To start, let me say that writing about courses as an employee of Fried Egg Golf is TOTALLY NOT nerve-wracking. I'm DEFINITELY NOT worried my colleagues will silently judge me and discover I'm an idiot. But this forum is new and someone had to break the ice in this category, so here we are.

I visited New Zealand in March 2025 to celebrate my birthday, ending the trip with three nights at Te Arai. For those unfamiliar with the property, it's almost impossible to describe how wonderful everything is. First and foremost, New Zealand is incredible—I would move there in a heartbeat. More specifically, Te Arai is a magnificent resort featuring two world-class courses. Unlike many top American golf resorts (Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, Pinehurst), Te Arai leans toward luxury. Given its semi-private nature, many amenities cater to international members with deep pockets. The restaurants are splendid, the facilities world-class, and the crowds minimal—one course is dedicated mostly to member play each day while the other serves guests. This model alone ensures you'll never feel the buzz of people that permeates the big American resorts.

The Golf

I won't opine on architectural merits or analyze features in the ground. Instead, I'll focus on my experience navigating the wonderfully fun course Tom Doak and his team built.

In an overly reductive take (based mostly on the combination of sand and forest), I'd say this course is what I wish Spyglass could be. It begins near the ocean in dunesland, climbs a hill into forest (mostly clear-cut), then returns to the coast for a dramatically fun finish. The holes vary greatly and demand different shots to succeed. The green complexes are big, bold, and contoured aggressively—which I loved. The topographic map and routing below (from Te Arai's website) shows what I believe is an outdated proposal for the layout. I've outlined the holes in the order I played them below.

Correct hole ordering using labels on the map 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 14, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18

As you might expect, I'd been anticipating this trip for months. I wanted to scour the internet for pictures and learn everything about the place. But I also wanted to preserve some mystery—to let the course surprise me. In an age where few things remain unknown, I enjoy playing courses without extensive research, allowing the architecture to unfold naturally and evoke feelings I might not experience if I knew every bump, bounce, or visual deception. So I mostly stuck to Te Arai's website, using only the simple topo map to build anticipation.

When I first studied the map, three areas jumped out: holes 5 and 6 (the hill), the cluster of greens at holes 4, 6, 7, and 9 converging into a depression, and hole 17. I correctly assumed that a short par three heading toward the water near the end of the round would be visually stunning, and Doak's team delivered. The green appears perched on a platter above the ocean with fun contouring that rewards shots worked in from the right while penalizing anything too aggressive left.

Favorite Holes

Hole 1

A short par 4 (roughly 290 yards) that immediately offers options. Long hitters can try to drive the green, or play the conventional shot: aim for left-center of the generous fairway and leave a short iron in. I loved this opener. The setting is sublime—you're offset from the putting green which is attached to the 18th, and the hole runs adjacent to the ocean, providing killer views.

Hole 2

This hole won't make most people's lists of favorites, but I have an irrational affection for green sites that remain highly interesting without bunkers (there's technically one behind the green, but I'd take the under on 1.5 balls landing in it daily). The contouring can dramatically amplify errant shots depending on pin placement. Paired with the first hole, it's a fun one-two punch to start the round.

Side note: While holes 1 and 2 featured engaging greens, the complexity really escalates from this point forward.

Hole 4

A brute of a long par 4, this hole opens with visual deception off the tee—a perfectly placed bunker grabs your eye as you tee up you ball. While in play, the bunker isn't a major factor if you give your drive a good ride. Mishit it and you're in trouble. The hole's defining feature is the approach into what I consider the wildest green on the property. The green has two distinct shelves—left and right—with the right side 4-5 feet higher than the left, connected by a frighteningly steep, short slope. If the pin is on the lower left shelf and you miss right onto the high side, you have zero chance of stopping a putt within 20 feet. The silver lining: the course gives you ample opportunity to play conservatively to the left. There aren't many hazards or bunkers near the green—aside from the massive connecting slope, there's not much else to worry about. But as humans, just like that bunker off the tee that shouldn't haunt you, the two-tiered green puts immense pressure on your approach. I had a blast playing this hole on every loop.

The fourth green is in the background of this photo and if you look closely you can see the two distinct shelves.

Hole 6

Tumbling down the hill you climbed on the 5th, the 6th starts with a fun elevated tee shot to a generous fairway and culminates with another exceptional green. From the fairway, the green is almost completely obscured by a fronting mound. But the shot isn't as difficult as you might think. A sizable mound behind the green funnels long shots back onto the putting surface. This type of feature—one that seems harder than it actually is—ranks among my favorites when playing a course for the first time. The magic doesn't vanish on repeat plays, but when you hit the shot that uses the feature to guide you back and didn't fully trust it would work, it's such a rewarding feeling. It's a tactic that can become rote if overused, but I love when architects give you one or two per round. There's something deeply satisfying about combining mental planning (hit it long into the back hill) with physical execution (actually hitting the shot you envisioned) that's far more stimulating than mindlessly executing a perfect shot.

The elevated tee shot at the 6th

The 6th green tucked behind the fronting mound.

Hole 17

I should note there are plenty of world-class holes from 7-16, but I didn't gravitate toward them as much during my rounds. The 17th, however, was hotly anticipated and delivered. Looking at the course map, I was excited to see how Tom and his team treated a short par 3 on such prime land. They definitely delivered. On the calm days I played, the hole was manageable, though I imagine it becomes a beast depending on wind strength and direction. The hole maxes out at 166 yards, so it's not overly long. The green features fun contouring that feeds shots hit right back toward the center, but go too far right and you're stuck behind a mound that makes an up-and-down virtually impossible. Ultimately, you're so awestruck by the scene's beauty that little else is needed.

Closing Thoughts

Te Arai is a special place. The combination of two world-class courses by two all-time great architects is hard to beat. Add the exceptional amenities and it's a can't-miss destination. I've read several write-ups and heard plenty of chatter at the resort claiming the north course is tougher or trickier. I'm not sure I agree. The south course, which I've also written about, has the typical Coore and Crenshaw restraint and polish, but their design will politely put you in a blender. I almost found the north course easier to play given its bold, obvious obstacles to overcome. However you feel about the two courses and how they compare to one another, consider yourself blessed if you get to play them.

Okay so this is my second course post and I still have fears that my coworkers here at Fried Egg Golf are going to tell me to stop soon. So I’m going to post this before I receive a cease and desist letter from our lawyers. But the truth is that someone has to write about the South Course at Te Arai, and since I've already broken the ice with the North, I might as well keep going.

The South Course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, opened in October 2022 and has quickly established itself as one of the world's great modern links courses (I’m not sure if I’d call it a links course but whatever). If the North Course is edgy and cerebral, the South is its soulful, generous counterpart—a course built for fun with the ability to still test your game thoroughly.

The Golf

I’m not the guy to properly dissect the architectural genius of Coore and Crenshaw. Instead, I'll focus on what it felt like to play this magnificent course and why it left such a lasting impression.

The South Course occupies the premium coastal real estate at Te Arai, and Coore and Crenshaw made sure not to waste an inch of it. Sixteen holes offer ocean views, with eight playing directly along the water. This vast oceanfront stretch has earned comparisons to California's Monterey Peninsula, with many dubbing Te Arai "the 17-Mile Drive of the Southern Hemisphere." Unlike typical hyperbole, this comparison actually holds up.

What struck me most about the South was its philosophy. The course embraces width and playability while maintaining strategic depth. It's the rare design that welcomes all skill levels without sacrificing challenge for better players. The fairways are generous, and you'd have to work hard to lose a ball. But as with all great courses, the real test comes on the approach shots. The green complexes are bold, featuring dramatic contours and surrounds that demand thought and precision. Miss in the wrong spot and you'll be facing chips and putts that can humble even the best of players.

The routing is masterful. The opening three holes play through remnant pines on the property's most undulating land, reminiscent of Pinehurst or even Bandon Dunes. This inland start builds anticipation beautifully. You can hear the ocean crashing nearby and feel the coastal breeze, but you don't see the water yet. It's the art of the tease, delaying gratification to amplify the eventual reveal.

Favorite Holes

Hole 4

You’ve got three really good holes under your belt and then comes the 4th, and everything changes. Standing on the elevated tee, the course reveals itself in full glory—white sand, tight fescue, and the endless Pacific stretching to the horizon. This long par 4 (over 450 yards from the tips) sweeps dramatically downhill toward a green positioned near the beach. The undulating fairway provides generous roll for well-struck drives, but the approach demands precision to a green guarded by the terrain's natural features. This hole serves as the gateway to the course's spectacular coastal stretch and ranks among the finest transition holes I've ever played. The moment you crest that tee box is worth the journey that it took you to get to Te Arai.

Hole 5

A short par 3 (157 yards) that perfectly captures what Coore and Crenshaw do best—using spectacular land with restraint. The tee shot is positioned to frame the Hen and Chicken Islands ten miles offshore, creating a visual that's almost impossibly beautiful. The green sits in a natural amphitheater, and despite the short yardage, the hole demands commitment. All four par 3s on the course are oriented so you always see the ocean, even though they play in different directions—a subtle touch that speaks to the thoughtfulness of the design.

Hole 6

One of several brilliant short par 4s on the course. From an elevated tee, you face a decision: play aggressively over a massive sand chasm on the left or take the conservative route right and risk leaking the ball out of bounds. The green complex is generous but contoured, rewarding those who take the bold line with better angles. It's a hole that gets in your head in the best possible way.

Hole 7

A right-doglegging par 5 that many folks cite as a favorite. The hole flows naturally along the coast, offering strategic options throughout. This is modern links golf at its purest—firm, fast turf encouraging the ground game, with angles and positioning mattering as much as distance. I found myself repeatedly drawn to this hole during my rounds.

Hole 12

The longest par 3 on the course at 195 yards, and according to Bill Coore himself, one of the most interesting short holes because it plays away from the ocean. The green complex demands careful study, and pin positions can completely transform the hole's character—a testament to the design's daily playability.

Hole 17

If the North Course has a spectacular short par 3 at the 17th, the South's version is equally magnificent. This 120-yard gem sits perched above the ocean with bunkers guarding the front and water menacing left. The green features subtle contouring that rewards thoughtful shots while severely penalizing greedy misses. On calm days it's manageable, but I imagine it becomes a proper beast when the wind howls. As one reviewer noted, "no commentary on the South course is complete without a nod to the wee 17th, which is one of the greatest 100-yard holes in world golf." I couldn't agree more. You're so awestruck by the setting's beauty that the hole barely needs architectural tricks—though Coore and Crenshaw provided them anyway.

Hole 18

A left-bending par 5 that plays along the coast to a natural punchbowl green. Walking up the final fairway, surrounded by rolling dunes and Pacific views, you can't help but feel grateful for the experience. It's the perfect bookend to a round that never stops giving.



The Experience Beyond Golf

The South Course doesn't just deliver world-class golf—it offers a complete sensory experience. The firm, fast fescue playing surfaces create true links conditions in a subtropical climate that's far more comfortable than traditional links destinations. As a side note, this was the best turf I’ve ever seen with Sand Valley coming in a close second. Winter highs hover around 60 degrees, while summer averages about 75. No freezing rain or biting wind, just perfect golf weather.

Before and after rounds, "The Playground" beckons—the world's largest practice putting green, spanning more than a football field with 18 flags, dramatic contours, and putts that break 30 feet. It's a massive putting course where members and guests mix freely, cocktails in one hand, putters in the other. The vibe is pure beach club, stripping away the stuffiness often associated with world-class golf facilities. This atmosphere doesn't detract from the golf—it enhances it.

Closing Thoughts

Te Arai South is everything great modern golf architecture should be: visually stunning, strategically engaging, playable for all skill levels, and utterly memorable. Where the North Course challenges you with bold features and cerebral shotmaking, the South soothes you with generous fairways while quietly demanding precision on approaches. It's a course that rewards creativity over brute force, finesse over power, and thoughtfulness over aggression.

The comparisons to the North Course are inevitable, and I've heard plenty of debate about which is superior. Some claim the South is easier, more accessible to higher handicappers. I'm not convinced the distinction matters. Both courses are world-class, just with different philosophies. The South's restraint and polish exemplify Coore and Crenshaw's signature style—they make difficult golf look effortless, hiding complexity beneath elegant simplicity.

Combined with the North Course and their proximity to Tara Iti, this stretch of New Zealand coastline has become one of the world's premier golf destinations. The South Course alone justifies the journey. Add the luxurious amenities, incredible hospitality, and the sheer beauty of New Zealand, and Te Arai becomes a true bucket-list experience.

If you have the opportunity to play Te Arai South, take it without hesitation. It's a course that will stay with you long after you've walked off the 18th green, reminding you why we fell in love with this maddening, beautiful game in the first place.