In the summer of 2003, a passion for golf and travel prompted Will Owen to buy a small minibus and begin offering a daily golf service for visitors to Christchurch, New Zealand.
Through hotel and online marketing this service became popular and Will expanded the tours to include other destinations on the South Island. In 2004 Will conducted his first multi-day tour for a golf group from Australia along with several self-drive itineraries for visiting golfers from across the globe. By the summer of 2005 Playing Around New Zealand was firmly established and Will began employing the services of first class guides to assist him in making his tour service truly nationwide.
Fast forward to 2024 and thousands of golfers from across the world have enjoyed the first class itinerary planning and tour services of Will and his team at Playing Around New Zealand, lifelong friendships have been formed and several visitors have returned to New Zealand for their second, third and even fourth golf trip!
Will now leads a small team of dedicated professionals from his Auckland office. During the past twenty years he has built superb relationships with the best New Zealand golf courses and accommodation providers to ensure that golf visitors who use his services have the best possible travel experience. The company also owns several Mercedes vehicles that are exclusively available for self-drive and guided golf tours.
Playing Around New Zealand has recently begun an outbound program for New Zealand golfers which ensures that Will and his team can experience and take ideas from world-class golf and services that are available in the USA, Europe and Asia. As members of the Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) and the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) you are assured of the highest standards of service and integrity. Contact us today and allow one of our New Zealand based experts to supply an itinerary which will provide you with the perfect New Zealand golf tour.
April 2022 - Update
Unfortunately the worldwide Covid Pandemic resulted in the New Zealand borders being closed to international visitors for over 2 years. The company survived this period and spent the down time nurturing relationships with past and future guests. As a result 2022 - 2024 will see record numbers of golfers using the services of Will and the Playing Around New Zealand team.
