Why this distant golf resort is value 7,000-mile haul to get there

There’s a sure insanity that drives an individual to ebook a 7,700-mile journey to New Zealand’s northern coast, all for a number of rounds of golf.

Or…is there?

The trek from the U.S. to New Zealand is lengthy, however surprisingly simple. One afternoon in early November, my husband and I flew from Nashville, had a fast layover in Los Angeles, and 13 hours later, landed in Auckland. Even after that a lot time within the air, we felt energized as we started the ultimate leg of our journey — a 90-minute drive from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest metropolis, to Te Arai, the nation’s most beautiful golf vacation spot.

This was a return journey for us. We’d visited six years earlier to play Tara Iti, a personal course that debuted at No. 29 on GOLF Journal’s rating of the High 100 Programs within the World in 2017; it has since climbed as much as twentieth. We stayed there for 2 nights, then spent the following two weeks driving from the North Island right down to Queenstown, the southern tip of the South Island. We hiked and teed it up from cease to cease. After touring all the best way from New York Metropolis, we wished to maximise the expertise.

Six years and two children later, we determined we could possibly be away from Nashville for a most of 1 week throughout this second go to and that we wished the journey to actually really feel like a trip — that meant minimal driving, staying in only one room and filling our days with unimaginable golf and the restorative powers of nature. Tara Iti was the star of our first journey, and since its resort-style counterpart, Te Arai, had simply opened down the highway, it felt like an apparent selection for an epic expertise.

There’s no means round it: 7,700 miles is a mighty haul for a week-long getaway. However once we stood on the 4th tee at Te Arai’s South Course, gazing a gap that plunges into the Pacific Ocean, any trace of sleep deprivation or journey weariness melted away. This wasn’t only a spherical of golf; it was an escape into nature’s uncooked magnificence and an opportunity to have interaction with golf at its most spectacular.

I’ve endured way more arduous journey for a lot smaller payoffs.

Te Arai sits simply south of Tara Iti and is the brainchild of Tara Iti’s developer and managing director — Ric Kayne and Jim Rohrstaff, respectively. As such, the properties share most of the identical qualities, each providing a novel mix of pure magnificence, architectural brilliance and a relaxed but luxurious ambiance. One huge distinction between them: Tara Iti is non-public and Te Arai is a 36-hole resort with a membership element. Te Arai’s North and South programs alternate between being private and non-private each day to make sure that each programs keep an unique really feel whereas nonetheless permitting for public play.

Regardless of sharing one piece of land, Te Arai’s programs are wildly completely different. The South Course, a 6,843-yard Coore/Crenshaw design that opened in 2022, captivates with its visible magnificence — 14 of its 18 holes are set in opposition to the Pacific. It’s not only a feast for the eyes, but in addition a golfer’s dream by way of walkability and movement.

The course is difficult however honest, with a concentrate on shot-making and creativity, all whereas treating golfers to 1 breathtaking view after one other. This design balances magnificence and playability, permitting golfers to soak within the panorama whereas strategizing about how greatest to navigate its intelligent options.

The North Course, a Tom Doak design that opened in October 2023, is a firmer take a look at. The 6,931-yard par-71 structure begins on the Pacific after which heads inland, meandering by way of an enormous bowl earlier than returning to the ocean. Whereas solely seven holes sit straight on the Pacific (the South Course has spoiled us!), the course is a strategic masterpiece. With large fairways that undulate each subtly and dramatically, golfers are continually challenged to consider angles and method pictures. The inexperienced complexes are among the boldest I’ve ever encountered, requiring a considerate method. The North additionally has a unbelievable midway home — the fish tacos are a should — obtainable to gamers on each the tenth and fifteenth holes.

Hyperlinks golf virtually all the time comes with magnificence but in addition with a aspect of chilly temperatures, heavy rain and biting wind. Te Arai, although, defies the norm in that its coastal layouts are grassed completely with fescue, which means they provide a real hyperlinks expertise in a snug subtropical local weather. Within the winter (our summer time), highs hover round 60 levels, whereas summer time highs common round 75 levels. Yep, bliss.

Te Arai’s consideration to element extends far past golf into each side of the resort. One of many central gathering factors at Te Arai is Ric’s, a superbly appointed open-all-day restaurant that’s surrounded by a 2.5-acre Himalayas-style placing inexperienced aptly referred to as the Playground. Ric’s isn’t only a place to seize a chunk — it’s a social hub. All are welcome, even those that aren’t staying or taking part in on-site, and the restaurant’s family-style seating and come-as-you-are vibes encourage interplay, creating an environment the place it’s simple to fulfill fellow golfers and locals alike.

Ric’s heat Scandinavian aesthetic permeates all through the resort. We stayed in a comfy studio cottage that overlooks the driving vary. The house’s heat palette, pure supplies and elevated necessities helped it exude a chilled magnificence. I discovered myself wishing I may purchase all of it — the bedding, the accent chairs, the mugs — to recreate the magic again residence in Nashville.

Over the course of 5 days, we performed 4 rounds on the South, two on the North and one at Tara Iti. We supplemented these rounds with unforgettable walks on Te Arai Seashore, a pristine stretch of shoreline the place white sand meets the turquoise Pacific. Entry to the seashore is correct off the South’s 18th inexperienced. We walked north, previous the North Course, till we reached Forestry Seashore, famend among the many surf group for its left-hand level breaks, then climbed a hill and walked out onto a degree — to our proper, we may see each of Te Arai’s programs; to our left, we noticed Tara Iti. One quick stretch of shoreline, three of GOLF’s High 100 Programs within the World.

The land right here is so valuable right here, it feels practically untouched. The Kiwis have an extended historical past of deeply respecting their setting, and the group behind Te Arai have embraced that ethos with a powerful dedication towards sustainability. We didn’t discover single-use plastics anyplace on the property, and water stations with reusable bottles are strategically positioned all through. Even the small particulars — identify tags, room keys, tees, ball markers and pens all constituted of wooden — replicate the resort’s dedication to lowering its environmental footprint whereas offering a top-tier luxurious expertise.

With two unimaginable programs already in play and loads of land obtainable for a 3rd, the way forward for Te Arai is vibrant. The resort continues to develop, not too long ago including sport courts and a extra formal eating possibility; a full-service spa can be on the best way. It’s solely a matter of time earlier than it turns into a must-visit vacation spot for golfers and adventure-seekers.

Whether or not they dwell 70 miles away, or 7,000.