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ANEDRA SINGH

Wine, art deco and weather have wooed many travellers to Hawke's Bay but now visitors will find it difficult to fight the magnetic pull of golf courses to add to their must-do list.

Thanks to award-winning writer Tom Hyde's book, 100 Essential New Zealand Golf Holes, the Bay has another arrow to snare a few more fistfuls of dollars from the much sought-after tourism sector.

Hyde spent a year travelling New Zealand, playing golf and selecting and writing about the most interesting and exhilarating golf holes he encountered.

The UK Telegraph-proclaimed No.1 of The World's Top Ten Golf Courses - the Cape Kidnappers Golf Course - has won more accolades, with three of its famous holes featuring in Hyde's new book which will hit the bookstore shelves from next month.

Wall Street tycoon Julian Robertson's sheep station, which has been turned into a man-made Garden of Eden, has three holes - the 6th, 13th and 14th holes - which have been singled out. It is a tribute to acclaimed golf course architect Tom Doak for his standout minimalist design and dramatic site.

While Hyde could not be reached for comments because he was holidaying in Tahiti, a statement from the publishers, Awa Press, quoted him as saying: "Like other new courses such as Kauri Cliffs, also created by Robertson, Millbrook near Arrowtown, Clearwater in Christchurch and Lakes Resort on the Coromandel, it has definitely raised the bar for New Zealand courses by attracting international attention.

"But what the world is finding out is that such courses are the tip of the iceberg. New Zealand is a paradise for golfers. There are countless wonderful courses, from Wairakei International near Taupo, established by the government in the 1970s to lure tourists, to more humble clubs such as Greymouth, Dunedin's Balmacewan (the country's oldest golf club) and Kerikeri, which is blessed with pretty greens and bucolic fairways."

Last month Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs took centre stage for the inaugural $3.92 million Kiwi Challenge featuring four of the the world's top 50 golfers in Americans Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, Brandt Snedeker and Australian Adam Scott in a world first 36-hole made-for-TV event that Mahan won. All proceeds were donated to local charities.

American TV giants NBC aired the three-hour long event last weekend in the US and 70 other European and Asian countries. It screens on Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand from 8.30pm this Wednesday and Thursday .

But travellers who may find Cape Kidnappers a little beyond their budget can breathe easy.

Hyde has teed up the Hastings, Napier and Maraenui golf clubs as other courses that offer holes that fairway swingers would love to tame.

It's the 17th for Bridge Pa while Waiohiki and Maraenui courses will throw down the gauntlet with their No.16 holes.

While surprised with Hyde's choices of holes in the smaller courses, Bay PGA professional Brain Doyle told Hawke's Bay Today the region was definitely a golfing mecca with Cape Kidnappers becoming the "jewel in the golfing crown".

Add Hawke's Bay Golf Club to the four, Doyle said, and it was easy to see why the region had a growing reputation for high quality courses.

"It certainly deserves the tag because they are only 20 minutes from each other. Where else in the country would you find that, even in Wellington and Auckland?"

The book should be a great addition to anyone's library considering it features icons such as Stuart "The Emperor" Jones, the late Kapi Tareha and former Open champions such as Gary Player and Peter Thomson. The best part is that it doesn't read like a car parts manual.

Maraenui club general manager Allan Shaw says former course superintendent Grant Bundy always referred to their No.16, Mason's, as the signature hole.

"When I ever I publicise the course that's the hole I use too," Shaw says of the hole named after former Napier lawyer and parliamentarian John Mason.

"Only eight holes in one have been scored on number 16 since March 2006 and that's not many."

Hastings club general manager Ken Dungey says big-hitting youngsters using modern equipment these days cover the length of the No.16 Terrace with mid-range irons but it's tricky once they are on the green.

"There are subtle breaks on the greens. It's reachable but not a gift by any means," says Dungey, reflecting on world No.1 amateur Danny Lee and Ben Campbell's battle in the under-23 nationals early this year where both missed 5m putts.

Remarking on the Pah No.16, Waiohiki club president James Ryan says while it has a No.4 index he believes it's the second hardest hole to play but others may disagree.

"Placement of the drive is critical. Many have found the bunker close to the grave site and late at night too," Ryan says.