New Zealand has 254 affiliated golf courses — among the highest per-capita rates in the world. This map shows 254 of them: every NZ Golf-affiliated club we could verify, from Wharo in the Far North to Stewart Island’s 9-hole Halfmoon Bay course in the south. Pitch-and-putt courses excluded; this is real golf clubs only.
Premier courses (Tara Iti, Te Arai Links, Cape Kidnappers, Kauri Cliffs, Carrington Estate, Kinloch, Jacks Point, The Hills, Millbrook, Wairakei, Paraparaumu Beach, Royal Auckland & Grange, Royal Wellington, Titirangi, Clearwater, Wanaka, Christchurch, Arrowtown, Muriwai) are shown with the gold star marker; standard regional courses with the green dot. Click any course for the designer, founding year, public access, signature features. Below the map, the full list is sortable by my ranking or by province (north to south).
All courses, sortable
How many golf courses are in New Zealand
New Zealand has 254 golf clubs affiliated to NZ Golf, and that is what this map plots — verified affiliated clubs from Wharo in the Far North to the nine-hole Halfmoon Bay course on Stewart Island. If you count every stretch of golf, including short courses, pitch-and-putt layouts and unaffiliated clubs, the number people usually quote is closer to 400. For a country of just over five million people, either figure is high. New Zealand is regularly ranked among the world’s leaders for golf courses per head of population, commonly reported as second only to Scotland.
Golf courses in Auckland and Northland
Auckland has around 34 affiliated courses, the most of any city, from the tree-lined Titirangi and the links-style Muriwai to the two-course Royal Auckland and Grange. Northland adds about 20 more and carries most of the country’s world-ranked destination golf — Tara Iti and Te Arai Links near Mangawhai, Kauri Cliffs at Matauri Bay and Carrington Estate on the Karikari Peninsula. Between them the upper North Island holds the biggest concentration of both everyday club golf and premier resort courses.
Golf courses in Waikato, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty
The central North Island has roughly 28 courses through the Waikato and Coromandel and about 17 more across the Bay of Plenty and the volcanic plateau. Hamilton, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui anchor the club golf, while Taupō is home to two of the best-known courses in the country, Wairakei and Jack Nicklaus’s Kinloch, both set against the lake and the mountains.
Golf courses in the lower North Island
From Taranaki down to Wellington there are close to 60 courses. Wellington and the Wairarapa have about 20, including the historic links at Paraparaumu Beach and Royal Wellington. Taranaki has around 15, several with Mount Taranaki as a backdrop, and Manawatū and Whanganui add about 14. Hawke’s Bay is smaller in number but holds Cape Kidnappers, the cliff-top course that put New Zealand on the international golf-travel map.
Golf courses in Canterbury and the top of the South Island
Canterbury has the most affiliated courses of any region, around 43, spread from the Christchurch clubs and the championship Clearwater course out through the plains and up into North Canterbury. Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough add about 12 more, and the West Coast and Kaikōura another handful, so the northern South Island alone accounts for close to 60 courses.
Golf courses in Otago, Queenstown and Southland
Otago and the Queenstown Lakes have about 24 courses and some of the most scenic golf in the country, including Millbrook, The Hills, Jacks Point and Arrowtown around Queenstown and the lakeside course at Wanaka. Southland adds about 13 more, from Invercargill down to the far south. The mountain backdrops make this the part of New Zealand most photographed by visiting golfers.
Frequently asked questions
How many golf courses are there in New Zealand?
There are 254 golf clubs affiliated to NZ Golf, which is what this map shows. Counting short courses and unaffiliated layouts as well, the figure usually quoted is around 400.
Which region has the most golf courses?
Canterbury, with about 43 affiliated courses, followed by Auckland with around 34. The upper North Island as a whole has the largest total once Auckland, Waikato and Northland are combined.
What are the top-ranked golf courses in New Zealand?
The courses that appear near the top of most New Zealand rankings are Tara Iti and Te Arai Links in Northland, Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, Kauri Cliffs in the Far North, and Jacks Point and The Hills near Queenstown. They are marked with the gold star on the map.
Does New Zealand have a lot of golf courses for its size?
Yes. Relative to its population New Zealand has one of the highest numbers of golf courses in the world, a standing usually described as second only to Scotland.
About this data
The map plots 254 golf clubs affiliated to NZ Golf, compiled and verified by Newswire from club listings and NZ Golf records. Pitch-and-putt and unaffiliated short courses are not included, so this is regular golf clubs only. Each course carries the designer, founding year, public access and signature features where known. Premier courses are shown with a gold star and standard regional clubs with a green dot. Explore the rest of Newswire’s New Zealand map tools for more. If a club has closed or merged, let us know in the comments.
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