Canterbury is the perfect adventure playground with a myriad of exciting outdoor activities between the coast and the Alps.

Where else could you see and do so much within two hour’s drive of an international airport? Ski and snowboard, swim with dolphins, gaze in awe at sperm whales, soak in luxurious thermal pools, jet boat, hike, horse-ride, hunt, fish, balloon-ride, raft, kayak and take 4WD trips.

The 37 golf courses in this region are listed below together with a brief description of some of the notable ones.

Clearwater Resort is located in Christchurch just seven minutes drive from the international airport. This course is set to achieve great things in the New Zealand golf world, perhaps even to become our premier course and lifestyle retreat. It is currently rated by Tourism New Zealand as one of our eight best courses. It was established in 2002 and designed by course architect John Darby with our own Sir Bob Charles and is home to the New Zealand PGA championship. The course combines elements of links and parklands and is characterised by extensive wetlands and man-made lakes, which feature in no less than 14 holes. The course facilities and accommodation are absolutely superb and there is an added bonus of guided fly-fishing on site.

Terrace Downs Country Resort is located on Coleridge Road, in the dramatic Rakaia Gorge; 50 minutes drive from Christchurch. This course has breathtaking views of the Southern Alps and is rated along with Millbrook Resort, as the country’s most scenic mountain course. It is also rated by Tourism New Zealand as one of our best eight golf courses and has skiing, heliskiing, jetboating and fishing available on tap for energetic golfers. Overnight accommodation is superb with bed, breakfast and golf packages at reasonable rates.

Christchurch club at Shirley is one of our finest links courses and the home course of Sir Bob Charles. The 6,360 metre, par 73 course has hosted the National Open and Amateur championships many times. The enduring impression you get is of a great course with a very gracious English country club atmosphere, which makes it high on the ‘must play’ list.

Russley is also one of the nation’s finest old established courses just minutes from the airport with outstanding club facilities.

Canterbury Region Golf Courses

  • Amberley, Golf Links Road, Amberley Beach
  • Clearwater Resort, Clearwater Ave., Harewood
  • Coringa Country Club, 680 McLeans Island Rd, Christchurch
  • McLeans Island, 800 McLeans Island Road, Christchurch
  • Russley, 428 Memorial Ave, Christchurch
  • Terrace Downs Country Resort, Coleridge Rd, Rakaia Gorge, Darfield
  • Waitikiri, Waitikiri drive, Burwood
  • Windsor, Waitikiri Drive, Christchurch
  • Akaroa, Pawsons Valley Road, Duvauchel
  • Amuri, 422 Rotherham Road North, Rotherham
  • Avondale, Cnr Wainoni & Breezes Roads, Avondale
  • Burnham Camp, Aylesbury Road, Burnham
  • Charteris Bay, Main Road, Charteris Bay
  • Cheviot, Campbell Road, Cheviot
  • Christchurch, 45 Horseshoe Lake Road, Christchurch
  • Culverden, Main Road, Culverden
  • Ellesmere, Freedays Road, Leeston
  • Everglades Country Club, 142 Riverlea Estate Drive, Stewarts Gully
  • Greendale, Coaltrack Road, Darfield
  • Hagley, North Hagley Park, Christchurch
  • Hanmer Springs, Argelins Road, Hanmer Springs
  • Harewood, 371 McLeans Island Road, Christchurch
  • Hawarden, Horsley Downs Road, Hawarden
  • Hororata, Main Road, Glentunnel
  • Kaiapoi, Williams Street, Kaiapoi
  • Kaituna, Birdlings Flat, Kaituna, Banks Peninsula
  • Lake Coleridge, Power Station Village, Windshistle
  • Lincoln, 5 Boundary Rd, Lincoln, Christchurch
  • Rangiora, Golf Links Road, Rangiora
  • Rawhiti, 100 Shaw Ave, New Brighton
  • Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill, Christchurch
  • Scargill, 235 Scargill Valley Road, Greta Valley
  • Tai Tapu, Tai Tapu Domain, Barrington, Christchurch
  • Templeton Country Club, Pound Road, Templeton
  • Waimairi Beach, 460 Bower Ave, Christchurch
  • Waimakariri, Thongcaster Road, Oxford
  • Weedons, McClelland Road, Christchurch