The Prince - Kauai

[Jonathan Cummings]

What's the status of this place?  It was closed 5 years ago as it prepared to go private, but due to lack of funds, stayed fallow.  I understand they put $10M into the clubhouse and offered $100/round on punch fairways as recently as last Oct.  Anybody know anything?

[Brad Tufts]

I played the Makai back in November, and they had fencing with green sheeting blocking the Prince hole corridors closest to the Makai course.  According to the Makai starter they were working on refurbishing to re-open in 2024 as a private course, and it was going to be totally separate from the Makai course/membership...not related at all.  The discussion had the vibe that the starter thought it was a major letdown that the locals and longtime Makai employees won't get to check it out after it was originally public then closed for so long.  I feel his pain, as Kauai is a small rock and Princeville is a remote community on a small rock.


Before our trip I searched quite a bit about the course (I played it 20ish years ago), and certainly didn't see that it ever opened in any fashion since it's original closure...but I also didn't see any online plans for a reopening of any kind either, so that was news to me.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Thanks Brad - I called and talked for a while with the Makai DOG.  Couldn't get thru to Steve Murphy - The Prince DOG.
Here’s what I was told.  The Princeville Makai course opened as a resort with 3 nines in 1971.  Bobby Jr was the architect.  The resort was closed in 2020 and Jones Jr was again brought in to redo the course, now under new management.  The new Makai course opened in 2021 as an 18-hole new golf course built over top of the old footprint. 
The Prince (just a mile east of the Makai resort), also originally a Jones Jr 18-hole layout, opened in the early 90s.  The five nines (Makai and Prince) were part of the same resort for only a short time.  They separated and for years were run by different groups.  The Prince has always been highly ranked in GW as well as GD.  The Prince closed for play in 2014.

The Prince was bought by the Discovery group who are in the process of re-doing everything.  They just finished a $10M redo of the clubhouse and are halfway thru re-doing the course.  Same routing but all new holes.  One of Fazio’s guys (I think) is the lead architect.  It will be very private when it opens summer of 2024.  They are not sure what they are going to call the club.
I lived in Hawaii for 4 years in the 1980s.  Loved it.  Played The Prince when it first opened.  Hope it is as thrilling, at least from a visual standpoint, as it was originally.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I loved the Prince, and every time I go to Kauai, I hope it has reopened. It is such a waste to see it lie dormie. It has one scary first hole that lets the player know that this course will test you.

[Paul Rudovsky]

Was there in late 1987 and played the 27 at Makai and the 9 holes at Prince that were open at that time.  I remember the 9 at Prince felt like a roller coaster.


Have heard from very reliable source the same thing regarding Discovery Land, plans to be very private, and most recent forecast being 2024 opening