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From our Directory of the most recommended golf courses
Cape Kidnappers
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Cape Kidnappers is located in the southeast area of the North Island in the Hawke's Bay region. You're best to fly into the Napier Airport from either Auckland or Wellington, and plop down for a few days and stay at the Farm! A fantastic experience and setting. The entire development is on 6,000 acres overlooking Hawke's Bay, and in addition to the golf, spa, and lodging is a sheep ranch and wildlife preserve. The course was designed by Tom Doak, one of the more notable architect these days with Barbougle Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Apache Stronghold courses to his credit. The course is a par 71, measuring 7,119 yards (6,510 meters). It's routed along oceanside cliffs, rugged hills, and deep ravines, but is wide and forgiving off the tee, with some very striking forced carries. The course was built on fingers of land, 400 feet off Hawkes Bay and with views over the Pacific, connected together by bridges, a very unique and stunning layout. Spectacular elevation change, there's not a weak or nominal hole on the course, with our favorites being the stretch from 11 through 16 along the cliffs. The course had maybe 6 groups on the day we played in July, and was a great two days here, with the golf and the wineries in the area.
Posted by: ArtieM
Sep 25th, 2010
Cape Kidnappers is easily the most scenic, and challenging golf course I've ever played. It was apparently named after the Maori tried to kidnap the Tahitian servant of one of Captain James Cook's in the 1700s, all I know is that the course kidnapped our foursome. The course is routed along narrow ridges, or fingers of land out into the sea, incredible views, and and extreme challenge with the constant wind. It's a sort of cliff top links style course over rolling hills and ravines, and never lets up. The back nine is where the action happens over 200 metre cliffs and ravines, and one shot in particular it takes the ball 8 seconds to land. It's a course for moderate to good players due to the forced carries. It's was open enough off the tee, but once off the fairways, tall fescue type grasses swallow the balls. It was a picture-perfect the day we play, with hardly anyone else on the course. We stayed at The Farm, at the highest point of the property, upscale but not stuffy. Enjoyable, don't miss! .
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