Golf in New Zealand
Clifftop golf at the end of the earth, where Tom Doak built two of his finest courses, the Bay of Islands runs to the sea and the Southern Alps frame every tee shot around Queenstown. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: New Zealand Golf Club Ltd, Mark Howson, via Google
Why golf in New Zealand
No country packs more scenery into a golf trip than New Zealand. In the space of a fortnight you can stand on the cliffs of Cape Kidnappers two hundred feet above Hawke's Bay, walk the fescue of Tara Iti along the Pacific north of Auckland, and finish under the snow capped Remarkables on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at Queenstown. The land does the heavy lifting, and a remarkable run of modern architects, Tom Doak above all, have built courses worthy of it.
For all the distance, the golf is welcoming and walkable, the conditioning is superb, and the pace of life suits a trip built around long lunches and longer drives. The two islands play differently. The North Island gives you the marquee clifftop courses, the geothermal country around Taupo and Rotorua, and the warm subtropical north. The South Island is alpine and dramatic, with Queenstown the hub for a cluster of mountain courses and some of the best food and wine in the southern hemisphere. Most serious trips take in both.
The regions
Northland and Auckland
The warm subtropical north, home to Tara Iti on the Mangawhai coast, Kauri Cliffs above the Bay of Islands and the Gulf Harbour links near the city, an easy base to start a North Island trip.
Hawke's Bay and the central plateau
Wine country on the east coast where Cape Kidnappers crowns the cliffs, paired inland with the Jack Nicklaus design at Kinloch and the resort golf of Wairakei near Lake Taupo.
Queenstown and Central Otago
The alpine south, where Jack's Point, The Hills and Millbrook sit among the mountains and lakes around Arrowtown and Queenstown, the finest one base golf and scenery week in the country.
The courses that matter
Tara Iti
A private links on the dunes north of Auckland, ranked among the very best courses in the world. Pure sand, fescue and the Pacific, walking only and members and lodge guests only, the most exclusive golf in the country.
Cape Kidnappers
Doak's clifftop epic, with fairways running out along fingers of land two hundred feet above the sea. Par 71 at around 7,100 yards, paired with the five star Robertson Lodge above the bay.
Kauri Cliffs
The course that started New Zealand's clifftop era, a par 72 above Matauri Bay with fifteen holes in view of the Pacific and a luxury lodge on the headland, the sister property to Cape Kidnappers.
The Kinloch Club
The only Jack Nicklaus signature course in New Zealand, a bold, links inspired par 72 carved through the hills above Lake Taupo, with a boutique lodge on site and the geothermal sights of the central plateau nearby.
Jack's Point
A par 72 on the shore of Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables, threading native tussock, rock outcrops and bluffs. For many the most photographed golf in the country and the heart of a Queenstown trip.
The Hills
A private course built to host the New Zealand Open, set across a glacial valley near Arrowtown and dotted with large scale sculpture. Co-hosts the national open with Millbrook each year.
Millbrook Resort
A resort spread across an old farm in the Wakatipu basin with two eighteen hole courses, a hotel, spa and villas, and a long run as co-host of the New Zealand Open, the simplest stay and play base in the south.
Paraparaumu Beach
The country's classic links, laid out by Alister MacKenzie's associate Alex Russell on the coast north of Wellington. A former New Zealand Open venue and a genuine, old fashioned seaside test among the modern marvels.
Designers, opening years and host history verified June 2026. Tara Iti and The Hills are private; access is by membership or lodge stay. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| November to March | Warm, settled summer with long evening light | Peak season, the best weather on both islands, book lodges well ahead |
| April, May, September, October | Cooler and quieter, firm turf, the odd front | The value sweet spot, especially in the warmer north |
| June to August | Cold and wet on the South Island, ski season around Queenstown | Off season in the south, Northland and Auckland still playable |
New Zealand's seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere. Aim for the southern summer to pair golf with the country's hiking, wine and scenery at their best.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee clifftop round | From around 600 New Zealand dollars | Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs, resort guest rate |
| Queenstown courses | Around 200 to 400 New Zealand dollars | Jack's Point, Millbrook and the mountain courses |
| A week to ten days, all in | Around 8,000 to 16,000 New Zealand dollars per person | Lodges, internal flights, a hire car and several rounds, excluding international flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Most trips arrive into Auckland, the main international gateway, and start with the northern courses before flying south. Internal flights link Auckland, Napier for Hawke's Bay, Taupo, Wellington and Queenstown quickly and cheaply, and a hire car is essential once you land, since the great courses and lodges sit out in the country down scenic roads. Distances look short on the map but the driving is slow and beautiful, so build in time. A common shape is a few nights in the north, a stop in Hawke's Bay or Taupo, then a flight to Queenstown for the alpine leg.
Where to stay
The lodges are half the trip. The Robertson properties at Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs are among the finest in the world, with the golf, the cliffs and the dining all on site, while Kinloch has its own boutique lodge above Lake Taupo. In the south, base yourself in or around Queenstown and Arrowtown, where Millbrook keeps you on the golf and the town puts the restaurants, wineries and lake within reach. Book the marquee lodges far ahead for the short southern summer, and let one planner line up the right base for each leg.
Plan your New Zealand golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
New Zealand golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in New Zealand?
The prime season runs from November to March, the local summer, with warm days, long evening light and settled weather. April, May, September and October are quieter shoulder months with good value and firmer turf. Winter from June to August is cool and wet on the South Island, which becomes ski country, though Northland and Auckland stay playable year round.
What is the best golf course in New Zealand?
Three names lead every national ranking: Tara Iti, the Tom Doak links north of Auckland, Cape Kidnappers, Doak's clifftop course above Hawke's Bay, and Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands. The Jack Nicklaus design at Kinloch and the Queenstown trio of Jack's Point, The Hills and Millbrook complete a world class itinerary.
How much does a golf trip to New Zealand cost in 2026?
New Zealand is a premium long haul destination. Indicative 2026 green fees at the marquee clifftop courses run from around 600 New Zealand dollars for resort guests, while the Queenstown courses sit nearer 200 to 400 dollars. With internal flights, a hire car and lodge stays, a one to two week trip typically lands between 8,000 and 16,000 New Zealand dollars per head, excluding international flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Clifftop course openings, lodge value and the long haul trips worth taking. One considered email every other week.