Bayleigh Teepa-Tarau has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime as Ryan Fox asked him to carry his bag for Chasing the Fox.
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New Zealand’s most popular public golf course will undergo a $1.1m makeover to reduce the hazard of balls being hit onto a neighbouring motorway.
Chamberlain Park Golf Course in the heart of central Auckland hosts over 1,000 rounds per week and is one of just two public courses in the region, providing an option for golfers who don’t want to or can’t pay to join a private club.
But its proximity to the adjoining Northwestern Motorway means there has been an “extreme” risk of golf balls leaving the course and endangering traffic.
A preferred option has now been approved by the local board for three new greens to improve safety by directing play away from the adjoining motorway, while also creating space for a new neighbourhood reserve to be developed on the western side of the course, retaining the course’s 18 holes. Work will commence in 2024 with a total funding of $1.1m budgeted across four years for the renewal of assets at Chamberlain Park.
Albert-Eden Local Board chair Margi Watson said “Quality open space for everyone in our community is critical, particularly in our newer neighbourhoods where access to private open space is limited.
“We want to future-proof the area so that it continues to be more attractive and liveable, where everyone can enjoy and share the social, physical and mental health benefits.”
Aerial location map of Chamberlain Park Golf Course showing the three holes that were closed in April 2021. Photo / Auckland Council
It comes after in 2020 Auckland Council and the golf course operator were made aware of several incidents of vehicles travelling on the Northwestern Motorway being struck by golf balls causing damage to the vehicles, including one incident where a vehicle windscreen was damaged.
Three holes were closed in April 2021, reducing the golf course from 18 holes to 15 holes. A trajectory report was commissioned in February of that year and the holes that were considered the most risk from golf balls leaving the course were holes number 5, 12 and 14 which all bounded the Northwestern Motorway.
Temporary greens were then created to change the direction of play away from the motorway, reducing risk. These temporary greens have remained in place.
Concurrently, in October 2019 the local board resolved to create a new neighbourhood park at the western end of Chamberlain Park, which requires the reconfiguration of the golf course.
The option that has been approved would retain a reconfigured 18-hole golf course (par 67) and create the new neighbourhood park to the west of Waitītikō/Meola Creek which would restore the ecological values of the creek and enhance walking and cycling connections.
Golf NZ spokesperson Scott Cordes said “It is heartening to see Auckland Council openly supporting the long-term future of Chamberlain Park Public Golf Course as a golf amenity by investing in its future.
“Making the Chamberlain Park layout safer for all as well as opening up peripheral areas for use as public walking amenities is a real investment in the environmental infrastructure of Auckland,” said Cordes.
“It is also great to hear that council will be improving part of the course as an environmental wetland space - thereby increasing the ‘green’ value of this golfing facility within the community.”
The news of multi-use plans for the space will fall softly on the ears of local residents, says Matt Bostwick who lives nearby.
“I’ve heard a few people say Chamberlain Park should remain an 18-hole course because golfers having been using it for years,” said Mr Bostwick. “Well, maybe it’s time they shared it with the rest of the community.
“Our city needs proper development for people to live, work and play, and green spaces that serve the whole community. If Chamberlain Park is fixed as a full 18-hole golf course, then Aucklanders are being robbed of a great asset.”
Location map of Chamberlain Park Golf Course – note the site includes land on both sides of the Northwestern Motorway. Photo / Auckland Council
The proposed changes to Chamberlain Park Golf Club. Photo / Auckland Council
The December 6 local board report said: “The risk of golf balls leaving the golf course and entering the neighbouring Northwestern Motorway cannot be totally mitigated, but moving the greens to new locations to draw the line of play away from the adjoining motorway will reduce the risk from extreme to moderate/high.”
Several options were presented to the local board at workshops in April and November 2023 to address the motorway hazard. This included the installation of new safety fencing, creation of new greens, a mix of fencing and a new green, and a staged approach of new greens but including the opportunity to move holes to enable the future development of the neighbourhood park.
Local board report details five options to reduce hazards to motorway
Option 1 – Do nothing is not possible
· This option is not recommended as it will not provide any solution to the health and safety issue posed by golf balls leaving the course.
· The risk requires remediation with either an increase in height of the safety fencing or new permanent greens in new locations to reduce the risk of golf balls leaving the course.
Option 2 – New safety fencing
· The trajectory report outlines the required safety fencing heights required for holes 5, 12 and 14 to reduce the risk of golf balls leaving the golf course. Preliminary investigations advised that a resource consent will be required for any safety fencing over 10 metres.
· The safety fencing for holes 12 and 14 requires a fencing height of a minimum of 12 metres and 80 and 60 metres long respectively.
· Fencing for hole 5 requires a fencing height of between 12 and 32 metres and 380 metres long.
· The cost estimate for the design, planning, ground investigation work, consenting and construction of the safety fencing for the three holes is $3,250,000 and could take up to three years to implement due to possible consenting issues.
· Due to the volcanic geology nature of the site staff believe construction of a new safety fence will be difficult and costly.
· To create three new greens (roughly the same dimensions as other existing greens at the course) no consent process is required.
· The cost estimate based on the generic green design and including the construction, installation of irrigation, bunkers and turf establishment is $462,000 (including a contingency).
· The time frame for one new permanent green is estimated to be 12 months.
· Staff recommend this as an option.
Option 4 – Hybrid of new safety fencing and new greens
· This option combines a new permanent green for hole 5 and new safety fencing for holes 12 and 14.
· Safety fencing for hole 5 is cost and time-prohibitive due to the height requirements. All stakeholders agree that safety fencing is not practical for hole 5. The only viable option for hole 5 is the creation of a new permanent green and tee area.
· This option is estimated to cost $1,111,000 based on figures provided for the safety fencing and green options.
· Staff do not recommend this option.
Option 5 – New greens and course realignment
· This option creates new permanent greens for holes 5 and 12.
· To allow for the redevelopment of the new neighbourhood park on the western side of Chamberlain Park it is proposed to relocate holes 14 and 15 and shorten hole 16.
· Relocating hole 14 to its new location will require the realignment of other holes.
· This realignment work will require funding to carry out planning, scoping and detailed design works.
· Hole 13 green can remain its current position and be relocated in future years or shifted concurrently with the other tee and green relocation works.
· This allows future works in the proposed neighbourhood park to be able to proceed when funding allows.
· This option is estimated to cost $600,000 based on the amendments required to the golf course.
· Staff recommend this option as this allows for the future development of the neighbourhood park on the western side of Waitītikō/Meola Creek.
A budget for the renewal project has been approved by the local board across four financial years. The estimated cost for the approved option (Option 5) at $600,000 is said in the local board report to be achievable within the currently allocated total budget of $1,100,000 for the renewal of park assets at Chamberlain Park.
The proposed works will be staged over a number of financial years to align with the available budgets.
Additional funding will be required in the future to enable delivery of the new neighbourhood park on the western side of the awa. The delivery of this project will be discussed with the local board as part of their work programme development in future years.
Will Toogood is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has previously worked for Newstalk ZB’s digital team and at Waiheke’s Gulf News, covering sports and events.
