Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

12th green

I'll start our 'best courses for tales at the 19th - you'll never have to buy another drink' list with what many golfers believe is New Zealand's top golf course.
Cape Kidnappers, (www.capekidnappers.com) in the Hawke's Bay, is currently ranked #33 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses in the World.
The combination of the unique setting and Tom Doak's design make a round of golf unforgettable.
Cape Kidnappers is 500 feet above the water and the elevation gives you views of Hawke's Bay from every hole. Combine that with ravines you have to hit over and you’ve got a dramatic setting for a golf course.

We played Cape Kidnappers four months ago, at the end of January. As there are a heck of a lot of great golf courses in New Zealand which only charge $35 for green fees, it had to be a special occasion to fork out $249 for a round of golf. 

We had a bit of a windfall and decided to spend some of it on what would probably be our one and only round at Cape Kidnappers. Teeing off just after 8.00, we had perfect weather and conditions. 

Even though I knew the course was owned by American billionaire, Julian Robertson, I found it a little ... strange ... that everyone we dealt with was American, from the person who buzzed us through the electronic gate to the entire staff at the clubhouse. 

Having said that, I'd give all the Cape Kidnappers' staff 10/10 for their welcome and helpfulness. We were obviously just one-off-visit kiwis, when their main market is an international clientele - golfers who have played the top courses in the world. Golfers who probably don't play many $35 green fee courses.

13th tee

The course has been set up to suit both walking and carting golfers so we chose to walk. There are no huge distances between greens and tees and the hills are reasonably gentle so it wasn't tiring. Okay, we have electric trundlers (which means I no longer struggle up Titahi's eighth hole, my benchmark for breathlessness), but I'd be happy to play Cape Kidnappers with a non-electric trundler.

I've played a lot of courses in New Zealand and Cape Kidnappers is definitely the best manicured one I've come across. I had to fight the impulse to fix what looked like pitchmarks, because they were on the fairways, not the greens.

The greens were fast, but not scary fast. Very challenging because of the undulations and size (most 30m or more). I had some awfully long putts because I was at the front of the green and the pin was at the back.
As long as the golfer matches their game to the appropriate tee (there are five sets), they will enjoy the course's challenges. The front tees (yellow) have you teeing off past most of the trouble, so will suit the long handicappers and those who hate losing golf balls.
We played off the red tees, which are the second set and probably suitable for those who are under a 19 handicap. If you top your tee shots, stick with the yellows (or take a couple of dozen extra balls in your bag).
One of the things I loved about the course was that you seldom saw another golfer, especially on the back nine. The ones we saw were either well in the distance or searching in the long rough ... generally both.

16th tee

The fairways are a very generous width.
After the first couple of holes, I came to the conclusion that 'if I have an average round, each shot will have cost me about $2.90' was not a good swing thought.
I played badly, but thought the course deserved all the accolades it receives.
The only thing I'd fault it on was lunch, which was very expensive. We had two sandwiches and two beers (both of which were nice) for $51.
High season green fees for NZ residents are $215, low season $170, GST exclusive. Non residents pay $285 and $385, GST exclusive respectively.
I suspect we may be going back again, because we're both sure we could score much better. Funny how I always think that, after I've played a course the first time. Funny how it so seldom proves true.