Maui's Golf Coast 2007 - (Page 26) 13 11 12 10 9 7 6 14 8 18 15 17 O 1 5 16 ne of the most oftasked questions by golfers planning to visit Makena is: Which is your ocean course? The answer: It depends. The Makena South Course does swing down toward the sea. But the Makena North climbs away from the coast, up through thickets of wili wili and kiawe trees, across ravines and streambeds, and past ancient lava rock formations. At these higher elevations you are subjected to Pacific panoramas that are so stunning, there’s no doubt the North is indeed an ocean course, regardless of its physical location. Designed by masterarchitect Robert Trent Jones Jr., the par 72 North stretches 6,914 yards from its tips. It is a quintessential Jones Jr. layout, one that requires some intelligent decisions about shot selection and ball placement in order to be played well. The third hole is a good example. Measuring 340 yards from the orange tee, this par 4 hole places a bunker at the outside corner of the dogleg, greatly sharpening the bend in the fairway. 2 Clubhouse Driving Range 4 3 One attack would be to place your ball just shy of the bunker, which would leave you with an easy pitch to the slightly elevated green. But if you’ve got a good game, as one golf staff member pointed out, you can alternatively catapult your ball over the copse of trees at the inner corner of the dogleg. A gutsy move, to be sure, but tanta- lizing in its possibility. The 445-yard par 5 fifth hole funnels to the green, getting narrower with each shot. It’s critical to set up well for the approach shot, preferably on the left side of the fairway. If you err and end up on the right, you’ll have a tough angle on your approach, and potential trouble in the shape of two bunkers to the left and back of the green. Number 6 is a beauty of a hole. A gulch splits the fairway in two, creating an intimidating illusion that the hole is longer than its actual yardage. A bit of shot strategy and a bit of gauging distance, and you’ll figure out the best way of playing this hole. Before you leave, be Lovely island scenery and Makena’s North 7th hole 26
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