New Zealand Golf - Cape Kidnappers

If you're a fan of golf architecture, you've probably seen the above photo. That's Cape Kidnappers (which supplied the photo), and it's possibly the most spectacular piece of land ever dedicated to a golf course. Tom Doak was given the opportunity to create a masterpiece, and he certainly did.

Situated high (600 feet) above Hawke's Bay on the North Island of New Zealand, Cape Kidnappers is the sister course to Kauri Cliffs. Owned by the same person, both resorts have spectacular boutique hotels where you can spend thousands of dollars for one night's lodging. Not quite having that much money, Malaika and I spent a night in Napier, which is about 30 minutes away.

After turning off the road to get to the golf course, we used a call box to announce our arrival. If it's your first time playing, they'll let you know that the drive will take about 10 minutes and to take it slow. I recommend that you heed their instructions and watch out for wandering sheep.

Like Kauri Cliffs, the driving range is more scenic and better manicured than maybe 95% of golf courses around the world.

The opening hole is a 410 yard par four that offers a wide fairway that's a bit deceptive. If you aim left to avoid the fairway bunkers, you'll have a longer approach shot and bring the greenside bunkers into play.

Aim right and you'll need to challenge the fairway bunker, and if you avoid that, your drive might bounce forward and reach the downslope, giving you a difficult lie on the uphill shot.

The green is large and gently undulating, which allows a good chance at birdie.

The second hole is a 540 yard par 5 that is a bit puzzling off of the tee. The trees on the left block your view of the left side of the fairway, which may cause you to block your tee shot right towards the fairway bunkers.

The two closest bunkers are 200 yards away. However, there's one further that requires a 270 carry to clear.

Avoid the three bunkers and you'll have 250 yards left for your second. If you're laying up, bunkers flank the fairway, pinching the landing area. The green has bunkers guarding the front and right with a chipping area to the left.

A mid-iron par 3 follows. Two bunkers well short are sent in a mound that can kick shots forward to the green. The actual green is guarded by two bunkers short and three to the back.

The putting surface is relatively flat as is the chipping area to the right.

The fourth hole is a 510 yard par 5 that offers an easy drive followed by a difficult approach.

For those treating the hole as a three shotter, go well left for your second shot and you'll have a stress free approach. If you're daring, you'll need to carry bunkers and a gully in order to reach the deep but narrow green.

The fifth is the first of the cliffside holes. Two center-line bunkers force the golfer to choose which line you'll want to take. Go left, and you'll need to flirt with the cliffs. Go right, and a cluster of three bunkers will grab those who miss the fairway. The green is more receptive for those who go right.

Hole 6 is a long par 3. Playing at 215 yards from the white tees, the danger is to the left. If you bail out right, mounding around the green could kick your ball onto the putting surface.

Miss the mounds to the right and a large bunker looms.

The seventh hole is a long par 4. Once again, Doak offers an easier tee shot with a bunkerless fairway but challenges on the approach.

The green is protected left by a bunker and appears to be an extension of the fairway. The bay looms in the background but is not in play.

Hole 8 is the third par 3 on the front side. At 170 yards, the green is set behind a gully with plenty of room to miss right or long. Number nine is a par 4 that has an offset fairway to the right, followed by a short iron approach over a small gully. On your approach, long is much better than short as two deep bunkers guard the front of the green with the back surrounded by a chipping area.

The back nine starts with a long par 4 that heads out towards the bay. The fairway is rather open with the right side preferred for the approach. The green is flanked by bunkers on the left with short grass for those who miss to the right.

After leaving the green on the 10th hole, take a few clubs and enjoy the view as you walk to the 11th tee. The green on the 11th is only about 40 yards away from the 10th; the unusual design was probably created since the best green site was away from the sea.

The par 3 is long and difficult, and despite the trek, is definitely worth the walk. At 200 yards, you'll have to carry a front right bunker or thread your tee shot between the bunker and the gully to the left. A pulled shot left might be lost although Tom Doak added a bunker to help catch a slightly misplayed tee ball.

The 12th is a spectacular par 4 despite being bunkerless. Once again, it's difficult to miss the wide fairway although while going left and challenging the gully seems like the best line, further out right is the better play. Picking the right line is a bit more difficult without a bunker to align yourself.

Your second shot feels like you could hit it clear out of New Zealand and into the ocean. Technically, you'd be hitting it into the bay, but yes, it actually might be possible. A draw shot is preferred although a hook might end up lost.

The 13th is a wee par 3 similar to the 11th at Pacific Dunes. Set along the cliffside, the 125 yard hole requires a precise wedge shot. Distance control is less important than aim as the green is pretty deep at 34 yards long.

The green does fall off to the back, however, any shot right or left of your target will be swallowed by deep bunkers. As to be expected on a short par 3, the green has many undulations so a two putt par is not guaranteed.

Doak followed up the short par 3 with a short but tricky par 4. Named "Pimple" due to a pimple bunker set up against the front middle of the green, the 14th hole offers a chance for the longer hitter to reach with a good tee shot. The hole is listed at 340 on the card, however, a direct line to the green is just over 300 yards.

Two bunkers on the right side of the fairway is the line if you're going for it, any further right and you'll end up in the gully. There's plenty of room left for a layup; however, the green is not very deep and the pimple bunker requires an accurate shot.

The 15th is called "Pirate's Plank" and a more apt name would be hard to find. The long (600 yard into the wind) narrow par 5 resembles a pirate's plank and if you make a misstep, at the very least, your scorecard will pay the price. The drive needs to be placed between OB left and a gully to the right.

Find the fairway and you'll still have to hit a good layup and a solid approach to reach the green. Miss left and death awaits.


Pay heed to the warning; it's 600 feet straight down.


The green is set along the cliffside although a few bunkers might save the slightly pulled approach. Par this hole and you've done well. If you've made a high number, you'll have a chance to bounce back on the 16th.

Playing in the opposite direction, the 16th is a 495 yard par 5 that is reachable if the wind is at your back. The tee box is set upon a spit of land, which is one of the most spectacular places you'll ever hit a drive from.


Once you're done taking pictures, you'll want to find the fairway with your drive.

The bunker on the right are 290 to carry so you'll need to play a bit left of there. The green is protected by sand right and two bunkers a bit short of the green. You can bounce your approach on if you carry those bunkers but going left or long isn't a bad play.

The 17th is a longer par 4 that didn't quite play as long as the listed 440 yards. Your drive needs to go left of a couple of fairway bunkers. Your approach will be uphill to a blind green with a spate of bunkers short. If you're really long, you can try to carry almost 300 yards of tall grass to find the fairway and get a unobstructed view of the green.

Your final hole on the course is an unusual closing hole. The fairway is bunker free however there's a drop off after 300 yards. The green is offset to the right in a punchbowl that is a couple of feet below the surface of the fairway. While the mounding around the green will help you find the putting surface, if you mishit your approach, the ball might bound off in a direction away from the pin. Also, there's a decent amount of movement that will make birdie putts difficult to make.

Cape Kidnappers's location and scenery probably distracts from the quality of the design. Many of the inland holes that are probably best appreciated after multiple plays. Even if you've only get to play it once, you'll have one of the most memorable rounds of golf in your life.

New Zealand - The Kinloch Club

If you've played a Jack Nicklaus designed resort course, you're probably used to a perfectly manicured, TPC style golf course. However, that's not the only style of golf course Nicklaus can design. Maybe it was due to his collaboration with Tom Doak on Sebonack, maybe it was an attempt to capitalize on the "minimalist" trend, but when I arrived at The Kinloch Club near Taupo, New Zealand, I was absolutely stunned.

Earlier that day, Malaika and I had driven to Taupo from Hamilton. I had a few hours left in the afternoon and Malaika wanted to relax so I took the clubs and drove to Kinloch. I didn't know exactly where the golf course was, just that Nicklaus had designed a golf course called Kinloch near Taupo. Using a old map as my guide, I drove towards the town. Noticing something that vaguely resembled patches of green grass surrounded by brown fields, I took a left and saw a sign leading to the course.

The links style golf course sits above, and has views of, Lake Taupo. The giant lake is in the center of the North Island of New Zealand and was created when a super volcano erupted around 30,000 years ago. Lake Taupo is a center of recreation for the Kiwis, and if you're a golfer, you should stop by and play the course. I was blown away and you probably would be as well.

The opening hole is a dogleg right par 4 of about 390 yards with the landing area bunkered heavily to the right and not quite as heavily to the left. Picking the appropriate line is a matter of knowing your carry distance and finding the correct bunker to hit over.

If you can avoid the fairway bunker in the picture above, your approach shot will be to a green protected by bunkers left and right. The best approach is from the left side of the fairway, as the green is designed for a fade.

The second hole is a reachable par 5. Your tee shot should be played to the right side of the fairway to avoid the potentially reachable bunkers left, but there's an added speed slot if you manage to do so. While this will shorten your approach, the green is best approached from the left so if you're laying up, avoid the two bunkers and you'll be fine. For those trying to get home in two, you'll probably need to hit a fade or get lucky.


The third hole is a par 3 with water short and right. The green is more receptive to yet another fade, but at 160 yards, it's probably not necessary.

The next hole is a departure from any prior Nicklaus course I've played. The tee shot is uphill and blind to a fairway that curves around bunkers on the left. Your approach shot is downhill to a green that's set just beyond a waste area.

The next two holes are short par 4s although they play rather differently. Finding the fairway is paramount on the 5th hole as the green is narrow and well protected.


The right side of the fairway gives the better look of the putting surface and offers the better angle as well. Your target is framed by the hillside giving the illusion that the green is further away.

The sixth is listed on the cards at 360 yards but the long hitter can attempt to drive the green. If you're playing safe, the fairway right runs out at 240 yards from the tee. Your second shot will be downhill to a small green which is trapped in front by a small bunker. For the bolder souls, your drive is blind although your target line is between two tall trees. A carry of 270 yards is need to reach the fairway with another 20 yards or so to the front of the green although it doesn't play nearly that long. It's downhill and when I attempted to drive the green, I found my ball had bounded beyond the green.

Hole seven is a rather nondescript par 3 but hole 8 is an interesting par 5. Your tee shot needs to avoid several bunkers although a longer hitter could carry past all of them. Depending on how well you've struck your drive, you have the option of going for the green, which is elevated and well trapped. If you plan on laying up, you have the option of choosing between two fairways. The lower fairway plays to the right and is the easier layup, however your approach would be uphill and blind. The upper fairway allows for the better look at the green but is surrounded by bunkers, and if you pull your layup, could land in the mounds and high grass. The green is shallow but wide and has a lower tier and upper tier with the upper tier rather narrow in spots.

The ninth hole is a medium length par 4 of about 380 yards. The tee shot can either be laid up short of the bunkers or you can pull out a driver and aim for a small sliver of fairway. The approach is uphill to a shallow green.

The back nine starts with a view of Lake Taupo and a downhill, dogleg left par 4. Just left of the fairway bunker is your line, although there's more room left than it appears from the back tee.


The right side of the fairway is the best angle to the green. A miss left with your drive really brings the front bunker into play on your approach.

Hole 11 is a par 3 that requires a mid-iron to a green surrounded by bunkers and mounding. If you miss long and left, this might be your view of the pin. The green has multiple tiers so be sure to get your chip on the right level if you want a legitimate chance at par.

The 12th hole is a dogleg right par 5 that is reachable if you hug the right side with your tee shot. Those who find the fairway and are going at the green are faced with the following shot.

The green is set behind another 60 yards behind the bunkers to the right. There's an additional set of bunkers guarding the green, which is shallow but relatively wide and flat. If you bail out left, you could receive a lucky bounce and kick on to the green. For those who lay up, be sure to go as far left as possible in order to have the best angle to the green.

Hole 13 is another hole that surprised me. It may be Nicklaus's version of an Alps hole, with a the ideal tee shot line being blind and to the right. If you go left, your approach will be blind thanks to a giant mound between yourself and the green. The right side of the fairway might give you a view of the green, however, too far right and you're in the rough or tall grass. The green is relatively big for a short par 4, but the right side is well protected with bunkers.

Another surprise on the Kinloch Club golf course is the finish holes. In decidedly un-Nicklausian style, the final four holes go 3-5-3-5. The 15th isn't a true Redan, but has many of the elements. The green doesn't slope from front to back, but like a Redan, is most receptive to a draw and has a "hazard" in the form of a big falloff and tall grass if you go too far left. Flail your tee shot right and there's a bunker to catch your shot.

The 16th is a longer par 5 at 530 yards on the cards, but is reachable if you're willing to carry rough and bunkers with your approach. If you lay up, you'll need to be especially careful as there are three bunkers in the center of the ideal layup position.

The bunker on the far right is the furthest of those three bunkers. Even if you land safely in the fairway, you will need to be exacting on your distance for your third.

Elevated and fronted by a bunker that's looks much larger in real life than it does in the yardage book, the green is only 22 yards deep but is shaped like a punchbowl to be more receptive to approaches.


The 17th is a pretty, yet potentially dangerous par 3. With the greensite rising from the land, mimicking the island rising from Lake Taupo behind, the only advice is to hit the green. All sides fall off, with the bunker short and left being the most dangerous.

The home hole is a good hole, but felt a bit incongruous. The long par 5 played into the wind for me, which made the 530 yard hole even longer. A lake left of the fairway threatens your second and third shots, and a small bunker guards the front middle of the green.

When I finished my round, the club pro asked me how I liked the course. I told him it was the best Nicklaus course I've ever played, and he said that at the grand opening of the golf course, Jack Nicklaus said that it was possibly the best course he's ever designed.

It's unfortunate that Kinloch is not as well known as Kauri Cliffs or Cape Kidnappers, the golf course deserves more attention than what it has received so far. If you're a golfer and you're headed to New Zealand, be sure and put Kinloch on your itinerary. It's a golf course that could easily be ranked in the top 100 in the world.

New Zealand Golf - Kauri Cliffs

Malaika and my trip to New Zealand was almost two years ago, but three of the golf courses I played there (Kauri Cliffs, Kinloch, and Cape Kidnappers) are among the best in the world.

Kauri Cliffs was the first course I played in New Zealand. After arriving in Auckland and being met by Malaika's sister and her boyfriend, we drove north to the Bay of Islands. Our journey was delayed slightly by a flat tire, and a trip to McDonalds where you get coleslaw on your burgers.

The Bay of Islands, and Paihia where we stayed, is one of the most beautiful places in the world. That beauty is a main attraction of Kauri Cliffs, which is a little more than an hour north of Paihia near a town called Kerikeri.

Be sure to arrive early at the golf course and use the practice range. While the downhill targets might not allow you to dial in your distances, you can practice getting distracted by the scenery.

Like many resort courses, the opening par 4 is a bit of a breather with a downhill tee shot to a bunkerless fairway.


The second hole, is the true introduction to the course as the dogleg left par 4 requires you to pick the correct line with your drive. Two bunkers offer aiming points, however, further left shortens the hole and leaves a wedge to the green.


Hole 4 is a gambling par 5. The bunkers on the right side pose no challenge to the longer hitter, but the cliff side certainly does. The second shot has room to bail out left, but an approach to the green needs to carry the gully and two bunkers short of the green.

The next hole is the first of the four stellar par 3s. Requiring a carry of 150 yards from the white tees, the green is protected in front by three bunkers. Short and left side is the bailout although a well struck pull might bounce off of the hill and onto the green.


Hole 6 is a testy short par 4 with a tee shot across a canyon to a narrow fairway. The best angle is from the left side of the fairway as your second shot plays significantly uphill to a narrow green protected by a bunker and the gully on the right.


The next hole will grab your attention. Once you break your gaze away from the view, this one shotter requires a carry of approximately 160 yards to reach the green. Like the previous par 3, the bailout is on the left side although you're unlikely to receive a member's bounce.


While short on the scorecard as a 500 yard par 5, the eighth hole plays uphill but usually downwind. For those going for the green in two, your target is flanked by two bunkers left with a gully even further left. Landing on the correct tier will offer you a good chance at eagle.


The 10th hole offers the long hitter a chance to drive the green. Downhill and downwind, there's a narrow opening for a bounding tee shot. For those choosing the more traditional approach, the relatively stress free tee shot should set up a wedge approach.

Holes 11 and 12 are a bit different as they play on the on the non-sea side of a ridge. In addition, marshland surrounds both holes. The 11th is a par four requiring an aerial approach over the marsh to a small green while hole 12 is a par 3 with a carry to a narrow green. The miss is right or long with mounds keeping the ball in play. Short and left ends up in the marsh.


The walk over the hillside brings you back to the sea and the fantastic views. Hole 14 offers a downhill par 3 to a green open in front but falling off to the left and behind.

The first of the par 5s on the back, the right side of hole 15 is the safe play but offers virtually no chance at going at the green in 2. The layup is somewhat easier as the landing area is open and offers a target bunker however, those attempting to get close to the green need to contend with a narrow target guarded by bunkers on both sides of the green.

Hole 16 is sometimes mentioned as a drivable par 4. The sharp dogleg left is littered with bunkers left of the fairway starting from the 100 yard mark all the way to the green. Downhill, a sweeping hook might bounce onto the green.


The 17th hole is a long par 4 which again plays as a dogleg left. With no bunkers to aim at, it's a bit more challenging to pick your correct line although the extra elevation will help those who choose to be more aggressive.


Once at the green, take a good look at the sea as you'll play away from it on the home hole. A uphill par 5, the dogleg left might be reached if you challenge the fairway bunker on your tee shot. Otherwise avoid the bunker on the right on your layup and make sure you have enough club to reach the green.

Kauri Cliffs is a course that's worth visiting. While a bit expensive, and the tee shots coming in were a bit repetitious, the course offered a real challenge and great scenery. How often do you find yourself in New Zealand?