Golf: Eight Otago courses in top 40

Otago has a plethora of highly-rated golf courses with eight of the province's courses being rated in New Zealand's top 40 in a list printed in the July edition of the Australian Golf Digest.

A panel of 22 professionals, amateurs and administrators judged New Zealand courses, rating them on risk and reward, difficulty and fairness, variety of design, memorability, scenic features, course condition and ambience and atmosphere.

An hour north of Auckland, Tara Iti opened last October and immediately went to No1, two ahead of another Tom Doak-designed course in Cape Kidnappers.

Most of the leading picks are resort courses - Jacks Point is rated No2, The Hills No6 and Millbrook No8.

The remaining five Otago rated layouts are all historical club courses with Arrowtown No13.

With its scenic features, Arrowtown featured highly as well as being in consistently good course condition.

The Otago Golf Club is one of the oldest in the southern hemisphere but came in next at No26.

Its history and tradition provide a unique atmosphere and the course is always in pristine condition.

Balmacewen rates highly on memorability with the renowned Glen hole featuring in many books on golf holes.

Chisholm Links, the venue of this year's masters (over-40) interprovincial, is No36 while Cromwell and Kelvin Heights are at No38 and No39 respectively.

 


NZ's top courses

Tara Iti 1, Jack's Point 2, Cape Kidnappers 3, Kauri Cliffs 4, Kinloch 5, The Hills 6, Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club 7, Millbrook 8, Wairakei 9, Royal Wellington 10, Carrington 11, Titirangi Golf Club 12, Arrowtown Golf Club 13, Pegasus Golf Club 14, Christchurch Golf Club 15, Muiwai 16, Clearwater 17, Royal Auckland Golf Club 18, Manawatu Golf Club 19, Whitford Park 20, Mount Maunganui Golf Club 21, Oreti Sands 22, Mangawhai Golf Club 23, Harewood Golf Club 24, Omaha Beach Golf Club 25, Otago Golf Club 26, Terrace Downs 27, New Plymouth Golf Club 28, Hastings Golf Club 29, Gulf Harbour Golf Club 30, Waipu 31, Wanganui Golf Club 32, Formosa Golf Resort 33, Russley Golf Club 34, Nelson Golf Club 35, Chisholm Links 36, Invercargill Golf Club 37, Cromwell Golf Club 38, Queenstown Golf Club 39, Greenacres Golf Club 40.

 


 

 

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