Sunny days, golden beaches, fertile soil, quality fruit and vegetables and award-winning wines characterise this East Coast region.

With such a warm, salubrious climate and a beautiful countryside it is no wonder that the area boasts 21 fine golf courses.

The full list is set out below together with a brief description of some of the notable ones.

Cape Kidnappers was laid out in 2004 by architect Tom Doak on land purchased by Julian Robertson. The long 6,525 metre, par 71 course is set high above the coast on broad terraces that slope down to the edge of 130 metre cliffs. Cape Kidnappers plays across the ridge and valley landscape, to and from the cliff edge. Given the terrain there is a compelling need to be long and straight off the tees.

Napier club, on the Waiohiki links, 2 km south of Taradale, is ranked among New Zealand’s top courses. It is a relatively short course over rolling fairways with several sharp dog-legs and many green-side bunkers. The Club hosted the first New Zealand Open tournament in 1907. The fairway irrigation and excellent drainage systems guarantee first-class playing conditions all year round.

Hawke’s Bay club at Flaxmere, 15 minutes by car from Hastings, is notable for the quality of its native tree plantings, lakes and wide greens. The 6,103 metre, par 73 course offers easy walking but calls for hard-edged accuracy with fairway shot placement.

Maraenui club on Te Awa Avenue at the south end of Marine Parade in Napier, is a flat, tree-lined links course.

Hastings club at Bridge Pa, 6 km south of the town is a 6,257 metre, par 72 course, which like Napier, was founded in 1898. It is extremely popular and bookings are usually required.

Hawke’s Bay Region Golf Courses

  • Crownthorpe, Matapiro Road, Hastings
  • Dannevirke, S.H 2, Tahoraita, Dannevirke
  • Flemington, Lake Road, Waipukurau
  • Hastings, 1523 Maraekakaho Road, Napier
  • Hawke’s Bay, 114 Valentine Rd, Hastings
  • Mahia, Ormond Drive, Mahia
  • Mangateretere, Main Road, Mangateretere
  • Maraenui, Te Awa Ave, Napier
  • Napier Club, Napier, Hawkes Bay
  • Cape Kidnappers, South of Napier, via Clifton
  • Norsewood, Kopua Road, Norsewood
  • Onga Onga, S.H 50, Onga Onga
  • Pongaroa, Pahiatua Road, Pongaroa
  • Porangahau, Beach Road, Porangahau
  • Puketitiri, Hutchinson Domain, Napier
  • Takapau, Charlotte Street, Takapau
  • Te Pohue, Racecourse Road, Te Pohue
  • Waipawa, Tapairu Road, Waipawa
  • Waipukurau, S.H 2 South, Waipukurau
  • Wairoa, Frasertown Road, Wairoa
  • Woodbank, Seaview Road, Dannevirke