Kauri Cliffs Golf Club

Course Date

Location	Northland, New Zealand
Yardage	7151yards　Par 72
Coursre Rating	74.8
Playing Date	May 3, 2011
Designer	David Harmon
Opned	2000
Caddie	Yes
Golf Cart	Yes (Can be driven on fairways)

Rating

Overall Rating

5.25

Course Layout	5
Difficulty Level	4
Greens Conditions	5
Fairways Conditions	5
Landscaping & Views	7

Kauri Cliffs is a seaside course featuring views of the Pacific Ocean on 15 of the holes.
6 holes are played alongside cliffs, which plunge into the sea. You can enjoy the panoramic views on every direction. It could offer the best views in golf anywhere in the world.　Asides from the 15 Pacific Ocean holes there are 3 beautiful island holes which thier way through marsh, forest and farmland.　These spectacular views can surely help to ease bad golf round.

A view from clubhouse

5th green & Pacific Ocean

A view from 7th tee

A view from 14th tee

A view from 15th tee

Postcard

Scorecard

4th　Par 5　558 yards　

4th　Par 5　558 yards (2)

4th　Par 5　558 yards (1)

A straight hole first followed by a sharp dogleg to the right 80 yards in front of the green. A carry of 240-250 drive is needed to clear 2 bunkers on the right. A long hitter can reach the green in 2. When laying up on the second shot, be aware of the narrow landing area and hazards on the right. The approach shot should be accurate as a big bunker on the right and a sharp drop-off behind the green.

4th　Par 5　558 yards (5)

4th　Par 5　558 yards (4)

4th　Par 5　558 yards (3)

5th　Par 3　200 yards

A demanding par 3. A right club selection to reach the green is important as 2 bunkers protect the front side of the green.

5th　Par 3　200 yards (3)

5th　Par 3　200 yards (2)

5th　Par 3　200 yards (1)

6th　Par 4　405 yards

A slight dogleg to the right. Be aware of a right to left tee shot over a valley as hazards on the right. The second shot is uphill and need 2 or 3 clubs longer than the marked distance. The green is deep and undulating.

6th　Par 4　405 yards (3)

6th　Par 4　405 yards (2)

6th　Par 4　405 yards (1)

7th　Par 3　220 yards

7th　Par 3　220 yards (2)

7th　Par 3　220 yards (1)

A long and uphill par 3 over a valley. The ocean can be seen on the right. It is picturesque but requires both distance and accuracy.

8th　Par 5　539 yards

An almost straight & uphill hole. A carry of 230 yard drive is needed to clear the right fairway bunker. The green is narrow and two-tiered. The right club selection is crucial on this demanding hole.

8th　Par 5　539 yards (3)

8th　Par 5　539 yards (2)

8th　Par 5　539 yards (1)

11th　Par 4　421 yards

11th　Par 4　421 yards (2)

11th　Par 4　421 yards (1)

A straight, demanding hole. The fairway off the tee slopes from right to left with hazards on the left, so you should aim your tee shot toward the right direction. The second shot is over a marsh on which you have to carry. The green is surrounded by bushes for three directions and is like a semi-island green. The green slopes severely from right to left.

13th　Par 4　427 yards

A slight dogleg to the left. The fairway slopes form right to left. You should drive onto the right side of the fairway, although it slopes from right to left, in order to provide the best angle into the green. The green is narrow and surrounded by 5 bunkers.

13th　Par 4　427 yards (3)

13th　Par 4　427 yards (2)

13th　Par 4　427 yards (1)

14th　Par 3　232 yard

14th　Par 3　232 yard (2)

14th　Par 3　232 yard (1)

A slightly downhill, pretty hole, with deep bunkers on the right and severe drop-offs left & long of the double-tiered green.

15th　Par 5　545 yards

A slightly downhill, dogleg to the left, good risk/reward par 5, reachable in 2, which sports a world-class view with the ocean on the left due to the cliff along the left. The tee shot is over the valley and its landing area is narrow. The green is double-tiered left & right and slopes from right to left.

15th　Par 5　545 yards (3)

15th　Par 5　545 yards (2)

15th　Par 5　545 yards (1)

17th　Par 4　472 yards

A sharp dogleg to the left, beautiful long par 4. The downhill tee shot is over a valley. The green is large & deep, and double-tiered with bunkers on both sides. The left side of the green has a sharp drop-off, so a too much right to left ball should be avoided.

17th green seen from the side

17th　Par 4　472 yards (2)

19th　hole

It is a 4-hour drive from Auckland. The distances are in meters, so I have converted them into yards. You can play freely from the longest tees.

The Lodge accommodation is superb. Every suite offers its own private porch, bedroom with sitting area and open fireplace, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom. The cottages are nestled in a native forest overlooking the golf course and the Pacific Ocean.

Sofa in the clubhouse

Lodge

Restaurant

Dinner

Dessert

The owner, Julian Robertson, is an American billionaire who managed Tiger Fund in 1990s and was as famous a hedge fund manager as George Soros. He got attracted by New Zealand and developed two great golf clubs with excellent accommodation, this Kauri Cliff and Cape Kidnappers GC. Both courses are selected in top 100 golf courses.

The designer, David Harmon, is a consultant for golf courses. He used to work at Arnold Palmer Design Inc. and had experience to have designed over 200 courses globally. It was ranked 2nd in the top 25 courses in New Zealand in 2010 by a panel of NZPGA Professionals and Golf Travel operators.

US Golf Magazine ranked 63rd of the top 100 courses in the world for 2007. Those others selected in Asia and Oceania were Royal Melbourne GC – West Course (15th, Australia), Kingstone Heath GC (26th, Australia), Barnbougle Dunes GC (35th, Australia), New South Wales GC (36th, Australia), Hirono GC (37th, Japan), Cape Kidnappers GC (41st, New Zealand), The Club at Nine Bridges (60th, Korea), Royal Adelaide GC (75th, Australia), Royal Melbourne GC – East Course (72nd), Tokyo GC (84th, Japan), Kawana HGC – Fuji Course (87th, Japan), and Naruo GC (94th, Japan).