Lake Taupō

Kinloch

Designer

Jack Nicklaus (Signature Course)

Rankings

#4 in New Zealand

Setting

Rolling volcanic terrain, Lake Taupō

The Kinloch Club, located near Lake Taupō, is New Zealand's only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course and one of the country's most distinctive championship layouts. Opened in 2007, the course reflects Nicklaus' vision of embracing the site's dramatic natural contours to create a strategic inland links experience inspired by the great courses of Scotland and Ireland.

Having long been familiar with the region through his passion for fishing, Nicklaus described the property as possessing "the views and all the contours needed for a great golf course," adding that the opening nine holes had "the potential to become the best that we've designed." Upon completion of all 18 holes, he expressed his admiration for the finished product, praising its unique setting and the remarkable lifestyle opportunities surrounding Lake Taupō.

Stretching over rolling volcanic terrain with sweeping lake vistas, Kinloch is renowned as a thinking golfer's course where strategy and precision are rewarded. Undulating fescue fairways, bold green complexes, rugged natural bunkering, and numerous elevation changes demand careful shot-making, while changing winds add another layer of challenge. Signature holes such as the formidable par-three 15th and the spectacular finishing par-five 18th are widely regarded among New Zealand's finest.

Rather than relying on artificial features, the course allows the landscape to dictate play, with fairways folding naturally around bunkers and mounds and greens offering creativity and intrigue on every approach. The result is a layout that combines links-inspired architecture with a uniquely New Zealand character, delivering a memorable and rewarding experience for golfers of all abilities.

Regularly ranked among New Zealand's premier golf courses and acclaimed internationally, The Kinloch Club stands as a testament to Jack Nicklaus' design philosophy — where natural beauty, strategic depth, and timeless architecture come together to create one of the Southern Hemisphere's most compelling golfing destinations.