New Zealand · Links
New Zealand
Two of the most visually stunning courses on earth — both in the Robertson Collection (same ownership as Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley). Kauri Cliffs over the Pacific in Northland, Cape Kidnappers on clifftops above Hawke's Bay. The flight is 16+ hours but for serious golfers this is the Southern Hemisphere bucket list. NZ November–March is Canadian summer-equivalent conditions.
BEST TIME TO GO
November–March
EST. COST / PERSON
$10,000–$18,000 CAD
BOOK IN ADVANCE
24–52 weeks
TRAVEL TIME
16–18h flight from Toronto
MUST-PLAY COURSES
Kauri Cliffs
Top 15 in the World — Bay of Islands
Six holes directly over the Pacific. Sweeping views, coastal fescue turf. Companion resort to Bandon Dunes and Cape Kidnappers under the Robertson Collection.
Cape Kidnappers
Top 20 in the World — Hawke's Bay
On a clifftop promontory above Hawke's Bay. Doak's most dramatic design. Nothing like it anywhere else.
Jack's Point Golf Club
Queenstown. The Remarkables as backdrop. Best value premium option in NZ.
WHAT A TRIP LOOKS LIKE
Arrive Auckland
Land in Auckland and spend the first night in the city — the Sky Tower for orientation, a harbour dinner, and an early night to start recovering from the flight. Tomorrow the serious business of New Zealand golf begins.
Fly to Northland — Kauri Cliffs
Short flight or scenic drive to the Bay of Islands and check in at the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs. The Robertson Collection property overlooks the Pacific from a coastal bluff and ranks top 15 in the world — six holes run along the ocean with views that stop play if you let them.
Kauri Cliffs — Round Two
A second round at Kauri Cliffs on the same trip is the right decision. Morning light on the coastal holes is completely different from afternoon sun, and the caddie on round two will walk you through the nuances the first round didn't fully reveal.
Jack's Point — Queenstown
Fly to Queenstown for a change of scenery — Jack's Point Golf Club sits beneath The Remarkables mountain range with Lake Wakatipu visible from most fairways. Bill Robinson's routing is clever and the green fee is the most accessible premium option in New Zealand.
Queenstown Activities
New Zealand earns its non-golf reputation in Queenstown — bungee jumping, heli-skiing, or simply a morning Milford Sound cruise. Afternoon flight to Napier.
Cape Kidnappers
Tom Doak's Cape Kidnappers is one of the most astonishing golf courses on earth — holes suspended on clifftop fingers above Hawke's Bay, a 150-metre drop on the 15th approach, and terrain that has no equivalent anywhere. Caddie essential.
Cape Kidnappers — Round Two
You came 16 hours for this — two rounds at Cape Kidnappers is the correct response. The second round is always better than the first because you've stopped being distracted by the views long enough to actually play golf.
Depart Auckland
Fly back to Auckland for your connection home. New Zealand is the Southern Hemisphere bucket list — and it more than delivers.
GROUPS 12+ — Both Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers are lodge-access-only courses. Groups of 12 need to book both lodges in full or coordinate with Niblick to split accommodation across two properties. Book 12 months ahead for New Zealand's prime season (November–March). The internal flights between Auckland, Queenstown, and Napier are essential to cover the circuit efficiently.
BEST MONTHS
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