Kiwi Call II - Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club

Here's the second installment of my New Zealand adventure. Enjoy.

Missing links

[Next up] I visited Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club which is a 45-minute drive north of Wellington; New Zealand’s capital, and a world away from the extravagance of The Hills.

Here there is tradition, sandy soils and rippled fairways. With the Kapiti Coast providing sea breezes, Paraparaumu is a true links test defined by pot bunkers and uneven stances. Designed in 1949 by Alex Russell, onetime partner of Dr Alister MacKenzie, this is golf in its purest form seasoned by salty air and sandy lies. So authentic was it I had to remind myself that I was in New Zealand and not Scotland.

“I loved it instantly,” noted former New Zealand Open champion Peter Thomson. “We have nothing like it in Australia.” While the five times Open Championship winner clearly has a soft spot for this links layout, it turns out it is also a bit of a one-off in New Zealand as well.

“We don’t have a lot of classic links,” says general manager Leo Barber, “and links golf is a particular taste, so not everyone gets it. International visitors from the UK and Europe love it, while some Americans don’t.”

Debates around the merits of links golf reverberate around clubhouses the world over. In my opinion, Paraparaumu is a little slice of links heaven going for a song at NZ$150. For all the right reasons, it encourages you to play the ball on the ground to use the contours to get the ball close, especially when it’s windy.

“The wind is a big part of Paraparaumu,” says Barber. “It’s something we embrace, along with firm surfaces and brown grass. We let the course change with the seasons – it’s not springtime all year round. In the middle of summer it will bake and go golden, and in the winter it will turn green and play a little softer. That’s golf; it changes with the seasons.”

Kiwi Call - The Hills

A trip to New Zealand provided me with an opportunity to photograph some wonderful golf courses. Here's the first of four blogs about the trip which are based on excerpts from an article I wrote for Great Golf magazine. Enjoy.

Over the Hills

New Zealand is the most beautiful place you are ever likely to visit - bar none. It was worth the debilitating jet lag and lingering fatigue (which strikes with vengeance on the return leg) to witness this stunning country. Indeed the decision to strike it off my Bucket List was justified as soon as I stepped off the plane at Auckland on the North Island. By the time I reached Queenstown on the South Island, my satisfied smile had grown into a broad Cheshire Cat grin.

I was here to photograph the ultra-exclusive venue of the 2015 New Zealand Open – The Hills, and the juxtaposition of a championship course surrounded by a glacial valley with jaw-dropping views filled me with joy and excitement.

To be honest, I knew little about the layout before I arrived, and would have known even less if I hadn’t spotted the cheque-book sized name plate on the wooden gate modestly confirming this as the official point of entry. Once inside, the meandering road towards the clubhouse gave little away and it wasn’t until I stood on the first tee that I properly saw what this course was all about.

What lay in front of me was a deeply undulating fairway leading up to a plateau green with an enormous mountain range providing a stunning backdrop. This was golf on a grand scale, and if that’s the kind of thing that gets your golf juices flowing then The Hills could cause a flood. This is epic golf where bare rock faces bank against smooth greens and long, flowing grasses define meticulously cut fairways. Add in the occasional sculpture framed by the dramatic landscape and you have a very special place indeed.

“He has very high expectations and an incredible eye for detail,” explains Craig Palmer describing the club’s owner Sir Michael Hill who heads up one of the world’s leading jewellery brands. “He wants this to be as good as there is.”

The director of golf has been at The Hills for six years and now manages a club that employs 25 greenkeepers and has attracted 200 member families. He says he still accepts some non-member bookings, but admits the goal is to become purely private at some point. My advice is to get in while you still can.

For more images of The Hills, visit http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/TheHills/

New images

After being on and off the road for a number of weeks, I have at last found time to update my blog which I have neglected shamefully.

Back in the office, I am preparing for a series of shoots here in Fife which are long overdue. I just hope the good weather continues.

In the meantime, check out my pics form a recent trip to Malaysia, which is a hot, humid and stunning place. Enjoy.

http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/DalitBay/

Flight of fancy

Flight AF1886 wasn’t exciting or luxurious. It wasn’t destined for an exotic country or exciting metropolis. It was pleasant and on time. What made it notable was the service delivered by the crew - personable, polite and thoughtful.

The AirFrance/Cityjet flight from Paris to Edinburgh was noteworthy because the crew followed the very basic principles of good customer service. They considered all their passengers as guests and customers. They were mindful that their clientele were returning from a well-earned break or busy day at work. They engaged with the children and delighted in their tales. They were courteous and respectful to business travellers and helpful when any enquiries were made - no matter how trivial.

Most of all they seemed to take satisfaction in doing their job - serious when the role required it; hospitable at all other times. I know customer service is a perennial bugbear of many frequent flyers, so when I chanced upon an exception to the rule, I thought I would share the good news.

Scotland's best golf experience

Dear all,

For your viewing pleasure, here are the top 20 best golf experiences as voted for by Bunkered readers (a link to the website is posted below, which contains a nice pic (!)). Do you agree? St Andrews down at 5 beaten to fourth spot by Aberdour. No North Berwick, but the Glen GC gets 10th spot.

Not sure of the criteria, but the ranking was "designed to identify and celebrate the golfing venues in Scotland that offer visitors a truly memorable day out, as opposed to just an excellent golf course".

Let it begin!

1. Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire
2. Kingsbarns Golf Links, Fife
3. The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
4. Aberdour Golf Club, Fife
5. St Andrews Links, Fife
6. Archerfield Links, East Lothian
7. Castle Stuart Golf Links, Highlands
8. Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Highlands
9. Gullane Golf Club, East Lothian
10. The Glen Golf Club, North Berwick
11. The Duke's St Andrews, Fife
12. Dundonald Links, Ayrshire
13. Tain Golf Club, Highlands
14. Cruden Bay Golf Club, Aberdeenshire
15. Crail Golfing Society, Fife
16. Carnoustie Golf Links, Angus
17. Fairmont St Andrews, Fife
18. Ladybank Golf Club, Fife
19. Murcar Links Golf Club, Aberdeenshire
20. Blairgowrie Golf Club, Perthshire

http://www.bunkered.co.uk/index.php?cID=1924

Long-haul travel

Long-haul travel has its perks. These days, the choice available to passengers through the on-board entertainment systems is so vast, you barely have time to scroll through the options before its time to touch down. I just got off a flight from Edinburgh to New York during which I opted for the longest film available – Lincoln. A little slow and a tad drawn out but it passed the time.

Before I knew it, I was checking the options for film number two – I had already watched a couple sitcoms, played a terrible game of chess and checked out the extensive music archive.

More importantly, this level of choice can reveal much about your fellow passengers. The two old dolls in front of me, for example, made no attempt to search through the options. Dressed in bright, primary colours as if to draw attention to their vacationing status, they spent the entire flight transfixed to their screens; gambling. I’m no expert, but it looked like they could play a mean hand and were even willing to play during a fairly bumpy landing. I couldn’t tell if they broke even, but they certainly had a good time, cackling and chirping at their online antics.

I stuck to emancipation, and the time flew by.

Pass it on

Following a well-timed request from one of my readers, I have added Facebook and Twitter buttons to the right-hand side of my blog. I have also included icons at the bottom of each post, including this one!

This functionality should enable those of you so inclined to share my thoughts and ramblings with the wider world. So, if you feel the urge, please share or tweet without mercy!

IGTM

Really looking forward to this year’s IGTM in Portugal. It will be a busy week with meetings, interviews, course visits and the occasional party. I will be pounding the floor catching up with clients, making new acquaintances and sniffing out some great destinations. It should be great fun.

To get you in the mood, check out the IGTWA News Broadcast ahead of the show. One item in particular may be of interest -

http://www.iagto.com/Public/Media/PressRelease/Details.aspx?id=f7e19872-326d-4e18-a1c8-d4add9dd80b2

New e-brochure

Here is a slightly revised version of my e-brochure.

Really pleased with the response so far. Already designing one for one of my clients. As soon as it is ready, I'II get a post up.

If you have any thoughts or comments, please let me know.

Open publication - Free publishing - More european tour