The Kinloch Club – New Zealand Golf’s Traditional Links Masterpiece

The Layout: 

Its very cool how much playing a course like the Kinloch Club makes you need to think about each shot and each putt. The course plays up and down in elevation and no two holes are the same. Miss-hits from the tee or on approach can see you in the really thick stuff or a bunker. That doesn’t always mean you can’t recover and there are plenty of opportunities to play well. My recommendation? Utilise the course yardage handbook. This is designed to help you navigate the course and we found it very useful!  

Perhaps the most memorable stretch comes on the back nine, where the course climbs to its highest point, offering panoramic views of Lake Taupo and the surrounding countryside. Here, the wind can be both friend and foe, and club selection becomes an art form. The closing holes are a true test of patience, with a need to maintain your concentration before reflecting.

Memorable Holes at The Kinloch Club

Hole 1 – Par 4 (354 metres)
The first hole at Kinloch sets the tone for the round with a gentle dogleg right. Don’t be fooled, it demands precise club selection and accuracy. I hit driver and ended up in one of the strategically placed bunkers for hitting it too straight; a fade would have been nice here (or perhaps a 3-wood or hybrid). The approach shot is played to a green framed by deep bunkers, with thick rough lining both sides of the hole. There are no warm-up holes on this course!

Hole 3 – Par 3 (147 metres)
The first of the par 3s seems relatively straightforward at first glance. The tee is elevated, and you’re hitting to a wide green. But there’s also a big body of water right in front of it. It might look simple, but add a bit of breeze and it’s game on. I watched my buddy, who plays off 2—put two balls in the drink. One-nil to Kinloch.

Hole 6 – Par 4 (330 metres)
This par 4 is one where a bit of course knowledge, or at least a careful read of the yardage book really helps. You’re faced with a blind tee shot to an elevated fairway that then sweeps left and runs downhill toward the green. The tricky part is judging where to land your tee shot: too long and straight is OB, and even trying to draw a driver can be risky. A 5-iron or hybrid about 180 metres leaves you with around 150 in. On the approach, you’ll need to adjust for the elevation, but if you come up short, you’ll find a small, deep bunker waiting. Very cool hole.

Hole 12 – Par 5 (464 metres)

The 12th is a Par 5 with a great view out to lake Taupo in the distance. The tee shot is played to nice open fairway and there is a nice slope back down towards the hole and onto a massive green. It feels reachable in two. On a clear day, the panorama of the lake and distant mountains is simply magic.

Hole 16 – Par 5 (481 metres)
A long par 5, and in my opinion, one of the toughest holes on the course. It demands two long, accurate shots in a row, one off the tee, and another to find the lay-up area. You’d need to be hitting your driver 280 metres or more just to have a shot at reaching the green in two. Even if you lay up, you’re still left with a demanding pitch to the green. The green itself is large and undulating, with built-up edges, plenty of bunkers, and deep rough all around. Good luck!

Hole 17 – Par 3 (160 metres)
The 17th is a par 3 played from an elevated tee, offering a stunning view of Lake Taupo. It’s easily the toughest of the par 3s. With even a bit of breeze, club selection becomes crucial for the 160-metre carry across a gorge to a green guarded by several bunkers. Miss it short or mishit, and the consequences are severe, I can tell you from experience, you’ll be left hitting up at least 10 metres, and it can feel almost vertical if you get it wrong. But if you pull it off, you’ll be riding high heading into the final hole.

Hole 18 – Par 5 (480 metres)
The closing hole at Kinloch is a long par 5 that, once again, demands two solid shots in a row if you want any chance of scoring well. The fairway is flanked by bunkers and native grasses, with Kinloch’s man-made lake running along the left side. The green sits beside the lake, with a sprinkling of bunkers on the right for good measure. The hole lies just below Kinloch Manor, where spectators often watch from the terrace. It’s a fitting end to a round at Kinloch, challenging, beautiful, and rewarding for those who play it well.