Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015 - 15

the hotel in 1994) and Hualalai Resort
and Hualalai Golf Course (1996).
Hapuna GC was built up the mountain
from Mauna Kea GC, where the
design team of Arnold Palmer and Ed
Seay crafted a perfect complement
to Mauna Kea with tighter fairways,
more extreme elevation changes and
incredible vistas-including expansive
views, on most days, of Mount
Haleakala on the neighboring island
of Maui.
Palmer's buddy Jack Nicklaus
Hole No. 3 at Mauna Kea GC
brought his design team to the island
and built the Hualalai GC, which
opened to Four Seasons Resort guests
in 1996. Nicklaus made great use of
the lava rock to carve out his course,
T
here are iconic holes in golf-No. 12 at
Augusta, No. 18 at Pebble Beach and
the Road Hole, No. 17, at St. Andrews-
and they all have a unique backstory. The
beautiful par-3 No. 3 at Mauna Kea over
the Pacifi c Ocean is one-complete with
its own tale.
Gary Player
The Big Three of Arnold Palmer, Jack
Nicklaus and Gary Player played a ceremonial
course-opening round there
in 1964. Legend holds that they
moved back to the tips-where
the shot is 240 yards into the
wind and carries to a large
green. With 1964-era clubs,
Player reportedly couldn't
make it to the green, and it
wasn't a guarantee for the
other two.
Francis Brown South Course
When Player returned to the course
this past February, Mauna Kea Director
of Golf Josh Silliman played a round with
him and asked about the story.
" No, I could get it over, " Player told Silliman.
" I think I got it on the green, but
it was more made for TV, so we played it
from [further up]. "
" They were playing for Shell's Won1.
Hualalai Resort
808-325-8480, hualalairesort.com
2. Volcano Golf & Country Club
808-967-7331, volcanogolfshop.comil
3. Mauna Lani Bay
808-885-6655, maunalani.com
4. Waikoloa Beach Resort
808-886-7888, waikoloabeachgolf.com
5. Mauna Kea Golf Course
808-882-5400
princeresortshawaii.com/mauna-kea-beach-hotel
6. Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
808-880-3000
princeresortshawaii.com/hapuna-beach-prince-hotel
www.mngolf.org
Nene Bird
Hawaii state bird
4
1
HAWAII
Hilo
Kailua-Kona
2
5
3 6
derful World of Golf, " Silliman says.
" They didn't want these three top golfers
to not be able to get it on the green,
so they played it from closer in, at about
210 yards, for the show. "
Player then told Silliman, " I've got to
hit that shot, " and took out his driver
from the 240-yard tee.
" He got it nearly to the turf, " says Silliman.
" He carried the water but hit into
the rocks. Fifty years later he could almost
hit it as far. "
Playing an iconic hole for the fi rst time
is always a story. What's mine? Well,
it's an iconic hole, so I was nervous and
excited. It's a long carry, so I brought a
little extra to my swing. It's a big green,
and I missed it ... several times. So, it's
a story-just not a very good one. -J.O.
Fall 2015 MINNESOTAGOLFER
13
PHOTO BY PETER WONG
PHOTO BY SETH OBERLE
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUNA KEA GC

http://www.hualalairesort.com http://www.maunalani.com http://www.waikoloabeachgolf.com http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/mauna-kea-beach-hotel http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/hapuna-beach-prince-hotel http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2015

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