Planning for the Arikikapakapa Course redevelopment has been underway for several years now. We have recently received a proposed design for four new holes (which includes the amalgamation of the existing 17th and 18th to form a par 5) from our designer Clyde Johnson. This can be viewed here.
The next step is to seek feedback from our members.
The purpose of the re-development is to bring into play more of the unique features of the Arikikapakapa Reserve by opening (both from playing and visual perspectives) more of the geothermal areas on the land.
As you know, the Board is currently working through a Strategic Plan process that will help shape the direction of our Club in the future and, given the re-development project has been proposed for a long time now, we feel it prudent to get feedback on the re-development separately, so it can be taken into consideration when determining the overall strategic direction.
We have put together some answers to anticipated questions below to provide some context and clarity. We have also developed an online form to capture feedback, this can be accessed here. We will put a copy of the design up on the results board in the bar (entrance end) for people to take a closer look. Feedback will close on 4 August 2023.
What are the timeframes for this project?
For this project to commence we need to renew our Lease which expires in 2030. We have had initial discussions with representatives of Pukeroa-Oruawhata Trust and will be working through this in more detail soon. From a project perspective, there are several steps we will need to complete before physical work takes place. These include finalising detailed designs, getting costing estimates, and actioning a funding plan. These things will ultimately determine the timeframes for the development which could see the proposed holes in play in somewhere between 4-8 years.
What is the cost and how will it be funded?
A cost estimate is still to be finalised and this will need to be done, and funding obtained, for the project to move forward. Once the cost is determined, then we will develop a funding plan before approaching funders and other organisations to support the delivery of this project. As previously advised, the Club cannot entertain this project from its existing revenue streams.
What holes will be removed from the existing course?
This is still to be determined and will be the next stage of the project once the construction of the new holes is underway. When the new holes come into play, the plan is to systematically further develop and improve the rest of the course. In doing this, we will ensure there are always 18 holes available for play throughout this subsequent development phase. We are in the very fortunate position that we can do this because of the extra holes we will have available.
Will this make the Course more difficult?
No. That is definitely not the reason for the re-development. The reason is as set out above – to better utilise and access the geothermal features of Arikikapakapa.
We commend that you use Google to familiarise yourselves with the principles of golf course design developed by the great golf course architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie. These principles are aspirational, rather than set in stone, and we get off to a bad start at Arikikapakapa as the first rule is “The course, where possible, should be arranged in two loops of nine holes”! As much as many people have tried to work out how we can do this, it just isn’t possible with the Clubhouse in its current location.
In spite of this, one of the reasons why the Redevelopment Sub-Committee selected Clyde as our designer is that he is a noted exponent of Dr MacKenzie’s principles and the brief given to Clyde was to maximise the use of the natural features of Arikikapakapa and create a Course that will be a test for the better player but still be enjoyable and fun for the player of lesser ability (paraphrasing Dr MacKenzie’s Rules 11 and 12).
