Cape Kidnappers Tee Times and Booking
Cape Kidnappers is one of the most spectacular golf courses on earth, a Tom Doak masterpiece running out along clifftop ridges that fall hundreds of feet to Hawke's Bay. The good news is that you do not have to stay at the lodge to play it. Here is how booking works, what it costs through the seasons, the access that staying brings, and the steps to lock in a round on the headland.
Photo: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course via Google.
The short answer
Cape Kidnappers is the resort course attached to the lodge in Hawke's Bay, and it takes both staying guests and outside golfers by advance reservation through the reservations team. You do not need to be a guest to play, but tee times are limited, the setting is remote, and demand for the prime summer windows is real, so the single best move is to book as soon as your dates are firm. Staying at the lodge brings a discount of around ten percent on the green fee and the smoothest access, and turns the round into a full clifftop escape.
The course was designed by Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf team and opened in 2004, a par 71 of about 7,119 yards routed along long finger ridges that run out toward the sea between deep ravines. Green fees are seasonal, highest in the New Zealand summer and lower through the cooler months, with caddies and buggies extra. It sits near Te Awanga, a short drive from Napier and its airport, with a long private farm road for the final climb to the clifftops. Everything below was checked in June 2026 and is indicative, so always confirm the current fees, access and any course works directly before you travel.
How to book Cape Kidnappers, at a glance
One channel handles it all, the lodge reservations team, whether you stay or play as a visitor. Here is the picture before you enquire.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where to book | The lodge reservations team by phone or email; advance reservation for both staying guests and visiting golfers |
| Public access | Open to outside play by prior arrangement; you do not need to stay to play |
| Green fee | Seasonal and indicative, highest in summer and lower in the cooler months; caddies and buggies extra |
| Guest discount | Lodge guests receive around ten percent off the applicable green fee |
| Course works | Reduced rates may apply during scheduled greens maintenance in late winter into spring |
| Getting there | Near Te Awanga in Hawke's Bay, a short drive from Napier; allow time for the long private farm road |
Booking details and fees verified June 2026 from Robertson Lodges information and recognized golf travel sources, and are indicative. Seasonal rates, visitor status and any course works change, so always confirm directly before booking. Check Cape Kidnappers tee time availability.
When to book through the year
| Season | Demand and fee | How early to book |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (Dec to Feb) | Highest demand and highest green fee, the prime window | Several months ahead |
| Autumn and spring | Lower fees, often settled clear days | A couple of months ahead |
| Winter (Jun to Aug) | Lowest fee, quieter, cooler and wetter | Shorter notice often workable |
Booking a round, step by step
Decide whether to stay or play as a visitor
Staying at the lodge brings the green fee discount, the easiest tee times and an unforgettable base on the clifftops. Playing as a visitor is entirely possible and a fine option if you are touring the North Island. Either way you book through the same reservations team, so decide your plan first.
Enquire early through reservations
Contact the lodge reservations team by phone or email with your preferred dates, group size and any extras such as a caddie or buggy. Times are limited and the place is remote, so book several months ahead for a summer round and stay flexible on the exact time.
Confirm the season and the fee
Green fees move with the seasons, so confirm the rate for your dates and ask about any scheduled greens works in late winter and spring, when reduced rates can apply during recovery. Budget for caddies and buggies on top of the green fee.
Plan the journey and the day
Allow time for the drive from Napier and the long climb up the private farm road, and arrive early to take in the setting and warm up. A caddie earns the fee on a course where the lines and the wind off the bay matter more than raw length.
Pair it with the rest of New Zealand
Most visiting golfers fold Cape Kidnappers into a wider tour with its sister course in the north and the great courses of the South Island. We can route the whole trip, secure the tee times and book the lodging as one package.
On the day, and building a trip
This is a course to savour, not to race. The routing runs out along narrow ridges with sheer drops on either side, and the closing stretch toward the cliff edge, the long par 5 fifteenth above all, is among the most dramatic in the game. Play a sensible set of tees, take a caddie for the lines and the wind, and give yourself time to look up, because the views over Hawke's Bay are the point as much as the score. For how the course itself plays and the full scorecard, see the Cape Kidnappers course profile.
New Zealand pairs clifftop spectacle with classic links and alpine golf, so Cape Kidnappers slots naturally into a wider trip. Pair it with the sister clifftop course at Kauri Cliffs in the north and the lakeside Kinloch, and read our roundup of the best golf courses in New Zealand for the full picture. For the plan, see our New Zealand golf hub and let a tailored New Zealand golf holiday handle the tee sheet, the caddies and the logistics for you.
Plan a New Zealand golf trip
We help secure the Cape Kidnappers round, pair it with the great courses of both islands and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and a concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Cape Kidnappers questions
Can the public play Cape Kidnappers?
Yes. Cape Kidnappers is the resort course at the lodge in Hawke's Bay and it welcomes outside golfers as well as staying guests, by advance reservation through the reservations team. Tee times are limited and the course is remote, so book well ahead. Staying at the lodge brings a discount on the green fee and the easiest access, but you do not need to be a guest to play.
How much does it cost to play Cape Kidnappers in 2026?
Green fees are seasonal, indicatively highest in the New Zealand summer and lower through autumn, winter and spring, with caddies and buggies extra. Lodge guests receive a discount of around 10 percent off the applicable green fee. Figures are indicative for 2026, change by season and visitor status, so always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Cape Kidnappers and what is the par?
Cape Kidnappers was designed by Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf team and opened in 2004, routed along dramatic clifftop ridges high above Hawke's Bay. It is a par 71 measuring about 7,119 yards from the back tees, regularly rated among the finest courses in New Zealand and the world.
How do you get to Cape Kidnappers?
Cape Kidnappers sits on a remote headland near Te Awanga in Hawke's Bay on the North Island, a short drive from the city of Napier and its airport. The final approach climbs a long private farm road up to the clifftops, so allow time, and many golfers combine the round with a stay at the lodge.
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Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and access verified June 2026 from Robertson Lodges information and recognized golf travel sources; green fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.