Sport & Recreation

This is a selection of some of the world's finest golf courses: long-established classics, the latest resort courses, intensely private clubs, daily-fee public courses.

Around the world Sir Edmund Hillary is a legendary figure - climber, bold adventurer, practical philanthropist and one of the most widely respected persons of our time. He has survived extremes of human experience - from historic triumphs to crushing personal loss - but he sees himself as an ordinary man, persistent rather than heroic. This book focuses on the highlights of his life, including:...

Dave Batista's story is that of a kid who could have gone either way; and it was wrestling that provided him with a way out and up. As a teenager he found himself in trouble with the law, later drifting from job to job until, while working as a bouncer, his temper got the better of him and he attacked two patrons who were giving his colleagues a hard time. It was this incident that made him...

Do you long for adventure without being quite sure how to find it? Do you want to sleep under the stars and experience the wonders of the natural world? More of us than ever are spending weekends and holidays climbing mountains, surfing waves or simply walking in the wilderness, as well as indulging in many other more extreme activities. But how can we use our time out in the open to the full?...

Participation in the sport of rock climbing has exploded in New Zealand in recent decades, and New Zealanders and visitors alike flock to the diverse range of crags and alpline cliffs that are found all over the country. Rock climbing is now taught in virtually all outdoor recreation courses, and the interest in the sport is also reflected in the many indoor climbing walls that have sprung up in...

The North Island has a spectacular and varied coastline, from the perfect curves of its golden and black-sand beaches to the dog-toothed skyline of its storm-battered headlands, volcanic brows and rocky cliffs. Palm-fringed lagoons, island-studded bays and tranquil tidal flats add to the unique brew that makes the North Island coast such a magnet for walkers. Marios Gavalas has travelled all...

Day walks are one of the most popular recreational activities in New Zealand, enjoyed by both New Zealanders and overseas visitors alike. In 2006 nearly half a million tourists completed either a half-day bush walk or a full day of trekking or tramping. This is not surprising given New Zealand hosts a highly accessible network of conservation and reserve areas, offering everything from leisurely...

One of the world's greatest footballers finally tells his story in his own words Sometimes I think that my whole life is on film, that my whole life is in print. But it's not like that, there are things which are only in my heart - that no one knows. At last I have decided to tell everything Diego Armando Maradona needs little introduction. A poor boy from a Buenos Aires shanty-town, his genius...

Peter Janssen introduces more than 250 North Island short walks with a difference. They are grouped by region, and each can be accomplished within the span of a couple of hours (and some much less), putting them well within the grasp of most people. What's more, all of them have a memorable highlight as their destination, whether it's a spectacular feature of the natural landscape, an historic...

High Misadventure explores the dark face of climbing in New Zealand - the times when a slip or a poor decision can lead to tragedy. Climber/journalist Paul Hersey takes eight incidents from among the many of recent decades, and explores the critical factors behind them. Among the incidents he covers are the deaths of five climbers when the Three Johns Hut blew away in 1977, the 1990 loss of six...

- A complete guide to the game, from how to get started and develop skills to understanding the terminology, with hundreds of professional tips for success. - Clearly explains all the basic rules and conventions, from understanding the chessboard to ho

Poker is a game of skill, bluff, deception and luck. All you need to get started is a deck of cards and a group of friends ready for hours of fun. The increase in the popularity of poker and its elevation from card game to cultural phenomenon has been a notable feature of the past decade. This practical book provides all the basic information needed to get started in poker, making clear the...

Steve Braunias writes: 'When a black-backed gull flew past the balcony of my girlfriend's apartment in downtown Auckland on a sultry evening last summer, it came so close to where I was standing, so suddenly and dazzlingly, a white flash against the black night, I was bowled over with happiness. I thought: 'Birds, everywhere.' That became the opening sentence for my next Sunday column. 'Birds are...

The first of two volumes celebrating New Zealand's champions on two wheels. More World Championships have been won by Kiwi motorcyclists than by competitors in any other sport in this country, with nine riders winning 35 World Championships. Others have come breathtakingly close, with four riders second in Moto GP, and victories in the Isle of Man, still the world's most demanding road race....

Bear Grylls shares the secrets of his years of fieldcraft in the ultimate guide to how to live outdoors. Learn about: Hidden Dangers - What to look out for; the pitfalls that the seasoned field professional would know to avoid, because danger rarely announces its presence. Bear's Secret Scouting Tips - Advice that only someone who has spent extended periods of time living in the wild can offer -...

The reality for most trampers is that their trips usually have to fit into weekends. This revised and expanded edition of the bestselling North Island Weekend Tramps is a collection of the best of the North Island's two-and three-day tramping trips. The revisions, new tramps and user-friendly maps will ensure the latest edition of North Island Weekend Tramps continues to provide sound, up-to-date...

Off the Beaten Track is a tantalising guide to 20 multi-day walks across New Zealand farmland, through forest sanctuaries and along stretches of coastline - from the kauri-fringed bays of Great Barrier Island to the alpine tarns of Southland. While not all the walks featured here are over private land, what they do have in common is that in exchange for a modest payment, enthusiastic walkers can...

Serena Williams has captured every major title in tennis. Her accomplishments have not been won without struggle. She has been derailed by injury, criticised for her unorthodox approach to tennis, and was devastated by the tragic shooting of her sister. In this compelling memoir, Serena looks at her extraordinary life and what is still to come.

Sir Peter Blake was perhaps the greatest competitive yachtsman of all time ? the man who seized the America's Cup and won the Whitbread. In his later years he turned away from international competition and used the yacht Seamaster to draw attention to the threats to the world's environment. It was in pursuit of this cause that Blake was tragically murdered in 2001 at the mouth of the Amazon while...

Skiing is a popular winter leisure activity that offers healthy outdoor action for the whole family, usually in spectacular mountain settings. "Ski School" gives the reader a comprehensive introduction to the sport, covering types of skiing, essential equipment and gear, basic techniques and turns, more advanced skills, how to interpret snow conditions, ski travel and some popular...

The reality for most trampers is that their trips usually have to fit into weekends. This revised and expanded edition of the bestselling South Island Weekend Tramps is a collection of the best of the South Island's two-and three-day tramping trips. Featuring 50 new maps in the popular Bird's Eye style, it includes: 50 tramps from around the South Island; 6 new tramps; Tramps ranging in...

Essential guidance on the skills needed to experience the great outdoors safely; how to survive disasters of all types on land, at sea, and in the air; and how to be streetwise and preserve personal and family safety in the urban jungle

This new title is packed with loads of ideas for brilliant breakfasts, mightly mains, smashing sides and delicious desserts. It also provides essential advise on pitching your tent, what to do when the weather turns bad and plenty of other useful hints and tips to ensure your camping trip is a success.

Testing the ability to survive unaided in the outdoors - whether moors, mountains, deserts or sea - is becoming increasingly popular. "The Outdoor Survival Manual" approaches the subject for the ordinary reader who has an interest in adventure travel and in self-sufficiency.This book explains how to prepare for a trip into the wilderness anywhere in the world and how to be safe once there....

Whether you love diving around submerged ships, admire marine life in its natural habitat, seek spectacular underwater geology, are a novice or experienced diver, Top New Zealand Dive Sites has plenty to offer everyone! New Zealand's islands are like no other in the world. They extend through a wide latitude range, their 15,000 kilometres of coastline surrounded by three bodies of water: the...

Tramping in New Zealand is a highly innovative new tramping guide, that has been developed around the latest generation of 'bird's eye' computer-generated maps. These completely accurate panoramic overviews are constructed from map data, but because they can recreate a view of the landscape from any angle or height they provide a remarkably readable and clear way of understanding the lie of the...

New Zealand is a traveller's paradise. Boasting beautiful natural areas, diverse landscapes, and a raft of activities and attractions it is no surprise it is regularly voted as one of the globe's top travel destinations. However, with a plethora of websites, brochures and information centres, it's easy to become overloaded with the sheer quantity of information available on what to do. How then,...

Trekking offers high adventure amid some of the most majestic scenery on earth. Embarking on a long-distance hike presents both physical and mental challenges, and trekking can be a stiff test of individual ability. "The Trekking Atlas of the World" will be the definitive guide to the world's best long-distance hikes, providing vivid portraits of some of the world's most spectacular journeys,...

This book documents and celebrates the characters who catch that most-prized Kiwi food - the whitebait. Whitebaiters are a breed apart and photographers Anita Peters and Murray Hedwig have spent over three years travelling the country talking to and photographing New Zealanders about their passion, and documenting the, at times, complex unwritten 'rules' that surround it.