Photo by Peter Sundstrom

Even if you can't play this private course on your New Zealand golf vacation, its clubhouse is a must-see.

A New Zealand man has devised an innovative solution to the unfortunate but all-too-common practice of building houses on golf courses: he's hiding them underneath.

Jewelry magnate Michael Hill plans to build 17 luxury, mostly underground homes on, er, in The Hills golf course which he owns and is this week hosting the New Zealand Open (officially, the Michael Hill New Zealand Open) a European Tour event. Somehow, I don't think this is what people mean when they refer to "living in a bunker."

In an article in The Epoch Times (which also includes a computer rendering of what these homes could look like) Hill was quoted as saying, "The whole idea is for the houses to merge into the landscape...If we can get them to remain nearly invisible then we've achieved what we want for the site."

From your lips to golf developers' ears, Mr. Hill.

Yes, the homes are only "planned," but this isn't just loose talk. The course recently completed and unveiled its clubhouse, which itself is about 75 percent underground and has a grass roof. In fact, it's so integrated into the course that a writer for the New Zealand Herald, claims: "If balls land on the clubhouse roof during the event...players will have to climb up and take their shots from there."

Also in the article, Andrew Patterson, the clubhouse's Auckland-based architect, said, "The impression we wanted was that the clubhouse was formed by the same forces that shaped the land."

A noble pursuit, to be sure, but it's hard to tell from this video if they succeeded. The Golf Channel may provide better perspective during their coverage (Thursday through Sunday, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ET).

Will Mr. Hill's ambitious housing plans take root? It's hard to say, but he certainly thinks big. After all, not only did he build a new golf course and land the country's open championship, he got his name on it, too. Remind you of anyone?

Did you know?Golf Vacation Insider and Golf Odyssey are the world's only golf publications that travel anonymously and do not accept advertising, discounts, or "freebies" from the golf courses, resorts or restaurants they review.

Not already a subscriber to Golf Vacation Insider? Click here to receive our free newsletter filled with insider travel tips on the world's finest golf courses and resorts. As a bonus, we will send you a free copy of Planning the Ultimate Golf Vacation, a 40-page book filled with insider tips from the editors of Golf Odyssey.