I just returned from a trip to Kauai, and was able to sneak in a few rounds of golf while there. We played some great golf in awesome weather. We played some high profile course highly ranked by the golf mags, including Princeville Prince course (RTJ, Jr.), Poipu Bay (RTJ, Jr.) and Kauai Lagoons Kiele (Nicklaus). But the best experience and best course was a real surprise!
The Kukiolono Golf Course is a nine-hole public facility. It was the private course of sugar baron Walter D. McBryde, who gave it to the people of the island in 1913. It has been open to the public ever since. The name of the architect has been lost to history.
My son and I headed over to starer's shack and learned that we would be next on the tee. There are no tee times, and we were luck enough to find a lull in the play. We had all of our clubs in one bag, and the starter did force us to rent a second golfbag to carry the clubs. Including that, total charges for our twosome were $14.50. Yes, that is fourteen dollars and fifty cents. That includes unlimited play for the day! I paid $11 for a sleeve of logo balls at the high profile courses.
What we found when we stepped to the first tee was a very pleasant, ultra firm and fast course. As you¡¦d suspect, the maintenance budget is pretty small. However, the conditions around the greens, including greenside bunkering, were very good. In fact, the green complexes were on par with the other courses we played.
The course plays to 6154 yards, rating of 70.0. Out of bounds right on every hole, a real treat for a left hander that was pulling every short ironļ.
Overall, fast and firm with high winds, and open to a host of bump and run options. All of the greens slope back to front, unless otherwise noted. The first tee is at the upper left of the photo, and play proceeds counterclockwise around the property.
Hole #1, 321 yard par 4
A slight dogleg left to an elevated green. Wide open and an easy start to the round.
Hole #2, 580 yard par 5
Dog leg right with a fairway falling away at about the 225 yard mark. Hit a solid drive over the crest of the fairway and the ball will roll forever. Be sure to stop and appreciate the awesome 180 degree ocean panorama as you hit your approach,
Hole #3, 330 yard par 4
Relatively straight away. However, the hole plays directly into the prevailing trade winds, and sits at a high point on the course. Club selection is not easy. If your approach goes long, good luck, you¡¦re probably lost in the Japanese garden and Hawaiian rocks behind the green
Hole #4, 414 yard par 4
Straight hole, slightly downhill. This played to a temporary green, so obviously there is an ongoing maintenance system in place.
Hole #5, 282 yard par 4
Short par 4, with the primary hazard being that the hole plays into the prevailing trade winds. An iron off of the tee is tempting ¡V just be sure to land on the correct side of the severely left to right sloped fairway. Play your short too much right to left and it will likely run through the fairway into the left rough, making for a tough approach angle.
Hole #6, 152 yard par 3
Still into the prevailing trade winds, with a forced carry to about 125 yards over a densely vegetated natural valley. Plenty of room to miss right just don¡¦t be short!
Hole #7, 270 yard par 4
What¡¦s this, OB left, too? We¡¦ve turned north, so now the trade winds are right to left. Uphill hole, dogleg left to an elevated green. Two good knockdown shots and you are putting. Fly the ball and hope you¡¦ve gauged the wind correctly, or you¡¦re OB.
Hole #8, 166 yard par 3
Uphill par 3, with a severe drop off to the right of the green. If you¡¦re going to miss, miss left. Oh yea, and we¡¦re into the wind again, although in this case the hole is framed by 50 ft tall evergreens.
Hole #9, 466 yard par 5
Uphill dogleg left, with about 250 required off of the tee to get past the dogleg and give a clear line of sight to the elevated green.
Honestly, we were sad to see the round end. When we walked off #9, the line at #1 was about three groups deep, so we didn¡¦t make the second loop for 10-18. For those that do, there is a second set of tees, with the effect being that the back nine plays about 200 yards longer than the front.
On our next trip, we will be here a couple of times. Nice practice green and range, too. The ocean view from the range is spectacular. The paint cans that hold the range balls are a wonderful contrast to that.