Napier Golf Club

Overview: Napier Golf Club’s Waiohiki course is an easy-walking 18-hole links in Hawke’s Bay, set between Napier and Hastings. The club describes it as a tree-lined championship course, while current scorecard information lists par 72 and 6,518 yards from the blue tees. Fairway irrigation supports year-round conditions, but the playing character remains that of a coastal-influenced Hawke’s Bay layout: defined corridors, changing wind and greens that reward an accurate approach.

History: Napier Golf Club was established in 1896 and is recognised by the club as the oldest golf club in Hawke’s Bay. The Waiohiki course became an important tournament venue early in its life, hosting the first New Zealand Open in 1907 and the championship again in 1919. Its history also includes the strong local Māori connection reflected in the clubhouse carvings and the names associated with the land and club’s early development.

Did You Know? The first New Zealand Open at Napier attracted 130 players in 1907, an event that helped place Waiohiki in the country’s national golfing record. The course has therefore been connected with championship golf almost from the beginning, rather than becoming prominent only after a recent redesign or resort investment.