Kapalua Plantation - Your thoughts

[Ira Fishman]

Scott, on the thread where several of us were offering additional courses to consider, l did not include my views of Plantation itself because I did not want to dampen your enthusiasm, especially me having played it only once. But your post is word for word what I would have written. My only addition is that high expectations led me to be disappointed in Number 18; as an average golfer, I would be down left after my second every time however well I hit my first two (playing from regular tees) with an awkward third shot.

[Matthew Petersen]

Scott, I think there's merit to a lot of your points, though I think it's worth pointing out that there are several of the uphill holes that are quite good (5, 13, 14, 15 - obviously we disagree about 13 and 15).


But to some extent it takes playing a lot of the other courses on the island to appreciate how tough it is to put a golf course on those hillsides. I mean, don't play Kaanapali North. But if you were to, the quality of even the worst holes at the Plantation would becomes clear. That's certainly how it worked for me.

[Brad Tufts]

I do like the Plantation as well, even though I have never really played it at full firmness.  My three rounds there have been in November (x2), and December.  I do think it's head-and-shoulders the best on the island in a weak field, and perhaps top 3 in Hawaii.  I like Nanea slightly better, Kukio maybe the same...and I have not played Manele, which could be a worthy challenger....the next tier is probably Kukui'ula, Wailua, Wailea Gold, Hualalai maybe Poipu, etc.  I haven't played at all on Oahu so I can't speak to those much, nor have I played Mauna Kea or the other two newest courses on the Big Island...Hokulia and Kohanaiki.


Favorite Holes:  1/4/6/7/9/14/15...6 and 7 upgraded with jungle removal! 


Least Favorite Holes: 10/13/16.  The uphill, into-the-wind holes at 10/13 are tough to love.  They are of course necessary, and they are not bad holes, just not the fun ones.  I like #4 above because rarely do you see such a steep hill in front of a tee on a modern resort course, and the green is exceptional.

[Jason Topp]

I am a big fan of the course.   You play shots there that you do not experience anywhere else.   You get views there that you get nowhere else.  It reflects the land it is built upon. 

The biggest problem with the course is that it brutalizes most people who play it.  Every day I have played it, the trade winds have blown 20 mph.  A tee shot that is 5 yards off line on a calm day can be 40 yards offline in a 20 mph wind - particularly on a firm course on an incline.  Thus, it plays pretty narrow, even with 80 yard wide fairways. 

I recall the greens having a lot of slope but I do not recall much grain.  The effect of the slope was similar to Northland in Minnesota which has bent/poa greens and therefore minimal grain.   

[Scott Warren]

Thanks for chiming in, guys.


The more time that passes, my opinion is developing a bit more and some grievances softening.


I agree 100% that it must be viewed through the prism of the land it's built on. Royal Melbourne West, it ain't. But nor could it ever have been.


I definitely need to play it again. That won't happen on this trip so I guess that just means we have to come back next year!


On a slight side note, Hawaii may be the most perfect holiday destination on earth.

[John Kavanaugh]

Would anyone actually pay post tax dollars to play Kapalua twice? Smells like rater bate and business conference drivel to me.

[Scott Warren]

John,


Do I need to also drink ten beers to understand what your post means?

[John Kavanaugh]

I only question if the course is worth paying to play twice. Very few resort courses are.

[William_G]

not a "resort" course, it's way better and most golfers would play it twice, but is at a resort

Plantation House is one of my favorite restaurant in the world

[Scott Warren]

John K,


Any course is worth playing twice if it's good enough, good value or intreguing enough.


Kapalua easily ticks two of the three boxes and, compared to green fees ensewhere on Maui, probably the third as well.

[John Kavanaugh]

Value? http://www.golfatkapalua.com/2017-rates.html

[MClutterbuck]

I only question if the course is worth paying to play twice. Very few resort courses are.

Many many years ago my father and I sat on the beach the day after playing KP, our last full day with the family. My wife and mother were there with us. It took us 30 minutes before we said good bye and left for a second unscheduled round at KP. One of the best decisions ever. It is a super fun course.

[John Kavanaugh]

So then you flew home to sit on the beach in Rio. This Indiana boy is going to enjoy the ocean in Hawaii.

[MClutterbuck]

So then you flew home to sit on the beach in Rio. This Indiana boy is going to enjoy the ocean in Hawaii.

It was actually during my move from the Bay Area to Dallas so it certainly was not due to over abundance of beach.

[Mark Provenzano]

Value? http://www.golfatkapalua.com/2017-rates.html

It's a value compared to what they're charging down the road for a lesser product, yes.

https://www.kaanapaligolfcourses.com/golf

[BCowan]

Value? http://www.golfatkapalua.com/2017-rates.html

This takes the cake, Barney is concerned with Value now    .   Double Standard Club for sure!

[Matthew Petersen]

Value? http://www.golfatkapalua.com/2017-rates.html

It's a value compared to what they're charging down the road for a lesser product, yes.

https://www.kaanapaligolfcourses.com/golf

This is the correct point. Value and Maui are not words that belong near each other. A gallon of milk is $10 there. Food is insanely expensive, lodging is, and golf is. If you're going to play golf on Maui, Plantation is the place to do it. I will absolutely play it again. Hell, I'll probably pay the exorbitant rider fee for my wife to ride along again.

[Scott Warren]

Indeed, Matthew.


My wife and I are sitting on our apartment balcony using our last night here to book a return next May.


So I decided to look at the cost of playing Manele from Maui, with the boat transfer. Just the $500. Haha, sure!


I am overlooking the Kaanapali courses and have done for six days. I cannot fathom a circumstance in which I'd part with $200 to play one of them.


The upside of playing KP a week after coring was that they only charged me $225.


Value is a debate that's hard to have because the variables that determine value are personal and different for all of us. 50 weeks of the year I'm as frugal as the next bloke but I wasn't going to fly 10 hours here and pinch pennies where there was the chance to have a great experience.

[Matthew Petersen]

Indeed, Matthew.


My wife and I are sitting on our apartment balcony using our last night here to book a return next May.


So I decided to look at the cost of playing Manele from Maui, with the boat transfer. Just the $500. Haha, sure!


I am overlooking the Kaanapali courses and have done for six days. I cannot fathom a circumstance in which I'd part with $200 to play one of them.


The upside of playing KP a week after coring was that they only charged me $225.


Value is a debate that's hard to have because the variables that determine value are personal and different for all of us. 50 weeks of the year I'm as frugal as the next bloke but I wasn't going to fly 10 hours here and pinch pennies where there was the chance to have a great experience.

I played Manele in 2009, when the Koele course on the mountain was still open. They offered a 36-hole day trip that, IIRC, was $350 for boat ride to/from Lanai and golf at both courses. A really great deal, though surprisingly few people were taking advantage of it.


Now the Koele course is in some kind of limbo and I wasn't even aware that Manele still offered non-resort guests the ability to come play. I thought that course was a great experience but it's not really a great course overall. The routing is more clever than good. The back nine is mostly good holes but there were only a few good holes on the front. I'm glad to have had the experience and the 12th and 17th are really an experience, but I don't think it's a must play.

[Buck Wolter]

Indeed, Matthew.


My wife and I are sitting on our apartment balcony using our last night here to book a return next May.


So I decided to look at the cost of playing Manele from Maui, with the boat transfer. Just the $500. Haha, sure!


I am overlooking the Kaanapali courses and have done for six days. I cannot fathom a circumstance in which I'd part with $200 to play one of them.


The upside of playing KP a week after coring was that they only charged me $225.


Value is a debate that's hard to have because the variables that determine value are personal and different for all of us. 50 weeks of the year I'm as frugal as the next bloke but I wasn't going to fly 10 hours here and pinch pennies where there was the chance to have a great experience.

I played Manele in 2009, when the Koele course on the mountain was still open. They offered a 36-hole day trip that, IIRC, was $350 for boat ride to/from Lanai and golf at both courses. A really great deal, though surprisingly few people were taking advantage of it.


Now the Koele course is in some kind of limbo and I wasn't even aware that Manele still offered non-resort guests the ability to come play. I thought that course was a great experience but it's not really a great course overall. The routing is more clever than good. The back nine is mostly good holes but there were only a few good holes on the front. I'm glad to have had the experience and the 12th and 17th are really an experience, but I don't think it's a must play.

One of the best deals of my life was the Lanai Hotels did what they called a 4X4 package 20 years ago--~$350/night for a hotel room and a daily activity which included 2 rounds of golf as an option. One day we did the dining option --still remember those meals.

[Mark Provenzano]

Indeed, Matthew.


My wife and I are sitting on our apartment balcony using our last night here to book a return next May.


So I decided to look at the cost of playing Manele from Maui, with the boat transfer. Just the $500. Haha, sure!

I liked the Manele course quite a bit, but they're pricing it like they really don't want anyone to come over from Maui. And that's quite a change from a few years ago The first time I went my wife couldn't believe anyone would take a 6AM ferry just to play golf. Then she was even more surprised to see a few dozen people lined up with golf bags. The 36 hole Lanai double with lunch at the Manele clubhouse was a perfect day.