Big-name New Zealand course to get a major refresh

Remote golf is all the rage these days, and it hardly gets more distant — or more destination-worthy — than New Zealand.

In recent years, the other land Down Under has become a hotbed of high-end golf development, and a magnet for globe-trotting lovers of the game.

Now, the duo behind two of New Zealand’s most heralded clubs have announced yet another headline project. Jim Rohrstaff and Ric Kayne, the business partners who propelled Te Arai Links (public) and Tara Iti (private) to international prominence, have teamed up for a multimillion dollar redevelopment of The Hills.

For the uninitiated, The Hills, which is situated on the South Island, has a name that hints at its pedigree. It was brought to being by Sir Michael Hill, one of the richest men in New Zealand, on an old deer farm in the former gold mining community of Arrowtown. The original 18, designed by Darby Partners, opened in 2007 and has hosted multiple iterations of the New Zealand Open. A par-3 layout, designed by Darius Oliver, was added to the property in 2019.

A lot of golf sites in New Zealand are pretty enough to pass as postcards. The Hills is no exception. It sits roughly 20 minutes from famously scenic Queenstown, a major global center for adventure sports. 

The renovations are meant to be a comprehensive refresh, with the design work handled by leading Australian golf course design firm Ogilvy, Cocking & Mead (OCM). As part of the project, OCM will reroute the main 18 to make it more walkable. But plans also call for a host of other upgrades and additions, including a golf training facility, a fitness center, on-site accommodations and luxury real estate, as well as a remodeled clubhouse and a new pro shop. In its reimagined form, The Hills will operate as an upscale, private club with limited memberships, similar to the Tara Iti model.

The work is slated to take place over back-to-back winters, starting in April 2026, and to be wrapped up in 2028. That’s a lot of advance notice. Then again, it’s a long way to go.