We can be grateful to the late legendary hedge fund manager and multi-billionaire Julian Robertson for the development of the Cape Kidnappers Golf Course (design: Tom Doak).
It is not a surprise that Top100golfcourses.com ranked Cape Kidnappers Golf Course as the #2 best golf course in New Zealand in 2021.
Cape Kidnappers Golf Course takes up residence beside the luxurious Farm at Cape Kidnappers, one of 3 luxury properties owned and operated in New Zealand by Robertson Lodges.
The golf course will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2024. It has just issued new pricing for its October-to-May high season.
According to Director of Golf Ray Geffre, starting 1 October 2023, international visitors to Cape Kidnappers Golf Course (and its sister property Kauri Cliffs) will pay a green fee of 850 New Zealand dollars (=523 USD), while domestic fees remain at 450 NZD per golfer.
A newly created green fee has been introduced specifically for Australian nationals: 650 NZD. At this writing, New Zealand and Australian dollars trade at roughly 1:1. Each is valued at approximately 1.5 U.S. dollars.
40% of New Zealand tourists come from Australia (they spend, on average, 13.1 days in NZ), 11.6% are from the UK, and 8.7% are from the US. New Zealand attracted cca. 4.5 million tourists/visitors in 2022.
International visitor arrivals in 2023 in New Zealand are expected to reach 4.9 million. Before the pandemic, tourism was the largest export industry in New Zealand, contributing 20.1% of total exports.
Ray Geffre says
“We have positioned the new Aussie rate between the international and New Zealander rates, to acknowledge the proximity of Australia and the importance we place on their business here at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course.”
The offseason rates will continue to apply from June through September:
- International: $650;
- Australia: $450;
- New Zealand: $250.
Ray Geffre added
“We want to be competitive. Aussies who make the trip over to Napier deserve a special rate. At the same time, we’re confident the golf course here at Cape has never played so well as right now, thanks to Tom Doak’s 2021 greens renovation and our simultaneous regrasssing of all 18 fairways.”
