We’ve got two alternative types of golf for you to try out in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Disc golf

This is the hottest thing on the sporting scene. Have you seen people in parks around the city conspicuously flinging Frisbees at strange metal structures? These are the new wave of athletes. Well, maybe not athletes but they’re at least athlete-adjacent. The idea is pretty similar to the golf you know and love; you’ve got to get the disc from the tee to the hole (or basket) in as few throws as possible. There are even different ‘clubs’: discs with different weights and flight profiles that take the place of a driver, putter, wedge or other club. You might even see someone with a full-on trundler or backpack stacked with dozens of discs.

Top courses // Jellie Park for a walk with a water hazard; Queenspark for a beginner course; Warren Park for some sweet fairways in between the trees; and Ascot Park, behind
QEII, for the city’s longest disc golf course.

Pub golf

Take a day with some friends and visit nine of Christchurch’s excellent pubs. Start with a brunch, keep up the hydration and drink responsibly so you can enjoy each hole. Pick a short course you can complete on foot or opt for something more wide-ranging with the occasional Ola or Lime in between holes. Our suggested course includes bars but we think it’s appropriate for the modern experience!

The rules // Make up your own or follow our responsible drinking rulebook: Assign a par at each pub depending on the volume of the drink (par 1, a shot; par 5 a pint). Swap your drink out for a water if you’re not feeling up to it. Politely clap when someone sinks a hole (finishes a drink). Golfing outfits recommended. Keep your own score. Penalty strokes for spilling drinks, failing to clap, burps, un-golfy behaviour, and for hassling water-drinkers. Lowest score wins!

Suggested course // 1. Tee things off with brunch and a beer at No.4 Bar & Restaurant in Merivale.  2. Head alongside the Ōtākaro Avon water hazard for a Curiosity Gin at the Riverside Cocktail Bar.  3. Cross the fairway for lunch at Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar  4. Pass a long afternoon on the par 6 at Dux Central.  5. Pop into the fringe of New Regent Street with a wine and light food at Downstairs.  6. Find a caddy to wheel you to Three Boys Brewery in Woolston.  7. Hit the bunker at Two Thumb Brewing Co.’s brew bar in Colombo Street.  8. Head back into the central city and take a mulligan with some laughs at the Good Times Comedy Club bar. 9. For the final hole, head into Monarch for sick cocktails and sweet hi-fi.