Golf is king on Kauai
Challenging courses usually show even the best who's boss
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
Where King Kamehameha failed, Phil Mickelson succeeded.
Kauai prides itself on the fact that Kamehameha never was able to conquer the treasure now known as Hawaii's Garden Isle. But Mickelson found the island considerably more welcoming a year ago, when played in the annual Grand Slam of Golf. His conquest at Poipu Bay Golf Resort was capped by a round of 59 - the golfing equivalent of pitching a perfect game.
Could life be any sweeter than finding perfection in paradise?
Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Michael Campbell and Vijay Singh all return to Kauai this week for the Grand Slam. For those who would like to get a flavor of golf on the island while watching this year's top players, the event will be aired live on TNT (7-10 p.m. Tuesday, 6-10 p.m. Wednesday). But a visit to Kauai would quickly convince you just how exceptional Mickelson's 59 was.
Poipu Bay, set high above blue water crashing into the red rock shoreline of the island's south coast, is not the most difficult layout in the world by PGA Tour standards. But when the wind blows - which it usually does - golfers have their work cut out for them. After you have your second or third drive hang up in the wind and fall less than 200 yards off the tee, you begin to appreciate Mickelson's skill.
Poipu Bay, part of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, is one option in an abundance of quality courses on the roughly 550-square-mile island. Billing itself as "Golf's Ultimate Island Green," Kauai offers 135 holes for play at Poipu Bay, Kauai Lagoons, Kiahuna, Puakea and Princeville. An additional option on Kauai is the municipal course, Wailua, which has three times hosted the U.S. Golf Association's national championship for public course players.
Feel lucky to be on No. 13
Flying into the island's airport at Lihue, the first course you see is Kauai Lagoons, which has 36 holes adjacent to the airport. You'll probably spot the Kauai Lagoons' signature hole, No. 16 on its Kiele course, on your approach. It is one of a stretch of oceanfront holes on Kiele that come the closest of any course on the island to matching what tourists typically envision as Hawaiian golf.
The most memorable hole to play in that stretch, however, is No. 13, a medium-length par-3 where the tee and the green are separated by an inlet where Pacific waves crash far below.
All 36 holes at Kauai Lagoons are Jack Nicklaus designs, with the golf part of the amenities of the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Golf Magazine rates the resort as one of the 25 best golf destinations in America.
The dominant golf architect for Kauai, however, is Robert Trent Jones Jr., who has a residence on the island and was the creative force behind Poipu Bay, Kiahuna and the course most often referred to as his masterpiece, the Prince Course at the Princeville at Hanalei Resort.
While undeniably gorgeous, it is worth noting that the Prince is also a stern test of golf that will be most appealing to the accomplished player. The starter is unabashed in describing the Prince as a "jungle course" that demands a lot of target golf. This is particularly true of the second nine, which run through deep and rugged tropical canyons.
Princeville itself, on the north end of Kauai, is an A-list honeymoon destination. Mountains loom over the Prince, including Mount Waialeale, which is considered the wettest spot on Earth with average annual rainfall of 460 inches. The near-perfect view of the bay by the hotel features its own landmark - the terrain in the distance was used in the filming of "South Pacific" in 1958.
Two for the less-skilled
Hollywood, in fact, has had a love affair with Kauai for longer than golf has. Kauai's newest course, Puakea, sits close by the "Jurassic Park" locations and has quite a storyline of its own. Construction on the course began in 1991, but when Kauai took a blow from Hurricane Iniki in 1992, construction came to a standstill. Eventually, Puakea opened 10 holes in 1997, and stayed at that oddball configuration until 2002. That's when Hawaiian native and AOL founder Steve Case bought the facility. A year later, the final eight holes were finished by original architect Robin Nelson.
What emerged is a course different in style from the oceanfront layouts on the island. Puakea is more along the lines of a parkland-style course you would encounter on the mainland (except with better backdrops). It was the best conditioned course we saw on the island, and Nelson did some admirable work in crafting creative green complexes on fairly non-descript inland terrain. If you are staying on Kauai for an extended period, Puakea might be the best bet as a course you could play repeatedly and enjoy.
Kiahuna fits a similar profile to Puakea. It is also inland, less penal to the less-skilled player, and more affordable than the courses attached directly to a resort. (Prime-time greens fees for the island range from $170-185 per round for the oceanside courses to between $90 and $125 for the inland courses).
Kiahuna is on the dry side of the island's mountains, giving it a favorable climate. A group of residents have recently purchased the course, which is undergoing renovations. Among its unique features are lava tubes preserved as habitat for the rare blind Kauai cave spider.
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
Where King Kamehameha failed, Phil Mickelson succeeded.
Kauai prides itself on the fact that Kamehameha never was able to conquer the treasure now known as Hawaii's Garden Isle. But Mickelson found the island considerably more welcoming a year ago, when played in the annual Grand Slam of Golf. His conquest at Poipu Bay Golf Resort was capped by a round of 59 - the golfing equivalent of pitching a perfect game.
Could life be any sweeter than finding perfection in paradise?
Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Michael Campbell and Vijay Singh all return to Kauai this week for the Grand Slam. For those who would like to get a flavor of golf on the island while watching this year's top players, the event will be aired live on TNT (7-10 p.m. Tuesday, 6-10 p.m. Wednesday). But a visit to Kauai would quickly convince you just how exceptional Mickelson's 59 was.
Poipu Bay, set high above blue water crashing into the red rock shoreline of the island's south coast, is not the most difficult layout in the world by PGA Tour standards. But when the wind blows - which it usually does - golfers have their work cut out for them. After you have your second or third drive hang up in the wind and fall less than 200 yards off the tee, you begin to appreciate Mickelson's skill.
Poipu Bay, part of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, is one option in an abundance of quality courses on the roughly 550-square-mile island. Billing itself as "Golf's Ultimate Island Green," Kauai offers 135 holes for play at Poipu Bay, Kauai Lagoons, Kiahuna, Puakea and Princeville. An additional option on Kauai is the municipal course, Wailua, which has three times hosted the U.S. Golf Association's national championship for public course players.
Feel lucky to be on No. 13
Flying into the island's airport at Lihue, the first course you see is Kauai Lagoons, which has 36 holes adjacent to the airport. You'll probably spot the Kauai Lagoons' signature hole, No. 16 on its Kiele course, on your approach. It is one of a stretch of oceanfront holes on Kiele that come the closest of any course on the island to matching what tourists typically envision as Hawaiian golf.
The most memorable hole to play in that stretch, however, is No. 13, a medium-length par-3 where the tee and the green are separated by an inlet where Pacific waves crash far below.
All 36 holes at Kauai Lagoons are Jack Nicklaus designs, with the golf part of the amenities of the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Golf Magazine rates the resort as one of the 25 best golf destinations in America.
The dominant golf architect for Kauai, however, is Robert Trent Jones Jr., who has a residence on the island and was the creative force behind Poipu Bay, Kiahuna and the course most often referred to as his masterpiece, the Prince Course at the Princeville at Hanalei Resort.
While undeniably gorgeous, it is worth noting that the Prince is also a stern test of golf that will be most appealing to the accomplished player. The starter is unabashed in describing the Prince as a "jungle course" that demands a lot of target golf. This is particularly true of the second nine, which run through deep and rugged tropical canyons.
Princeville itself, on the north end of Kauai, is an A-list honeymoon destination. Mountains loom over the Prince, including Mount Waialeale, which is considered the wettest spot on Earth with average annual rainfall of 460 inches. The near-perfect view of the bay by the hotel features its own landmark - the terrain in the distance was used in the filming of "South Pacific" in 1958.
Two for the less-skilled
Hollywood, in fact, has had a love affair with Kauai for longer than golf has. Kauai's newest course, Puakea, sits close by the "Jurassic Park" locations and has quite a storyline of its own. Construction on the course began in 1991, but when Kauai took a blow from Hurricane Iniki in 1992, construction came to a standstill. Eventually, Puakea opened 10 holes in 1997, and stayed at that oddball configuration until 2002. That's when Hawaiian native and AOL founder Steve Case bought the facility. A year later, the final eight holes were finished by original architect Robin Nelson.
What emerged is a course different in style from the oceanfront layouts on the island. Puakea is more along the lines of a parkland-style course you would encounter on the mainland (except with better backdrops). It was the best conditioned course we saw on the island, and Nelson did some admirable work in crafting creative green complexes on fairly non-descript inland terrain. If you are staying on Kauai for an extended period, Puakea might be the best bet as a course you could play repeatedly and enjoy.
Kiahuna fits a similar profile to Puakea. It is also inland, less penal to the less-skilled player, and more affordable than the courses attached directly to a resort. (Prime-time greens fees for the island range from $170-185 per round for the oceanside courses to between $90 and $125 for the inland courses).
Kiahuna is on the dry side of the island's mountains, giving it a favorable climate. A group of residents have recently purchased the course, which is undergoing renovations. Among its unique features are lava tubes preserved as habitat for the rare blind Kauai cave spider.
posted by ams at 1:15 PM
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