01
Cape Kidnappers
Doak routed the holes along fingers of farmland that fall away to the Pacific more than a hundred metres below. The closing stretch, the holes named Pirate's Plank among them, is unforgettable.
Photo: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course / Google
Trip planning · New Zealand
New Zealand Golf Holidays
Tom Doak's clifftop courses and Queenstown's mountain golf make New Zealand a once in a lifetime trip across two islands, with the world's best lodges between the rounds.
Nov to AprBest months
AucklandFly into
Two islandsItinerary
about $5,500From / head
Who it suits
A bucket list trip to the edge of the world
New Zealand suits the golfer chasing the once in a lifetime trip, where two or three of the world's most spectacular courses sit alongside scenery, wine and lodges that justify the long flight on their own.
It is a premium, longer journey rather than a quick break, and it rewards couples and serious groups who want to pair the golf with touring. Distances are real, so internal flights and a considered route matter.
The New Zealand courses to build around
The headline golf splits between the North Island clifftops and Queenstown's mountains, linked by short internal flights. These are the rounds to anchor a trip.
02
Kauri Cliffs
A par 72 of about 7,119 yards with fifteen holes that view the sea and six played on the cliff edge above Matauri Bay. The original Robertson Lodges course and a stunning opener to a trip.
03
Jack's Point
Hard against Lake Wakatipu beneath the Remarkables, perhaps the most photographed mountain golf in the country, with dramatic elevation and big alpine views throughout.
04
Millbrook Resort
A 36 hole resort in an old gold mining valley near Arrowtown that has hosted the New Zealand Open, an excellent base for the South Island leg with golf on the doorstep.
05
Kinloch Club
Jack Nicklaus's only New Zealand design, a rugged links style course of deep bunkers and tumbling fairways above Lake Taupo, an ideal stop between the north and Hawke's Bay.
06
Tara Iti
Another Doak design north of Auckland and routinely ranked among the top courses in the world, a pure sand links by the sea. Strictly private, with access limited to members and their guests.
Indicative green fees and package range
New Zealand's marquee courses are premium and tied to lodges, where staying on site brings priority tee times and the best rates. The Queenstown courses are far more accessible. The figures below are indicative guest rates in New Zealand dollars.
| Course | Type | Indicative green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Kidnappers | Clifftop, lodge | NZ$600 and up, guest priority |
| Kauri Cliffs | Clifftop, lodge | NZ$600 and up, guest priority |
| Kinloch Club | Links style | NZ$250 to NZ$400 |
| Jack's Point | Mountain | NZ$200 to NZ$350 |
| Millbrook Resort | Resort | NZ$180 to NZ$320 |
| Tara Iti | Links, private | Members and guests only |
Package guide. A nine to fourteen night New Zealand golf trip with four to six rounds, premium lodges and resorts, internal flights and transfers commonly runs from around $5,500 to $12,000 per golfer for 2026, before international flights. These are third party ranges, not our prices, and you should always confirm directly before booking.
Booking individual rounds instead? Compare live tee times through our partner: [TEE_TIME_AFFILIATE_LINK]. Lodges and resorts: [HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK].
Twelve nights, North Island to Queenstown
Open in the Bay of Islands, work south through Taupo and Hawke's Bay, then fly to Queenstown for the mountain golf.
Days 1 to 3
Bay of Islands
Arrive at Auckland and drive north to Kauri Cliffs for the lodge and the opening clifftop round, with the bay and beaches alongside.
Days 4 to 5
Taupo and Kinloch
South through Auckland to Lake Taupo for the Nicklaus links at Kinloch and the volcanic landscape around the lake.
Days 6 to 8
Hawke's Bay
On to Cape Kidnappers for the headline clifftop round, then the art deco of Napier and the region's wineries.
Day 9
Fly to Queenstown
An internal flight to the South Island and into the Remarkables, settling into Queenstown or Arrowtown.
Days 10 to 12
Queenstown golf
Jack's Point on the lake and Millbrook in the gold mining valley, with Central Otago wine and the scenery between rounds.
When to book
The southern summer is the window
The golf season follows the southern hemisphere summer, roughly November to April, with long daylight and the most settled weather from December to March. Winter, June to August, is cool and wet, and Queenstown turns to skiing.
Book the clifftop lodges and their tee times far ahead, as rooms are limited and demand is high in peak summer. Allow buffer time for internal flights and weather, and remember the courses sit a long way apart, so a relaxed route beats a rushed one.
New Zealand golf holidays: common questions
Which is the best golf course in New Zealand?
Tom Doak's Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay, routed along fingers of land high above the Pacific, and David Harman's Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands are the two marquee rounds. Tara Iti, also a Doak design, ranks among the very best in the world but is strictly private.
When is the best time for a New Zealand golf holiday?
New Zealand's golf season runs through the southern hemisphere summer, roughly November to April, with long days and settled weather. December to March is the warmest. Winter, from June to August, is cool and wet, though Queenstown shifts to skiing then.
How much are green fees in New Zealand in 2026?
The marquee clifftop courses are premium, with lodge guests often given priority and better rates; expect several hundred New Zealand dollars at Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs. Queenstown courses such as Jack's Point and Millbrook sit lower. Always confirm directly before booking.
How should I structure a New Zealand golf trip?
Most trips combine the North Island clifftop courses, the Bay of Islands and Hawke's Bay, with Queenstown's mountain golf on the South Island. Internal flights link them, so a week to twelve days lets you take in both with sightseeing in between.
Can non golfers enjoy a New Zealand trip?
Hugely. Wine country in Hawke's Bay and Central Otago, Queenstown's adventure sports and scenery, and the lodges themselves make New Zealand one of the most rewarding golf destinations for couples and mixed groups.