New Zealand

The name of the area dates to the 1850s, when the Hon. Peter John Locke King built two cottages on the land that the course now inhabits. He called the area New Zealand, thanks to his family having links with the country.

It wasn’t for another four decades that golf was even spoken of at New Zealand. 1893 saw Samuel Mure Fergusson, a two-time runner-up in the Amateur Championship, brought in to design a golf course.

Fergusson would take a couple of years to get the course up and running, with the New Zealand Golf Club opening in May 1895.

At less than 6,000 yards from the tips, length is not always the issue at New Zealand Golf Club. Instead, it is the narrow, tree-lined fairways and the nuanced putting surfaces that make New Zealand a real challenge. There is just a single par 5 on Fergusson’s layout at New Zealand, with this Par 68 course also offering up a quintet of brilliant short holes.

The layout begins with two tough par 4s, with the 1st looking like it has a wide fairway. However, that is tucked in by plenty of heather down the right side. The 2nd features the same thing, and also on the right, but plays as a slight dog-leg right as well, just to make it even more difficult as you try and get your round underway. The first of the five par 3s at New Zealand comes early, with the 3rd coming in at less than 145 yards from the tips. Three shallow bunkers sit in front of the green, which is relatively large and flat.

After coming down the 4th, you get to the next of the short holes – the 5th. At 165 yards, this one is slightly more challenging, especially with the three big bunkers – two left and one right – guarding the putting surface. Add in the thick trees behind the green and there is plenty of trouble to avoid. The 6th is another narrow par 4, and one where the driver is probably not required, with accuracy being the key over distance.

220 yards is the distance for the 7th, the toughest of the par 3s at New Zealand. One big bunker sits to the right of the green, but be careful, as if you fly it past that, then you might even hit the 13th green, which sits close to the 7th. If you get through that unscathed, the 8th provides a good birdie opportunity. At just 330 yards, and with one of the widest fairways on the property, it is a proper ‘go for it’ hole. Make the most of it though, as 9 brings you back to reality with a narrow fairway and plenty of trees and heather lying in wait. The 10th is the shortest hole on the property at New Zealand, coming in at just 125 yards. For most, it will be a wedge, to a gree guarded by three fearsome sand traps.

A trio of par 4s then lie in wait, with the 11th being the most difficult of the three, despite being the only one that is arrow straight. Both 12 and 13 lean slightly to the right as they go on, with the latter bringing you back to the 7th green as the outer loop is completed. 14 is the only par 5 on the course, and at just 470 yards, it is also one where some might fancy their chances of eagle. However, the drive must be accurate, and down the right side of the fairway if you are to have a chance of going for the green in two. The 15th fairway is split in two by a pair of cross bunkers, so make sure your drive does not go too far...

The closing stretch at New Zealand begins with the last of the par 3s, the 16th. Played entirely over heather from the tee, the green is some 185 yards away, with the flag possibly as far as 210 depending on whereabouts on the putting surface it is. The penultimate hole has a sharp dog-leg, so make sure you get your ball to the corner off the tee. The last at New Zealand has one of the widest fairways off the tee, and there is also plenty of space long and right of the green, as that is part of the 1st fairway. Two large bunkers and a pair of trees behind those guard the putting surface on the last.

Neil Gray: A traditional Surrey course with some good holes but not too challenging

Joss Powick: Charming but not quite as much variety as other Surrey heathlands offer

Dan Murphy: Clayton, Devries and Pont’s restoration has included lots of work on the bunkers and reverting to wider playing corridors

Read more about our panellists here (opens in a new tab).

Where is New Zealand Golf Club located? 

New Zealand Golf Club is located just outside the M25, to the southwest of the city of London. It is near the towns of Sheerwater and West Byfleet, and just a couple of miles from Woking. The venue sits just off the A245, and is around 25 miles from the centre of England’s capital by road.

West Byfleet Station is just a mile from the entrance to New Zealand Golf Club, with trains running to and from London Waterloo regularly throughout the day. Those trains carry on west through to Woking and Alton, depending on the service. For international visitors to the region, New Zealand is just 15 miles from London Heathrow and 30 miles from London Gatwick, providing those coming to the United Kingdom with different options in terms of flight paths and destinations.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby? 

Surrey hosts a plethora of NCG Top 100s: England venues, with no fewer than ten all within close quarters to New Zealand. Sunningdale (Old, New) and The Berkshire (Red, Blue) both have two courses, while St George’s Hill, Camberley Heath, Swinley Forest and the three W’s - West Hill, Woking and Worplesdon are also close by.

What golf facilities does New Zealand Golf Club offer? 

There are no real practice facilities at New Zealand Golf Club, with the venue only having a putting surface by the 1st tee.

What are the green fees at New Zealand? 

New Zealand Golf Club is a private members club, so there is no information on their website with regards to the price of a green fee.

For more information on current green fees at New Zealand, you can contact the club by sending an email to golf@nzgc.org.

Visit the New Zealand website here (opens in a new tab).

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