12th Tee: A New Era in Taupō Golf | Official Taupō Website

The 12th Tee Indoor Golf Experience is creating new pathways - offering a fresh, flexible way into the auld game while strengthening the region’s place as one of New Zealand’s most complete golf destinations.

The main attraction is an indoor golf simulator experience (more than 450 world-renowned courses) that’s open to all-comers including groups within a welcoming club setting that extends to food and drink offerings.

Love Taupō caught up with the man behind it, Hamish Robertson, for a deeper look at what’s taking shape.

Taupō has long been known as a place to play golf properly. Big landscapes. Contrasting, championship layouts. The kind of rounds that stay with you long after the sun sets on the Central Plateau. But like the rest of the world, golf here is evolving.

Not replacing what already exists, but adding to it. Opening new doors for people to connect with the game - whether they’ve played for years or never picked up a club at all. Less friction, more action. Just the way we like to do things in Taupō.

At Taupō Golf Club, local coach and former touring professional Hamish Robinson has been building something different. A space designed to meet people where they are, and bring more of them into the game — on their terms. Young and old, rain or shine.

[LT] You’ve been around the game for a long time, how did your journey bring you to Taupō?

[HR] Golf’s always been a big part of my life. I played professionally for about nine years, spent time trying to get onto the bigger tours in Europe and Asia, then moved into coaching. I was based on the Sunshine Coast for a while, but around COVID there was a window to move to Taupō, where family had settled. It felt like the right time to reset and focus more on club golf and helping the people in front of me. That’s what I enjoy now, being part of a club, building connections, and helping everyday golfers improve.

[LT] From your position as a coach, what’s changed in how people are engaging with golf?

[HR] The biggest shift has been how quickly people can understand their game now. Technology has made that instant. Once people can see what’s happening — within a few shots — it clicks. That’s something I couldn’t really deliver consistently before. Now they get feedback straight away, and that speeds up the whole learning process. You see that moment where it all makes sense, and that’s pretty powerful.

[LT] There’s a lot of talk about golf becoming more accessible and flexible, are you seeing that in Taupō?

[HR] Yeah, definitely. We’re seeing a lot more non-golfers and what I’d call fringe golfers coming through. People who might’ve been curious but never had an easy way in. Corporate groups, visitors, locals just wanting to try something different. The challenge is helping people understand what this type of golf actually is and how it fits into their life. Once they get in and experience it, it starts to make sense.

[LT] Where do traditional clubs still do a great job, and where do they sometimes lose people?

[HR] Clubs do a great job with community and the core of the game. That’s always been strong. But access can be tricky. A lot of coaching facilities are built around coaching or members only, and not always set up for the public to just come in and use them freely. I wanted to flip that a bit — give people access to something high quality, but in a way that feels open and easy to use. This matches our club’s strategic plan to future proof our membership. I've already had golfers say they have joined our club because of 12th Tee.

Taupō — an evolving golf scene

What’s emerging in Taupō isn’t a departure from traditional golf, it’s an expansion of it.

Within a short drive, you can take on one of the country’s toughest tests in Kinloch, stroll through wildlife among the Wairakei parklands, and take on classic, championship quality at Centennial. Now, there’s another layer being added, one that removes the usual barriers of time, weather, and experience.

It’s not about choosing one version of golf over another. It’s about giving people more ways in. For a destination like Taupō, it opens the door wider — to visitors, to locals, to people who might never have considered golf part of their plans.

[LT] Was there a moment where this idea really clicked for you?

[HR] It was actually pretty simple. I was out playing with the club president and had this idea sitting in the back of my mind. I said, “What if I take the risk on this and build something here?” He told me to put a proposal together, and it just grew from there. That’s one of the cool things about golf, those conversations happen out on the course.

[LT] How would you describe what you’ve created to someone who’s never seen it before?

[HR] I think of it as a golf gym. It’s a place where anyone can come in and work on their game, at their own pace. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, you can use it in a way that suits you. The big thing is access, being able to come in when it suits you, even outside normal golf hours.

[LT] What kind of experience are you trying to create when someone walks through the door?

[HR] I want it to feel like you’ve arrived somewhere a bit different. A bit more upmarket than people might expect locally, but still welcoming. Once you get in, the goal is that you quickly realise you’ve got everything you need to improve or just have a good time. It might take a few minutes to understand, but then it clicks.

[LT] Who’s actually coming through the doors so far?

[HR] It’s been a lot of non-golfers, which is great. Out-of-towners, groups, people just wanting to have a go. That’s probably the most exciting part. We’re also seeing people you might not expect like older players who are really getting into it and challenging themselves to learn something new.

[LT] How important is that “play anytime” factor — evenings, winter, all weather?

[HR] It’s huge. Time is one of the biggest barriers for people. Not everyone can commit to four or five hours on a course. Here, you can come in for an hour, have a hit, have something to eat, and still get that golf fix. It fits around people’s lives a lot better.

[LT] There’s also a social side to it — food, drinks, groups. How does that fit in?

[HR] It’s a big part of it. We’ve kept golf as the focus, but there’s definitely that social layer. People can come in, play, have a pizza, grab a drink. It makes it a place to spend time, not just practice. And importantly, it still connects back to the club, so it supports the wider golf environment here.

[LT] Looking ahead, what would you love to see happen for Taupō as a golf destination?

[HR] Taupō’s already got some amazing courses, and I think there’s an opportunity to really round that out. You’ve got world-class experiences here, and then spaces like this can help fill in the gaps, make it more accessible, more complete. I’d love to see everything lift together so it becomes an even stronger destination overall.

[LT] If this works exactly how you hope, what does it look like in a few years?

[HR] I’d love to see this model in a few other clubs around the country. Maybe four sites in the next few years. And for Taupō to be known as the place where it started, that would be pretty special.

[LT] And if someone’s never thought golf was for them, what would you say?

[HR] It’s really about time. You don’t need a full day to enjoy it anymore. You can come in for an hour, bring your friends or family, and just give it a go. It’s accessible, it’s social, and it’s a lot more approachable than people expect.

Golf in Taupō isn’t standing still. It’s going full send. Finding new ways to meet people where they are, while still holding onto everything that makes the auld game special.

What Hamish Robinson is building isn’t a replacement for the fairways and greens that define the golf rich region. It’s a complement. A new entry point. All golf is golf.

And for those passing through — or those who call Taupō home — it means one simple thing. There are now more ways than ever to play.