According to course designer Tom Doak, "The North Course starts and finishes on the ocean, but for me the unique character of the course will be found inland. The green of the par-4 5th hole, and the next tee, sit high on a ridge adjacent to an ancient Māori Pa, or hill fortress, built from the largest dune on the property, while the 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th greens sit in a shared bowl amongst the dunes."  Possibly the most dramatic holes on the course will be the 11th and 13th. The former is a long par-5 with an elevated green and a ‘whirlpool’ hazard to the right, some seven meters below the green. The 13th is a long par-4 with its green at the edge of a huge natural bunker, so that second shots have to be played over the sand or safely around to the left. It’s a hole very reminiscent of Pine Valley in New Jersey, and indeed so is much of the inland terrain at Te Arai.  It is odd having to apologize for a golf course that ‘only’ features the ocean for seven of the 18 holes, but that is how spoiled golfers have become by the best of New Zealand’s modern golf courses. The North Course promises to be near the head of the class.

The South Course at Te Arai Links was designed by world renowned golf architects Coore & Crenshaw.  It is a uniquely special site for golf, comprised of sand dunes and landforms sculpted by the wind, adjacent to the sea. Te Arai’s landforms vary from heaving sand ridges and meandering valleys to rumpled contours reminiscent of the classic seaside links on which the game began. These contours are the foundation and inspiration for the golf holes of Te Arai Links. The holes are as varied in appearance and character as the land itself. There are highly individualistic, some might even say, quirky holes like the shortish par fours at three, six and sixteen, each reflecting the drama and unique character of the landforms that created their concepts. There are more traditional yet equally dramatic holes like the inland second, the tenth and eleventh; and there are the visually spectacular seaside holes at seven, eight, nine and fifteen through eighteen. There are lengthy holes and finesse holes. There are holes with varying shapes and sizes, with character and golf strategic are based upon the natural contours.  The South Course at Te Arai Links has sixteen ocean view golf holes and eight holes bordering directly on the sea making it a photogenic and visually stunning golf course.

According to course designer Tom Doak, "The North Course starts and finishes on the ocean, but for me the unique character of the course will be found inland. The green of the par-4 5th hole, and the next tee, sit high on a ridge adjacent to an ancient Māori Pa, or hill fortress, built from the largest dune on the property, while the 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th greens sit in a shared bowl amongst the dunes."  Possibly the most dramatic holes on the course will be the 11th and 13th. The former is a long par-5 with an elevated green and a ‘whirlpool’ hazard to the right, some seven meters below the green. The 13th is a long par-4 with its green at the edge of a huge natural bunker, so that second shots have to be played over the sand or safely around to the left. It’s a hole very reminiscent of Pine Valley in New Jersey, and indeed so is much of the inland terrain at Te Arai.  It is odd having to apologize for a golf course that ‘only’ features the ocean for seven of the 18 holes, but that is how spoiled golfers have become by the best of New Zealand’s modern golf courses. The North Course promises to be near the head of the class.