Waverley Golf Club is a country course in South Taranaki, New Zealand, with a small membership and a growing reputation.

Situated five minutes from the rural township of Waverley the 18-hole par 72 course has one set of tees measuring in at 5,537 metres and offers beautiful views of Mt Ruapehu, Mt Taranaki and out to the Tasman Sea.

The course is a working farm with sheep helping to maintain the fairways which means there are droppings to dodge. It has been described as raw and rugged. One part time green keeper and volunteers work to maintain the grounds.

The course was rated by international course designer Tom Doak in Volume 5 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses as a six (a very good course, definitely worth a game if you’re in town) saying “the terrain for golf is superb and holes like the par-5 opener running along the edge of high ground, the short par-4 12th with its tiny green in a valley, the wild back-to-back par-5s at 14 and 15, and the short 16th over a dip to a green tucked in between sharp dunes, are among the best golf to be found in New Zealand.”

Other accolades have followed including being ranked 17th in New Zealand for the Top 100 courses in 2024.

For visitors, it’s not easy to get to and will involve driving some distance as the nearest airports are an hour and a half away but you will get a warm welcome from the locals.

You don’t have to book a tee-off time, but you are welcome to contact the Club to ensure your visit doesn’t clash with local competitions or the two weeks in July when we close the course for lambing.

The Club is very grateful for the support it gets from our sponsors, funders and the many volunteers who make a huge contribution to our operation.