Temuka to Geraldine. Golf.Golf.Golf!

Sunday morning we left our lovely park at the Old Seadown School to firstly drive out to the coast looking for a fishing spot at the Milford Huts area where there is also free overnight parking for self contained vans. After doing quite a big walk to try to find a decent part of the waterway to fish we offloaded that idea, had lunch and drove on to the golf club at Temuka where there were already quite a few players on the course. 3 young lads kindly offered to let us slip in front of them off 10 which we did and were very soon well out of their way.

Temuka Clubhouse 

A nice, interesting flat course with a good variety of trees around and bordering the edges of the outside fairways. The most memorable occasion for me was getting a  2 on the very last Par 3 hole, meaning that I managed to win on matchplay for the first time for what seems like months. Especially exciting for being a long putt from off the green.

Our sleeping spot for the night was behind the Temuka RSA, not the most picturesque of parks but right in the middle of town and we really appreciate being able to stay at these places. In the morning we had a walk through the little town, probably the best shop to visit being the Temuka factory shop which we enjoyed browsing through. Love their latest handpainted pottery with the bright tractors etc.

A pleasant course and clubhouse. 

Next stop was The Pleasant Point golf course, Pleasant Point being a little village of about 1000 residents a little way inland from Temuka. Very few people about but we managed to catch the lady entering the tournament results from the weekend and she assured us that we would be welcome to stay in the carpark overnight after playing. This course has the first 9 holes across the road next to a little subdivision of substantial new houses overlooking a deer farm. It was another very hot day, over 30°, but we enjoyed these 9 holes in particular with the flat course, assorted trees including oaks and conifers, fast greens and the general really nice feeling about it.
The second 9 on the same side of the road as the clubhouse immediately didn't feel as nice although it's hard to explain why - must have been a premonition about all the drains we were to come across on a lot of the holes! They gave me a terrible time and that reflected in my score. And all the time it was getting hotter and hotter - heat exhaustion definitely had set in. I was so pleased to get back to the bus and have a beer!

Devils for punishment as well as one of us being an Englishman and the other a mad dog we were still keen to play another couple of courses in this area so today we came to the Geraldine Club. However the ladies were all just teeing off, Tuesday being their club day, so instead we thought we may as well play the 9 hole course in town called Grande Vue. There was no-one else there except the friendly man who had just turned the sprinkler on No 9 green and we could see why - steep hills rising like spokes from the clubhouse and the sun beating relentlessly down! 

Hope it doesn't roll back to meet me!

But we were there so, although I did say we could do the shady walk along the river instead, it was out with the clubs and up with the umbrellas to keep the sun off.

Heat stroke case??

Boy it was the closest thing to Boot Camp in the Arizona Desert that I have ever done. Definite heatstroke symptoms on this course so loads of water drunk, water poured on my head and a lie down after every big hill. 

Going down, only to come up again!

We won the war though, completing 18 holes in record slow time and it being the hottest place in NZ today. They said 32° for Timaru but I can assure you that it was hotter than that on the Grande Vue hills just west of Timaru!

 Ahh! Last green at last!!

Cold showers and a beer afterwards did the trick for recovery and after a wander through Geraldine where we bought quince jelly, dressing and lemon curd from Barkers as well as some cheese and icecreams from the nearby shop we parked back at the Geraldine Denfield Golf Club that we visited earlier today. We'll stay for the night, alongside a couple of other motorhomes, before playing EARLY tomorrow - before the heat and all done and dusted before the men tee off at 12.30.
It's looks a nice flat course so that is a good start!