8 Great Golf Courses

The Kinloch Club

A must-experience on any golfing itinerary, Kinloch is a world-class championship course from top golfing architect Jack Nicklaus. The club is 15 minutes’ drive from Taupō and has panoramic views of the lake and surrounding rural farmland. The Par 5 16th is often regarded as a key hole, with four options on the second shot. If long enough off the tee, you can either go for it in two or choose one of the three fairways approaching the green.

Jack's Point

Set within a glacial valley and offering incredible views of The Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu, Jack’s Point is a 20-minute drive from Queenstown. It is an 18-hole par 72 championship course with fairways that navigate dramatic outcrops of alpine rock and matagouri scrub. It offers golfers five tee positions from which to choose and will challenge all levels.

Muriwai Golf Links

Located on Auckland’s rugged west coast, Muriwai is an expansive blacksand beach often described as windswept and rugged. The ocean views from the golf course are equally impressive. The 18-hole course is a pleasure to play and, at times, wind gusts provide an extra challenge. The course offers year-round golf and is dry underfoot in winter thanks to good irrigation.

Waitangi Golf Club

This beautiful 18-hole golf course offers fantastic sea and island views over the Bay of Islands and Russell, river and estuary views over Waitangi and Opua, and rolling bush and forest vistas inland over Mount Bledisloe and Puketona. The views are matched by well-groomed greens and fairways surrounded by areas of native flowering trees, which provide a haven for many varieties of native birds.

Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary

The Wairakei golf course has been designed to blend in with the surrounding native bush. About 25,000 native trees and 5000 exotics have been planted to encourage birdlife. The prolific birdsong, picturesque scenery and a predator-proof sanctuary combine to make Wairakei one of New Zealand’s most beautiful golf courses. It offers a haven to fallow deer and birdlife, including mixed-colour pheasants, guinea fowl, ducks, native kiwi and takahē, all of which are free to roam.

Paraparaumu Beach Golf Course

Set on the Kāpiti Coast, the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Course is a par 71 authentic sand-based links course. The course has hosted the New Zealand Open 12 times, a record unsurpassed by any other. In 2002 it hosted the world’s No1, Tiger Woods.

Walton

Surrounded by a region of lush, green hills, bush and farmland, Walton Golf Course is 30 minutes’ drive from Hamilton. Take your time to relax and meet the locals and unwind on an easy walking course with attractive trees and well-defined fairways.

Hatings Golf Club, Bridge Pā

Located in Maraekakaho Road, Bridge Pā is consistently rated within the top club courses in New Zealand, with impeccable championship conditions amid picturesque surroundings. It’s the home of New Zealand’s best amateur golfer, Stuart Jones, and expect a round of golf there to be challenging and enjoyable. Find motorhomes for sale in NZ