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Escape to the North Island of New Zealand, where you will play some of the very best courses in the world. From stunning cliff drops into the ocean at Cape Kidnappers to tropical island views at Kauri Cliffs. The beauty and standard of golf will have you feeling like you’ve been to golf heaven. And while you’re not making birdies we will have you tasting local wines, exploring indigenous maori culture and paddleboarding through island caves.
When to go: November - April
Price: From NZD$16,200 pp
Ideal length: 8-12 days
GOLF COURSES
Designed by the late David Harman, Kauri Cliffs is a par 72 championship course that was rated by Golf Digest (2014) as the 39th best course in the world. The first of two stunning golf courses from American native Julian H. Robertson, Kauri Cliffs holds a magnificent position, perched on a tabletop. Fifteen of the holes overlook the Pacific Ocean and having stunning views of the Cavalli Islands and the rugged yet gorgeous coastline of the Far North.
Location: Matauri Bay, NZ
Website HERE
Titirangi is ranked as one of New Zealand’s top courses and is the only one in the country designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie. MacKenzie’s designs are notable for their sensitivity to the nature of the original site and he is admired for producing holes that offer an ideal balance of risk and reward. After designing Titirangi in 1927, MacKenzie went on to design some of the world’s top courses including Augusta, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne. The par 70 course features elevated tees and greens, challenging bunkers and slick greens with pronounced undulations. Its par 3s face the four points of the compass so no matter what the weather conditions, you experience a different test on each hole.
Location: Titirangi, Auckland, NZ
Website HERE
Imagine the experience of playing golf on a world-class championship course, immersed in the natural beauty of a wildlife sanctuary. This ambitious project is the brainchild of owner Gary Lane and has seen a dedicated fence installed around the entire course perimeter, to keep out predators, like rats, stoats and weasels. Around 25,000 native trees and five thousand exotics have been planted to encourage bird life, and further improve the park like surroundings.
Location: Wairakei, Taupo
Website HERE
Hailed as one of the great modern marvels in golf, Cape Kidnappers features eighteen spectacular holes of golf. Designed by world-renowned golf architect Tom Doak, the course is built on a ridge-and-valley landscape and has stunning sea views, playing high above the ocean, atop dramatic cliffs. The course has received numerous accolades and awards including its current ranking among the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World.
Location: Te Awanga, Hawes Bay
Website HERE
ACCOMMODATIONS
Kauri Cliffs is a stunningly beautiful 5,400-acre estate, set on a remote plateau, high above the Pacific Ocean. It is home to one of the world’s most renowned golf courses, with most holes offering amazing views of offshore islands and the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Besides golf, the estate provides many other activities, including swimming, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing and sailing. Kauri Cliffs is a sister property of Cape Kidnappers and Matakauri Lodge.
Website HERE
With views across Viaduct Harbour, this luxury waterfront hotel is located right in the heart of Auckland City, just 800m from the Sky Tower. Rooms are furnished in a simple, contemporary manner, and feature free WiFi, flat-screen TVs and iPod docks, plus Bose sound systems. Upgraded suites add living rooms. Amenities include an on-site spa with an indoor pool, a whirlpool tub and an exercise room. There's also a boutique restaurant offering a high-end menu, and a lounge bar.
Set in the tranquil, 630-acre grounds of the Kinloch Club course, on the shores of Lake Taupo, The Lodge at Kinloch is modern, uber-luxury accommodation at its best. The brief for its design was to emulate its namesake Scottish castle, but with a modern 21st century twist. The main lodge, with local schist stone exteriors, features dramatic framed vistas of the sensational views of the golf course and the ever-changing lake. A short stroll from the lodge are the luxury one- and two- bedroom villas and one-bedroom junior suites, which are ‘quiet’ in design and harmonize with the magnificent natural setting of this 18-hole lakeside links course.
Set atop 6,000 rolling acres of stunning pastureland, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers affords spectacular 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean. The cluster of luxury lodges at Cape Kidnappers are suggestive of a working farm – a marriage of river stone and weathered wood – and are the perfect setting for relaxation, seclusion, or romantic breakaways. Inside, the lodges combine rustic and textured materials with comfortable modern furniture. The are 22 suites available on the property, as well as the Owners Cottage, which is also available upon request.
Click HERE for website
ACTIVITIES
Departing from the Kerikeri Inlet, this memorable excursion will introduce you to some of the 144 islands that are dotted around this tropical paradise. On your relaxing journey around the islands you will also witness a large array of marine life, including dolphins.
Experience the unique cultural atmosphere of the Poor Knights Islands with knowledgeable guides and get a once in a lifetime viewpoint of the islands that will leave you breathless. Your guides will take you into some amazing spots and give you the history, cultural backstory and environmental pointers that will only add to the experience. Paddle into some secretive spots, be amazed by the sheer magnificence of Rikoriko Cave, the biggest sea cave in the world, and feel the wairua (spirit) of the Poor Knights wash over you.
Welcome to Sculptureum — a world of art, food and wine. Located a few minutes' drive from Matakana, it has three sculpture-filled gardens, six galleries, a vineyard, an events space and Rothko, our restaurant and bar. Owners Anthony and Sandra Grant have spent ten years creating a destination that is designed to unlock the imagination, fuel creativity and ignite the mind. They have spent many more years collecting the displayed works, which have been brought together for an art experience that is internationally unique.
Website click HERE
Departing daily, the Scenic Cruise’s catamaran leaves from Taupo Boat Harbor for a tour of the lake’s best vantage points. You’ll enjoy cruising in comfort and style aboard a launch that offers fabulous views from both the top and bottom internal decks, and there are large outdoor decks to enjoy close-up views of the Maori Rock Carvings. Also included is a clay bird shooting off the boat and fly-fishing for brown and rainbow trout.
OTHER EXPERIENCES YOU MAY LIKE
When you think golf travel destinations, so often Scotland and Ireland are at the forefront of the conversation. But there’s a new kid on the block. Prepare to be enthralled by the share epic pieces of property that the top courses in NZ are located. Mix in world-class accommodation and a bucket load of unique localised experiences and you have yourself the golf trip of a lifetime.
Trek your way across this great country, playing some of the best courses in the world. Seven remarkable golf courses across three different states which all have their own unique flavour. From ocean wonders such as NSW GC to links heaven in Barnbougle, Tasmania and the widely heralded sandbelt courses in Melbourne. This is something special! This 14 day experience also includes fantastic local cuisine, and experiences across vastly different landscapes.
This is it! Our team of experts have painstakingly sat down and put together the very best golf courses both Australia and New Zealand has to offer. Not only that, but they have mapped out the perfect itinerary that gives the perfect blend of world class golf, unique accommodation, breathtaking experiences and the opportunities to meet the great characters that call these countries home. Enjoy this 15-night trip and make those postcard dreams a reality.
Windross Farm is a spectacular golf course located only 30 minutes south of the Auckland CBD. Designed by Brett Thomson, of RBT Design, with course consultant, Phil Tataurangi, in 2011 the course is known for its challenging degrees of interest. The layout is a traditional par 72, with returning 9’s of par 36. It is a course that can be challenging or challenged by any level of player on every hole and every shot.
Location: Ardmore, Auckland
Website HERE