There are two features of Waitikiri that stand out for visiting golfers - the serene beauty of the parkland setting and the extraordinary variety of trees, both young and old, which distinguishes Waitikiri from other courses in Canterbury.
The course was designed and built in the late 1930's by A.R. Blank. He considered dog-legs the golfer's best friend or worst enemy, whichever way you prefer to look at it. There are no fewer than thirteen dog-leg holes of varying severity.
The four par 3 holes are highly regarded by golfers. Both the 3rd and 9th holes require a well struck longer club with no room for error. The 12th and 17th are shorter holes which require accurate tee shots to well guarded greens.
The three par 5 holes offer a variety of conditions and layout. The fourth is highlighted by a superbly designed green. The tenth is a risk and reward par 5 which longer hitters may get close to but beware of the difficult up and down if your ball strays left or right. The barrelling long eleventh presents many difficulties.
There are over thirty bunkers on the course. Some are shallow; others like craters. They are judiciously placed and not always obvious from the tee.
The greens are a strong point at Waitikiri and provide a truly superb test to the golfer's putting abilities.