New Zealand has become the ultimate golf destination. Here’s why
Quality and variety of courses, striking landscapes and welcoming locals have made New Zealand an increasingly popular destination for North American golfers.
- New Zealand is increasingly becoming the answer when avid golfers are asked about their next dream trip.
- Interest in New Zealand began building decades ago with the opening of Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers.
- More recently, marquee properties such as Tara Iti and Te Arai attracted major attention: together, they added three new courses to GOLF’s World Top 100 list.
- The global golf boom during the COVID-19 pandemic provided another boost.
New Zealand is increasingly becoming the answer when avid golfers are asked about their next dream trip. The country draws visitors with the quality and variety of its courses, beautiful landscapes and welcoming people.
Interest in New Zealand began building decades ago with the opening of Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers. Their seaside layouts, spectacular scenery and high-end accommodations remain symbols of the country’s coastal beauty. More recently, marquee properties such as Tara Iti and Te Arai attracted major attention: together, they added three new courses to GOLF’s World Top 100 list. The global golf boom during the COVID-19 pandemic provided another boost.
As attention on the North Island grew, the depth of New Zealand’s golf scene came into focus. Roughly the size of Great Britain, the country is home to about 400 courses—second only to Scotland in courses per capita.
The range is remarkable, from courses by Golden Age master Alister MacKenzie and his protégé Alex Russell to impeccably maintained modern parkland layouts and rustic hidden gems where golfers drop a modest fee into an honesty box before heading straight to the first tee. An 18-hole round at such a course can cost less than a burger and beer at many American clubs. Transported to the United States, courses of that quality and character could easily command several hundred dollars per round. That was once a secret. It is not anymore.
That is why New Zealand is increasingly named by avid golfers as their next dream destination. According to GOLF.com, editor Josh Sens spent 10 days in the country exploring the full spectrum of North Island golf; the South Island, he notes, offers a broad golf selection of its own.
The trip began with an Air New Zealand flight. The author traveled in Business Premiere Luxe, which offers lie-flat seats with memory-foam mattresses, a choice of feather or hypoallergenic pillows and an ottoman that can serve as a dining seat for a travel companion.
The menu features New Zealand ingredients and wines, with service to match. Business Premiere Luxe is available on nonstop flights from San Francisco to Auckland and seasonally from Honolulu, Vancouver and New York. Departing in the evening and arriving in Auckland the following morning makes it possible to begin the trip after a full night’s sleep.
Source: GOLF.com, Josh Sens.
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