Harewood Golf Club is one of Canterbury's most storied golfing venues, with a history reaching back to 1923 and a course that today ranks among the most talked-about in New Zealand. Set on McLeans Island Road in Christchurch, the club pairs a genuinely rich heritage with thoroughly modern facilities, welcoming members, visiting golfers and the general public alike.
The club's story is one of resilience. Founded by local golfers who leased land from the Waimakariri River Trust and built much of the original course themselves, Harewood folded during the economic hardship of the 1930s and saw its land used for army defence training during World War II. Founding father Ray Blank revived the club in 1956 with a young, dynamic membership — more than three quarters of them juniors — and a second course designed by renowned architect JD Harris opened in 1967, helping Harewood grow into one of the leading clubs in Canterbury with more than 1,500 members.
When the expansion of the neighbouring international airport required the sale of land, Harewood turned change into opportunity, investing in a complete transformation of its Woodlands Course. Designers Turner Macpherson re-routed holes and built 18 new tees and 18 new greens, turning 36 fine holes into 18 exceptional ones. The club then completed the picture with a full practice green for putting, chipping and bunker play, plus a new 20-bay public driving range stretching 300 metres.
Today the renovated clubhouse offers a full bar open to the public, caterers and function rooms for training and events. Alongside green fees and memberships, the club runs corporate and charity golf days, offers coaching and club fitting through its pro shop, and publishes live local weather conditions for players planning a round.
Few golf clubs in New Zealand carry a story quite like Harewood's. Founded in 1923 by a keen group of local golfers who leased land from the Waimakariri River Trust, the club's original 18-hole course was built largely by the members themselves — a hands-on beginning that set the tone for the next hundred years.
The early decades were not easy. Irrigation became essential in the summers that followed, and members gave financial guarantees to fund the work. When the economic crisis of the 1930s hit, the banks called in those guarantees and the club folded. The land lay idle, taken over by the army for defence training during World War II.
Harewood's revival came in 1956, thanks to original founding father Ray Blank, who never lost his passion for the game. He called a meeting to gauge interest in bringing golf back to Harewood, and the club was born again with a distinctly younger character — more than three quarters of the new membership were juniors. Volunteers built a small clubhouse and restored the course to its former glory.
Growth followed quickly. An additional 100 acres was purchased for a second course, designed by world-renowned architect JD Harris and opened for play in 1967. Harewood prospered into one of the leading clubs in Canterbury, with a membership in excess of 1,500, and members enjoyed 36 holes for the best part of half a century.
When the neighbouring international airport needed to expand, the club faced losing much of its land. Rather than see it as a problem, Harewood embraced the change and reinvested the proceeds in its remaining Woodlands Course. Leading designers Turner Macpherson re-routed holes and built 18 new tees and 18 new greens, transforming the layout into what the club describes as 18 exceptional holes — the talk of Christchurch and the whole of New Zealand.
The investment didn't stop at the course. Work began on a full practice green for putting, chipping and bunker play, and then came the centrepiece: a new 20-bay public driving range, 300 metres long, completing a suite of practice facilities for members and the public alike.
Today's Harewood is as much a community hub as a golfing destination. The original clubhouse has undergone considerable renovation over the years and now provides a full bar that is open to the public, along with caterers and function rooms for training and events. Lisa's Café handles on-site catering, and the club hosts corporate and charity golf days for businesses and fundraisers.
Golfers can book tee times online, check green fees and membership types on the website, join organised playing groups, and benefit from reciprocal rights at other clubs. The pro shop stocks leading brands, offers coaching and takes club fitting enquiries, while an online store serves members further afield. A live local weather feed helps players plan their rounds.
Whether you're a member, a casual visitor warming up on the range, or a group looking for a venue with genuine character, Harewood Golf Club offers a century of history played out on one of the country's most talked-about courses — and a warm Canterbury welcome to go with it.