Escorted Golf Tours New Zealand

A New Zealand golf tour is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Stunning scenery, world-class golf courses, and superb luxury accommodation ensure this will be a golf trip to remember. And for the ultimate in convenience and luxury, we recommend traveling with a guide on an escorted golf tour of New Zealand.

Key Takeaways

Escorted golf tours in New Zealand offer a luxurious experience with private chauffeurs/drivers and all-inclusive arrangements which also include lodgings, some meals and activities.
Independent golf tours allow more traveler freedom but require navigating and driving yourself.
You can customize your golf tour to include world-class courses and premium activities.
Travel in comfort with luxury vehicles, and enjoy the insights of local guides throughout your tour.
The best time for golfing in New Zealand is from October to March, although enjoyable golf is possible year-round.

What is the difference between independent (self-drive) and escorted New Zealand golf tours?

Independent golf tours

Perfect for golfers who prefer to travel without an escort, self-drive golf tours include a premium rental car in addition to your accommodation, green fees, and activities.

This is what you can expect with an independent golf tour:

Travel via rental car or shuttle transfers
Fuel is at your own cost
Outside of scheduled tee times and pre-arranged activities, your time is unplanned
Somewhat less expensive than escorted New Zealand golf tours (for smaller groups only)
View our Independent Golf Tours here >>

Escorted New Zealand golf tours

For a more premium and relaxed experience, fully escorted New Zealand golf tours allow you to travel with a private chauffeur/guide who is at your service throughout your stay.

Instead of renting your own vehicle, travel in a comfortable luxury tour vehicle. First and foremost, this removes any inconvenience around navigating and driving in an unfamiliar country, especially if you are accustomed to driving on the opposite side of the road.

More than that, your chauffeur enhances your experience with commentary, sightseeing excursions, and a local’s perspective on New Zealand.

These are the benefits of an escorted golf tour of New Zealand:

Pure simplicity—from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart, your guide handles all scheduling, reservations, and navigation
Travel with a local New Zealand guide who offers an in-depth perspective
Enjoy entertaining and illuminating commentary between destinations
Take advantage of insider recommendations for scenic viewpoints, wineries, restaurants, and more
If you are travelling with a non-golfing partner, your guide can conduct sightseeing excursions off-course while you tee off
Fuel costs are included with your tour vehicle
Less of an added cost than you might think—for groups of 4 or more travellers, a private chauffeur does not impact the per-person tour price significantly
Larger groups (12+ travellers) can be accommodated in larger touring vehicles and buses

Browse our escorted golf tours of New Zealand

We have designed our golf tours to offer the perfect balance between golfing and relaxation. We want you to feel as though you have made the most of your time in New Zealand, experiencing as many world-renowned marquee courses as possible, while still taking time to slow down and enjoy the experience.

Our escorted golf tours include:

Luxury lodge and 5-star hotel accommodation
Private chauffeur and luxury tour vehicle for the duration of your stay
Green fees and pre-booked tee times
Premium activities
A selection of gourmet meals

Kauri Cliffs escorted golf tours New Zealand — 7 Day North Island Golf Tour

The Hills golf course Queenstown — 7 Day South Island Golf Tour

Jack's Point Queenstown escorted golf tours New Zealand — 7 Day New Zealand Golf Tour

Cape Kidnappers escorted golf tours New Zealand — 10 Day North Island Golf Tour

Millbrook golf course Queenstown — 10 Day South Island Golf Tour

Kinloch golf course New Zealand escorted tours — 10 Day New Zealand Golf Tour

Te Arai Links New Zealand golf tours — 14 Day New Zealand Golf Tour

Jack's Point golf course Queenstown — 21 Day New Zealand Golf Tour

All of our New Zealand golf tours are fully customisable. If you have a bucket list of courses that you must include, or if you have another area of interest that you wish to explore while in New Zealand, we can design a tour to suit. Contact us to start planning your own custom tailored golf tour.

Tips on planning the ultimate golf tour

As you begin planning your New Zealand golf tour, keep in mind these tips to make the most of your visit:

Book at least 9 – 12 months in advance, especially when travelling at peak times (November – March)
Take advantage of the services and expertise of your guide. Whether this means visiting notable wineries and food producers en route between destinations, or planning longer excursions for a non-golfing partner, your guide is there to enhance your tour at every step.
Let our team know if you have any must-visit golf courses or other special interests so we can plan your tour accordingly. Knowing what type of golf tour you envision – from a bucket-list golf vacation playing as many courses as possible, to a sightseeing holiday that combines golfing with other must-do experiences – allows us to arrange your schedule so it best suits your preferences.
If one or more members of your group are not golfers, plan to stay in popular destinations such as Queenstown and the Bay of Islands, where you will find plenty of excursions on offer for the non-golfing partner

Ultimately, New Zealand is an unforgettable golf destination, so you’re sure to have an amazing time no matter where you choose to golf.

FAQs on escorted golf tours of New Zealand

How long do you need for an escorted golf tour of New Zealand?

Because New Zealand is compact and many of the top golf courses are in adjacent regions, you can enjoy a rewarding New Zealand golf tour in as little as 5 days. However, we recommend staying for as many days as possible to justify the length of flying time needed to reach New Zealand and to enjoy the best non-golfing activities.

Ideally, we recommend spending at least 7-10 days on a North Island or South Island golf tour and 10-14 days on a New Zealand golf tour that covers both islands.

How do you choose guides for your escorted golf tours of New Zealand?

We work with a range of highly reputable, accredited New Zealand-based guides. Through our New Zealand Guided Tours and New Zealand Luxury Escapes brands, we book countless tours with each of our hand-picked guides, so we know them personally and have received highly positive feedback from our guests who have travelled with them.

Furthermore, we take great care in matching each group to their guide. Many of our guides are experts on various New Zealand subjects, so if you have special interests during your visit, let us know and we will match you with a guide accordingly.

What do your escorted golf tour vehicles look like?

For smaller groups, we use luxury 4WD vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander, always taking care to leave ample space for your golf equipment. For midsize groups, we work with Maugers, a luxury tour vehicle provider offering a range of Mercedes sprinters from 12-seaters to 17-seaters. And for larger groups, we can arrange bus transport.

Which is better for an escorted New Zealand golf tour, the North Island or the South Island?

The North Island is home to the majority of the country’s notable marquee courses, including Kauri Cliffs, Te Arai Links, Kinloch, and Cape Kidnappers. This is the place to visit if you want to tick off as many bucket-list courses as possible. Plus, travelling with a guide is ideal if you choose to drive between destinations instead of taking domestic flights, as you will be able to sit back and relax as your guide navigates the busy roads.

The South Island offers a more compact golfing experience, with most of its marquee courses concentrated around Queenstown. However, if you choose to visit the South Island, we highly recommend venturing beyond Queenstown to discover the magnificent scenery of the Mount Cook/Lake Tekapo region. You’ll be glad of your chauffeur when you travel the winding mountain roads, with breathtaking views around every corner.

What time of year is best for an escorted golf tour of New Zealand?

You’ll find the most favourable golfing conditions in New Zealand from October – March.

However, New Zealand weather is mild and changeable year-round, so you can enjoy a rewarding golf tour at any time of year—including in the middle of winter. These are a few seasonal considerations to plan around:

– Peak summer season (from mid-December to the end of February) can be very busy, so you need to book far in advance.
– Northland (home to Kauri Cliffs and Te Arai Links) is mild and pleasant even in winter.
– Many other places are wetter in winter, leading to soggier course conditions.
– You’ll find more wind in spring, and more settled conditions in autumn.

Our overview on New Zealand golf seasons offers more detail on the best times of year to play golf in New Zealand.

Are there on-site resorts at New Zealand golf courses?

Many of New Zealand’s top marquee courses are home to all-inclusive luxury lodge accommodation. These include:

– Rosewood Kauri Cliffs
– Te Arai Links
– Kinloch Manor & Villas
– Rosewood Cape Kidnappers

Other courses include more standard resort-style accommodation, such as:

– Millbrook Resort
– Clearwater Resort

However you want to enjoy your New Zealand Golf Tour we can make it happen, from fully escorted, luxury tours to independent, self drive itineraries. Get in touch with our expert, NZ based team today to start planning.

Rebecca Vickers is a former New Zealand travel consultant and travel writer.