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With a mild climate that ranges from subtropical to alpine, New Zealand is a great destination for golf, no matter the season. However, there are certain times of year when you’re likely to find more settled weather.
Read on to discover the best seasons for golf in New Zealand.
Summer in New Zealand typically brings warmer and more settled weather. This can mean great conditions at golf courses. In addition, the late summer sunsets mean it’s light until past 9pm, allowing plenty of time for both golfing and other excursions.
However, these are also the peak travel months all across the country, so accommodation prices go up, rooms book out far in advance, and popular destinations become crowded.
The Christmas/New Year period is the busiest of the entire year, and you’ll find minimum night stays and check-in/check-out restrictions in popular destinations such as Queenstown and Wanaka. If you’re looking to travel at this time, we recommend booking at least 9 – 12 months in advance. Also, your golf tour itinerary might need to be adjusted to work around accommodation availability and restrictions.
If you really want to take advantage of the summer golfing season in New Zealand, you’ll find fewer crowds for the first 20 days of December and the middle part of January. February is one of our busiest months.
Because of its mild climate and unpredictable conditions, New Zealand sometimes enjoys warmer weather in spring and autumn than in summer. The shoulder season is a great time for golf in New Zealand, and as long as you visit during the Daylight Savings months, you’ll enjoy our long evenings and late sunsets just like in summer.
Many courses aerate their greens around the end of September, so you’ll want to wait until mid-October for optimal conditions. Also, spring tends to experience higher winds across New Zealand, which can affect your golf experience.
Meanwhile, March can often be one of the warmest and most settled months, perfect for relaxed rounds of golf.
Though temperatures can drop below freezing overnight, New Zealand rarely sees snow at the level of towns. This means you can still enjoy golf through the winter in many destinations.
In addition, many parts of the North Island enjoy mild, pleasant weather year-round. Winter is a suitable season for golf in parts of New Zealand such as Northland (Kauri Cliffs and Te Arai Links), Taupo (Kinloch and Wairakei), and Hawke’s Bay (Cape Kidnappers). Even as far south as Queenstown, many golf courses remain open through the winter, though some close briefly for maintenance.
The main challenge you’ll find in winter is wet course conditions. Even when it isn’t raining, the ground can remain damp for months at a time in some places, which makes for soggy fairways. In addition, you may need to delay your start on South Island courses due to frost.
Some courses close annually for maintenance, while others host predictable events. These are a few seasonal considerations for New Zealand’s top golf courses.
The North and South Course at Te Arai Links close annually for a week or two for aeration. The dates change each year, but the two courses are staggered so one is always open. Closure dates usually fall in April or May and September.
Jack’s Point closes annually for winter maintenance for about 8 weeks in July/August. The mountain views are especially striking with snow on the Remarkables, though the fairways can be softer in winter. Green fees are reduced for the winter months.
However the other two Queenstown golf courses, Millbrook and The Hills, are open year-round. Similar winter conditions are present at these courses – expect spectacular views of snow-capped hills around the course, frosty mornings, and softer terrain.
The two courses at Millbrook close twice annually for coring, for about a week each time. This typically happens in September/October and December. As with Te Arai Links, the closure dates are staggered so one course is always open.
In addition, Millbrook hosts events such as the New Zealand Open, which can mean a closure of both courses. The New Zealand Open takes place around late February to early March.
March is our favourite month for a New Zealand golf trip. The weather is still warm and summery, without the spring winds, and you won’t see the same crowds you would find during the peak season.
Yes, you can play golf in winter across all the major marquee courses. Some courses, such as Kauri Cliffs and Te Arai Links, enjoy mild, pleasant weather year-round and excellent course conditions even in winter. Meanwhile, the Queenstown golf courses will be softer and wetter in winter.
Yes, many NZ golf courses offer a reduced rate for the winter season. In addition, luxury lodge accommodation at the courses is typically less expensive in the winter months.
Autumn is a great time to golf in New Zealand. You’ll enjoy good weather, less wind than in spring, and fewer crowds than in summer.
In the months of November through February, the sun sets around 9pm in New Zealand. Some courses allow late tee time bookings in summer, while others are consistent year-round.
Jack’s Point is one course that allows for significant seasonal variation in tee times. In summer, these range from 8am – 4pm, while in winter the tee times are restricted to around 10am – 12pm.
On the other hand, Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers both offer fairly consistent tee times year-round, with slots available between 8am and 2 or 3pm.
Queenstown is the best golf destination for standout seasonal views.
In April, the trees around Arrowtown change colour in a captivating golden display. And in winter, snow-covered peaks lend the region a touch of added drama.
Northland offers the most reliable golf weather year-round.
At Kauri Cliffs and te Arai Links, winter daytime temperatures average between 14 – 20 degrees Celsius (57 – 68 degrees Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, summer temperatures sit at a comfortable 22 – 26 degrees Celsius (71 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit) on average.
To escape the crowds and experience a golfing vacation in New Zealand view our recommended tours below, or get in touch directly with our expert team in NZ for a custom travel itinerary.
For the North Island we recommend a 7 Day North Island Luxury Golf Tour – Includes private transport and driver, luxurious accommodation and booked tee times at some of New Zealand’s top courses – Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Te Arai Links and more.
Prefer to book a Self Drive vacation? Then our 7 Day North Island Independent Tour is a great way to explore.
7 Day South Island Escorted Golf Tour – Travel with your own private driver and vehicle and visit the South Island’s best golf courses – The Hills, Jack’s Point, Millbrook and a choice of either Terrace Downs or Clearwater.
Looking for a Self Drive itinerary? – Then our 7 Day South Island Self Drive Golf Tour is for you.
If you want to explore both of the main islands that make up New Zealand then we offer both guided and self drive New Zealand golf tours from 7-21 days. All our tours offer carefully chosen accommodation, green fees and booked tee times where available. We also include must-do activities such as whale watching, wine tasting and scenic stop-offs. Our team can customise any tour for you, tell us where you want to play, what you want to see and we will create the ultimate NZ golfing vacation for you. Get started now.
Rebecca Vickers is a New Zealand travel writer and former NZ travel consultant.
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