I've seen golf balls blown sideways at St. Andrews and I've lost hats at Lahinch, but nothing prepared me for what I recently experienced at Cape Kidnappers, the magnificent New Zealand golf course designed by Tom Doak.

This video was taken as our group began playing famous holes 11-16, which sit atop "fingers" that extend into the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean...500 feet below! To help put this in perspective, consider that Old Head in Ireland sits 300 feet above the Atlantic. And those famous cliffs at Pebble Beach? A mere 100 feet above Carmel Bay.

Of course, it wasn't a fear of heights that wreaked havoc on my game, it was the wind blowing in excess of 120 kph (about 75 mph). Not only did I lose more balls in this one round than I lost all of last year, I think this was the first time I've ever had to "play the wind" on putts.

Modest winds are common at Cape Kidnappers; the gale forces I experienced were because I was visiting during the spring equinox. (Note to those considering a New Zealand golf vacation: it officially begins on September 23rd and blustery conditions can last for weeks.) Lucky for me, the gusts were over in a day and I was able to take in not just Cape Kidnappers, but a full sampling of New Zealand golf courses throughout the North Island, including sister course Kauri Cliffs, Jack Nicklaus' new Kinloch Golf Club, Wairakei, Paraparumu Beach Golf Club and Titirangi, Alistair MacKenzie's lone kiwi design.

What I found most remarkable about my recent trip was just how manageable a New Zealand golf vacation can be, even from the East Coast of the United States. If you can spare five days out of the office (bookended by a couple of weekends) you'll have plenty of time to take in some of the world's finest courses, experience one of the most beautiful places on Earth (fans of Lord of the Rings will notice the surroundings) and create memories that will last a lifetime.

A detailed account of my trip (and how anyone can take a New Zealand golf vacation while only missing a week of work) appears in the upcoming January issue of our sister publication, Golf Odyssey. Normally available only to paid subscribers, you can get a free copy of this issue mailed to you by registering for a free trial.

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