Great play starts here
Pegasus Golf Course is a beautiful parklands-style par 72 - 18 hole championship golf course near Christchurch, New Zealand. With superb features and stunning views from every tee, golfers of every level will enjoy an excellent challenge and a game to remember.
Golf Tourism in New Zealand
New Zealand is home to a stunning array of golf courses set in incredible locations of natural landscapes spanning the country. Golf is a popular tourist activity and New Zealand offers every type of course for every golfer from a beginner to a handicapped advanced player including internationally ranked golf courses.
New Zealand has some world class golf courses for those are you who are dedicated to the sport and want to experience a high end round of golf at some of the more elite clubs such as Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs in the North Island or Jack's Point and Pegasus in the South Island. There are also many country and city courses where you can go for a day of fun and entertainment without the price tag.
North Island Golf
In the North Island you can spend a day playing golf on the world famous cliff top courses of Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands and Cape Kidnappers in the Hawke's Bay. Linger for a while in the Hawke's Bay to experience stunning vineyards, relaxing cycle tours or iconic art deco architecture. You can also visit Taupo in the center of the North Island to play surrounded by native greenery, or try the nearby Jack Nicklaus designed Kinloch Club in the lakeside settlement of Kinloch.
North Island golf courses are accessible, diverse and will test a wide variety of levels. Visit the North Island to play our best golf courses and while you're there, sample exquisite food and wine, experience Māori culture, and stroll through some of our largest cities.
Visit these select North Island Golf Courses:
South Island Golf
Golf also has a long history in the South Island with Scottish immigrants pioneering the game over 100 years ago initially with parkland and farmland courses. Following in their footsteps, developers have created modern courses that make the most of the natural terrain.
Queenstown is quickly gaining a reputation here and abroad as a golf haven and it's easy to see why. Surrounded by mountain ranges, it has a number of skillfully designed courses including Millbrook and The Hills and Jack's Point. The Queenstown region is a must-see.
If you fly into Christchurch, allow some time to play the Clearwater Golf Club. With an impressive history of hosting NZ PGA Championships, and the training ground for famous golfers such as Lydia Ko, it's well worth a visit. Also worth checking out is the beautiful Pegasus Golf parklands-style par 72-18 hole championship golf course. Visit our line-up of best South Island golf courses. Stay for a while and travel to natural wonders like the West Coast glaciers and Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. Sample delicious food and wine and enjoy friendly southern hospitality.
Visit these select South Island Golf Courses:
Types of Golf Courses
In New Zealand, a neat contrast exists between the traditional British-style courses, evidenced by the large number of parkland courses with their rows of neatly cut trees and gardens, with the more modern and dynamic privately developed courses with their eye-catching aesthetics. Two fine examples of the latter are Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers, both ranked inside the 2013 World's Top 100 list. Part of the attraction of these courses is also their locations - both are perched high on dramatic cliff tops that run along panoramic coastlines. David Harman, designer of Kauri Cliffs, recognized the important part pastoralism plays in the life of New Zealand when he designed this course. The original site was a farm and Harman decided it should remain a farm, building the course inside the farm itself.
As a complete contrast to the designer courses are the hundreds of amateur style courses that are scattered throughout the country. While many reside in the towns and cities, a lot of them are country rural courses where locals hone their skills. All of these golf courses welcome visitors.
Famous New Zealand Golfers
New Zealand Golf created the Hall of Fame during their centenary celebrations in 2010 to honor and safeguard the memories of those who have made a lasting footprint on the game in this country. It is an elite club of our very best golfers that includes inaugural inductees Sir Bob Charles and Michael Campbell, along with Oliver Hollis and Stuart Jones. The criteria includes consistent performance over an extended period internationally as an amateur or professional, and performance at the highest level of the game in their time. The Hall of Fame selection panel includes three New Zealand Golf representatives and two independent panelists. Some great New Zealand female golfers include Lydia Ko, Lynnette Brooky, Marnie McGuire, Jillian Smith and Eileen Hope Williams while the men include Steven Alker, Frank Nobilo, Ryan Fox, Danny Lee, Bob Charles, Michael Campbell, Craig Perks, Greg Turner and John Lister to name but a few.
Prices
Prices for a round of golf start at about $35 for a 9 hole round or about $55 for an 18 hole round. Some of the out of town courses charge as little as $20 for round of 18 holes. However, prices do vary depending on the day you play with weekends being more expensive. Equipment can be rented quite cheap from most clubs if you are a first time golfer, casual golfer or you didn't bring your clubs on holiday with you. You can rent everything that you need from clubs to golf shoes and an electronic cart. Clubs can be rented from $20 for 9 holes or $35 for 18.
So there's no excuses, make sure you experience some of what New Zealand has to offer in the golf industry during your visit. You won't regret it.
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