Maui's Golf Coast 2007 - (Page 28) Clubhouse Driving Range 10 9 18 11 8 14 1 17 16 13 12 15 2 7 5 6 3 4 T he story of the Makena South is a story of evolution. From 1979 to 1981, architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. created an 18-hole layout at what he once described as “the sleepy little place at the end of the road.” In 1983, the course was split into half to make way for a second 18hole track. Each half was paired with a new set of nine holes to create Makena’s North and South courses. In 2001, the original nine holes of the South Course received a sevenmonth, $2.3 million makeover under the direct supervision of her original designer. The extensive renovation included replacing the asphalt cart paths with concrete, installing a better irrigation system, improving bunkers, enlarging tee boxes and in some cases relocating them, adding several new tees, modifying some fair- Makena South’s dramatic 4th hole ways, reshaping the greens, and re-turfing the course. In the process, Jones Jr. made subtle improvements to his original design, and unified the South’s older holes with their newer counterparts. The project also brought back some of the design elements that had been blunted by the passage of years, such as views of prehistoric lava rock walls and the natural beauty of the course’s environment. As a result, the 7,014yard, par 72 Makena South is an outstanding resort course, a true Hawaiian seaside layout with gently undulating fairways. The front nine of the South are the holes that opened in 1983. The first kicks off the round with views of the ocean and Maui’s offshore islands, and of Pu‘u – Olai, a large cinder cone that often appears in Hawaiian legends. When you get to the sixth green and hole #7, there’s a rare view of the back side Molokini islet, the rocky tip of a submerged volcanic crater where snorkelers congregate daily to explore the colorful sea life that reside there. But don’t let the course’s natural beauty distract you. Number 7 is a long par 5 measuring 569 yards from the orange tee. It double doglegs downhill, and -papohaku lava walls, rock outcroppings, undulations in the fairway and strategically placed bunkers near the green will trip you up if you’re not paying attention. On the back nine of the course are the newly remodeled holes, beginning with the signature 10th, which you can see from the clubhouse restaurant. The 468yard par 5 starts from an elevated tee and plays to an elongated green near the base – of the Pu‘u Olai cinder cone. From there, the course progressively winds closer and closer to the ocean. The 15th hole is a downhill par 3 that rolls straight to the ocean. At 167 yards from the orange tee, you might consider one of your longer irons, but if you don’t choose your club carefully, you run the risk of losing your ball in the 28
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