The Club

In late November 1971, a group of golfing enthusiasts met to develop a golf course on a narrow finger of Crown land at Ohope, between the ever-changing Pacific Ocean and the beautiful, unspoilt Ohiwa Harbour. For the next four years, these founding members of the newly inaugurated Ohope Golf Club and a handful of volunteers cleared the land by hand, or with whatever machinery they could beg, steal or borrow. Fairways were slowly developed, and play began once the greens were of a satisfactory standard.

The course was officially opened on 13 April 1975. The club had 68 members, the course was a very rough and ready nine holes, and the clubhouse was a small cottage. Within 10 years, membership had grown to 250, and members had built a new clubhouse by providing labour and donating materials and services. The course had also been extended to 18 holes, and the club felt confident calling itself the Ohope Beach Golf Links, capable of hosting championship tournaments.

From those humble beginnings, the course and clubhouse have been constantly upgraded and superbly maintained, winning praise from many golfing aficionados. The course has endeared itself to golf professional and course architect Greg Turner, and caught the attention of New Zealand Golf Digest, which rated it number 20 in its survey of New Zealand's top golf courses. Their description sums up the experience better than any other words: 'a hidden gem…a gorgeous seaside links course, with bumpy terrain and incredible sea views, the course is natural, raw and rustic'. Little wonder the course has quickly become a destination for national and international golfers.

The club recently rebranded as Ohope Beach Golf Links to reflect its location and its nature – a links course by the beach. But the club isn't just about golf. A refurbished lounge and upgraded kitchen have made the clubhouse a premier venue for weddings, corporate functions and social occasions.

Whatever brings you to our course, the friendly members and dedicated staff at Ohope Beach Golf Links look forward to welcoming you.