There are 820 registered players in the wider region, up about 100 on last year.
Central Otago Hockey Association executive officer Sandra Stuart said the sport had grown for about the past four years, partly due to hockey programmes targeted at primary school children.
"The young ones make up the majority of our players.''
The steeper increase this year was helped by the attraction of the renovated Cromwell turf, she said.
The water-based field was unveiled in April, replacing the previous sand surface, and renamed the Pioneer Energy Turf.
It was the only full-sized turf in Central Otago, Queenstown or Wanaka and it alone could not meet the growing popularity of the sport, she said.
Central Otago Sports Turf Trust chairman Michael Paardekooper said the attention around the Cromwell turf's water-based surface helped attract more young people to the game.
"It has been a huge success.''
Mr Paardekooper will attend a meeting with New Zealand Hockey next week to discuss bringing an international test series to the district with the New Zealand women's team within the next year.
"They will play another international team, depending on who is touring at the time.''
The Cromwell Community Board had committed $15,000in seed money to that project, which would cost about $65,000.
Last year, New Zealand Hockey expressed interest in a similar test to be held last Easter, but it did not go ahead due to a lack of available accommodation, he said.
The remaining renovation of the turf, including a viewing room, kitchen, changing rooms and toilets were on track to be finished by the beginning of the next hockey season, he said.
Alexandra hockey coach Sally Mullally is on a trust which two years ago proposed building a full-sized hockey turf in Alexandra.
The planned site was where the Ice Inline Sports Complex is now and the ice skating rink was to be moved next to the Molyneux Aquatic Centre to share energy costs.
The rink has not moved and the proposal is still at the feasibility study stage.
An Alexandra turf made sense as Maniototo was strong in hockey, but it was difficult for Maniototo teams to travel to Cromwell, she said.
A three-quarter sized hockey turf will be built in the new Wanaka Recreation Centre.
