Two middle handicappers take on Te Arai Links North Course, which has quickly garnered acclaim as one of the world’s best. Just how tricky is it to navigate for your average golfer?
Just have fun with it.
That’s not usually advice you might associate with a round of golf, but after sounding out a few more experienced players than myself, this was the approach I took into Te Arai Links North.
And, as the rain battered us for most of the round from the second hole until we finished, that approach paid off.
Having only opened in 2023, just north of Auckland, it didn’t take long for the North Course to register as one of the country’s best - and it’s easy to see why. Yes, there are glorious sea views, but it’s the topography of the course - particularly the greens - that makes it so memorable.
The Herald teed up at the course, leaving drenched but delighted.
First impressions
Arrival at Te Arai Links is marked when you pull in off the unmarked country road and into a driveway beautifully lined by tall trees that guide you forward. The carpark is a few more minutes away – closer to the South Course - but the drive allows you to get the odd glimpse at what awaits you on the North Course, allowing the excitement to build.
Clubhouse(s)
After a 5min shuttle from the carpark, the North Course has a clubhouse just before the first tee. Equipped with a small pro shop, bar and food options, it’s got everything you could need pre or post-round and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It would be a perfect location for a post-round debrief over a cold drink as you can admire the scenery and watch players tee off on the first which, with an audience, can often be the shakiest shot to play in a round.
Alternatively, the main entrance at the South Course – what golfers will see on arrival – features a larger pro shop, bathrooms and showers, with towels provided, and great food options from the eat-in cafe to the Silver Bean coffee cart beside the driving range.
Best cafe item
Call me basic, but you can’t go wrong with a classic breakfast order of scrambled eggs on sourdough and a large flat white from Ric’s Restaurant if you have a morning tee time. The breakfast burrito sounded – and from a couple of tables over – looked tasty, too. Get up to the course well before your round, have a look around the facilities and sit down for a delicious breakfast. But there’s plenty on offer for the more adventurous, with varying menus across breakfast, lunch and dinner. It also depends on where you’re eating, as each option around the course offers its own brand and flair.
If you’re not looking to eat-in, the Silver Bean offers food such as wraps and burgers, while the Halfway House has a very tempting menu of fish tacos, chicken club wraps, burger dogs, grilled cheese sandos and fried chicken sliders. A whole lot to like there.
There’s a QR code on the 10th hole tee you can use to put your order in so it’s ready when you get there. On a good day, the Halfway House would be a great place to stop – particularly as it overlooks the tricky par-three 15th.
Practice range and putting facilities
Boasting the largest putting green in the world, it’s a great spot if you want to get a feel for the greens and the variable slopes you’re going to face during your round. Named The Playground, it features a 12 to 18 hole putting course, arranged daily, and sits right beside Ric’s Restaurant. While this green probably plays a bit more similarly to the South Course, you can take what you learn about how fast it’s playing to the North Course, which I found to be a great benefit.
There’s a 23-bay range and you are assigned a side of the range when you check in. The range is fully stocked with balls and features six holes of differing distance so you have the chance to get a feel for every club in your bag before heading out.
Carts
No carts here. It’s a lovely course for a walk. Pace of play is also important at this course, aiming for rounds to be completed in four hours or less.
Opening tee
As you step up to the tee box, you get beautiful ocean views to the right. They provide a pleasant distraction from the sand threat if you miss to either side. That said, the fairway is a big enough target and gives you plenty to aim for, and it’s a short par four so – unless you back yourself to drive the green – there’s no shame in easing your way into things by going iron off the first tee. It’s a shot that gives you an indication of what the course has in store for you, both with the rolling hills and the dangers if you miss the fairways.
Most daunting shot
This is largely dependent on where your strengths are, but the tee shot on the aforementioned tricky par-three 15th is up there. The green sits up a hill, 140m or so from the middle tees. If you leave it short to either side, you’ll find yourself in a steep bunker; the right-side pot bunker in particular could be nightmare-inducing for those of us who aren’t great in the sand.
Add in the pressure of the gallery at the Halfway House – which I can only imagine is pumping in the middle of summer - and you can really get in your own head here. I bladed a five iron which rolled up the middle - perfectly splitting the two bunkers - then two-putted for par, and would not recommend playing it that way.
Favourite hole/s
You start and finish your round by the sea, but it’s inland where the most fun is to be had on the North Course. The short par-three seventh was a standout for me. With the contours of the green and the different ways to get the ball to the hole, if you attack the pin from the tee and if you land in the wrong spot, the slopes can leave you with plenty of work to do as you watch your ball roll further and further away.
The par-five ninth is terrific, with a tee shot up the hill before going back down the hill and over the road towards the green. The green here is possibly the most fun on the course, with a lot of different ways to use the topography.
The 11th, also a par five, is a test of accuracy. With the various sand hazards on your way to an elevated green, it doesn’t take much to fall victim to the whirlpool bunker – a large sand patch with the green sitting on top of a 7m hill above it - to the right of it. It’s a real thinker’s hole, and that has never been my strong suit.
Difficulty
If you know your shape and can hit that consistently, you’ll be fine here. If you play smart, safe golf, you’ll be able to give yourself some opportunities on the greens. That said, the intricacies of the greens make you work to capitalise on those chances. That’s something I was able to do very rarely, but it was great fun thinking of all the different ways to use the slopes to attack the hole.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely. For much of our round, we were caught in heavy rain but that didn’t take anything away from the course at all. The downpours barely had an impact on the fairways and greens, and while we walked off 18 dripping, the rain certainly hadn’t dampened our spirits. The staff were terrific, as were the facilities – and the location, spectacular. Add in the experience of taking on a Tom Doak-designed course and the challenges it gives you, this is a course any golfer should treat themselves to at least once.
History
Te Arai Links North is quite a new course. It only opened in October 2023 - a year after Te Arai Links South opened to members - to complete the world-class duo by fund manager Ric Kayne and managing partner Jim Rohrstaff — the pair behind Tara Iti Golf Club, another high-end golf resort about 5km north.
It was the third New Zealand course to be designed by Tom Doak, along with Cape Kidnappers and Tara Iti, and the American golf architect has previously stated the inland holes remind him of the property at Pine Valley, one of the world’s top courses.
Course details
Par 71. Yardage ranges from 4574m (forward tees), 5397m (middle), 5861m (back), and 6337m (championship). From the middle tees, it’s 68.4 rating with 116 slope.
Acclaim
Te Arai Links North was ranked at No 36 in Golf Digest’s list of the world’s 100 greatest courses in 2024, while the most recent update on ratings website top100golfcourses.com has it ranked at No 92 in the world, No 9 in Oceania and No 3 in New Zealand.
Price
Green fees vary based on the time of year; for New Zealand and Australian residents it’s $400 (May-June and October), $300 (July-September) or $450 (November ‘25-April ‘26).
Getting there
It’s about a 1h 20m drive from Auckland CBD with a clear run.
Stay options
If you’re looking to make a proper trip out of your visit, Te Arai Links offers a range of accommodation options, all featuring stunning ocean and golf course views. Their suites cater for a maximum of two adults, their cottages for up to four and their villas for up to eight.
Suites range from $565 - $1120 per night, depending on what time of the year you’re booking in, two-bedroom ocean cottages from $2645 - $5670, and villas from $5800 - $12,500. All accommodation options have a two-night minimum stay from December 23, 2025 – January 5, 2026, while the villas have a two-night minimum stay regardless of the season.
One-bedroom ocean cottages are also available during off-peak season, with prices ranging from $1850 - $3780.
Rating
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
Live updates of the final round of the Canadian Open as Ryan Fox chases another win.