Spectacular is a word overused throughout this feature. Overused, but accurate. There isn’t a term which better describes playing golf at some of New Zealand’s finest – and globally ranked – layouts; what comes alongside the golf is even more of a representation of the adjective.
Regardless of how often you are lucky enough to pack your bags and get ready for a golf trip, there is always that excitement when getting the clubs clean, organising the polos and watching the flyovers online of the courses you and your mates will combat over the coming days.
Golf trips are fantastic regardless of how they look in the brochures.
Within the role this writer calls “work”, I have been lucky enough to experience my fair share of great golf to report back to this shiny journal. When Golf Australia magazine received the invite for a seat on Luxury Adventures’ Ultra-Luxe tour of New Zealand’s North Island, the entire office was salivating at the itinerary which Steve, Dee and the team from Luxury Adventures had provided.
It was, again ... spectacular.
Putting the golf to one side for a second – because the golf courses coming up do the talking for themselves. – the itinerary’s attention to detail, depth and care was second to none. There were no holes in the program; it was a perfect balance of organisation and the freedom to enjoy your own time.
Get me on the plane.
I was greeted by Steve and Dee at Christchurch Airport and the trip began with a flight to Auckland. Joining us on our travels was the team from Local Films, based the Sunshine Coast, and Luke Brown, star of the upcoming documentary Going Pro.
Te Arai Links has made headlines globally over the past couple of years. The 36-hole complex is a sister destination to the ultra-exclusive Tara Iti, a tick over an hour north of Auckland Central.
The Tom Doak-designed North Course and Coore and Crenshaw-designed South are the talk of the town in the area, and why wouldn’t they be? It is the who’s who of golf architecture on one property.
You feel the suspense when you drive into Te Arai. Towering pines line the road into the North – the only one we played this time. To say you are well looked after would be an understatement. The service is, as expected, first-class.
This writer’s advice would be to get there early, as our itinerary ensured we did, because you need the time to soak in all this bucket list destination has to offer. Enjoy a bite to eat, a coffee or something a touch stronger at Ric’s Restaurant, overlooking the massive practice green, which is dramatic and undulating. The green boasts its own 18-hole circuit, which gives you a great taste of what you might expect on the North Course. Or if you are a range rat, you can bang balls until your heart’s content.
You jump in a shuttle and are whisked away to whatever course has your name on the tee sheet.
First impressions when you step foot on the first tee at the North are a combination of things. As far as the eye can see along the right is one of the most incredible beaches you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Playing the North is an experience painted by the Pacific wind and shoreline. You will find yourself playing on shifting dunes. Doak’s minimalist approach is evident until you get to the putting surfaces, which are wavy and breathtaking; the perfect fit for a creative mind around the greens. Using the contours to access flags is a significant part of the North.
We felt like we had the course to ourselves; our own little slice of paradise. The most pristine and tight fairways I have ever seen were borderline impossible to differentiate from the greens.
I struggle to remember having more fun on a golf course than at Te Arai North; every shot was different from the last, with the whole experience entertaining for all abilities.
Staying on the course is always a neat experience. The suites organised by Luxury Adventures were the definition of luxury.
With plenty of options outside of the golf, the Ultra-Luxe package can be specifically tailored as an itinerary catered for couples; this would be a tremendous spot to take the wife, husband, or partner. The suites are scattered all over the property. Ours overlooked the range, where you could see the sunrise from behind the Pacific in the morning; a lovely touch and genuine first-class living. There will be some raving food reviews throughout this report (written by someone massively underqualified as a food critic, especially regarding fine dining).
The Ocean restaurant is beside the 18th on the South Course, just a lob wedge from the rolling waves of the Pacific.
The interiors blend native timbers, soft lighting and dunes-inspired textures. The menu leans into the brilliance of local and seasonal seafood, meat and produce: tender paua ravioli, snapper crudo and delicate kumara puree spring to mind. Each dish arrives plated with care and class, but the view and the quiet seaside hush make you feel as if you have been whisked away to another universe. Dinner feels like part of the landscape – beautiful and unforgettable.
After enjoying breakfast at Ric’s, it was time to get on the road to Kauri Cliffs in the Far North. For Ultra-Luxe travellers, a charter flight is typically on the cards; for us, it was a scenic drive through New Zealand’s rural North.
The drive is a relatively long commute by car, but it gives you a fantastic chance to soak in an authentic taste of New Zealand. I would recommend stopping in at one of the local bakeries along the way (if you don’t opt for the charter flight) to enjoy some rural New Zealand’s premier pastries.
Cruising into Kauri Cliffs reminds me of driving into an old farm. The gravel road which stretches for kilometres is surrounded by paddocks on both sides. I will be honest, I thought we had taken the wrong turn.
Arriving at the main building at Kauri Cliffs after a bumpy trek is like finding the pot of gold at the rainbow’s end. It is simply breathtaking.
For a golf sicko which this reporter clearly is, the replica of Michael Campbell’s 2005 U.S Open trophy stationed in the pro shop is a nice touch and enough to combat a bit of thick rough like Cambo did at Pinehurst en route to taming Tiger Woods.
Out of all the golf courses which this phenomenal Ultra-luxe journey took me on, the views at Kauri were the most incredible, especially on the eastern side of the property. The golf starts slow, meaning you are still able to soak in the panoramic views of the Pacific glistening in the distance.
The course is phenomenal and one of our tougher accuracy tests on the tour. The closing holes, notably 15, 16 and 17, are fantastic golf holes that give you plenty to think about. The short par-4 16th measures 319 metres off the regular men’s tees with a fairway that sweeps right to left. The hole weaves downhill, so it plays slightly shorter than your yardage book tells. The astounding natural backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, Cavalli Islands and the
unique offshore rock stacks and reefs is one of the more picturesque canvases for a golf hole. Longer hitters can try to bite off some extra meat and attack the green. Don’t miss left ... Bunkers line the entire left side of the fairway and green. Miss further left and you’ll find a watery grave some 100 metres below the cliffs.
Both Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers fall under the Rosewood banner.
Since 2023, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts has taken the reins at Robertson Lodges. Iconic coastal estates, originally crafted by the Robertson family in 2001, pair world-class golf with sprawling farmland, conservation-minded luxury and that unmistakable New Zealand sense of place.
The golf was a fantastic and deeply unique experience, supported by the visual extravaganza which Kauri’s rolling terrain and panoramic vistas offer. But the luxury goes to another level once you’ve shaken hands on the 18th green and returned to your suite to prepare for a fireplace, five-star, four-course dinner underneath the northern stars.
The suites are immaculate, with polished native woods, homely bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the escarpment and Pacific beyond. Private terraces can be enjoyed with a coffee or evening nip of whiskey.
Beneath a velvet sky, your fire glows with quiet brilliance. The pork belly comes crisp-skinned and tender, rich but balanced with pickled stone fruit. Local seafood follows, perfectly poached, the ocean still clinging
to it, before a lamb rack so well cooked it barely needs a knife. Each course is opulent, seasonal and as Kiwi as it comes.
The Ultra-Luxe package offers a rich mix of experiences beyond the golf: unwind at the luxury spa tucked into native bushland, explore private beaches like Pink Beach, or the itinerary can be tailored to include guided estate tours through rolling farmland and forest, nature walks, fishing and horse trekking. Or, while in the area, check out the world-famous Bay of Islands on a chartered Super Yacht. The outdoors comes to life in the North, while curated cultural encounters and wine tastings can round out the stay. Whether you’re chasing serenity, scenery, or something uniquely Kiwi, you’ll find it at Kauri, that’s for sure.
A private charter to Kauri Cliff’s big brother in the Hawke’s Bay, Cape Kidnappers, is next on the menu. If you’re a keen reader of this publication, you’ll have read the ins and outs of Tom Doak’s masterpiece, which is golf at the edge of the Earth.
Kidnappers takes your breath away the moment you arrive. The drive in, along a winding gravel road through native bush, is an authentic taste of New Zealand, and if you’re lucky enough to time it with sunset, you might even spot a Kiwi. The property is home to thousands. In 2001, the late Julian Robertson commissioned Doak to design a world-class layout along the dramatic Hawke’s Bay cliffs. Doak, known for working with the land rather than against it, delivered a visually spectacular and revered course.
The golf is sensational, and you can see why it is so critically acclaimed.
The bunkering is a classic feature. As The Kiwi Caddy wrote in his online review:
“The trademark Doak bunkering is fantastic, both visually and strategically; the varieties in size and shape seem to have a gravitational pull much greater than their stature. The greens are as good as anywhere you will find – running fast, firm and pure; the diversity in complexes makes many approaches a guessing game the first time around, and shots around the green become far more interesting.”
Doak believes it is one of a kind.
“It is so much higher on the cliffs than any other course. It just gives you a different perspective on how big the world is. In the end, I’ve had the privilege to build several links courses, but there is only one Cape Kidnappers,” Doak told Golf Australia magazine.
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