Invercargill - South Island - New Zealand

19th South Island - Best in Area
Invercargill Golf Club,
190 Dunns Road,
Otatara,
Invercargill,
New Zealand

  • +64 (03) 213 1133

  • Golf Club Website

  • 3 miles W of Invercargill city centre

  • Welcome, contact in advance

  • Scott Riordan

  • R.C. Butters, Sloan Morpeth

  • Not known

Championships hosted: New Zealand Amateur, New Zealand Open, New Zealand PGA, New Zealand Women's Amateur

Invercargill may, as the most southwesterly city in New Zealand, be a little remote from the rest of the country but its inhabitants love their golf as much, if not more than, those who live in the major centres of population. Indeed, golfers here were in the enviable position of having four 18-hole golf courses within a few miles of the city centre – Queens Park, Green Acres, Southland and Invercargill. Sadly Southland's Oreti Sands links closed in 2018, so golfers now only have three to choose from.

Founded in 1897, Invercargill Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the country as demonstrated by the fact that when the first Council of the New Zealand Golf Association met in 1910, P.C. Freeth from Invercargill was one of the delegates who met round the table in Wellington.

The club hosted the SBS Invitational (a 72-hole amateur stroke play championship) between 1977 and 2012, involving representatives from the fifteen golf associations in New Zealand. Frank Nobilo, Craig Perks, Michael Campbell and Ryan Fox have all competed in this tournament before turning professional.

The championship course is laid out over gently undulating, sandy-soiled terrain; featuring tree lined fairways and well bunkered greens throughout. The 445-yard par four 3rd is rated one of the best holes in the country. It doglegs to the right (with out-of-bounds on the left) and has plenty of trees and rough to punish wayward drives or poor approach shots.

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Reviews for Invercargill

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Description: Invercargill Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in New Zealand; the town may be a little remote from the rest of the country but its inhabitants love their golf as much, if not more than, those who live in the major centres. Rating: 4 out of 10 Reviews: 3
TaylorMade
Dan Hare

I found myself in Invercargill with a spare afternoon before a trip to fantastic Stewart Island (which has the most fun and arduous 6 hole golf course imaginable) and enquired about a game here. They couldn't have been more helpful, and I enjoyed a quick run round. As noted by other reviewers, it's not a sporting course, but you can open your shoulders and there is definitely enough here for a fun game of golf in a lovely area.

May 07, 2018
4 / 10
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John Murcott

Yes in playing Invercargill a good few times I'd have to agree with the responses on the rating ...not that it's not a bad track certainly a must play when in Southland but not a major step up over the likes of Queens Park/Gore/Roxburgh etc purely on fun factor golf >>

I do find playing so close to one of my favorite courses (ever!!) Oreti sands just down the road... gutting (now it's closed)

Fun parkland course over purists Golf heaven

March 29, 2018
4 / 10
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Matt Richardson
What you think of this place probably depends on what you look for in a course, I would say it's highly subjective this one. If you're looking for a course that tests your game, demands a array of shot-making skills, is a ball strikers' course etc., then you probably think this is a very decent track. There must be many scratch or very low handicap golfers in the South Island who are sick of knocking it round courses of only marginally over 6000yds / 5400m and rarely needing a full swing for their second shots, and therefore find Invercargill a refreshing test. But if, like me, you want a bit of character from your golf courses - a few risk / reward decisions (past narrowing fairways at 270m), some dramatic scenery, holes so distinctive you can remember all 18 a week later, then maybe this will disappoint. There are many golf courses in NZ that are flat pieces of land with lines of trees separating the holes - all variations on the same theme. This place, whilst being a very good version of that, is still after all just a version of that. There's a few links-type ripples on the fairways to provide a bit of definition and interest, but not much. In my opinion, very overrated at No. 10 in NZ, and probably not worthy of Top 20 at all. For me, there must be 20 courses in NZ that are both true tests of golf, but also memorable and exhilarating. This is only the former. Matt Richardson 
January 21, 2009
4 / 10
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Jim McCann
January 21, 2009
I too was a little surprised to see this course ranked so highly. I'd be keen to know which of the top 20 NZ courses that you mention are not featured on this website.
Matt
May 27, 2009
I haven't been in New Zealand long enough to play and pick 20 top courses, but I have played several that are not featured on the website that are at least as good as Invercargill and Russley, e.g. Arrowtown, Otago, Nelson, St. Clair.