Cape Kidnappers Hole-by-Hole
In the last post from New Zealand Alison and I explored the wonderful Art Deco city of Napier including visiting some of the Hawkes Bay wineries. In this post we’ll play Cape Kidnappers, one of the top golf courses not only in New Zealand, but in the world. It’s a beautiful morning and we’ve got an early tee time so please join us for a hole-by-hole description of this great course.
History of Cape Kidnappers Golf Club
Let’s start with the name – Cape Kidnappers. You won’t be surprised that once again it was Captain James Cook who gave it its English name, this time after an unfortunate misunderstanding that took place here on October 15, 1769. Cook was moored offshore near the tip of what is an 8 km. (5 mile) peninsula that makes up the south boundary of Hawkes Bay. He had on board a 12 year old Tahitian boy who was the nephew of Tupaia who in turn was Cook’s interpreter and guide. The boat was approached by a number of Maori who mistakenly thought the boy was a Maori and was being kidnapped by Cook so they attempted to seize him. From the other perspective, Cook’s crew thought the boy was being kidnapped by the Maori and several of the would be abductors were killed and the boy secured. So, from both points of view Cape Kidnappers is an appropriate name.
The peninsula is known for its high white chalk cliffs that rise hundreds of feet above Hawkes Bay in places and provide for spectacular views from both above and below. At the very tip of Cape Kidnappers is the largest mainland gannet colony in the world.
Most of the peninsula has been used for cattle and sheep farming over the past century and in the early 2000’s American hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson started buying land here, eventually amassing a 6,000 acre parcel of which a golf course would occupy but a tiny fraction. Robertson had already developed the Kauri Cliffs golf course on New Zealand’s Northland Peninsula some 160 kms. (100 miles) north of Auckland. Alison and I were fortunate enough to play it at the start of our New Zealand tour and I can say it was one of my top 10 golfing experiences anywhere in the world.
Mr. Robertson wanted to create Cape Kidnappers as a sister course to Kauri Cliffs. For this project he enlisted the services of American golf architect Tom Doak, who, depending on which source you accept has anywhere between six and ten of his designs in the Top 100 in the world. That’s more than the arguably much better known Pete Dye with whom Doak apprenticed. Doak is particularly adept at seaside courses such as Pacific Dunes, part of the Bandon Dunes complex in Oregon, Barndougle Dunes in Tasmania and the Tara Iti course in New Zealand, rated #7 in the world.
Unlike Pete Dye, Doak is a minimalist in terms of course design, letting the setting design the holes rather than creating the setting from scratch.
The course opened in 2004 and was immediately deemed a masterpiece. I remember seeing pictures of it back then and hoping that one day I would get to play it. Well that day has finally come.
This is the entrance to Cape Kidnappers which you could easily miss.
From here it is quite a journey along a narrow road which winds through small canyons and up and over several ridges before you reach the parking lot. Cape Kidnappers is a Rosewood luxury resort, but as with Kauri Cliffs, the accommodations are almost hidden from view and don’t in any way interfere with the purity of the golf experience.
The clubhouse is the epitome of modesty for such a prestigious course, resembling an old farm building such as you might find on any New Zealand sheep station.
As you would expect the practice facilities are excellent and include this pitching area with deep bunkers to practice your sand play. Hopefully I’ll be able to avoid most of them.
It’s such a beautiful and calm morning that we are both anxious to get to the first tee so we cut our practice putting short and head straight for #1.
The course plays 0ver 7,000 yards from the tips, but I’m sticking with the senior tees which at 5,833 yards is plenty for someone my age.
Cape Kidnappers #1 – First – 370 Yard Par Four
While Cape Kidnappers is most famous for its cliffside holes which are on the back nine, the front nine features a lot more elevation change and more than holds its own with the back.
The first hole is a somewhat blind tee shot, but you can sense that the ground falls away steeply just over that ridge. The fairway is generous enough the drive should not be an issue.
While some big hitters might end up in the valley and have a blind pitch up to the green, most golfers will end up with something like this for the second shot. Obviously you do not want to be left so playing to the right side of the green is the play and even if you are too far right it’s not a difficult pitch or chip towards the pin.
From the approach position the green didn’t look that big, but up close, it’s huge and immaculate. There is still a bit of dew on the ground which will make the green slower than it will be later in the day. Getting down in two for par would be nice, but I’m happy with a bogey.
#2 Sheds – 468 Yard Par Five
You seldom see a par five play as the easiest on the course, but #2 at Cape Kidnappers is rated the #18 handicap hole. Certainly the distance is reasonable and drive is not overly challenging.
After you drive you get to see why the hole is called ‘sheds’. This is about the only manmade distraction you will see on the entire course. There is considerably more trouble lurking on this second shot than on the drive. This shot needs to be straight and carry to the plateau in front of the green.
I’m not as far left as I would have preferred, but as long as you get the yardage right and the proper wedge, this is not as hard a shot as it looks. However, screw it up by going over the back or landing in that front bunker and you could be looking at a big number on this supposedly ‘easy’ hole. On the other hand, nail the approach and you might have your first birdie.
Cape Kidnappers #3 -Wee Three – 125 Yard Par Three
The par threes at Cape Kidnappers from the senior tees are all quite manageable distance wise, with the longest at 165 yards. Wee Three requires a well struck short iron to a slightly elevated green. Don’t take too much club as there are three deep bunkers behind the green. That is a bit of a sucker pin placement today, but as with #2, a bold shot might yield a birdie putt. For the more timid, playing to the fat of the green should still result in a fairly easy par.
#4 – The Rise – 460 Yard Par Five
My first thought on approaching the tee box on the par five fourth was “Yikes”. However, the carry is not as bad as it looks and as long as you don’t lose your nerve and finish your swing you should be okay.
As it turns out, it’s really the second shot on this hole that you need to worry about. The fairway narrows considerably and a miss to the right will be disastrous. It’s not a long par five so taking a club you can control makes more sense than just whacking a three wood.
Staying out of trouble by playing it safe leaves this uphill approach to a green that has no real trouble behind it – just make sure to take the front bunker out play and par or better should be on the menu.
#5 Cape Kidnappers – The Split – 365 Yard Par Four
Things have been pretty manageable the first four holes, but that is about to change over the next three holes starting with this medium length par four that plays longer than the stated yardage. The carry once again is not the problem off the tee, but rather two bunkers in the middle of the fairway that are about exactly where a good drive might land. You can just see them from the tee box. The easiest play is to go to the left of them, but that will leave a much tougher approach.
As I found out facing this for my second. The consolation is that you get your first look at Hawkes Bay, albeit from quite a distance. For me this shot was very daunting so I chickened out and laid up short of the right front bunker and chipped on for a two putt bogey. Next time around I would go down the right side off the tee.
#6 Gulley – 165 Yard Par Three
Although this photo does not show it, you are now almost at the edge of the cliffs. However, if you were playing from the back tees this is the view you would see.
Even without that this would be a world class par three. It requires more club than you would think and anything left is dead, so you want to take advantage of the curvature of the hole that will kick balls from right to left towards the green. However, the strategic bunkers on the right will punish anyone who strays too far right.
After teeing you cross over this bridge to get to the green where you are greeted with this first view of the cliffs that Cape Kidnappers is famous for.
The look back to the 6th tee reinforces why this is such a great hole. From this vantage point it looks damn near impossible.
Cape Kidnappers #7 – 14 Flags – 348 Yard Par Four
After being teased with your first ocean views Cape Kidnappers turns inland again on the most difficult hole on the front nine. This hole proves that you don’t need dramatic sea views to have a great looking hole – this is very picture of New Zealand pastoral.
The difficulty on this hole is this downhill approach shot to a crowned green that will try to kick you ball into one of the multiple traps or into the woods behind the green. Both of those results could ruin your entire round. The only sensible way to approach this shot for me was to aim to land just short of the green and have it roll up to the pin. There was just too much risk to chance trying to stick it.
This is a great par four, but one that could leave you in a daze.
#8 Backstop – 158 Yard Par Three
After three tough holes you get a bit of a reprieve at #8. The photo does not really show it, but this is uphill and all carry. However, as the name implies there is a back stop so taking an extra club is the smart play. This is a great example of Tom Doak’s approach to golf course architecture on par threes. Leave everything between tee to green in a natural state, throw in some bunkers, a large contoured green and you’ve got yourself a great hole. Exactly the opposite to #7 green, here when the pin is upfront (which it’s not today) balls landing on the front part of the green will naturally roll toward the pin, making this a birdie hole. Today with the pin at the back, I’m quite happy with par.
Cape Kidnappers #9 Dip – 358 Yard Par Four
The name of this hole comes not from yet another gulley that you must cross on your tee shot.
But on this much smaller one you need to traverse on your approach shot. It’s not as daunting as #7, but still requires a well struck second to get completely over the farthest trap.
This photo is a good illustration of just how immaculate the conditioning is at Cape Kidnappers.
#10 Seaward Ho – 370 Yard Par Four
Okay, we got just a taste of the cliffs at Cape Kidnappers on #6; now we are about to embark on a truly exceptional back nine as we head toward the coast on #10. This is one of the widest fairways on the course and allows one to grip it and rip it.
This approach has similarities to #6 as anything to the right of the green will feed to the left towards the green. A good starting hole on the back that pales with what’s to come.
Cape Kidnappers #11 Look Out – 133 Yard Par Three
This would be a murderous par three if played from the tips or even the whites, as you can see from this photo from my friends at the Golf Course Gurus. I will be relying on them a lot for photos from hereon in.
Thankfully the course takes mercy on old timers by moving the tee up to a manageable 133 yards.
This hole is much more uphill than it looks and requires at least one more club than you would think. It’s a massive green so three putts are very possible. All told, a very challenging par three.
#12 Infinity – 375 Yard Par Four
We now begin a stretch of holes that border on the phenomenal, even if it doesn’t look like it from the 12th tee. It’s verily impossible to get in trouble off the tee so you really need to amp up the driver here to get as much distance as possible for the approach shot.
The name of the hole becomes readily apparent as you crest the ridge and have this look for your second shot. The only other hole I can compare this to is #13 at Algonquin in St. Andrews, New Brunswick which also has an infinity backdrop. The photo does not do justice to the sense of awe you have looking at this scene. There are no traps here, but just don’t be long – your ball will be long gone.
I respected the fact that going long was not an option and ended up here for my third shot. The infinity look is even more palpable up close and the contrast of the green and blue is pure magic.
And this is the reward you get once you reach the 12th green!
Cape Kidnappers #13 Al’s Ace – 120 Yard Par Three
Al must have been pretty lucky because staying on this severely crowned green is next to impossible. Playing at only 130 yards from the tips, this hole is all about distance control and you might even consider chipping rather than coming in high with a short iron. The so-called easiest hole on the back is anything but.
#14 Pimple – 288 Yard Par Four
Every great course needs a driveable par four and this is Cape Kidnappers. Now I’m not kidding myself that I can drive 288 yards, but there are a few seniors that still could, I’m just not one of them. So forget about the eagle and think about the birdie by staying way left off the tee. The carry to the fairway here is more daunting than it looks in this photo.
That sensible play off the tee leaves this nice wedge shot in and birdie is very much in play.
Cape Kidnappers #15 Pirate’s Plank – 512 Yard Par Five
You are now approaching two holes that can only really be appreciated by seeing them from above. I didn’t bring my drone, but the Golf Course Gurus did. If you have acrophobia don’t even think of looking over the side of this hole.
This is the view from the senior’s tee which is much more benign looking.
This is the longest hole at Cape Kidnappers which plays a ridiculous 650 yards from the tips. Even the yardage book admits that it is a four shot hole. Thank God they knocked off almost 140 yards to leave this view from the senior’s tee box.
This is likely where you’ll be after a decent drive. Right now its just a shortish par four.
A really decent wood should get you to something like this for your approach which is longer than it looks. Common sense says to stay right because you don’t want to go anywhere near the cliff edge. This is a really thrilling hole in more ways than one. If you are like me, you can’t resist looking over the side and getting that jolt of adrenalin that comes from staring down from a cliff top.
#16 Widow’s Walk – 480 Yard Par Five
The second of the back nine par fives turns its back on Hawkes Bay and heads back inland on the finger peninsula that really has to be seen from above to be appreciated. While falling into the ocean is no longer an option, there are still steep drops offs into gullies on both sides of the fairway.
This is actually a very manageable par five and as long as you stay on the fairway with the driver and second shot should yield something like this for the approach.
I forgot to mention that Alison and I are walking Cape Kidnappers and by now the fatigue is setting in a bit, but it has been such a high playing this course that this is no great concern.
Cape Kidnappers #17 Gannet’s Perch – 366 Yard Par Four
The march toward the clubhouse continues on #17 as you make your way up this last peninsula on the course. This hole is a brute and plays much longer than the stated yardage. It is highly unlikely you’ll get there in two.
This is the more likely spot to be in after two shots. The green is the most heavily trapped on the course with six of them making a wayward shot to the left a disaster. Playing for a bogey on this hole is not chickening out.
#18 IPU – 372 Yard Par Four
The final hole at Cape Kidnappers is not as tough as #17 , but only marginally so. Looking at this aerial photo from the Golf Course Gurus you can see that while it’s not a true dogleg, the green is tucked severely to the right making the approach shot very difficult.
By the time you reach the 18th green and then return to the clubhouse you will be more than ready for a beer and something to eat. While the menu is not extensive, everything on it looked great. I had the smoked salmon bagel while Alison had the waygu beef burger which she declared to be about the best burger she had ever eaten. Which was only fitting because everything about Cape Kidnappers is simply world class and along with Kauri Cliffs worth travelling to New Zealand just to play them.