Luxury Golf Tours of New Zealand
Tom Doak clifftops, lodge stays you remember for life and two islands of wild coast, arranged as one seamless trip. Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs, Tara Iti and Te Arai, played from five star lodges with a caddie on the bag and a guide at the gate, and costed to the head.
Who this trip suits
This is the far side of the world done without compromise. It suits couples, low handicap purists and small groups who want the named rounds, Cape Kidnappers on its ridges above Hawke's Bay, Kauri Cliffs over Matauri Bay, Tara Iti and Te Arai on the Mangawhai dunes, but want them wrapped in lodge stays, caddies, private transfers and a planner who has already secured the hard tee times. New Zealand asks for a long flight. The reward is some of the finest modern golf on earth in scenery nowhere else can match.
It also rewards the traveler who wants more than golf. The Robertson lodges at Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs are destinations in their own right, Queenstown adds alpine drama and a wine country detour, and a helicopter can turn a long transfer into the highlight of the day. We build it so the golf, the lodges and the country itself each get their due.
The courses to build it around
Our pick of the rounds worth structuring a luxury tour around. Read where they sit globally in the 100 greatest golf courses in the world, and the wider trip in our New Zealand golf holidays guide.
- 1
Tara Iti Golf Club
Mangawhai, NorthlandA Tom Doak design opened in 2015 on the Mangawhai dunes, rated the number one course in New Zealand and inside the world top twenty. A private members club, so access is limited and by arrangement, but the standard it set put this stretch of coast on every traveler's map.
- 2
Cape Kidnappers
Hawke's Bay, North IslandA Tom Doak masterpiece opened in 2004, par 71 and around 7,100 yards, routed along fingers of farmland that fall hundreds of feet to the Pacific. Played from the Rosewood lodge above the bay, it is one of the great modern marvels of the southern hemisphere. Indicative 2026 resort guest fees are premium, so always confirm directly before booking.
- 3
Kauri Cliffs
Matauri Bay, NorthlandA David Harman design opened in 2000, par 72 above Matauri Bay in the far north, with fifteen holes that take in the sea and six that play right along the cliff edge. The Rosewood lodge here is among the most celebrated in the country, the natural northern anchor of a tour.
- 4
Te Arai Links, South and North
Te Arai, NorthlandTara Iti's public neighbours. The South, a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw links, opened in 2022, and the Tom Doak North followed in 2023, both quickly into the world top hundred. Open to lodge guests, they give a traveler the same magnificent stretch of dune coast as Tara Iti.
- 5
Jack's Point
Queenstown, South IslandThe South Island showpiece, set beneath the Remarkables on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, twenty minutes from Queenstown. Indicative 2026 summer green fees are around 300 NZD including a cart, so always confirm directly before booking. The most spectacular alpine round in the country and the heart of a Queenstown leg.
- 6
Millbrook Resort and The Hills
Arrowtown and QueenstownThe pair that have shared the New Zealand Open. Millbrook is a polished resort layout in an old Arrowtown farm valley, and The Hills, a Sir Michael Hill design, is a sculpture studded parkland nearby. Together they round out a luxury South Island base with the stays to match.
A sample structure
One way to shape a luxury trip across both islands. We tailor every detail to your group, your dates and your handicaps.
- Day 1
Arrive into Auckland, north to the dunes
Met on arrival and driven or flown north to the Te Arai and Mangawhai coast. An easy afternoon to shake off the flight, with dinner at the lodge.
- Day 2
Te Arai Links
The Coore and Crenshaw South and the Doak North across a single dune system, the best public golf on the North Island, with Tara Iti alongside for those with access.
- Day 3
Kauri Cliffs
Further north to Matauri Bay and the Rosewood lodge, a clifftop round above the Cavalli Islands and a night in one of the country's great hideaways.
- Day 4
South to Hawke's Bay
An internal flight to Napier and up to Cape Kidnappers, the Doak ridges above the Pacific, played from the lodge with a caddie and a wine country dinner to follow.
- Day 5
On to Queenstown
Fly to the South Island for Jack's Point beneath the Remarkables and a Millbrook or The Hills round, with the alpine scenery and the cellar doors that make Queenstown unforgettable.
Indicative package range
Indicative 2026 ranges, third party and per head, excluding international flights. Lodge rates and green fees swing with the season and the marquee rounds carry premium fees, so always confirm directly before booking.
| Tour level | Per head, indicative | What it tends to include |
|---|---|---|
| Premier | From around 9,000 to 12,000 USD | Four to five star hotels and a lodge stay, five or six marquee rounds with caddies, internal flights and a shared driver guide. |
| Ultra luxury | Around 13,000 to 18,000 USD | Rosewood Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers lodge stays, Te Arai, a full card across both islands, private transfers and caddies throughout. |
| Bespoke | On application | Helicopter links transfers, Tara Iti access where arranged, a private host and the prime January to March dates. |
Best time to book. The New Zealand season runs November to April, with January to March the prime window, so book the lodges and the marquee rounds six to nine months ahead. Book single tee times through our partners [TEE_TIME_AFFILIATE_LINK], or arrange lodge stays through [HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK]. For the full hand built tour, send the brief below.
Send the brief
A concierge replies within one working day with a hand built, all in itinerary, priced to the head. No fee, no obligation.
Frequently asked
What makes a New Zealand golf tour a luxury tour?
A luxury New Zealand tour pairs the great clifftop courses, Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs, Tara Iti and Te Arai, with the lodge stays that anchor them, private guides or helicopter transfers between the islands, caddies at the marquee rounds and prebooked tee times at courses that are hard to reach. The difference is the access, the Robertson and Te Arai lodges and the seamless logistics across a long, narrow country.
How much does a luxury golf tour of New Zealand cost?
As a guide, indicative 2026 prices run from around 9,000 USD per head for a premier week up to 18,000 USD and beyond for an ultra luxury trip with Rosewood Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers lodge stays, Te Arai and private transfers, excluding international flights. Lodge and green fee rates move with the season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Can you play Tara Iti and Cape Kidnappers?
Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs welcome resort guests of the Rosewood lodges, and we prebook those rounds with your stay. Tara Iti is a private members club, so access is by member or staying guest arrangement and is limited, while its neighbour Te Arai Links, with the Coore and Crenshaw South and the Tom Doak North, is open to lodge guests and gives the same stretch of coast. We confirm exactly what is reachable for your dates before you commit.
When is the best time for a golf trip to New Zealand?
The New Zealand golf season runs from roughly November to April, with the long, settled days of January to March the prime window. The North Island courses such as Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs and Te Arai play well across that span, while Queenstown and the South Island are at their best from late spring to early autumn. Remember the seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere.
How long should a New Zealand golf trip be?
Because the great courses are spread across both islands, allow at least nine to twelve nights to take in Northland, Hawke's Bay and Queenstown without rushing. A focused North Island trip around Tara Iti, Te Arai, Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs works well in seven to nine nights. We build the routing around your must play rounds and the internal flights that link them.
The rounds worth traveling for.
Every other week we send new course openings, the trips our concierge is quietly building, and the booking windows worth moving on before everyone else.
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