Tom Doak expresses desire to build second course at Cape Kidnappers

Golf course architect Tom Doak has spoken about his desire to create a second course at the Cape Kidnappers resort on the southeast coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

“The very first time I went to Cape Kidnappers was the end of 2001, and I was late,” recalled Doak. “They picked me up in a helicopter and landed me on the point down below. At that time, Julian [Robertson, the developer] wanted to build his lodge down there and, in my opinion – then and now – that would have been a superb place to build a golf course. It was flat enough, to go with plenty of acreage. From the moment the helicopter touched down, I was like, ‘Why wouldn’t we build it down here in this valley?’

“It didn’t take long for Julian to make himself clear: The clifftops were his first choice and it’s hard to argue. His vision for golf on those cliffs was inspired. It’s a setting like no other. But I thought then – and I still think – a very good golf course could have gone down there in the valley.”

The architect’s comments came ahead of the launch of a Tom Doak Golf Weekend event to be hosted by Rosewood Cape Kidnappers in October 2025. Guests will play golf and join Doak on tours of Cape Kidnappers and the site of the proposed second course, The Farm.

“We would take picnic lunches down there when Cape Kidnappers was being built,” continued Doak. “I think it was our second trip when we gave Julian and his wife Josie a tour of the place. We had spent a few days on site just sticking flags in the ground – to show what the golf course could be. I think I undersold it back then. Julian’s focus was always on building a top 100 golf course whereas at The Farm, Bruce [Hepner] and I were thinking more about a course with sheep and cows all over it. Which is what they use the land for now, of course. That’s what so many ‘country courses’ do, all over New Zealand.

“I don’t honestly remember when Bruce and I went back and tried to actually route something down there. It may have been 2008. We had played around with maps from the start, but that was definitely our impetus – to get Julian more interested in a second course down below.

Since then, Doak has built two more courses in New Zealand: Tara Iti in 2013 and the North course at Te Arai, which opened in 2023. Te Arai also has a South course, designed by Coore & Crenshaw, which opened in 2022.

“I’ve not discussed it with anyone there at Cape, not formally. But maybe the Robertsons would think differently about The Farm course today – because of what’s been happening up at Te Arai. I don’t lie awake at night thinking about it, but I can tell you we’d jump at the chance to design and build a course down there. I don’t know that there is the will to do it, today, but maybe what’s happening at Te Arai has upped the ante some.

“I’ve been spending so much time in New Zealand of late. It’s hard not to think about The Farm. One thing I want to do some day is go back and build it.”

Toby IngletonToby Ingleton

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