Kauai 2009 Travel Planner - (Page 40) A Golfer's PARADISE Hollywood filmmakers and golfers have something in common: an appreciation for scenic backdrops. PRINCEVILLE AT HANALEI. Course architects borrowed Kaua‘i’s natural beauty and have laid out eight spectacular golf courses. Bring your clubs. Bring your game. Here are your scenic choices. The St. Regis Princeville Resort’s two courses are nestled between the sea and 4,421-foot-high Mount Namolokama. ¯ The Prince Course, rated #1 in the state by Golf Digest, is considered to be one of the more beautiful golf courses in the world. Behind the 13th hole, a waterfall catches air from an ancient lava tube. The streams that crisscross the course have flowed here for thousands of years. The Makai Course consists of three nine-hole tracks—Ocean, Woods and Lakes—which aptly describe their terrain. While not all holes play along the ocean, none of them are far away. The Woods, in full bloom year-round is as much an arboretum as a golf course. The Lakes—which come into play on the 1st, 8th and 9th holes—is proof that the Scottish pro Tommy Armour was right when he quipped, “Nothing ruins more golf swings than fear. And nothing causes fear like water.” The Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Course currently offers 18 holes of play while enhancements are being made to the Kiele ocean nine under the guidance of original architect, Jack Nicklaus. When completed there will be a new ocean hole and mile stretch of ocean front golf. The Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course was home ¯ to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Some past qualifiers include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. You can see the course’s four closing holes from the clubhouse and from nearly every other hole on the course. Playing along the cliff, golfers occasionally spot monk seals basking on the beach below, sea turtles bobbing just beyond the shore break and humpback whales breaching in the distance. Po‘ipu Bay ¯ isn’t just great golf, it’s a celebration. Kiahuna Golf Club, also in Po‘ipu, ¯ recently reopened after a year’s worth of extensive renovations. This fun par-70 course now offers a range of tees, from junior to expert. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the course blends rolling fairways, rock gardens and deep bunkers with well-preserved remnants of an ancient Hawaiian village. Views of Mt. Kahili and the Pacific Ocean offer a true Kaua‘i experience with every shot. And of course, the sun is almost always shining on Po‘ipu. ¯ Kaua‘i’s other captivating tests include the Wailua Municipal on the east side, a true links course with several holes set along the sea. Don’t let the word “municipal” color your opinion. This is a great golf course. Puakea Golf Course is a fine 18hole course at Grove Farm, near the location where parts of Jurassic Park were filmed. Here, you’ll send your ball down small valleys, through chutes of verdant forest, beside natural lakes and over streams. Robin Nelson’s design enhances the beautiful rolling farmland with challenging features while keeping the course in harmony with the natural scenery. Kaua‘i’s golf courses are crafted by nature, assisted by talented architects and enjoyed by all who tee up. 40 KAUA‘I Hawai‘i’s Island of Discovery™
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