Cape Kidnappers Green Fees and Tee Times
What it costs to play one of the most spectacular clifftop courses on earth, a Tom Doak design high above Hawke Bay. Indicative 2026 green fees, lodge access and how to get on.
Photo: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course via Google.
What it costs to play Cape Kidnappers
Cape Kidnappers is a true bucket list round, and the green fee reflects it. As a guide, the visitor rate in 2026 is around NZ$850 per round, roughly 500 US dollars, with a cart or caddie on top. It is a lot, but for many travelers the Tom Doak design that runs out along finger ridges hundreds of feet above the Pacific is worth every cent, and it sits high on most lists of the best courses in the world.
The smartest way to play it is to stay at the on site lodge, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, where guests get priority access and preferential golf. Below is the current fee picture, how the booking and access works, and how we fold a round into a wider New Zealand golf trip. Always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
Cape Kidnappers at a glance
- Opened
- 2004
- Designer
- Tom Doak
- Type
- Clifftop links style
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,119 yds
- Green fee
- About NZ$850
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Cape Kidnappers and leading course databases. The course was designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2004, a par 71 of about 7,119 yards on the clifftops near Te Awanga in Hawke's Bay. The indicative visitor green fee is around NZ$850; always confirm rates and access directly before booking.
Green fees in 2026
| Rate | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor green fee | About NZ$850 per round | Roughly 500 US dollars, peak season |
| Lodge guest | Preferential rate | Priority access for guests of The Farm at Cape Kidnappers |
| Cart or caddie | Additional | Recommended on a long, hilly clifftop routing |
| Replay or twilight | On request | Limited availability; confirm with the course |
Indicative 2026 rates verified June 2026 from course and lodge sources. Pricing, residency discounts and lodge packages change with the season, so always confirm directly before booking. Check Cape Kidnappers tee time availability.
How to get a tee time
Cape Kidnappers limits the number of visitors each day to protect the experience, so a round is not a turn up and play affair. Tee times are arranged directly with the golf course or through the lodge, and guests of The Farm at Cape Kidnappers get priority, which makes a stay the most reliable way to lock in a round, particularly over the busy November to April window.
The course sits at the end of a long private farm road near Te Awanga, about a 30 minute drive from Napier and the wider Hawke's Bay wine country, one of New Zealand's great food and wine regions. Plan a buffer in case of wind, build in a night nearby, and bring layers, the clifftops are exposed and the weather can turn fast. If you want the round secured as part of a wider North Island or full New Zealand golf trip, our concierge can build it in.
The walking is demanding over the ridges, so a cart or a caddie is money well spent. For the hole by hole detail and our full verdict, see the Cape Kidnappers course profile, and weigh it against the rest of the country in the best courses in New Zealand.
Build a New Zealand golf trip
We can fold a round at Cape Kidnappers into a wider New Zealand golf trip, secure the lodge and pair it with the other great courses on your list. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Cape Kidnappers questions
How much does it cost to play Cape Kidnappers in 2026?
The indicative 2026 visitor green fee at Cape Kidnappers is around NZ$850 per round, roughly 500 US dollars, with a cart or caddie additional. Guests staying at the on site lodge, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, play on preferential terms. Rates change each season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Cape Kidnappers and what is the par?
Cape Kidnappers was designed by the American architect Tom Doak and opened in 2004. It plays as a par 71 of about 7,119 yards from the back tees, routed along dramatic clifftop ridges high above Hawke Bay on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island.
How do you book a tee time at Cape Kidnappers?
Tee times are booked directly with the golf course or through the on site lodge, and visitor numbers are limited each day. Lodge guests get priority, so a stay at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is the most reliable way to secure a round. Book well ahead, especially over the November to April peak.
Is Cape Kidnappers worth the green fee?
For many travelers it is a bucket list round. The Tom Doak design runs along finger ridges that fall hundreds of feet to the sea, giving some of the most spectacular clifftop golf anywhere, and it is consistently rated among the best courses in the world. It suits players who value scenery and design and want a genuine once in a lifetime experience.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.