Te Arai · Northland

Te Arai Links — North Course

Designer

Tom Doak

Rankings

Golf Digest #46 World
#2 in NZ
GOLF Magazine #98 World

Setting

Dunes and native coast, Te Arai

Designed by acclaimed architect Tom Doak and opened in 2023, the North Course at Te Arai Links has rapidly established itself among the world's elite golf experiences. Debuting at No. 36 in the 2024 Golf Digest World Rankings and currently ranked No. 46 in the 2025/26 edition, it has also earned recognition in GOLF Magazine's World Top 100, confirming its status as one of the finest modern courses on the planet.

While the course begins and ends beside the Pacific Ocean, Doak believes its true character lies inland among the towering sand dunes and native landscape. The routing weaves through dramatic natural terrain, with greens nestled in secluded dune bowls and elevated ridgelines overlooking an ancient Māori pā site. Signature holes include the spectacular par-5 11th, with its elevated green and striking "whirlpool" hazard, and the formidable par-4 13th, where players must carry a vast natural bunker to reach a green reminiscent of the legendary Pine Valley.

Doak has described the North Course as a layout that rewards strategic thinking and celebrates the unique beauty of its setting, noting that although only seven holes directly border the ocean, the inland holes create the course's most memorable identity. Featuring firm fescue fairways, bold green complexes, and a classic walking-links philosophy, the North Course offers a compelling contrast to both its neighbouring South Course and the nearby Tara Iti, blending world-class architecture with an unforgettable New Zealand coastal landscape.