Lakes Resort Pauanui

Overview: The Lakes Resort at Pauanui is an 18-hole, par-71 course in the wetlands and forested foothills of the Coromandel Peninsula. Sid Puddicombe Associates designed a 6,171 metre layout around ponds, streams, waterfalls and native margins, using water as a strategic feature rather than a single dramatic hazard. Large greens, broad tees and beach-style bunkers give the course a resort scale, while the surrounding bush and wetlands keep the round connected to its setting.

History: The course opened in 2004 as part of a private resort and residential development near Pauanui Beach. The design team had to work with very low-lying wetland land, using fill and carefully shaped playing surfaces to create relief while preserving the natural drainage pattern. The result was intended to be a complete golf destination, with villas and outdoor recreation sharing the same Coromandel landscape.

Did You Know? The 10th is played from an island tee across water to the green, while the 12th through 17th bring streams, native bush and white sand bunkers into the strategy. The back nine is therefore not simply a return journey, but a sequence of water-shaped decisions.