A capital city could not be placed in a more dramatic setting than the rugged bush-clad hills and magnificent sheltered harbour of Wellington.

The leafy suburbs that sprawl across Wellington’s steep hillsides allow precious little space for golf courses, so only four are close to the city centre. However, there is fast motorway access to west coast beaches and Lower and Upper Hutt, so over 20 courses can be reached within an hour’s drive.

The 32 courses throughout this region are listed below together with a brief description of some of the notable ones.

Paraparaumu Beach club, 80 km north of Wellington, is New Zealand’s best example of a classic sand-based links-style course. It is ranked within the top 100 such courses in the world and is a regular venue for major tournaments. The 5,919 metre, par 71 course is regarded by many as New Zealand’s best serious golfer’s course. Its exposure to contrary winds, narrow fairways, unpredictable humps and hollows and unforgiving rough margins, make it one of the greatest golf challenges you can find anywhere. A game here is an absolute must for the real golf enthusiast travelling down State Highway One.

Hutt club in Military Road, Lower Hutt, is notable for its flat fairways, contoured greens and prolific mounds and dips. Skirting the Hutt River, the 5,906 metre, par 70 course has superb club facilities and represents a great golfing experience for the visitor. Tee-off times must be booked in advance.

Manor Park on Golf Road, between Lower and Upper Hutt, is also a very fine course where straight drives are an absolute necessity as out of bounds comes into play on most of the holes and the ignominy of a splash in the Hutt River is always on the cards. Tee-off times need to be booked in advance, especially on weekends.

Wellington club at Heretaunga, 32 kms from the city in the Hutt Valley, is a picturesque course strung with avenues of trees and crossed by streams. It is a great test of skill as the contours place a premium on accuracy and placement.

Wellington Region Golf Courses

  • Hutt, Military Road, Lower Hutt
  • Judgeford, State Highway 58, Porirua
  • Kapiti, Valley Road, Paraparaumu
  • Manor Park, Golf Road, Lower Hutt
  • Masterton, Boltons Road, Masterton
  • Miramar, 1 Stewart Duff Drive, Miramar
  • Paraparaumu, 376 Kapiti Rd, Paraparaumu Beach
  • Shandon, Gear Island, Petone
  • Wainuiomata, 334 Coast Road, Wainuiomata
  • Wellington, Golf Rd, Heretaunga
  • Alfredton, Route 52, Alfredton
  • Boulcott, Boulcott Street, Lower Hutt
  • Carterton, Chester Road, Carterton
  • Castlepoint, Castlepoint Rd, Castlepoint
  • Duck Creek, 15 Discovery Drive, Whitby
  • Eketahuna, Macara Street, Eketahuna
  • Featherston, Viles Road, Featherston
  • Hutt Valley, Randwick Road, Lower Hutt
  • Karori, 280 Makara Road, Wellington
  • Mahunga, Oxford Street, Masterton
  • Makuri, Domain Road, Pahiatua
  • Martinborough, Boundary Rd, Martinborough
  • Mornington, 566 Adelaide Rd, Wellington South
  • Ohariu Valley, Ohariu Valley Road, Wellington
  • Otaki, Old Coach Road North, Otaki
  • Pauatahanui, Paekakariki Hill Road, Porirua
  • Roversdale, Riversdale beach, Wairarapa
  • Te Marua, Main Road, Upper Hutt
  • Titahi, Gloaming Hill, Porirua
  • Trentham Camp, Dante Road, Trentham
  • Waikanae, Te Moana Road, Waikanae
  • Wainuioru, Cavighan, Masterton