Cape Kidnappers Golf Course
- New Zealand
Since its opening in 2004, Cape Kidnappers has become the poster child for New Zealand golf. Financed by American hedge fund legend Julian Robertson and designed by minimalist architect Tom Doak, the course is an engineering and routing marvel. Situated on a 6,000-acre sheep station, the course is perched on sandstone peninsulas ("fingers") that jut out into the Pacific Ocean, 140 meters above the sea.
Doak's design is noted for its restraint. Rather than moving millions of cubic meters of earth, he routed the holes along the natural landforms, creating a sequence where holes play out to the edge of the cliffs and then back inland. The visual drama is unmatched, but the architectural merit lies in the wide fairways and complex green complexes that allow playability in high winds.
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The round begins inland with a dogleg right. The tee shot is semi-blind, and the approach must carry a deep gully to a green that runs away from the player.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHGM-BsQ5JA
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Rated the easiest hole on the course. The fairway is generous, and the green is reachable in two for strong players.
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A long par 3 playing to a slightly elevated green. Bunkers behind the green punish those who club up too aggressively.
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Features a daunting blind tee shot over a ridge. The fairway narrows significantly for the second shot.
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A strategic masterpiece. Bunkers bisect the fairway. Playing left is safer but leaves a blind, longer approach.
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The first taste of the cliffs. It plays over a massive ravine to a green that tilts right to left. The bridge crossing the ravine is iconic.
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Returns inland. Plays downhill to a crowned green that sheds balls in all directions.
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Visually quieter but exposed to wind. Heavily bunkered green demands a crisp iron shot.
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A quirky hole returning to the clubhouse. The tee shot is blind, and the second shot is often from an uneven lie.
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The back nine starts with a bang. A long, exposed par 4 running along the cliff top.
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A long par 3 playing over a gorge back towards the inland side. Often requires a driver or 3-wood for average players.
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The green sits on the horizon line with nothing but ocean behind it. Distance control is incredibly difficult due to lack of depth perception.
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A short, pot-bunkered par 3 on the very edge of the cliff. The green is domed, repelling shots.
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A drivable par 4 for long hitters, but the green is tiny and defended by a deep pot bunker.
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The signature hole. Plays along a narrow ridge tapering to nothingness. 140m drop to the sea on the left.
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Plays in the opposite direction to 15. The tee box is perched on the cliff edge.
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A long, slog of a par 4. Usually plays back into the wind.
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Approach is to a punchbowl green that gathers balls.
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The on-site lodge, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, is a Relais & Châteaux property offering ultra-luxury suites, spa services, and gourmet dining.
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Deliberately understated, the clubhouse resembles a high-end shearing shed. Houses a pro shop and dining areas.
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The property is protected by a predator-proof fence, making it a haven for kiwi and tuatara.
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