What happens to a golf club when it reaches the end of its playing life?
For plenty of golfers, the answer is surprisingly simple: it ends up sitting in the garage. The old driver that has been replaced, an odd iron left over from a set, a damaged wedge, or a putter that is no longer getting a run.
This October, Golf Ball Recycling NZ and Endless the metal recycler are giving Auckland golfers another option through a new golf club recycling pilot, supported by Auckland Golf Inc.
Where can you recycle old golf clubs in Auckland?
Throughout October, participating Auckland golf courses will host collection points for old, unwanted and damaged golf clubs that have genuinely reached the end of their useful life.
PLEASE NOTE: Golf club drop-off is at participating golf courses only. PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF GOLF CLUBS AT ENDLESS BRANCHES.
A new golf club recycling partnership for Auckland
The pilot brings together Golf Ball Recycling NZ’s work within the golf community and Endless’ experience in metal recycling. The aim is simple: make it easier for Auckland golfers to do the right thing with clubs that can no longer be used.
All golf clubs are accepted through the pilot, including drivers, irons, wedges and putters. The collection programme runs throughout October and includes Recycling Week NZ 2026, from 19–25 October.
What golf clubs can be recycled?
The pilot accepts old, unwanted and damaged golf clubs of all types. That includes drivers, irons, wedges, putters and mixed or incomplete sets.
The key is whether the club has genuinely reached the end of its useful playing life. If it can still be used, there may be a better option before recycling.
Should you reuse or recycle your old golf clubs?
Recycling is important, but it is not always the first step. If an old club still has another round in it, keep it playing. Pass it on to another golfer, donate it, or give it to someone who is starting out.
Reuse it if you can. Recycle it when you can’t. It is a simple mindset that helps reduce waste and keeps materials moving in a circular economy: reuse what you can, and recycle the rest when it reaches the end of the line.
Reuse it if you can. Recycle it when you can’t.
That approach also fits the wider waste hierarchy promoted during Recycling Week: look first for opportunities to avoid waste, reduce, repair or reuse, then recycle when those options are no longer practical.
What happens to golf clubs after they are collected?
Once the clubs have been collected from participating golf courses, they will make their way to Endless. Our role is to recover the recyclable metal components and return those materials to the recycling stream.
Instead of recyclable material sitting unused or potentially ending up in landfill, the pilot creates a practical pathway to keep valuable resources in circulation.
Golf clubs can also contain non-metal components. The purpose of the pilot is to recover the recyclable metals that can be processed through the available recycling pathway rather than suggest that every component of every club can currently be recycled.
Golf club recycling during Recycling Week NZ 2026
The pilot runs for the full month of October and includes Recycling Week 2026, which takes place across Aotearoa New Zealand from 19–25 October.
Recycling Week is an annual education campaign focused on recycling and waste minimisation. In 2026, its wider message encourages organisations and communities to identify opportunities to prevent waste, use resources more efficiently, reuse or repair where possible, and recycle effectively.
For this partnership, that idea is very practical: keep usable clubs playing, and create a recycling pathway for clubs that have genuinely reached the end of their useful life.
Why Endless is involved
For Endless, the partnership is an opportunity to show that metal recycling extends well beyond the materials people traditionally associate with a scrap yard.
Valuable metals are found in all sorts of everyday products. From everyday household items to commercial bin collection services for trade customers, the challenge is creating convenient, responsible ways to collect products and recover the materials they contain.
By placing collection points at participating golf courses, this pilot brings the recycling option closer to the people who actually need it and makes responsible end-of-life disposal easier.
A Pilot With a Bigger Purpose
This October initiative is a pilot, giving Golf Ball Recycling NZ, Endless and participating golf courses an opportunity to see how Auckland golfers respond and how many end-of-life clubs can be directed into a more useful pathway.
It also starts a broader conversation about what happens to sporting equipment when it can no longer do the job it was designed for.
So, if you have old golf clubs gathering dust, take another look. If they can still play another round, keep them playing. If they can’t, this October they have somewhere to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can golf clubs be recycled?
Yes. This Auckland pilot accepts old, unwanted and damaged golf clubs at participating golf course collection points. Endless will recover the recyclable metal components.
Where can I recycle old golf clubs in Auckland?
During October 2026, golf clubs can be dropped at participating Auckland golf courses listed on the campaign page. Some locations have date or member-access restrictions, so check the current list before visiting.
What types of golf clubs are accepted?
Drivers, irons, wedges, putters and other old, unwanted or damaged golf clubs are accepted through the pilot.
Can I drop golf clubs at an Endless branch?
No. Golf club drop-off for this pilot is at participating golf courses only. Please do not drop golf clubs at Endless branches.
When is Recycling Week NZ 2026?
Recycling Week 2026 runs from 19–25 October across Aotearoa New Zealand.
What should I do with golf clubs that are still usable?
Keep them in use where possible. Pass them on, donate them or give them to another golfer. Recycle clubs when they have genuinely reached the end of their useful life.
Ready to Clear Out Unwanted Metals?
While golf club drop-offs are strictly at participating golf courses this October, Endless is always here to help you recycle other household, trade, and industrial scrap metal. Check our live scrap metal prices online today, or visit your nearest Endless yard in Onehunga or Wairau to turn your unwanted metal into cash!
