Cape Kidnappers

Well this was without doubt one of the most highly anticipated games of golf of my life. Im sure I stumbled across those famous aerial shots a few years ago and thought that once in my life ( at least once) I would get there. As it happened it was a glorious early summer day and the 2 hour drive from taupo was beautiful in itself. Once reaching the gates it takes another 10 minutes driving through some hilly farmland and avoiding sheep before you arrive at the ranch style clubhouse.

From the outset you can see its a different style to Kauri cliffs, very classy but more rustic in design both of the club and the course, and without the jaw-droppingviews that greet you at Kauri. A bit minimalist in terms of visitors that day too..

The low key clubhouse above with the token wheelbarrow of golf balls to greet you at the driving range below.

 The first is a great opener with a fairly generous landing area followed by a mid iron second over  a small valley to a green well protected with bunkers to the left and with slopes off the front and back.

The first 4 holes all play inland and it certainly was surprising to play without the views that you expect. Each of them was strong in its own right without being spectacular. The 5th for me was a great mid length par 4 with a central fairway bunker and a challenging second to a green that gives the first view of the water 400 feet below.


This is followed by the mammoth 230 yard par 3 playing over a huge gorge and was the first real awe inspiring moment of the round, until I dumped the ball into the bushes.. Below the 6th green. Unfortunately the greens were still recovering from a core done 3 weeks prior.

The 7th, below is another very good par 4 that depending on length and bounce could see you only 80 yards from the front. The approach down the hill to the raised green makes it look like a very narrow target, though the green is actually pretty huge.

The 8th plays  180 yards over a gully to a heavily contoured green. Named 'backstop' probably due to the large ridge sitting in the middle of the green that in normal conditions would allow many a shot to filter down towards the hole in a mini punchbowl style. 8th green below.

The first standout hole for me on the back 9 was the aptly named 'infinity' 12. A bunkerless 450 yards par 4 that certainly doesn't need any further distractions. On this glorious day, looking to the green that seemed to hover like a mirage over the water below was a bit of an almighty experience for me.. That was what I was expecting!

The very next 13th is a great little par 3 perched on the edge of the cliff with a bunker on the left of the green that isn't for those with a fear of heights.

14 is a sensational cape style hole with its green modelled on the 17th at St. Andrews though maybe not exactly now after  Mr Hawtree's work on the original.

The next is possibly the most controversial of all the holes at Cape Kidnappers ' Pirates plank' plays 650 yards dead straight with no bunkers but with some huge drop offs on either side of the fairway. Is it just a way of getting to the spectacular 16th tee, possibly... Though I was hugely intimidated by the sheer look of it and I wonder if thats what they were looking for.

The 18th provides an interesting finish with its punchbowl green that gathers anything vaguely close to the green down closer to the hole and is an entertaining finish to a very interesting and spectacular course..

So overall its a very different course to what you see from the pictures. Its a great experience but did leave me thinking 'did I overhype it', or maybe its because i just came down from Kauri cliffs and expected a similar sort of track. I daresay I would love a second chance to work it out.