Maui's Golf Coast 2007 - (Page 4) F or those of us who have been around for awhile, the Royal K a‘anapali Course is synonymous with Hawaiian golf. At various times over the past four decades, millions of television viewers vicariously experienced this 6,700-yard, par 71 course through the victories and defeats of some of the most renowned players on the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA Tours. One of the first of those TV events was ABC’s popular match-play series, “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf,” which made its Hawai‘i debut at the Royal K a‘anapali Course in 1963. That was the event in which Bob Charles of New Zealand handily outpaced his American opponent, Dave Regan. A year later, the course hosted the Canada Cup (precursor to the World Cup), during which Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus consecutively shot a course record of 65, an accomplishment that remained unbeaten for 23 years. In the early 1980s, the LPGA Women’s Kemper Open came to the resort, followed a few years later by the Senior PGA Tour’s K a‘anapali Classic. The latter aired for 14 years and drew such stellar players as Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, Dave Stockton, George Archer, Bob Murphy, Jay Sigel, Bruce Fleisher and Hale Irwin. The Royal K a‘anapali Course is now host to the Champions Skins Game. The Royal Ka‘anapali demanding #5 hole lies alongside the resort’s white sandy shoreline, complete with a view of the mountains behind So what’s the best way to attack a course of such venerable history and stature? Here’s a hint: The first thing you ought to do is head for K a‘anapali Beach the day prior to your round and watch the sunset. Not only is it a phenomenally pretty sight and worth doing in its own right, it can also help your game. The greens on the Royal K a‘anapali are notorious for their strong grain, and a useful factoid to remember is the ball will break toward the setting sun. It helps to know where the sun will dip into the horizon, even if you’re playing at, say, 8:47 in the morning. Another bit of information worth knowing: the course is meant to be played in the wind. Typically, that means trades blowing 5 to 15 mph from the northeast. Pick your clubs carefully and control your loft, especially off the tee. Course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. took advantage of the rolling terrain to create undulating fairways and contoured greens that often make for challenging approach shots if your ball isn’t well placed. The Royal K a‘anapali rarely gives you a flat lie. The course’s signature hole is the par 4 fifth, measuring 440 yards from the regular tee and rated the toughest on the course. Number five’s fairway literally flows down to Ka‘anapali Beach, where sun-worshippers laze on the sand, the surf tumbles to the shore, and the breeze wafts off the sea. 4
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