Ran Morrissett’s Golf Club Atlas should be in every golfer’s web site bookmarks/favorites. There’s an extensive list of golf course reviews and for instance if you’re planning a visit to NZ and intend playing Cape Kidnappers. You’ve got to go to Ran’s web site and read all about the course.

Golf Club Atlas also features other countries including of course the home of golf. There’s a dated (year 2000) review of the Old Course, but “no worries mate” little has changed since then.
And for the first time in very many visits to Golf Club Atlas I’ve observed that there are reviews of The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle and Brora but not Royal Dornoch.
There has to be a good story behind why it’s not included.

And for Norrie, my golfing mate from Glasgow who has just been invited to play Loch Lomond during his forthcoming homecoming. Here’s the link  to the review which starts.

“How often have you heard the expression, ‘if Pebble Beach wasn’t on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific, would it really be a special course?’ The same erroneous comment could be made about Loch Lomond. Situated in one of the world’s prettiest spots, some people claim this magnificent setting unduly influences people’s judgement of the course itself.
To this, we say nonsense.”

OK I know this post is supposed to be about Cape Kidnappers but since I believe it’s a must read I’m not going to do your homework for you.
But I’ll say this, there’s gems of information I’ve never read about in all my research.
Like how come Tom Doak got the job?

This from the Golf Club Atlas review: “Julian Robertson’s day did not start well on June 4th, 2001. Having flown across country to Bandon, Oregon with his son Alex, he had just been informed that their scheduled second round at Bandon Dunes had been changed. They were now slated to play a golf course that had been open for only two days named Pacific Dunes. Not in the least happy, Mr. Robertson was finally convinced to give the new course a chance. Much to their surprise, both Mr. Robertson and Alex preferred Pacific Dunes over Bandon Dunes and indeed, to this day, Mr. Robertson describes Pacific Dunes as the most fun course he had played to that point. As a direct result of the impression that Tom Doak’s work at Pacific Dunes made on him, Mr. Robertson invited Doak to come see 5,000 acres that he had initially acquired on the southeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand, just south of the art deco town of Napier in the wine region of New Zealand. Despite the inauspicious start that day at Bandon, a new golf course by Doak would open in New Zealand within three years that equaled the magnitude of the country’s charm and allure.”

Paraparaumu Beach and Wairakei were reviewed in 1999. And the reviews concludes with comments about the, still current, trends in New Zealand golf course architecture

“The finest modern day architects including Tom Doak and Jack Nicklaus are now being brought to New Zealand. Cape Kidnappers and Kinloch are the immediate results and more architects will come – the land is that good. Unfortunately, the ‘name’ local architects like Bob Charles only muddle up the stunning land they are given. Regardless what the future holds, smart golfers will take advantage of both experiences already on offer at Paraparaumu Beach and Waireki.”

Here’s the link to Golf Club Atlas
And if you’re in a hurry, the link to Cape Kidnappers

Thought for the day: “Smart golfers” should also be aware of Jack’s Point, which Ran hasn’t yet got round to playing.

Guid gowfin’ at the weekend

Slainte

Stan