In an upcoming two-page spread in the Herald On Sunday I’m writing about why Kauri Cliffs in Matauri Bay, Northland, New Zealand is about so much more than golf. Rated by Golf Digest as the 39th best course in the world, Kauri Cliffs is also one of the most exclusive retreats in the country.

Somehow I was lucky enough to stay there, a source of much frustration for my Newstalk ZB colleague Larry Williams (Monday-Friday, 3pm-7pm) who is obsessed with golf. “How come you get to stay there!? What a waste!”

I’ve always been more cricket, tennis and swimming than golf (code for “I’m useless at golf”), though this staggeringly beautiful 6000 acre property is also a dotted with excellent beaches, bush walks, a 700 year-old kauri, a waterfall, an infinity pool, a full spa centre and tennis courts. Further to that you can mountain-bike, take helicopter rides, go fishing and in the summer the snorkeling can be done straight off the beach.

And even a non-golfer loves nothing more than grabbing a golf buggy and zooming around a course. The views from the course, particularly over the Cavilli Islands, were as breathtaking as any I’ve seen for a very long time.

Thanks so much to the staff at Kauri Cliffs who treated me incredibly well. The food, the service and yes, the luxury, was about as good as it gets. Enjoy the photos and keep an eye out for the Herald On Sunday article in the next couple of months where you can win a two-night winter escape and see first-hand what I’m talking about.