 1897. You can also visit the Putangirua Pinnacles, amazing rock formations that starred in Lord of The Rings.
Greytown is also worth a visit – little towns don’t come prettier than this!
Known for its great food and shopping, cute colonial cottages and historic trees you can shop ‘til you drop here with boutiques and stores of clothes, shoes and homeware, quirky antique stores, art shops and bric-a-brac… it’s all here.
South Island GolfCross
Braemar Station, Mt Cook, is the only South Island GolfCross but you probably couldn’t find a more awe-inspiring location.
Located deep in alpine country Braemar has spectacular high country vistas all around, of mountains, valleys and is dominated by Lake Pukaki.
The course is part of a 63,000 acre cattle/deer/sheep farm and is currently just nine holes, but there’s planning to make it 18.
It’s in an extraordinary setting with fairways winding through tussock grass and over undulating pasture. It is in the middle of nowhere and has an unerring silence. Started as three holes around the farm homestead it was more of a hobby for the owners but has grown, with plenty more room for expansion.
GolfCross is not the only activity on-site so you can stay for a few days. There are self-catering farm-stay cottages and other activities such as mountain biking, fishing and walking.
Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park is on the Station’s doorstep and has some great 1-3 day tramps ranging from easy to adventurous.
Nearby is Twizel, a small village in the heart of MacKenzie High Country and just half an hour to the south. There is plenty to keep visitors busy including cycling, hunting, tramping, fly-fishing, rowing and kayaking.
Tekapo is another picturesque small town, also about half an hour away. Along with stunning scenery, lots of outdoor activities and a hot spring, it is also the world’s largest dark sky reserve. This means lots of star-gazing and astronomy; people come here from all over the world to marvel and study the night sky.
Regardless of whether you’re a golfer looking for the next challenge or new to the sport altogether, a visit to any of New Zealand’s GolfCross courses guarantees a Kiwi experience out of the ordinary.
They are all off the beaten track and come with stunning scenery providing a get-away-from-it-all adventure but with a bit of fun included.
The chance to play GolfCross just gives further reason to explore some of New Zealand before returning home to tell friends about this crazy Kiwi sporting idea!
And if you need more encouragement, here’s a quote from GolfCross’s creator:
“When you have fun and take risks, you discover things that you wouldn’t normally discover”.
(Burton Silver, 2011, creator of Golf Cross)