Tokanui Golf Club

New Zealand’s southernmost mainland golf course, where the wind is never off duty.

On the magical Catlin’s Coast in the town of Fortrose is New Zealand’s southernmost mainland golf course. Tokanui Golf Club is exposed to the elements perched over the Southern Ocean.

Links golf at it’s best, 9 holes, no trees and wind make up one of my favourite courses. A short course on a calm day but yardages don’t mean much when the southerly blasts join you on your round.

The Course

A wide view of the treeless, dune-covered course with a power pole and the estuary beyond — The exposed, treeless landscape that gives Tokanui its wind

A fairway leading to the clubhouse with its red roof, under a blue sky — The clubhouse, across the fairway

A lone cabbage tree bent by the wind, standing in the middle of a fairway beside a pond — A lone tree, permanently bent by the wind

A panoramic view from the green out over a large tidal estuary — Looking out over the estuary from the green

A windswept cabbage tree leaning beside the fairway — Leaning into it — one more of the course’s cabbage trees

Get to Know the Holes

Three of Tokanui’s hole markers made it into this photo set, and two of them are named for the very thing that defines the course. The back nine’s marker for Hole 14 belongs to the same physical hole as Hole 5 — Tokanui’s nine greens are played twice from different tees, the same pattern seen at several of Southland’s other nine-hole courses, so the markers run all the way to 18.

Hole 4 marker, Nor Wester, Par 4, 263 metres — Hole 4 · Nor Wester (Par 4)

Hole 6 marker, Road Hole, Par 4, with the Southern Ocean breaking on the beach behind — Hole 6 · Road Hole (Par 4)

Hole 14 marker, South Pole, Par 4, 314 metres — Hole 14 · South Pole (Par 4)

The Wind

This is what “no trees and wind” actually looks like on the ground: the flag on the green above the estuary, caught mid-gale, and a golf bag knocked flat by the same southerly.

The flag on the green, mid-southerly

A golf bag lying flat on the fairway, blown over by the wind — A golf bag, blown flat mid-round

Club History

The Tokanui Golf Club sign: green fees ten dollars, put money in envelope and sign book, No.1 tee is across the road — Green fees $10, on the honesty system — No.1 tee is across the road

Ken’s Visit

Tokanui Golf Club – Oi Oi- Toi Toi !

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:

Fortrose, Tokanui 9875