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Waikato amateur Emily Perry and European-based Kiwi Lynnette Brooky are among the leaders at the New Zealand Women's Open after the first round in Christchurch today.The 44-year-old Brooky, a long-time advocate of a national open...
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Media release from Millbrook Resort
18 April 2011
Millbrook named world’s best golf resort
Queenstown’s five-star Millbrook Resort has been named the world’s best golf resort by a prestigious Australian travel magazine.
Millbrook has taken out top place in Luxury Travel Magazine’s 2011 Gold List Award for overseas golf resorts, ahead of strong New Zealand and international contenders.
Last year Millbrook came fourth in the awards, which are decided upon by a survey that goes to tens of thousands of discerning, travel-loving readers and clients of Virtuoso, the world’s most exclusive travel agents, to vote on their favourite destinations each year.
This year Millbrook heads a golf resort list that includes The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (2nd) Kauri Cliffs in Matauri Bay (3rd), Mission Hills Resort in Shenzhen, China (4th) and Sun City Resort in South Africa (5th).
Millbrook was also lauded as one of the best New Zealand properties within three hours of the city, taking out fifth place overall behind exclusive lodges such as Huka Lodge and Blanket Bay.
The awards are regarded as one of the most comprehensive luxury travel surveys undertaken by an Australian magazine and widely accepted as Australia’s premier travel awards.
Millbrook General Manager David Onions said the team at Millbrook was “absolutely thrilled” to gain international recognition as the world’s top golf resort.
“To be recognized as the world’s best place to play golf, against some strong competition from other internationally renowned golf resorts, is a wonderful accolade for us,” he said.
“This award comes at an ideal time because many Australians are booking their ski holidays now, and we have a unique ‘green valley’ situation where you can ski in the morning and have a round of golf in the afternoon.
“Millbrook’s the perfect choice for a winter holiday because it’s close to the action of Queenstown and ski fields, just a 20-minute drive to Coronet Peak, yet has a tranquility and ambience about it which enables people to unwind in five-star style with world-class golf, spa and restaurant facilities on their doorstep.”
Mr Onions paid tribute to the hard work and vision of the Millbrook team and its owners in driving a multi-million dollar investment in golf.
In the past three years, the resort has made a significant $30million investment in an innovative covered driving range converted from a former woolshed, a new nine-hole golf course known as the Coronet Nine, extensive upgrades to the existing 18-hole championship golf course, and housing development in the western extension of Millbrook.
The newly structured, award-winning 27-hole configuration at Millbrook has proved hugely popular with local, New Zealand and international golfers.
Millbrook’s three interchangeable ‘nines’ create a varied diet of golf and a combination that only a small handful of courses in the country offer.
Otago courses rank with NZ's best
This could be the ultimate conversation-starter for golfers and golf fans. Dunedin professional Andrew Whiley has compiled a ranking list of the best 25 courses in New Zealand.
He surveyed 35 professionals, players, golf travel operators and architects to put together what he claims is the most extensive ranking of New Zealand golf courses ever produced.
The list includes four Otago courses, with glamour spots The Hills (Arrowtown) and Jacks Point (Queenstown) in the top 10.
Millbrook is 14th and Whiley's own course, Chisholm Park, is 21st.
Whiley, who said everyone surveyed had to have either played or walked over the courses they ranked, was delighted Chisholm Park made the final cut.
"We know it is special, with the views and links conditions, but to see others rank it in their top 25 was great to see."
Wairakei Golf Course was rated No 1, followed by Kauri Cliffs, Kinloch, Cape Kidnappers and Paraparaumu Golf Club.
There was no room for the other two major Dunedin courses, Balmacewen or St Clair.
Another ranking survey, produced by the United Kingdom-based Top 10 Golf Courses website, ranked St Clair the best Dunedin course, at No 27, just ahead of Balmacewen and Chisholm Park.
The British site had Jacks Point at No 5, The Hills at No 6, Millbrook at No 9 and Arrowtown at No 26. Its No 1 was Kauri Cliffs.
Whiley plans to conduct the New Zealand ranking annually.
The Top 25
- 1. Wairakei (Taupo)
- 2. Kauri Cliffs (Kerikeri)
- 3. Kinloch (Taupo)
- 4. Cape Kidnappers (Havelock North)
- 5. Paraparaumu (Paraparaumu Beach)
- 6. Jack's Point (Queenstown)
- 7. The Hills (Arrowtown)
- 8. Titirangi (Auckland)
- 9. Auckland (Auckland)
- 10. Wellington (Upper Hutt)
- 11. Gulf Harbour (Whangaparaoa)
- 12. Christchurch (Christchurch)
- 13. Clearwater (Christchurch)
- 14. Millbrook (Arrowtown)
- 15. New Plymouth (New Plymouth)
- 16. Terrace Downs (Canterbury)
- 17. Muriwai (Auckland) and The Lakes (Pauanui)
- 19. Hastings (Hastings)
- 20. Mangawhai (Mangawhai)
- 21. Chisholm Park (Dunedin)
- 22. Hamilton (Hamilton)
- 23. Poverty Bay (Gisborne) and Oreti Sands (Invercargill)
- 25. Manawatu (Palmerston North)
