Golf course sold to developer
Top developer linked to purchase of championship 18-hole course
One of New Zealand’s top golf courses and a favourite of Kiwi star Lydia Ko has been sold to an entity associated with prominent Auckland developer Greg Olliver.
A spokesperson for Gulf Harbour Country Club at Whangapara¯oa said the property had just changed hands but declined to give further details.
The site, just over an hour north of Auckland, is a premier club with a championship record and an 18-hole course that is one of the country’s best. It hosted the World Cup in 1998.
Companies Office records show last Friday developer Greg Olliver was appointed a director and his company – The Pheonix Trust Ltd – became the sole shareholder in the company registered as the owner of the popular seaside club.
Property records show nearly 10 years ago Long River Investments Corporation bought 180 Gulf Harbour Dr, which is where the Gulf Harbour Country Club is. The purchase price back then was $12.8 million.
Long River was until last week owned by Yi Li of Mt Eden, but Olliver took control on July 23 through The Pheonix Trust.
Olliver has worked on several bigname projects over the years, including Stonefields at Mt Wellington, Long Bay on Auckland’s North Shore and a Marlborough vineyard.
Requests for Olliver to comment on the prominent golf course sale and what his future plans might be went unanswered yesterday.
The club land and buildings are today valued at more than $20m.
Property records from four years ago show the golf club land was then worth around $18.3m of which $9.4m is the land value and $8.8m are the buildings. It was sold for just $12.8m in December 2012.
The site within Rodney district is designated for active outdoor and sporting use and is listed as having an area of 89 hectares.
A golf club spokeswoman confirmed an ownership change had occurred but said she was not at liberty to say any more.
A newsletter had gone out to members, she said.
The cliff-top course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr and has previously hosted the New Zealand Championship Golf Open twice, and the PGA Tour World Cup of Golf.
It has also been a favourite with many overseas visiting golfing tourists, allowing green fee or casual golfers to play there for a fee.
A sport industry organisation would not make any comment about the sale yesterday but a spokesman confirmed the transaction.
“You should talk to the club. It won’t be long. It will all come out soon enough,” the spokesman said.
Homes around the course edge are privately owned. One of those, a
370sq m home on Pacific Cliffs Dr, is set to be auctioned next month.
The house overlooks hole 16 of the course, said to be the favourite of former world No 1-ranked pro golfer Lydia Ko.
Over the years, the club has suffered financial troubles and big plans have been conceived.
Around 2007, ex-Bluechip boss Mark Bryers was involved in plans to develop a big resort at the club with
200 guest rooms and the two- and three-storey villas with a new bar and restaurant, conference facilities for
200 delegates, underground parking for 350 cars and extensive landscaping and gardens.
And in 2008, the Herald reported how Gulf Harbour Country Club owed Capital+Merchant Finance a significant sum of money.