Tara Iti Golf Club

Tara Iti Golf Club: Laid out alongside a pristine beach, ninety minutes northeast of Auckland, Tara Iti is hailed by many in the same way as several other modern retro-links style layouts. Its comparator list (including other notable Doak designs) includes the likes of Barnbougle Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Cabot Cliffs and King Island's Cape Wickham. One big difference, however, is that Tara Iti is a private golf club. Unless invited to play by a member, outside visitors are not able to sample this very special Tom Doak design.

It took the clearing of a former pine plantation to restore the site to native duneland. It then took a further two years for Doak to meticulously craft the gently contoured holes, sculpt the rugged dunes and create all those bumps and hollows around the large and indistinctly defined greens. The overall impression produced is that the wind shaped this course, and nature took care of the rest.

Beyond Tara Iti's rolling undulating fairways there's plenty of sand, but no bunkers (you can ground your club anywhere). Doak's open links-style layout, with holes inspired by Cypress Point and the great links of Britain and Ireland, offers stunning views of the Hauraki Gulf, offshore islands and the spectacular Pacific Ocean beyond.

Limited access: this private course is generally playable only by members and their invited guests.