SOUTH ISLAND
On the South Island, the Queenstown area remains home base for adventurers of all types, including golfers.
It’s not quite bungy jumping (the first commercial version of which was started by Kiwis A.J. Hackett and Henry van Asch in 1988 a few minutes away at the Kawarau River), but The Hills certainly gets the juices flowing.
The catch? It’s an exclusive private club that co-hosts the New Zealand Open with nearby Millbrook Resort. Without connections, the only way on is via a limited and pricey hospitality package (including golf, food and wine). It’s a stellar layout, with sculptures throughout the course adding to the atmosphere.
At Jack’s Point, a 20-minute from downtown Queenstown, forget the scorecard and enjoy the views. The downhill par 3 seventh here gives its counterpart at Pebble Beach serious competition, thanks to an unforgettable backdrop of The Remarkables mountain range and massive Lake Wakatipu.
Arrowtown Golf Club does not have a single bunker, starts with a par 3, and measures 5,915 yards from the tips. Yet it’s an absolute blast to play. Rock outcroppings known as schist provide obstacles that must definitely be avoided. Fuel up for your round with delicious sticky buns at Provisions Café on Arrowtown’s main street (golfers with a sweet tooth should also try hokey pokey ice cream and Whittaker’s candy bars).
“I’ve been to a lot of destinations around the world and when you land the locals launch into how bad the traffic is, or how bad the schools are, but in New Zealand when you meet a local, they will immediately launch into how great everything is,” said Brandenburg, an Ohio native. “The little regional towns where people may stop for a quick 18 holes actually capture more of their time then they thought those would.”
That includes country courses, with an honesty box and electric fences around the greens. Like Te Pohue Golf Club, right off the main road connecting Napier with Taupo on the North Island. The 9-holer has two tees (marked by handmade concrete markers) on each hole and sheep roaming fairways.
As for when to go, keep in mind that golf is primarily a winter sport for New Zealanders.
“At many of the clubs, including places like Royal Wellington, the majority of their members are busy hiking, fishing and camping during the summer months,” said Brandenburg. “So when visitors question about getting tee times in the summer here (remember seasons are opposite of the U.S.), there are usually plenty to go around because the locals are out doing something else.”
