Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015 - 13

Its par-3 third hole over a Pacifi c
Ocean inlet is one of those iconic holes
in the game that golfers anticipate a
chance to play (see sidebar on page 13).
With incredible coastal views and rolling
manicured fairways, Mauna Kea
joins the Kapalua Plantation Course
on Maui and the Prince Course in
Princeville, Kauai, to make up the top
three courses in the Hawaiian chain of
islands.
Mauna Kea underwent a restoration
in 2008, which consisted of raising
the bunker faces for aesthetics
(to bring them out of hiding from
the tee) and adding undulation to the
greens. The architect's son, Rees Jones,
did the work, but fi rst had to reach a
compromise with the design of his late
father, who wanted the course to retain
its diffi culty.
" Jones Sr.'s design philosophy was
that the greens were mostly elevated,
inverted tea cups, " Fuller said in his
book. " You have to be in the right position
to score. Rees came in and raised
a lot of the green edges. He added a lot
more movement into them so you have
to be a good putter. To some extent,
he modernized it. It was necessary to
bring it into the 21st century. "
The restoration also helps with the
local competition, since after Mauna
Kea showed that lava golf was possible,
other resort courses started popping
up on the western side of the island.
The competition has proved to be stiff,
as several courses have closed since
2002. Waimea Country Club lost
a county subsidy and is now
pasture land, Makalei
Hualalai GC
Hawaii Country Club has closed and
will be developed for housing, and
Kona Country Club's two courses have
undergone renovations, but have yet to
reopen-although the course website
claims they will in December.
But resort golf has grown on the Big
Island since Jones fi rst put bulldozer to
lava. Not far from Mauna Kea, Mauna
Lani Bay is home to two championship
courses named for Francis Hyde
I'i Brown, a former top golfer and territorial
representative.
The two tracks, the North Course
and South Course, were literally carved
out of the lava fl ow, and the hardened
black rock was used as decorative outcroppings
and hazards lining the fairways.
One Mauna Lani staffer in the
pro shop chuckled at the suggestion
of hitting out of the hazards (as we
sometimes do up north), saying, " That
doesn't happen here, unless you want a
broken club or sprained wrist. "
The surrounding dark black a'a lava
(lava has different names for different
colors, textures and formations)
creates a visually intimidating setting,
particularly on the North Course's par3
17th, where the play goes from an elevated
tee to a green surrounded by lava
rock. But there is a respite, of sorts, as
the South Course plays a little closer to
the ocean, and the par-3, 196-yard 15th
requires a tee shot over crashing surf.
Golf at Mauna Lani began in 1981
(the nines on the fi rst course were
split in 1991 to add a second course),
Mauna Kea GC
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUNA KEA GC
www.mngolf.org
Fall 2015 MINNESOTAGOLFER
Directory 2011 MINNESOTAGOLFER
31
11
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUALALAI GC
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015

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