Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015 - 14

and was joined that same year by the
Beach Course at Waikoloa Beach Resort-designed
by Jones Sr.'s other son,
Robert Trent Jones Jr.-another lavaadorned
course that winds along the
Kohala Coast. In 1991, Waikoloa added
the Kings' Course, a 7,074-yard track
by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish that
is considered among the best courses in
the state.
Wind plays a huge factor at all Hawaii
golf courses. Hole No. 5 at the
Kings' Course is a 327-yard par 4 that
entices long hitters with the wind at
their back. But don't come up short, as
the green is protected by a large lavarimmed
bunker-where anything can
happen.
" With the Kings', Weiskopf and
Moorish have created a true golfers'
golf course, " wrote Fuller. " Golfi ng in
paradise doesn't get much better than
at Waikoloa. "
Two of the newest courses on the
Kohala Coast are the Hapuna Golf
Course at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
(the golf course was built in 1992, and
G
enerally speaking, a Hawaiian vacation is a family vacation.
It is not a common destination for a buddy
golf trip because, " Honey, I'm going to Hawaii to golf
with the guys, " doesn't go over real well. But the scenery is
grand, and the resorts are so appealing to the entire family
that golf usually becomes part of the trip.
" Nobody comes to Hawaii to play golf. They play golf when
they go there, but it is not the reason they come to Hawaii, "
said writer George Fuller. " They come to the beach with their
family, and spend time doing all the activities. So the Hawaii
visitor's bureau wants to appeal to the family fi rst. "
That proved to be true for my family. With eight different
ecosystems on this diverse island, the recent environmental
biology college graduate in our group was indeed in paradise.
Our fi lmmaker/photography buff enjoyed most of the
trip through the lens of his cameras. And the recent high
school grad (who picked the destination) found the sun, surf
and world-class beaches to her liking.
While I golfed, my family took a helicopter ride through
the vertical dark green cliffs of the Hamakua Coast and over
Waipio Valley (bluehawaiian.com/bigisland/tours)-two incredibly
scenic spots that are much more diffi cult to reach
on land.
My generally grounded son took a GoPro camera along on
his fi rst parasailing ride (ufoparasail.net), where the intense
silence high above the bay was broken only by his yelps of
both fear and delight.
Opportunities to interact with Hawaii's native creatures
abound. There is the Dolphin Quest Learning Center in the
Hilton at Waikoloa Village, where kids can swim with the
dolphins, but we chose the Ocean Riders Seahorse Farm on
the Kona Coast (seahorse.com). Watching the face of a child
as a seahorse wrapped its tail around her fi nger was worth
the price of admission alone.
And if you are still looking for some golf, there are family
deals to be found, such as Family Golf Days all summer long
at Waikoloa Beach Resort (waikoloabeachgolf.com). The resort
invites juniors and parents to enjoy a round together at
discounted rates, including club rental (free for juniors and
$25 for adults).
The key is to fi nd the right staging area for your Hawaiian
adventure, like at a luxurious golf resort or a well-accommodated
vacation rental. Ours included an infi nity pool set in a
lava rock cliff above the shimmering Pacifi c-the kind of place
where cooling breezes and soothing waves can make an afternoon
of doing nothing feel like something indeed. -J.O.
Hapuna GC
12
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2015
www.mngolf.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF HAPUNA GC
http://www.ufoparasail.net http://www.seahorse.com http://www.waikoloabeachgolf.com http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015
