Taupo
7,050 yards, par 72; Green fees: $95-$130;
01164-73748152, wairakeigolfcourse.co.nz
Ask most golfers in New Zealand to name their favorite courses, and chances are most will include this beautiful layout set amid the breathtaking volcanic cones in the Lake Taupo region of the North Island.
Designed by Michael Wolveridge, Commander John Harris, and former British Open champion Peter Thomson, this layout slices through a dense forest and was really the first New Zealand course to earn international acclaim.
You'll most remember "The Rogue," the 600-yard 14th hole that demands three smart, safe shots to have any chance at reaching the green in regulation.
Kinloch Golf Course
Kinloch
7,209 yards, par 72; Green fee: $137;
01164-73778484, kinloch-golf.com
It sounds as though it belongs in the Scottish Highlands, but Kinloch — Jack Nicklaus's first course in this country — is only a short drive from Wairakei.
What he created is a challenging but fair romp, dotted with plenty of fescue and bunkers, and sporting a lot of elevation changes that test your imagination and patience.
The Bear keeps the test going right to the last: the 18th hole opens with a blind tee shot and ends with a stern approach shot over a pond.
The South Island
New Zealand's South
Island is beautiful, but it
has suffered from a lack
of big drawing cards for
golfers. That is slowly
beginning to change,
however.
In Queenstown, Millbrook Resort ($45- $110; 01164-34417000, millbrook.co.nz) is a pleasant course designed by local legend and PGA Tour star Bob Charles.
A new course nearby is Jacks Point ($50- $76; 01164-34500248, jackspoint.com), where the tee shot at No. 15 demands you hit across a sheep pasture and back into the fairway. This could be the course that pulls golfers South.
Where to Stay
Robertson's properties are
as good as his courses.
Try The Lodge at Kauri
Cliffs (rooms from $640
per night, kauricliffs.com)
or The Lodge at Cape
Kidnappers (rooms
from $590 per night,
capekidnappers.com).
In the Lake Taupo region, visit Huka Lodge (01164-73785791, hukalodge.co.nz), where rooms start at $890 per person, per night.
Getting there
Air New Zealand offers
3 nonstop flights daily
from Los Angeles and
one from San Francisco.
Call 800-262-1234 or visit
airnewzealand.com for more information.
For more great courses check out bestofgolfnewzealand.com.
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