
Christchurch Course
Christchurch Golf Club
About this course
Christchurch Golf Club, established in 1873, ranks among the oldest golf clubs in New Zealand and operates from a links-style layout on the Canterbury coast at Shirley. The course occupies sandy terrain near the estuary, where the land's natural contours and coastal winds create playing conditions that echo traditional seaside golf. The routing takes advantage of the property's gentle undulations and native grasses, with fairways that typically firm up during the summer months and require ground game approaches. The layout features several holes that play along or across the prevailing wind patterns, demanding strategic club selection and course management. Bunkers are positioned to challenge both tee shots and approaches, while the greens tend toward moderate pace with subtle borrows that reward local knowledge. The back nine includes holes that turn toward the water, where wind direction becomes particularly influential in shot-making decisions. The club has hosted numerous regional and national amateur competitions over its long history, serving as an important venue for Canterbury golf. Its membership draws from the Christchurch metropolitan area and maintains traditions that reflect the club's Victorian-era origins, including a clubhouse that has evolved over successive generations. The course provides a genuine links experience rare in New Zealand, where most layouts occupy parkland or inland settings, and its coastal character distinguishes it within the South Island golf landscape.
Quick facts
- Location
- Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1900
- Designer
- Sloan Morpeth
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 72
- Difficulty
- 74.7/130
FAQ
Common questions about Christchurch
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Christchurch was designed by Sloan Morpeth.
Yes. Christchurch is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Christchurch is 72.
The slope rating at Christchurch is 130.
Christchurch is a 18-hole course.

