Golf tournaments and golf tours have become big business.
You can pretty much go anywhere in the world now, play golf, enter a tournament or join an organised tour. And while many are fantastic, let’s face it, after a while some of them can start to feel a little bit the same.
Great course. Nice clubhouse. Golf. Dinner. Drinks. Repeat.
So if you’re looking for something genuinely different, the Norfolk Island Open Pro-Am Golf Classic has to be somewhere near the top of your list.
Now, we all know about Norfolk Island. Or at least we think we do.
We know it’s a little island out in the Pacific. We know about the Norfolk Island pines. Many of us know something about the history. But golf? Well, yes, and what a place to play it.
The Norfolk Island Golf Club is only nine holes, with two sets of tees, but don’t let that put you off. The views are spectacular, the layout is great fun and the setting alongside historic Kingston is something you simply don’t get at your normal suburban golf club.
There is something special about standing over a golf ball with the Pacific Ocean on one side and some pretty amazing Australian history on the other.
Although, depending on how I’m hitting it, I’m not necessarily appreciating the view at that exact moment.
And while I’m talking about the golf club, the pro shop deserves a mention too. For a relatively small club on a small island, it is seriously impressive. It is fully stocked with quality golf gear, clothing and a surprisingly good array of things to buy as a memento of playing there. I’ve been to much bigger golf clubs with far less on offer. Another one of those little Norfolk Island surprises.
The Open itself is competitive, but there is also a real sense of fun about it. They even have their own special jackets for the winners, a little bit like the Masters, except this is Norfolk Island, so there isn’t just one jacket; there are six of them for the various categories.
Augusta has its traditions. Norfolk has its own. But as good as the golf is, I don’t think the golf is actually the thing that makes this event special, it’s the people. Here’s probably the best example. When you arrive on Norfolk Island, even though you’re still technically in Australia, you complete an incoming passenger declaration and go through the formalities at the airport.
So I arrived, did the right thing, answered the questions and was cleared by the customs officer, nothing particularly unusual about that. About four hours later I was at the golf event…and there was my customs officer.
Selling me raffle tickets, you have to love that!
That one little story tells you almost everything you need to know about Norfolk Island.
There’s a genuine warmth to the place that is increasingly hard to find. It’s not manufactured hospitality. It’s not someone who has been told by management to smile at the tourists. People actually seem happy that you’re there.
The thought that kept going through my mind during the week was that Norfolk Island feels a little like Australia as it used to be. People talk to each other, people wave, doors don’t seem to get locked, car keys can be left in cars and pretty much everywhere you go, somebody has a friendly word for you.
There are also a few local rules you need to learn fairly quickly. The first is that cows have right of way. Yes. Cows, they roam freely in parts of the island and if you’re driving along and a cow decides it wants the road, the cow wins. There is no negotiation.
There are also chickens roaming around everywhere, apparently with similar views about road rules. After a couple of days you don’t even notice it anymore.
Then there’s the history. Of course, Norfolk Island isn’t simply a golf destination. The history alone is worth the trip.
Most of us grew up knowing something about the Mutiny on the Bounty, Captain Bligh, Fletcher Christian and Pitcairn Island. Here, that story suddenly becomes real. The descendants of the Pitcairn Islanders became part of the Norfolk Island story, and alongside that you have the extraordinary convict history of Kingston and Arthur’s Vale. And it is everywhere.
You’re not visiting some historic attraction, taking a photo and then getting back on the bus. You’re playing golf beside it, you’re walking through it, you’re having dinner with people whose families are part of it. For a history tragic like me, that’s pretty hard to beat.
There is also plenty to do when you’re not trying to work out why your perfectly good golf swing has suddenly deserted you.
There are some terrific walks, peaks and lookouts to discover. The coastline is spectacular and the island is small enough that you can explore without spending half your holiday sitting in a car.
The food was another surprise, for a relatively small island there are some excellent places to eat, plenty of local produce and, importantly for a golf week, no shortage of opportunities for a drink and a discussion about why today’s 94 really should have been an 82. We’ve all been there.
There are certainly more famous golf tournaments you can travel to. There are more famous courses. There are resorts with enormous clubhouses, hundreds of rooms, fleets of golf carts and every luxury imaginable. But that’s not what Norfolk Island is trying to be. And I think that’s exactly why it works.
The Norfolk Island Open Pro-Am Golf Classic is fun, friendly, competitive and just a little bit quirky. Actually, probably more than a little bit quirky. You come for a golf tournament and end up experiencing an island. You meet the locals. You learn some history. You eat well. You play golf in a spectacular setting. You wait for cows to cross the road. And the customs officer who welcomed you to the island might just sell you a raffle ticket later that afternoon.
Where else does that happen?
So if you’re looking for your next golfing trip and you want something a bit different, put the Norfolk Island Open on the list. Bring the clubs, bring some comfortable walking shoes, don’t bother arguing with the cows.
And there is one last thing you need to learn when you arrive…The Norfolk Island wave. You’ll understand why soon enough.
Getting there:
Getting to Norfolk Island is easier than you might think, and for golfers seeking a memorable escape, it’s well worth the journey. To plan your visit, explore Norfolk Island Golf Club at www.norfolkislandgolf.com or contact local travel specialist Norfolk Island Travel at www.norfolkislandtravel.co for assistance with flights and holiday packages.
For accommodation, Hibiscus Regal offers a comfortable base for your island getaway.
Visit www.norfolkisland.com.au/stay/hotels-resorts-apartments/hibiscus-regal/ for more information. With a little planning, your next great golfing adventure could be closer than you think.
