Jack's Point golf guide: Queenstown golf under the Remarkables
Arguably the most scenic public round in New Zealand — a John Darby course pinned between the Remarkables mountains and Lake Wakatipu, 20 minutes from Queenstown. How to play it, when to go, and how it fits a South Island trip.
Jack's Point may be the most jaw-dropping public golf setting in New Zealand. Twenty minutes south of Queenstown, it runs along the shore of Lake Wakatipu directly beneath the sawtooth peaks of the Remarkables, so every hole is framed by mountains, water or both. It's the South Island's answer to the North Island's clifftop giants — and, refreshingly, it's open to everyone.
Designed by John Darby and opened in 2008, it's a course where the scenery is the star but the golf holds up. This guide covers how visitors play it, the setting and holes that define it, when to go, and how it slots into a Queenstown and South Island trip.
Where
Jacks Point, on Lake Wakatipu — about 20 minutes south of Queenstown
Course
Jack's Point (par 72, ~6,388 yds) — championship course beneath the Remarkables
Designer
John Darby (opened 2008)
Nearest airport
Queenstown (ZQN) — about 15–20 minutes away
Best time
The NZ golf season runs spring–autumn (roughly Oct–Apr); summer is peak
Access
Private club open to visitors seven days a week in season; green fee includes GPS cart or trolley
The courses
Jack's Point
John Darby · 2008 · 18 holes · Mountain/lakeside · par 72 · ~6,388 yds
One of New Zealand's most scenic and highly rated public-access courses
John Darby routed the course to make the landscape do the talking — holes weave between rocky schist outcrops, tussock and native planting, with the Remarkables towering behind and Lake Wakatipu glinting alongside. It's not a brute at under 6,400 yards, and five tee options keep it enjoyable for every level, but the elevation, wind off the lake and dramatic settings make club selection and nerve matter.
The run of holes along and above the lake is the highlight — the kind of golf where you take almost as many photos as shots. It's a course built to be savoured rather than conquered, and it delivers one of the most memorable rounds anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
How visitors play Jack's Point
Although it's a private club, Jack's Point is open to visitors seven days a week through the season — you simply book a tee time, at the same rate locals pay, and the green fee includes a GPS cart or trolley. There are discounts for repeat play within a short window and for off-peak rounds, which is worth knowing if you want to go round twice.
It's set within a residential and resort community on the lake, so facilities are good and the welcome is relaxed. Given how much the scenery adds, most visitors happily treat it as a bucket-list round rather than a bargain — though by the standards of the world's great scenic courses, it's fair value.
The setting is the star
You don't play Jack's Point for a stern strategic examination; you play it to hit shots in one of the most beautiful places golf exists. The Remarkables — the mountain range genuinely named for their dramatic profile — rise straight up behind the course, and Lake Wakatipu provides the foreground on the signature stretch. The design is clever and natural, threading between schist and tussock, but it wisely lets the landscape lead. On a clear, still day it's as good as a golf photograph gets; when the wind comes off the lake, it adds just enough challenge to keep you honest.
When to go
Queenstown golf follows the New Zealand season — roughly October to April, with summer (December–February) the peak for warm, long days. Spring and autumn bring cooler air, fewer crowds and spectacular light on the mountains, plus autumn colour in nearby Arrowtown. Winter turns Queenstown into a ski resort, so golf is limited — but the flip side is that a summer golf trip here doubles as one of the world's great adventure-holiday bases.
How to build the trip
Jack's Point is the golf centrepiece of a Queenstown trip — itself one of the planet's great adventure and scenery destinations, with bungee jumping, jet boating, Central Otago wineries and Milford Sound all within reach. Nearby Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown adds more high-quality golf for a multi-round South Island stay. For a full New Zealand golf tour, pair it with the North Island's clifftop giants — Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs — for a two-island trip that ranks among the most scenic itineraries in world golf.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
Jack's Point is alpine lakeside golf — cool, changeable and high-UV even in summer, so pack layers, weatherproofing and strong sun protection:
Yes. Although it's a private club, Jack's Point is open to visitors seven days a week during the season — you book a tee time at the same rate locals pay, and the green fee includes a GPS cart or trolley. There are discounts for repeat play within a short window and for off-peak rounds.
What makes Jack's Point so special?
The setting: it runs along Lake Wakatipu directly beneath the Remarkables mountain range, 20 minutes from Queenstown, so every hole is framed by mountains, water or both. It's widely regarded as one of the most scenic public-access rounds in New Zealand.
When is the best time to play golf in Queenstown?
The New Zealand golf season runs roughly October to April, with summer (December–February) the peak for warm, long days. Spring and autumn offer cooler weather, fewer crowds and stunning light; winter turns Queenstown into a ski resort, so golf is limited.
What other golf can you play near Jack's Point?
Millbrook Resort in nearby Arrowtown adds more high-quality golf for a South Island stay. For a full New Zealand tour, pair Jack's Point with the North Island's clifftop giants Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs — a two-island itinerary that ranks among the most scenic in world golf.
