Green Fees in New Zealand: What It Costs to Play in 2026
New Zealand packs some of the most spectacular golf on earth into two compact islands, from Tom Doak clifftops plunging into the Pacific to glacial valley courses ringed by the Southern Alps. The marquee rounds carry a marquee price, but around them sit superb resort and links courses at a fraction of the cost. Here is what golf actually costs in New Zealand in 2026, course by course, plus where to spend and where to save.
Photograph: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course, Hawke's Bay, via Google
The short answer
The two famous Robertson Lodges courses set the ceiling. Cape Kidnappers, the Tom Doak masterpiece running out along finger ridges high above Hawke's Bay, is around NZ$950 for international visitors in high season, and Kauri Cliffs in the far north sits around NZ$739, both with lower shoulder and low season rates and a discount for lodge guests. The very best of New Zealand golf, Tara Iti, is a private club north of Auckland and not open to the public, but its neighbour Te Arai Links offers two world class public courses on the same coast.
Below that pair, the value is remarkable. Jack's Point in Queenstown, one of the most scenic resort courses anywhere, is around NZ$300 with a cart included, and a great many fine New Zealand clubs charge a small fraction of the marquee rates. The figures below are indicative 2026 high season fees in New Zealand dollars, and they move with the season, so treat them as a guide and always confirm directly before booking.
New Zealand green fees by course, 2026
| Course | Region | Indicative 2026 green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Kidnappers | Hawke's Bay, North Island | Around NZ$950 international; Tom Doak clifftop, 2004; lodge guests discounted |
| Kauri Cliffs | Northland, North Island | Around NZ$739 high season, about NZ$517 shoulder; David Harman, 2000 |
| Tara Iti | Mangawhai, North Island | Private club, members and guests only; Tom Doak links, 2015; no public fee |
| Te Arai Links, North and South | Mangawhai, North Island | Public; two world class courses by Tom Doak and Coore and Crenshaw; confirm current rates directly |
| Jack's Point | Queenstown, South Island | Around NZ$300 high season, cart included; John Darby, 2008 |
| Kinloch | Taupo, North Island | Jack Nicklaus design; confirm current rates directly |
| The Hills | Arrowtown, South Island | Limited access, New Zealand Open host; confirm access and rates directly |
| Millbrook Resort | Queenstown, South Island | 36 hole resort course; confirm current rates directly |
| Paraparaumu Beach | Kapiti Coast, North Island | Classic Alex Russell links, 1949; the value round; confirm current rates directly |
Green fees verified June 2026 from course and lodge listings, including the Robertson Lodges rate cards for Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs and the Jack's Point published rates; other figures are indicative or access dependent. Fees vary by season and day and change without notice, so always confirm current rates directly with the course or your trip planner before booking. Check tee time availability.
How green fees work in New Zealand
Three things shape the price. The first is the course itself. A handful of destination courses, Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs and the Te Arai pair foremost among them, command international rates that reflect their world ranking and the cost of maintaining links and clifftop turf at the bottom of the world. Step away from that elite and the price falls fast: New Zealand has dozens of excellent members clubs and resort courses where a round costs a small fraction of the marquee fee. The second is residency. Many courses publish lower rates for New Zealanders and for Australians, with the highest tier reserved for overseas visitors, so the headline figure is the one most travelling golfers pay.
The third is season. The southern summer, November to March, is peak for weather and price, the spring and autumn shoulders are cheaper and quieter, and winter is the value window, mild in the far north and cold in the south. The smart way to play New Zealand is to pair one or two of the marquee courses with a string of fine value rounds, so the trip delivers the bucket list golf without paying top rate every day. A planner can secure the limited tee times at the destination courses, which book out well ahead, and slot the value rounds around them.
Where to spend, and where to save
Spend where the golf is once in a lifetime. Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs are worth every dollar for the setting alone, and the two Te Arai Links courses are the best public golf in the country. In Queenstown, Jack's Point delivers an alpine round of rare beauty at a sane price, the value pick of the marquee scenery. Save by leaning on New Zealand's deep bench of affordable clubs between the big names, by travelling in the shoulder months, and by taking advantage of replay and multi round rates where they exist. Build the trip that way and you play the courses you came for and a stack of memorable rounds besides, without the whole week priced at the top. That is how we plan every New Zealand trip.
Plan a New Zealand golf trip
We secure the limited tee times at Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs and Te Arai, pair them with the best value rounds on each island, and build the route, lodges and transfers around the golf and the scenery. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
New Zealand green fee questions
How much are green fees in New Zealand in 2026?
It depends on whether you play the marquee clifftop courses or the excellent value courses around them. The two famous Robertson Lodges courses sit at the top: Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay is around NZ$950 for international visitors and Kauri Cliffs in Northland around NZ$739 in high season, both falling in the shoulder months. Outstanding resort and links courses such as Jack's Point in Queenstown sit nearer NZ$300, often with a cart included, and many fine clubs are far cheaper still. Tara Iti is private. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
How much does it cost to play Cape Kidnappers?
Cape Kidnappers, the Tom Doak clifftop course high above Hawke's Bay, charges international visitors around NZ$950 for 18 holes in high season, with lower shoulder and low season rates and a discount for guests of The Farm lodge. New Zealand residents pay a reduced fee. These are indicative 2026 figures that move with the season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can you play Tara Iti?
Tara Iti, the Tom Doak links north of Auckland that is ranked the best course in New Zealand, is a private club and access is essentially limited to members and their guests, so there is no public green fee. The good news for travelling golfers is the neighbouring Te Arai Links, two world class public courses on the same stretch of coast, which welcome visitors. Always confirm access and current rates directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in New Zealand?
The New Zealand golf season peaks over the southern summer, from November to March, when the days are long and warm and the clifftop courses are at their finest, and this is also the high season for green fees. The spring and autumn shoulders bring lower rates and quieter fairways, while winter is the cheapest and mildest in the far north. Plan a North and South Island trip around the summer for the best weather. Always confirm course conditions and fees for your dates.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.