New Zealand Golf Course Renovations to Watch in 2026
New Zealand golf is in an ambitious phase. The team behind Tara Iti and Te Arai is about to remake a Queenstown favourite, the famous cliff top courses have reworked their greens, and a championship lands on the Te Arai coast in 2026. Here is what is changing and why it matters for your trip.
The headline: a remade Hills near Queenstown
The most significant New Zealand project of the cycle is at The Hills near Arrowtown, the Michael Hill founded course in the Queenstown lakes country best known to television viewers as a New Zealand Open host. Jim Rohrstaff and Ric Kayne, the partners who built Tara Iti and Te Arai into internationally ranked destinations, have taken on a multimillion dollar redevelopment of the layout.
The work is planned across back to back southern winters, beginning in April 2026 and slated to complete in 2028, so 2026 is the year the transformation starts. For travellers it means The Hills moves onto the watch list as a future marquee round, and it is worth checking access and playing status during the construction windows before building a trip around it.
Quieter work worth knowing about
The headline rebuild is not the only investment. The clifftop pair on the North Island, Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands and Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay, have both put in major work that included all new putting surfaces, sharpening two of the most scenic courses in world golf.
On the Te Arai coast north of Auckland, the newer links keep maturing, and the region has a competitive milestone in 2026: Te Arai Links South is set to host the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in October. A championship stage is a strong signal of how far this stretch of coast has come in a short time, and it puts the spotlight on a part of New Zealand that barely existed as a golf destination a decade ago.
What it means for your trip
If you are planning New Zealand golf for 2026, the practical headline is timing. The remarkable thing about the country is how much top tier golf now sits within reach, so a trip can be built around either island. In the north, the modern links of Tara Iti and Te Arai Links South, plus the cliff top drama of Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs, make a world class week.
In the south, the Queenstown lakes give you Millbrook, which has added a fourth nine and upgraded its amenities, alongside Jacks Point and, in time, the remade Hills. Because The Hills will be in and out of construction across 2026 and 2027, anchor a southern trip on Millbrook and Jacks Point for now, and treat The Hills as the round to come back for.
Our take
New Zealand has gone from a niche golf destination to one of the most exciting on earth in barely a decade, driven by the same instinct now being applied to The Hills: take a spectacular site and build something uncompromising on it. The cliff top renovations keep the established courses at the top of their game, and the Te Arai championship confirms the new coast has arrived. Our advice is to play what is open at its best now, watch the construction calendar at The Hills, and plan a return for when the redevelopment lands.
Plan your New Zealand golf trip
From the cliff top courses of the north to the Queenstown lakes in the south, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
What is happening at The Hills in 2026?
The Hills near Arrowtown is undergoing a multimillion dollar redevelopment led by the Tara Iti and Te Arai partners, planned across back to back winters from April 2026 to a completion targeted in 2028. Check playing status during construction before booking.
Which New Zealand course hosts a championship in 2026?
Te Arai Links South is set to host the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in October 2026, a strong marker of the Te Arai coast's rapid rise.
When is the best time to play golf in New Zealand?
The southern summer, roughly November to April, is the prime playing season. Winter, from June to August, is when course construction tends to happen, so check access if you travel then.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Redevelopment and championship details verified June 2026 from golf travel and ranking sources; timelines, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.