Tara Iti Golf Club north of Auckland and co-founder of Los Angeles-based global equity firm Oaktree Capita, Bruce Karsh (inset). Photo / Supplied
Tara Iti Golf Club north of Auckland and co-founder of Los Angeles-based global equity firm Oaktree Capita, Bruce Karsh (inset). Photo / Supplied
Tara Iti, a private golf course at Te Arai, south of Mangawhai, attracts only the very wealthy with its massive joining fee and multimillion-dollar homes. Jane Phare reveals who they are.
They arrive in helicopters, new Range Rovers and BMWs but, after the valets dispose of the cars, they walk.Golf carts aren't allowed. This is Tara Iti Golf Club, exclusive, private and expensive. Owners - it's run as an equity club - play a round, or two, of golf before heading for the bars or restaurants to compare scores with an impressive collection of fund managers, investment bankers, property developers, top executives and philanthropists.
Those who have bought a house at Te Arai, or bought a multimillion-dollar section and built an uber-designed home nestled among the dunes and native planting near the Pacific Ocean surf beach, can leave the Beamer or chopper parked for the night.
Chris Liddell and his wife Renee Harbers own property at Tara Iti Golf Club. Photo / Getty
Records sourced through property data and analytics company CoreLogic show Kiwi owners include rich-lister and Donald Trump's former right-hand man Chris Liddell and his wife, American photographer and philanthropist, Renee Harbers. Harbers was previously married to Microsoft executive and software developer Jeff Harbers who died, aged 54, in a plane crash in 2006.
David McAlpine with South African golf pro JBE Kruger at Millbrook Golf Course. Photo / Marty Melville
Other Kiwi owners include rich-listers Deirdre and David McAlpine, of Kea Property Group; business gurus Elizabeth and Paul Blackwell whose now-sold assets included Pak 'n' Save in Albany, Burger King and The Breakers; and Briscoes baron Rod Duke.
Business heavyweights Elizabeth and Paul Blackwell own property at Tara Iti. Photo / Norrie Montgomery.
Entities or companies connected to Tara Iti property ownership include the estate of the late arts benefactor Adrian Burr; property developer John Darby who was involved in the development of Tara Iti, Clearwater Golf Resort in Christchurch, Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown and Jack's Point development in Queenstown.
Property and golf course developer John Darby. Photo / Supplied
Investment banker Jonty Edgar and his wife Amber also have a home at Tara Iti. Edgar is the son of the late multi-millionaire Queenstown businessman and philanthropist, Sir Eion Edgar. Amber Edgar is the sister of former Black Sticks striker Honor Carter and was a bridesmaid at Honor and All Black Dan Carter's wedding in 2011.
Lynette Erceg is linked to a property at Tara Iti and her son Matthew Pringle and his partner Sarah Lynds are linked to two. When Lynette Erceg's late husband, liquor baron Michael Erceg died in a helicopter crash in 2005, he left $5m to Pringle, his stepson.
In another family connection, Dean Farmer - son of businessman Trevor Farmer and his wife Jan - has a property at Tara Iti, as does Jan Farmer. Back in 2018, two properties in Auckland's exclusive Paritai Drive, linked to Trevor and Jan Farmer, and their son Dean and his wife Chanelle, were the subject of an application to Auckland Council to trial noise levels for helicopter landings on a vacant section used as putting green. Residents objected and the council now says no resource consent application for a helicopter pad was ever lodged.
Rod Duke has been battling for some years for permission to fly a helicopter from the James-Bond style roof of his Herne Bay boatshed to Briscoes around the country – and his holiday home at Tara Iti.
Gary Wipfler and his wife Barbara have bought property at Tara Iti. Wipfler was in charge of what he calls "the Bank of Apple" as treasurer and vice president of the global giant. Photo / Supplied
Before an amendment to the Overseas Investment Act in 2018, effectively banning foreigners from buying homes or land in New Zealand, Tara Iti attracted wealthy, golf-playing Americans. Those who bought before New Zealand closed its doors to foreign buyers included Steve Jobs' money man Gary Wipfler, who managed what he called "the Bank of Apple" in his role as vice-president and corporate treasurer of Apple, in charge of whopping $369 billion in cash and investments.
Bruce Karsh, co-founder of Los Angeles-based global equity firm Oaktree Capital, majority owner of MediaWorks, is linked to Tara Iti Golf Club property. Photo / Supplied
Bruce Karsh, co-founder of Los Angeles-based global equity firm Oaktree Capital, majority owner of MediaWorks, is linked to a Tara Iti property, and wealthy Americans and golfing enthusiasts Michael and Sharzad Targoff are also members and have bought property. Targoff is vice-chairman of the board of Loral Space & Communications in New York. Last year the couple bought a five-bedroom, six-bathroom home in South Florida's Bear's Club, a private golf resort and gated residential community founded by former golf champion and golf-course designer Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara.
American billionaire and Tara Iti developer Ric Kayne has built a large home near the beach at the golf club. Photo / Michael Craig
Ric Kayne, the American billionaire who has spent nearly $200 million developing Tara Iti and the two nearby golf courses at Te Arai has built a large house near the beach. So too has Kayne's business colleague, real estate guru Albert Rabil III and his wife Tamara who base themselves in Florida. Rabil is co-founder and CEO of Kayne Anderson Real Estate, handling billions of dollars' worth of managed assets, and Kayne Anderson Capital Advisers.
