The Hills - Parkland Products

NZ OPenSpectactular views from the fourth tee acrossto Spectactular the green, which views is from flanked the fourth by several tee of acrossthe to course’s the green, 90-something which is flanked bunkers. by several ofthe course’s 90-something bunkers.Hills initially purchased (that would subsequently expand to 500 acres asneighbouring properties were bought up) was simply to allow them to buildtheir dream home and install a putting green that would pretty soon expandinto a three-green pitch and putt area.The pitch and putt zone soon took on a life of its own. Ever enterprising,Hill established three tees for each green, effectively creating a nine-hole minicourse.With his extrovert personality, he quickly buddied up with the variouspersonalities who belonged to, or regularly visited, Millbrook and it was alogical progression for him to invite them across to Hillbrook, as it becameaffectionately known, for a ‘shoot-out’ after they’d completed their serious18 holes. Such celebrated golfers as Bob (now Sir Bob) Charles, Greg Turner,Phil Tataurangi, Steve Alker and Grant Moorhead became regulars, the hostadding special appeal to the occasions by presenting magnums of wine to theleading performers.The three-hole pitch and putt zone was restrictive, so Hillbrook wasexpanded to a five-hole short course that burgeoned into a significant annualcharity fund-raising event. Tents were erected, wine tasting introduced andcelebrity All Blacks, Black Caps and Silver Ferns became involved. It becamea newsworthy occasion that attracted media from near and far. Paul Holmespopped in one year, Mike Hosking another, and TV One and TV3 annuallygarnered material for their news programmes. Proceeds were donatedto Raleigh International, the UK based youth development organisationthat helps people of all backgrounds and nationalities to discover theirfull potential.Hillbrook, notwithstanding its celebrity status, to this point was nothingmore than an adjunct of Millbrook, a place where zany things happened,where fun was the order of the day.It was John Darby, Millbrook’s course designer, who planted the first seedthat would lead to the Hill property becoming a serious golf course. Hill hadapproached him about expanding the existing six-hole layout to include a parfour, with the intention of making the mini-course a little more challenging.Darby visualised a much grander picture. After assessing the entireproperty, he put it to Hill that he could, and should, create a full 18-holecourse. “We could do it for four million dollars,” he boldly assured theproperty owner and golf enthusiast.“We didn’t complete it for four millions dollars, although it was a goodtry!” admitted Hill as he surveyed his near-completed masterpiece last month.“I’m not prepared to reveal how much it did cost – it’s my best kept secret.Christine doesn’t know, or I’d be in big trouble. What I can say is that we’veprobably broken every rule in the book about how you establish a new golfcourse but we’ve ended up with something truly unique, something we canall be immensely proud of.”With Darby acting as designer, Hill initially placed his gardener SebastianMead in charge of the bunkers. “My gardener, for god’s sake! He visualisedthe shapes.” Mead would later be joined by Ian Douglas, the formergreenkeeper at Millbrook. The pair are responsible for creating the 90-plusbunkers on the course. “They’ve done a magnificent job,” says Hill.They certainly have. The bunkers blend beautifully with the environmentand look as though they have been part of the landscape for years. One ofthem stretches to over half an acre. The silty soil of Arrowtown ensures theyhold together perfectly while being cut and shaped. They have been filledwith sand brought in from Oamaru, a special sand that never changes colouror blows away. They drain superbly too. In places like Auckland, where20 the CUt June 200720 the CUt June 2007CT Jun07 MichaelHill.indd 207/4/07 9:17:37 AMCT Jun07 MichaelHill.indd 207/4/07 9:17:37 AMCT Jun07 MichaelHill.indd 217/4/07 9:17:38 AMwww.parkland.co.nz Reproduced from The Cut magazine Reproduced from The Cut magazine www.parkland.co.nz