The Golf List

Slope rating · championship tees

The hardest courses in New Zealand

Every course on The Golf List with an official rating, ordered by slope: how much harder the course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch one. 113 is standard; the scale tops out at 155. Ties go to the higher course rating.

  1. 1
    Kinloch

    NorthKinloch · Black tees · 6,734 m

    151slope
  2. 2
    Royal Auckland and Grange

    NorthPapatoetoe · Black tees · 6,737 m

    148slope
  3. 3
    Kauri Cliffs

    NorthMatauri Bay · Blue tees · 6,486 m

    146slope
  4. 4
    Carrington

    NorthKarikari Peninsula · Black Tiger tees · 6,328 m

    145slope
  5. 5
    Wairakei

    NorthTaupō · Blue tees · 6,460 m

    145slope
  6. 6
    Cape Kidnappers

    NorthTe Awanga · Blue tees · 6,568 m

    143slope
  7. 7
    Jack's Point

    SouthQueenstown · Black tees · 6,382 m

    141slope
  8. 8
    Royal Wellington

    NorthHeretaunga · Black tees · 6,574 m

    138slope
  9. 9
    Tara Iti

    NorthMangawhai · Championship tees · 6,333 m

    137slope
  10. 10
    The Hills

    SouthArrowtown · Black tees · 6,155 m

    136slope
  11. 11
    Millbrook (Coronet)

    SouthArrowtown · Black tees · 6,342 m

    134slope
  12. 12
    Terrace Downs

    SouthWindwhistle · Black tees · 6,406 m

    133slope
  13. 13
    Titirangi

    NorthNew Lynn · Black tees · 6,062 m

    132slope
  14. 14
    Millbrook (Remarkables)

    SouthArrowtown · Black tees · 6,257 m

    131slope
  15. 15
    Mount Maunganui

    NorthMount Maunganui · Black tees · 6,330 m

    131slope
  16. 16
    Te Arai Links (South)

    NorthTomarata · Championship tees · 6,258 m

    131slope
  17. 17
    Queenstown (Kelvin Heights)

    SouthKelvin Heights · Blue tees · 6,102 m

    131slope
  18. 18
    Windross Farm

    NorthArdmore · Black tees · 6,035 m

    131slope
  19. 19
    Omaha Beach

    NorthOmaha · Black tees · 5,458 m

    130slope
  20. 20
    Muriwai

    NorthMuriwai · Woodhill tees · 6,227 m

    129slope

Hardest in each island

Every rated course

48 of 57 courses have a published rating we could check. Ratings are revised every few years; newest checked 13 November 2026.

Slope and course rating of 48 golf courses in New Zealand
#CourseSlopeCourse ratingTeeLengthGolf ListSource
11Kinloch15176.6Black6,734 m#7golf.co.nz
22Royal Auckland and Grange14876.2Black6,737 m#14golf.co.nz
33Kauri Cliffs14674.9Blue6,486 m#8golf.co.nz
44Carrington14574.4Black Tiger6,328 m#41golf.co.nz
55Wairakei14574.3Blue6,460 m#10golf.co.nz
66Cape Kidnappers14375.6Blue6,568 m#4golf.co.nz
77Jack's Point14174.7Black6,382 m#5golf.co.nz
88Royal Wellington13875.2Black6,574 m#15golf.co.nz
99Tara Iti13774.2Championship6,333 m#1golf.co.nz
1010The Hills13673.1Black6,155 m#9golf.co.nz
1111Millbrook (Coronet)13474.2Black6,342 m#12golf.co.nz
1212Terrace Downs13375.4Black6,406 m#33golf.co.nz
1313Titirangi13271.9Black6,062 m#11golf.co.nz
1414Millbrook (Remarkables)13174.0Black6,257 m#22golf.co.nz
1515Mount Maunganui13173.5Black6,330 m#45golf.co.nz
1616Te Arai Links (South)13173.1Championship6,258 m#2golf.co.nz
1717Queenstown (Kelvin Heights)13173.0Blue6,102 m#28golf.co.nz
1818Windross Farm13171.9Black6,035 m#23golf.co.nz
1919Omaha Beach13069.7Black5,458 m#46golf.co.nz
2020Muriwai12973.6Woodhill6,227 m#16golf.co.nz
2121Wainui12973.1656,152 m#36golf.co.nz
2222Hastings12873.7Black6,359 m#20golf.co.nz
2323Paraparaumu Beach12873.0Oioi (Black)6,072 m#6golf.co.nz
2424New Plymouth12872.3Blue6,071 m#34golf.co.nz
2525Manawatu12871.7Audi Black6,019 m#29golf.co.nz
2626Te Arai Links (North)12773.6Championship6,337 m#3golf.co.nz
2727Ohope Beach12770.6Whakaari/Back5,749 m#21golf.co.nz
2828Hamilton (St Andrews)12672.9Black6,200 m#27golf.co.nz
2929Clearwater12574.1Black6,526 m#19golf.co.nz
3030Russley12574.1Black6,484 m#37golf.co.nz
3131Invercargill12572.3Blue6,061 m#43golf.co.nz
3232Mangawhai12569.7Blue5,589 m#40golf.co.nz
3333Waipu12472.4Black6,173 m#31golf.co.nz
3434Kaitaia12471.7Blue5,980 m#26golf.co.nz
3535Otago12471.3Black5,973 m#25golf.co.nz
3636Rotorua (Arikikapakapa)12470.4Blue5,799 m#49golf.co.nz
3737Cromwell12374.0Black6,462 m#32golf.co.nz
3838Tieke12372.7Totara 16,350 m#17golf.co.nz
3939Harewood12274.0Black6,423 m#35golf.co.nz
4040Arrowtown12270.3Blue5,598 m#13golf.co.nz
4141Christchurch12173.4Black6,459 m#18golf.co.nz
4242Chisholm Links12172.5Black6,071 m#30golf.co.nz
4343Whakatane12071.4Blue5,964 m#48golf.co.nz
4444Nelson11872.2Black6,145 m#42golf.co.nz
4545Whanganui11470.9Blue6,032 m#39golf.co.nz
4646Waverley11268.6White5,537 m#24golf.co.nz
4747Roxburgh10963.9White4,371 m#47golf.co.nz
4848Waitara10164.1White4,718 m#44golf.co.nz

Men's ratings from the longest rated tee, as Golf New Zealand publishes them. A course with no checked rating is left off rather than estimated.