How to Play Cape Kidnappers
Tom Doak's clifftop masterpiece on a Hawke's Bay sheep station is one of the most spectacular rounds on earth, and the good news is that anyone can play it. Here is what it costs, when to go, how access works, and the simple steps to lock a tee time on the fingers of land 500 feet above the Pacific.
Photo: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course via Google.
The short answer
Cape Kidnappers is a public access resort course, not a private club, so you do not need a member to get on. You do need to book ahead, because tee times are limited and staying guests at the on site lodge get priority. The indicative green fee runs from about NZ$230 in the quiet months to around NZ$649 in the summer peak, with lodge guests taking roughly a 10 percent discount. Add a caddie or a cart and you have one of the great bucket list rounds, walkable and open all year.
The course was designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2004, funded by the American investor Julian Robertson, who also built Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands. It is a par 71 of about 7,147 yards laid out on a working sheep and cattle station, the back nine running out along narrow ridges that fall away in 500 foot cliffs to Hawke's Bay. It sits a short drive from Napier in New Zealand's premier wine region, which makes it easy to build into a wider North Island trip.
Cape Kidnappers fees and access, 2026
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public access resort course, open to visitors year round; lodge guests get priority tee times |
| Green fee | Indicative from about NZ$230 low season to around NZ$649 peak season (2026), roughly 10% off for lodge guests |
| Caddie and cart | Walking is encouraged; trundlers, golf carts and caddies or forecaddies are available for an extra fee |
| Course | Tom Doak design, opened 2004, par 71, about 7,147 yards, clifftop on a 6,000 acre station |
| Best months | November to April for the warm, settled southern hemisphere season; quieter and cheaper in the shoulders |
| Getting there | About 20km from Napier in Hawke's Bay; a long private ranch road leads up to the clubhouse |
Designer, par, yardage and indicative fees verified June 2026 from Robertson Lodges and recognized golf travel sources. Green fees are indicative, change by season and year, and a lodge stay earns priority and a discount. Always confirm directly before booking. Prefer it arranged for you? Use our tee time enquiry to have a concierge secure the round.
How to book Cape Kidnappers, step by step
Decide whether you stay on site
The surest route to a prime tee time is to stay at Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, the lodge on the property, which secures priority access and a green fee discount. Day visitors are welcome too, but their times are released around the lodge bookings, so flexibility helps.
Book early, especially for summer
The November to March peak fills first. Aim to reserve your tee time several months ahead for summer, or take advantage of the quieter, cheaper shoulder months of April, May, September and October when availability and rates are kinder.
Confirm the fee, caddie and transport
Check the current seasonal green fee and add a caddie or forecaddie if you want the local knowledge, which is genuinely useful on the clifftop holes. Decide whether you will walk, take a trundler or use a cart; the walk is strenuous but the way to feel the course.
Plan the journey and the day
Allow time for the long private road up from the coast and arrive early to use the practice facilities, included with the green fee. Build in the Hawke's Bay wineries and the art deco town of Napier around your round to make a full day or two of it.
Pair it into a North Island trip
Most international golfers combine Cape Kidnappers with Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands and a round or two near Auckland. We can route the whole trip, secure the tee times and book the lodges as one package.
What to expect on the course
The round opens gently across rolling inland pasture, lulling you before the drama begins. From around the sixth the holes start to climb and reach toward the cliff edges, and the famous stretch on the back nine runs out along narrow fingers of land with the ground falling away hundreds of feet to the sea on both sides. The par 5 fifteenth, nicknamed Pirate's Plank, plays straight out toward the ocean with nothing but air to the right.
It is a big, walkable course that rewards bold, well judged shots and punishes the timid bail out. The wind off Hawke's Bay is the defining factor, so club selection and trusting your line matter more than raw length. Take a caddie if you can, play it in calm morning light if the booking allows, and give yourself time afterward to take in one of golf's truly great settings.
For the full design breakdown and signature holes, see our wider planning in the New Zealand golf hub and the best courses in New Zealand ranking.
Plan a New Zealand golf trip
We secure the Cape Kidnappers tee time, pair it with Kauri Cliffs and the best of the North Island and book the lodges 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 anyone play Cape Kidnappers?
Yes. Cape Kidnappers is a public access resort course open to visitors year round, not a private members club. Tee times are limited and lodge guests get priority and a discount, so book well ahead, especially in the November to March peak.
How much does it cost to play Cape Kidnappers in 2026?
The indicative green fee runs from about NZ$230 in the low season to around NZ$649 in peak season, with staying guests of the lodge receiving roughly a 10 percent discount. Caddies and carts are extra. Figures are indicative for 2026 and change by season; always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Cape Kidnappers and what is the par?
Cape Kidnappers was designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2004, funded by American investor Julian Robertson. It is a par 71 of about 7,147 yards on a clifftop sheep and cattle station above Hawke's Bay, consistently ranked among the world's top 50 courses.
Where is Cape Kidnappers and how do you get there?
It sits about 20 kilometers from Napier in the Hawke's Bay wine region on New Zealand's North Island. Most golfers fly into Napier or drive from elsewhere on the North Island, then take the long private ranch road up to the clubhouse.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, par, yardage and access verified June 2026 from Robertson Lodges and recognized golf travel sources; green fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.