A golfer's paradise
A day on the green is a relaxing way to step outdoors and get closer to Queenstown’s picturesque scenery. The four golf courses in the region are less than 30 minutes from The Spire, backdropped by inspiring views and equipped with exemplary facilities. With the opportunity to play some of the most picturesque courses in the world across incredibly diverse landscapes — including a par-3 perched 4,500 feet up a mountain — Queenstown is a golfer’s paradise.
The Spire has hosted players and officials through the New Zealand Open at Millbrook and The Hills for years; the 102nd NZ Open was a big week on Church Lane. Our concierge books tee times, transfers and club hire, and knows which course suits which day’s weather.
The courses
Queenstown Golf Club, Kelvin Heights
The closest and the most scenic for the money: an 18-hole championship course on the Kelvin Peninsula, water on three sides, The Remarkables filling the horizon. Ten minutes by car, or take the water taxi across the bay from town. Our Stay & Play package has traditionally included a round here with transfers.
Jack's Point
A John Darby-designed course routed through tussock, rock and wetland beneath The Remarkables. Consistently ranked among the best public-access courses in New Zealand. Twenty minutes from the hotel.
Millbrook Resort
Two 18-hole options across the Coronet and Remarkables courses, home of the New Zealand Open. Beautifully maintained and a superb lunch. Twenty-five minutes, in Arrowtown.
The Hills
Sir Michael Hill’s private course near Arrowtown, famous for its sculptures and its co-hosting of the NZ Open. Access is by invitation or through select partners; ask our concierge.
How a golf stay works
Our Stay & Play packages combine three nights in a laneway suite with a round, transfers and wine-matched dining at No.5 Church Lane. Clubs can be hired and delivered to the hotel. Between rounds, the rest of Queenstown is on foot from Church Lane: the lakefront, Central Otago wine, The Well Spa for a post-round massage, and Pacific Jemm for the non-golfers in the party.
Course notes
Queenstown Golf Club is tighter and more exposed than it looks — the wind comes down the lake in the afternoon, so book a morning tee. Jack’s Point is long, with carries over tussock and wetland that punish the driver; take the extra club into the wind off The Remarkables. Millbrook’s Coronet nine is the more forgiving, its Remarkables nine the more spectacular; both are immaculately maintained for the Open. Carts are standard at all three; walking is permitted at Queenstown Golf Club and recommended for the views. Dress codes are relaxed by international standards but collared shirts are expected.
Planning it from The Spire
Tell the concierge your handicap and your dates and we build the week: a gentle opener at Kelvin Heights, Jack’s Point on the clearest day, Millbrook with lunch on the last. Hire clubs are delivered to the hotel; transfers are private, so a 7am tee is a 6.30am pick-up at the door rather than a taxi rank. Non-golfers get a parallel programme — wine, Pacific Jemm, The Well Spa — and the party reconvenes at No.5 Church Lane for dinner. In spring and autumn, ask about pairing golf with a morning on the mountain; both are possible in a single day from Church Lane.
Best time to play
October to April is prime season, with long evenings and dry fairways. Autumn (March to May) is many locals’ favourite — still, golden, and the Remarkables dusted with early snow. Winter golf is very possible on clear days; courses sit lower than the ski fields and are rarely closed.
