An "information package" detailing a major redevelopment and a new member ownership model at Sir Michael Hill’s private golf club, The Hills, in Arrowtown, was obtained by the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
The Hills director Jim Rohrstaff said the equity ownership model under which The Hills will be redeveloped had received an "overwhelmingly positive" response from existing members.
“Our vision is to create a world-class golf and lifestyle community and feedback to date indicates the majority of our members are extremely excited by the opportunity to share in ownership of the new club and course.”
The information package informed existing members the new club’s founding shareholders were issuing three million investor shares and, for $295,000, existing members could obtain 10,000 investor shares from the initial offer.
Investors had no voting rights, nor any right to receive notice of, or attend, any shareholding meetings.
However, upon payment of the $295,000, existing members could tick a box indicating they would like to be considered for membership, it said.
The ODT understands not all existing members were offered the opportunity to invest, or apply for membership, that some who received the offer were displeased by it, and that some members had resigned their memberships as a result.
According to the club documents, membership for New Zealand residents was $17,900 plus GST for the 2025-26 season and $14,900 plus GST for international members, the information package said.
Former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains said yesterday he was not taking up the opportunity to continue as a member.
"I’m disappointed with the new model. Mainly because of the time that the course will be under reconstruction.
"It will take three to four years out of my golfing life and by the end of it, I probably won’t have an awful lot more golfing life left to enjoy it."
The information package sent to members announced a partnership with acclaimed golf course architects OCM Golf, which was redesigning the course.
There would be a transformation of the clubhouse, a new private dining and meeting space, a golf training and fitness centre, and a recreation centre with tennis and pickle ball courts, half-court basketball, a patio, glasshouse, events lawn and an orchard.
It said a staged construction programme would begin in 2026 and be completed in 2028.
An Overseas Investment Office decision from July said the 151ha site would be redeveloped by a new joint venture, which was 75% owned by New Zealanders, including the Hill family.
The joint venture — Trojan Helmet Ltd (the Hill family), Tara-iti No 1 Ltd and Rohrstaff Group Ltd — planned to upgrade the golf course and develop adjoining land into new accommodation and communal facilities, including "up to 107 new dwellings".
"It is expected that up to 10 new full-time jobs will be created as a result, along with other associated benefits. Following development, it is intended that the redeveloped golf course will be owned by new shareholder members", the decision said.
The club’s information package lists Emma Hill, Simon Botherway, Ric Kayne and Jim Rohrstaff as The Hills Ltd directors.
"By changing this model, the owners will be the members and the members will be the owners, this will perpetuate the club into the future and erase any uncertainty.
"A lot of the members will like the fact they know they have certainty now, that their club will be there forever", he said.
Sir Michael, who has been appointed "founder president" of the new club, could not be reached for comment.
He said at the club’s opening in 2007 he would be facing a divorce if he revealed how much he spent to finance the course.
The property was a 200ha deer farm in the early 1990s before being developed into a golf course.
The Hills hosted the New Zealand Open for the first time in 2007 and also hosted in 2009 and 2010. It co-hosted with Millbrook from 2014 to 2020.
