Our best find yet! Lake Rotoiti Golf Club, New Zealand

⛳ Stop 2 on our Rounds Around Rotorua golf tour: Lake Rotoiti Golf Club (formerly Moose Lodge)

Tucked just off State Highway 30, Lake Rotoiti Golf Club surprised us in the best way. This 10-hole course makes fantastic use of the natural landscape, offering a mix of challenge and charm. A tough opening hole sets the tone, but a few friendlier holes follow to let you settle into your round—just don’t get too comfortable. The final stretch brings out-of-bounds and water hazards into play, demanding accuracy off the tee and smart course management.

The fairways and greens are beautifully kept, and the small clubhouse adds to the experience with light snacks, cold drinks, and hot showers. It’s a welcoming spot that punches well above its size.

One of the highlights was visiting the hidden gem behind the course—Moose Lodge, the grand lakeside residence that once hosted Queen Elizabeth II during a state visit to New Zealand. We had the rare chance to explore the house and its surroundings, and we were blown away by its beauty, history, and setting.

Lake Rotoiti Golf Club is a special place we truly didn’t expect—and one we won’t forget.

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that golf course was possibly one of the biggest surprises we’ve had yet on Yes Life we got to see the queen’s bedroom where she stayed when she came in for a state visit i’m hoping the queen has sat here and I’m sitting where the queen sat where the emperor has stayed the golf course was amazing this hole you could find on any tour i mean I had goosebumps walking around that place it just had an awe around it wow this journey of playing every single golf course in New Zealand the the stuff we are going to find out and see is going to be unbelievable so stay tuned welcome back to the rounds round roar we are at course two at Lake Rotoiti a straight match between me and Steven he’s going to get on six holes two shots and the rest one shot straight headto-head there’s going to be a forfeit at the end of this series for the loser on headto-head matches let’s get down to it oh getting serious well I’ve got five layers on so right this is serious now hole one i get one shot on this hole you’ve got a Doug leg right over the water on the right hand side if you want to take a clear aim at the hole so you want to be at the left side if it’s good and then looks like a great green surrounded by water shot awesome we’re up there i’m going to try and just fade one down there anywhere around front edge would be pretty good fly fly all right round front edge pretty good I think oh absolutely smashed it well viewers I don’t think we’ll be seeing that again looks like we’re in the water so we’re going to take a drop nice i mean you can’t see it from where we teed off there’s a flamingo there look really yeah that’s not real no of course it’s not but it’s uh I actually thought it was real okay we’ve got a long putt left but Sean’s in a bunker so hopefully he doesn’t get out oh Stephen I needed to I needed to win the first hole because of how many shots you’ve got on me today and how much you learned last time we were out in Martin when you broke 100 but did you break 90 we’ll leave that one if no one’s seen that video go check it out steven never broke 100 before and I was like I reckon we can make you do it like we can definitely caddy for you and do it so head to that video after this one obviously can watch that steven putting for a five for four this is for the win for a three can’t believe he didn’t give it me though one up through one [Music] how do you feel about the royal i do feel very regal right now yes what a view that is unbelievable [Music] that’s all that state visit is it Charles yeah yeah so um they pretty much stayed here because it was one of the most secure properties of its time essentially you know boarded by lake fence completely fenced in all the rest um [Music] so these are kind of the two two main rooms of the whole property this first one on the left here was uh Wow well we we’ll take a guess who stayed in this room queen no who the emperor emperor emperor yeah it’s all the emperor suite that’s why wow very nice it’s pretty much it the only things that the queen queen sweet wow can you believe the queen is lit in here yeah it’s the closest I’ll get to the queen i went to her I went to a coffin at the um in London when she was laid to rest you can see there did you bring the corgis with her but yeah these are the only really two rooms of like significance so aim straight down I think what a beautiful course this is nice i really like this so aim aim right of this the right yellow tea box like the little tea thing that’s good you got you got the world right so through through two mounds on the I’m aiming for the middle of that mound straight ahead perfect that’ be great you got the world right Stephen and he’s gone left okay that’s okay i think oh it’s windy today when those guys doing the marathon over in uh Lake uh sorry lake um Roa it’ be a cold one oh [Laughter] that was not a great shot and that is terrible cart golf by the way awful cart golf call my dad i have got miles left in how far do you have left in 139 wow i got 161 i’m going to check that that can’t be right wow it is the flag’s obviously the green’s quite big which is like pretty rare for these 9hole golf courses to get a green that’s so big and then well maintained like they’re normally really small like circle of greens a lot around New Zealand of what we found anyway but we have got this whole place to ourselves smooth um I’m going to try and hit a 3/4 8 and just try and land it short of the short right of that flag just inside those um are they called toy toys toys i think they’re called toy toys that roof is thick catch a piece go on go all right that’s pretty good it’s just just on the front right edge okay that’s going to go forever that was pretty good it looked good yeah i’ve got a feeling that’s gonna roll and roll and roll and roll and roll go a great lake behind this hole lake lake what would you call that pond there can’t be a lake can it well it’s a body of water there’s a nice body of water behind the Oh it felt good when I hit it and it just completely stopped oh dear me okay this is for the half that’s not fair uh all right we’re back to all square through two it’s a 187 yd par three 187 yards i’m going to pay sensible golf I think just get a seven iron i’m not going to reach the green but that’s okay i’m just going to try and avoid bunkers to the left and right stay out that bunker yep we’re good i think it’s on front edge i can’t I can’t see cuz of the sun but I didn’t break my tea so I’d consider that shot as a complete success 52 was the wrong choice it was a pitching wedge go that’s a little tester can you believe this place only has 22 members it’s crazy good point and he’s left it short that’s good thank you it’s a four net three for the half here sean absolutely no pressure whatsoever i don’t know if to use the triple track side or the blue line doug I’m going to go with old faithful blue line sorry Callaway but not really a triple track type of guy what’s your beef with triple track only beef just prefer my blue line probably because it’s red i mean I’m I’m an Evo you know all square so just talk me through how this course can I know they’ve got cash but at some point they’re going to have to market it or they have to do something aren’t they cuz they can’t keep on depends how much money the family have isn’t it yeah they can’t be looking at this they’re going “I only want three people to come every week.” The thing is that like I’ve I’ve been to a golf course in the south of France which has 16 shareholders they have no members they’re just they own the golf course 16 of them they employ full-time green keepers they employ two professionals for the golf club cleaning staff cuz they’ve got five apartments on site and it is just basically like they invite good golfers to go play if they want to like pros and stuff or friends where is it south of France near Sanrope oh cool and um we went there with my old managing company Tren 24 Sports which were awesome for me and um and yeah they basically they just at the end of the year whatever the costs were they all just get a split of it at the bill and they just off that’s incredible what a great idea this is a par five i have two shots we have a new camera as well ladies and gentlemen which is pretty epic if you ask me watch how I can zoom in on Steven’s nose this is the zoom in on it now and it stays you don’t need a zoom for my nose look at that look look i’ll stand still oh it’s lost it now we’ll come back to testing the zoom shortly yes Steven get that so good please get there ah I took a terrible bounce i think you could be in the water do you think yeah it could be and I might have I might have sold you down the river there if you pardon the pun because I think I said the world is left and I think there’s a massive pond there hold hold don’t kick left wow that stopped dead i think you’ll be fine you must be short of the water and it’s on the fairway well done might not be where we aimed it but it’s still on the fairway good job ah my legs are tired after this morning go okay it’s just short it’s fine shot Stephen thank you well done hey I’m I’m I’m happy with that black swans black swans um are they protected in this country like they are in the UK swans or not i don’t know do you think the queen came here so she could eat them no she was the queen couldn’t eat they’re protected in the UK you don’t eat them right yeah cuz only the queen’s allowed to only the monarch true yeah they’re protected by the monarch aren’t they swans yeah but I don’t think it’s for eating purposes oh I think it’s for eating purposes i don’t think it’s for eating purposes should we ask Dr google i think it comes from back in the sort of Henry VII times and hunting the laws in the UK are so ancient swan uping it’s called Swanupping and what about it the queen took the matter to court which ruled that she had a right to any wild swan on open waters for hundreds of years swans were seen as a prized food often served at the centerpiece of feasts and banquets skinned and redressed with a lump of burning coal in its beak in 1247 for example Henry ordered 40 swans for Christmas celebration i don’t think they order swan now i don’t think they do now but I think that’s why they when it started okay fair enough there you go history with Steven this This place is so tranquil just like that oh stop so quickly okay I’ve got myself a putt to try and save this hole but Steven’s got two shots and he’s there for three why did I teach him how to play sensible golf like what did I do that for it’s going to cost me probably a forfeit at the end of this week what’s the forfeit going to do i don’t know do you know what I really want to do and then I’d probably try and lose have you want to do a sky dive i know you have but I’d like to see you jump and oh I know your foroot is i’m not doing a bungee jump i bet you love this McKenzie green don’t you your hat’s not on straight oo is that good no no definitely not good good good good steven you have that for the half that’s the half well done we remain all square 34 yep is yep the same as yep we’ve got a new camera we have to say yeah because it doesn’t record as quick as the last one yeah the new camera you press it and you have to wait about 10 seconds for it to really work whereas before it was instant so now we’re having to give each other cues right steven you got the world to the left this time yeah i’m going to aim over that bunker you’re one up i’m one up oh is it all square all square oh okay that could be good yeah I think that’s good we’re down hey I have 141 yards it’s wet and I’m worried about bump bum runs where’s the wind Stephen behind us going forward so I wondered about a pitching wedge behind us going forward sorry what’s the wind it’s behind us going forward that’s what it’s doing it’s behind us going forward the wind is currently behind us f uh going into us i think my dad has a degree in meteorology so don’t let him see that it’s a good shot we’re on the dance floor people that’s a nice new cap you’ve got thank you um they’re available from www.yestlifegolf.com we ship internationally the funny thing is is they’ll probably be out of stock by the time these videos go out they’ll be sold we might do another merch drop then well you never know whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa good putt is that given yeah that’s good why not thank you for missing that i appreciate it no I didn’t do it on purpose i didn’t no but I’ll tell you you’re welcome thanks look like you do what should been your favorite part of the golf course so far my favorite part of the golf course so far is the fact that I was I was surprised at how good it is i like the whole place in the venue when we arrived like I that’s the best bit for me so far i love the fact that they use the water hazards really well the greens have got totally different complexes to them the they’re the big the got lots of drop offs and I think it’s really cool it’s a probably a shame that it’s on such lowlying land so it’s on like wet land it gets a little bit wet but it’s It’s good all right i like it a lot just gone around the corner i think it’s good nice that’s such a good shot i’ve got I think about 300 y left this is such a long hole uh you you’ll have two shots here as well yeah i’m just going to go for a sixiron and try and get it down there oh you did okay well we’re lucky that we missed the water hazard on that one this hole you could find on any tour like if you probably just lengthened it a little bit cuz what how far is it 467 so it’s 500 off the back so we played it one up one of the strongest holes I reckon we’ve played t-shot’s okay because you got some room but then you’ve got Hazards all the way up the left you got OB right green complex looks pretty cool the bunker right by the looks of it wow what a great hole i got 240 yards i’m going to try and hit 3wood and get it around that front right come on get up get up there oh be as good as you look nice we’re on the dance floor oh get left wow that must have hit the path i didn’t see it where did it go it went over there and it bounced it came back equally as high as it went down where did it end up i don’t know i don’t think we’re going to see it again okay on the dance floor wow i thought I’d have moved a lot further left to start with but didn’t that my friend is a four and this is for the half oh man that was so close oh it just curled around the front just misread it should have gone a little bit more left or right even a little bit more right would have done it hey ho we are back to all square 343 y what a view great shot mate yeah that’s good that’s on line with the yeah that puts me under a lot of pressure you’re there for minus one whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa stop drifting yeah we’re good apologies if the zooming today isn’t quite brilliant we’ve had some trial runs with the camera but we’re still learning but hopefully we are getting everything in i think we will to be fair you’re zooming in on my face you are aren’t you you little sit can we see that yeah I’m quite happy with that that’s pretty good it’s pin high left oh let’s hope that’s good oh it didn’t break at all if anything that went left to right oh ah okay four you’ve got that for the win Stephen to go one up with two to play that was painful i apologize for everybody watching ar two to go all square all square he’s thrown away a lead people he’s thrown away a lead from silly golf silly golf oh that’s not good please stay out of the bunker oh yeah well short that’s all right that’s all right that was your best setup yet was it yep that was brilliant what made it so good it was so square oh yeah it slightly but it’s good i think distance is just a little short it’s okay though how good does this green look like the the moan lines on the green look awesome the actual complex with the the bunkers around it it just looks so pure it reminds me very much of like Scotland it’s lovely really is nice really nice shot thank you that’s where I wanted to land it much gracias we’re on the green we’ve got this green and one to go and if we’re still halves at the end of nine thankfully they have a 10th hole here so maybe we take it to 10 if it gets there okay up the hill it’s going to break quite considerably to the right oh no that is Oh I needed that so much cuz you got two shots oo great pot so all that chat I gave it about going to the 10th we might need to do one hole left sean is one down [Applause] is he gonna be a massive loser again like he was on the road to Paraparumi that’s the question on everybody’s lips is it that and where do I get one of those amazing caps from well thanks for asking you can go to www.ylifegolf.com this is hole 9 llama farmer is that Oh I thought it was actually called that can you hear that though i think that’s a car alarm can we stop with the llama jokes now we can that’s a great t-shirt thanks for walking in front of my tracer well done Steven look how smitten he is right now mike drop an exit on that one that is my best drive today i’m happy with that 50 into the middle of the fairway so I think I can just do a little sixiron dink out and get it into the middle of the fairway i’m just looking at the chickens sorry oh great so I’ve clipped the tree as it’s been coming over and it’s obviously just come straight down which is very annoying cuz I was very very pleased with that you’re very smitten about it weren’t you smitten is apparently Sean’s word of the week good shot mate yeah that’s good that’s cleared that water hazard leaves me chip up onto the green i’m leading by one still have I got two shots on this hole you got to love the handicap system oh it’s great it’s really really good woo okay 127 steven is one up yeah it’s pretty much where I want it sit please sit oh just off the side i think that’s okay though i think it’s got a little runoff stop great chip Stephen thank you beautiful learning slowly i got this for a three that would that would make Steven have to make his to win match one on the road around Roaru round rounds around Roa rounds around Roarua apologies again oh Sean and that makes me the winner thank you Sean that was a day and big thank you to Christian like that was huge of him to take us around there and show us around was unbelievable so thank you to him this journey of playing every single golf course in New Zealand the the stuff we are going to find out and see is going to be unbelievable so yeah stay tuned yes stay tuned