About BirdyGolfNZ

The Journey Begins

BirdyGolfNZ started in October 2021 as an Instagram account to document my golfing journey. During the pandemic, ex-rental campervans in New Zealand were being sold off, so I decided to buy one. Armed with a book called Golfing by Peter Williams, I set off to travel from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island, with plenty of stops in between to play the game I love.

The Quest: 380 Courses

My mission started with a simple bio: Adventures in Aotearoa, playing every golf course in New Zealand. New Zealand may be a small country of 5 million people, but we have a massive golfing footprint—currently 380 courses. That is the second-highest number per capita in the world, behind only Scotland. As I head into my fifth year, I have photographed and played a significant portion of them, documenting the progress every step of the way.

From a Spreadsheet to a Database

People eventually started asking me the same question: "How many have you played?" I realized I didn't have a definitive list. The golfing landscape is constantly changing—new courses open, others close, and clubs merge. To keep track, I put together a spreadsheet of every course in New Zealand. That spreadsheet turned into a database, and that database eventually became this website.

Beyond the Fairway

As the website grew, so did my involvement in different corners of the sport. BirdyGolfNZ now tracks more than just my progress; it's a hub for my other passions in the game:

• Speedgolf: For those who don't know, this is "running golf." I've collected the results from every Speedgolf tournament held in New Zealand. You can use the database to view players and their historical results.
• Hickory Golf: I enjoy playing with authentic clubs from the 1920s to experience the game's history.
• The Rules: I have completed my Level 1 & 2 rules exams to better understand the integrity of the sport.

Whether you're here to check out a course, look up Speedgolf stats, or follow my journey through the van-life lens, welcome to BirdyGolfNZ.

— Aaron Bird