New Zealand Golf Courses - North Island Golf Clubs
Here you will find reviews of some of the golf courses in North Island we think you will enjoy playing. There is a mixture of golf resort courses, private member golf clubs and public golf courses. Interested in playing them? give us a call at VSL Golf to organise your very own New Zealand golf tour or golf vacations.
Carrington is a New Zealand golf resort facility of the highest calib
re. Situated on Karikari Peninsula in the far north, it features an ocean side, tournament quality golf course designed by Matt Dye.
Carrington also offers luxury accommodation in either lodge or villa options, an award winning vineyard and winery, Karikari Estate, and many more activities.
Perfect for food lovers, those wanting a New Zealand golf holiday, or anyone who wants to enjoy the unspoiled beauty on offer at this award-winning Northland retreat.
The unique feature of the Carrington Golf Course is that, although it has an oceanside location, it looks and plays like an "inland golf" course, complete with rolling hills, vales, and natural water hazards. It is not a typical "tabletop" oceanside golf course, which is sighted on a flat plateau with man-made obstacles, produced from artificial contouring of the land. Instead, Carrington stresses the natural contours of its location on the gently sloping lower levels of a hill side site adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.
Opened in 2000, Kauri Cliffs was designed and built by David Harman of Golf Course Consultants, Orlando, Florida.
The par 72 championship golf course measures 7,119 yards/6510 metres and offers five sets of tees to challenge every skill level. Fifteen holes look over the Pacific Ocean, six of which are played alongside cliffs which plunge to the sea. The beautiful inland holes wind through marsh, forest and farmland.
Considered a “must play” by many respected golf magazines, Kauri Cliffs rated in the World’s Top 100 by Golf Magazine will be a highlight of your golf trip.
Rated by the prestigious US Golf Digest as one the top 100 golf courses in the world outside of the USA.
The Wairakei International golf course is located in the heart of the North Island and set amongst the spectacular scenery of the Lake Taupo region. Designed by Commander John Harris, Michael Wolveridge and Peter Thomson with the aim of producing New Zealand’s first internationally recognised golf course, there is little doubt they exceeded all expectations. The end result is a course that sprawls over 450 acres of beautiful New Zealand countryside. This coupled with the 6444 metres from the championship tees and 108 large, well placed bunkers has led to worldwide acclaim.
A beautiful golf course in a beautiful part of the world.
CAPE KIDNAPPERS GOLF COURSE
Designed by American, Tom Doak this stunning golf course was selected by Golf Digest Magazine in 2007 as the 10th best course in the world outside of the USA.
Tom Doak said of his work at Cape Kidnappers "Our goal in designing golf courses is to create interesting holes you wouldn’t find anywhere else. That wasn’t hard to do at Cape Kidnappers, because the site is not like anywhere else in golf. If it were any bigger or any more dramatic, it would probably be cordoned off as a national park.
Cape Kidnappers is not true links terrain, with the wrinkles of sand dunes; instead the land tilts toward the sea as a series of ridges jutting out toward the edge of the cliffs. Yet, the play is seaside golf at its finest. The surface is firm and fast, the conditions can be windy, and the player who can control his trajectory will be master of the course.
For myself and my associates, it was a great adventure to track up the hill every day and build a golf course in such a remarkable setting. We hope you enjoy your time here as much as we have. New Zealand is a long way from home, but Cape Kidnappers is never far from our hearts."
Since its completion golfing professionals, players and course evaluators throughout New Zealand have raved about the course’s unique natural design.
This 100 hectare tract borders protected conservation areas and embraces 20 hectares of natural wetlands. 10 1⁄2 kilometres of cart paths meander through the course and over charming stone bridges to link fairways.
Lakes Resort’s championship 6171 meter par 71 layout is definitely a player’s course and a tribute to its brilliant designers Canadians Sid Puddicombe Associates.
The whole idea was to create a course that can be a formidable test, challenging but not impossible. Inspired by the perfection of nature itself, Lakes Resort, Pauanui looks and feels as if it has always been here.
Ranked amongst the Top 10 New Zealand’s Golf courses. You’ll find a round of golf at ‘Bridge Pa’ a challenging and enjoyable experience set amid picturesque surroundings.
Bridge Pa has hosted many professional tournaments as well as New Zealand amateur championships at all levels. Stuart Jones, the man rated as New Zealand’s best ever amateur golfer is a member at Bridge Pa.
The only Jack Nicklaus Signature course in New Zealand, Nicklaus has created a links style masterpiece.
Set on the shores of Lake Taupo, it offers a challenge to good players and plenty of options on how to play each hole. Bold shots played well will be rewarded but one of the many bunkers - all of which you can see - will catch the wayward stroke.
Recently opened, the brilliant design of this course will no doubt win it accolades from golf afficionados.
The most famous links course in New Zealand, Paraparaumu Golf Club is approximately 40 minutes north of Wellington. Host of numerous New Zealand Open Championships, Paraparaumu has been played by many of the world's great players including Tiger Woods when he played in the NZ Open. Paraparaumu is a great golf experience and like the true links courses all round the world – if the wind blows the experience will be even greater!