Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Q: Which hole is hardest at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course?

Hole 6 has stroke index 1 — the hardest hole on the scorecard.

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Par

Holes

Yards

6,876

Par 3 / 4 / 5

4 · 11 · 3

Course Layout

278 features mapped — fairways, greens, bunkers, tees, water. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Fairway Green Bunker Tee Water

Hole-by-Hole Strategy

Dogleg and layup calls derived from hole centerline geometry. 8 doglegs · 5 layup holes.

#	Par	Yards	Plays Like	Shape	Call
1	4	442	443 +1y · +3ft	Moderate dogleg right (29.7°)	Favor the left side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
2	5	543	550 +7y · +23ft	Slight dogleg right (21.9°)	LAYUP Par 5 at 543y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
3	3	215	201 -14y · -46ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
4	5	577	584 +7y · +23ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 577y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
5	4	419	428 +9y · +30ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
6	3	226	211 -15y · -49ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
7	4	455	449 -6y · -20ft	Slight dogleg right (15.5°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
8	3	180	189 +9y · +30ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
9	4	403	395 -8y · -26ft	Slight dogleg left (21.9°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
10	4	471	461 -10y · -33ft	Slight dogleg left (12.5°)	LAYUP 471y par 4 with a slight dogleg. Treat as a three-shot hole unless you carry 280+ off the tee.
11	3	222	228 +6y · +20ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
12	4	466	444 -22y · -72ft	Moderate dogleg left (28.9°)	Favor the right side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
13	3	120	120 +0y · +0ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
14	4	348	361 +13y · +43ft	Moderate dogleg right (33.6°)	Favor the left side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
15	5	649	627 -22y · -72ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 649y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
16	5	500	570 +70y · +230ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 500y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
17	4	463	473 +10y · +33ft	Moderate dogleg right (37.7°)	Favor the left side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
18	4	472	479 +7y · +23ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
Total	71	7,171	Distances from OSM centerlines; elevation from SRTM (Open-Meteo).

Course by the Numbers

Calculated from 278 mapped features. Areas are measured directly from the polygon geometry.

109 bunkers

7,108 sq yd of sand — 6.1 bunkers per hole on average.

305 sq yd

Largest bunker on the course — bigger than most tees.

733 sq yd avg green

Classification: Large greens (~6,500 sq ft avg) — tough 3-putt territory. Huge surfaces — a 40-ft putt is a common outcome even from a good shot.

19.01 ha of fairway

Total groomed playing surface across 25 fairway zones.

8 doglegs

0 sharp, 8 moderate. Plotting a line off the tee matters more here than pure distance.

5 layup holes

Best played as three-shot holes for anyone outside single figures — chasing them turns pars into doubles.

Hole 15: 649y

The longest hole on the card — par 5. Know your layup number before you tee off.

109 bunkers · 19 greens · 25 fairway zones · 90 tee boxes · 0 water hazards.

About Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Cape Kidnappers Golf Course is an 18-hole course near Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. It takes its name from the nearby headland of Cape Kidnappers. It was designed by Tom Doak in 2004 and was funded by American developer Julian Robertson. In 2007, Golf Digest magazine rated Cape Kidnappers the 10th best course outside of the United States.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

What Should You Expect to Shoot?

These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.

Championship

Rating 72.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 6,800 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	6	78	+6
10	12	84	+12
15	17	89	+17
20	23	95	+23
25	29	101	+29
30	35	107	+35

Medal

Rating 70.5 · Slope 125 · Par 72 · 6,400 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	4	75	+3
10	10	80	+8
15	15	86	+14
20	21	91	+19
25	26	97	+25
30	32	102	+30

Club

Rating 68.5 · Slope 120 · Par 72 · 6,000 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	2	70	+-2
10	7	76	+4
15	12	81	+9
20	18	86	+14
25	23	92	+20
30	28	97	+25

Forward

Rating 72.0 · Slope 125 · Par 74 · 5,400 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	4	76	+2
10	9	81	+7
15	15	87	+13
20	20	92	+18
25	26	98	+24
30	31	103	+29

Scorecard

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Par	4	5	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	35	4	4	3	5	4	4	3	4	5	36	71
Yards	442	558	399	426	209	447	364	180	382	3,407	423	364	159	577	429	391	173	407	546	3,469	6,876
Stroke Index	7	3	13	11	17	1	9	15	5		8	4	16	2	10	6	18	12	14

Holes That Decide Your Round

Hardest Hole · SI 1

Hole 6

Par 4 · 447 yards

Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →

Longest Hole

Hole 13

Par 5 · 577 yards

Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.

Scoring Opportunity

Hole 12

Par 3 · 159 yards

Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.

Easiest Hole · SI 18

Hole 16

Par 3 · 173 yards

Expected par or better. If you drop a stroke here, it's usually a mental mistake — which is trackable.

Pre-Round Checklist for Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

Know your average distance off the tee — budget for 11 par-4 tee shots. Check 4 par-3 yardages — pick your go-to clubs now, not on the tee. Plan hole 6 (hardest) for bogey — don't chase birdie there. Hole 13 is long — know your layup number. Arrive 45 min early — 15 range, 10 short game, 10 putting, 10 to the tee.

Your Game Plan for Cape Kidnappers Golf Course

The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.

Take the 2-min Assessment Try the App Free for 30 Days

Tee Sets

Championship

Yards:: 6,800
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 72.0
Slope:: 130

Medal

Yards:: 6,400
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 70.5
Slope:: 125

Club

Yards:: 6,000
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 68.5
Slope:: 120

Forward

Yards:: 5,400
Par:: 74
Course Rating:: 72.0
Slope:: 125

Other Notable Courses near Hawke's Bay

Hastings Golf Club

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Par 71 ·18 holes ·6,748 yd

Mapped Strategy

Napier Golf Club

Napier, New Zealand

Par 71 ·18 holes ·6,452 yd

Mapped Strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the par at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course?

Cape Kidnappers Golf Course is a par 71 course with 18 holes measuring 6,876 total yards. Front nine par 35 (3,407 yards), back nine par 36 (3,469 yards).

What is the longest hole at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course?

The longest hole is hole 13, a par 5 playing 577 yards.

Which hole is hardest at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course?

Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 4 playing 447 yards.

What should I shoot at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course?

Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.