Kohanaiki Golf Club - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii - Pictoral

[Bill Satterfield]

A couple of months ago I was able to play the new Kohanaiki Golf Club just south of the Kona airport on Hawaii's Big Island.  Rees Jones designed the course and I quite enjoyed it.  There are plenty of ocean views, particularly along the back nine, though none of the holes bring the mighty Pacific into play since a significant buffer exists between it and the course.  The conditioning was excellent and the facilities top notch.  The 14th hole enjoys a unique lava bowl hazard next to the green which was a first for me to encounter.  The course doesn't use any herbicides or pesticides as it conforms to Hawaii's earth friendly attitude.  Below are some pictures of the course (sorry about the black dot in the corner; I had some dust on my lens and haven't had a chance to Photoshop it out yet):



I love these tee markers found at the tips



Side view of the 4th hole



Par three 5th hole



Par 5 8th hole



11th green with the 12th hole running towards the ocean in the background



The 637 yard par five 12th hole



12th fairway



13th green looking towards the water.  The hole plays with your back to the ocean.



The approach shot on the 400 yard 14th hole.  Your ball must clear the waste area in front and avoid the lava bunker bowl to the back right of the green.



14th green with the ocean in the background and the lava bowl bunker next to the putting surface



Your view from the lava bowl bunker next to the 14th green.  It is rough on your ball and club in there.



15th hole



Left side of the par three 16th hole



Players must navigate their ball through the lava outcroppings found on the par five 17th hole; a relatively common feature on Hawaii's Big Island.



The dogleg left 18th hole features tons of bunkers to navigate if you are trying to cut some distance off this hole.



Outside the men's locker room is this entry pool mimicking the ocean in the background.  On a side note, the showers in the locker room feature a door that opens up to the outside where an outdoor shower awaits.  Life's good when you know it will always be warm in Hawaii!

[Jon Cavalier]

Beautiful shots. Thanks for the tour.

[Phil McDade]

Bill:

Thanks for this tour; some interesting stuff. Question re. the 14th hole lava bunker -- your thoughts? That seems to be an awfully penal feature -- it looks like you could take an unplayable out of there -- for something so close to the green that's in reach for a modestly poor shot. I'm not against poor shots being penalized, but I'm not sure I've seen quite that penal of a feature (other than water) that close to a green and obviously intended to be in play.

[Bill Satterfield]

I was surprised how close the lava bunker was to the green which was magnified by the pin placement that day.  I wouldn't have a problem with the lava bunker if it didn't also require a forced carry over a lava rock barranca to reach the green in the first place.  Though the hole isn't terribly long, the wind can often be in your face on that hole which will make the carry extra penal since it can get knocked down into the lava fronting the green or drift to the lava bunker on the right.  If you could play a low shot under the wind and chase something in there it would have been a nice feature.  As is, I do at least appreciate the uniqueness of it, but I agree that the approach shot is quite penal especially since you can't miss left either (more lava).  It is pretty much a do or die shot. 

[Matt_Cohn]

Hmm. Looking at these pictures and Google Earth, it basically looks like a Rees Jones course, but in Hawai'i. I mean, don't get me wrong. It looks nice. But it looks like a Rees Jones course, not that I expected it not too. You know what I mean. 

[Brad Tufts]

The Lava Bunker is an interesting concept...it's essentially the same as a water hazard, with the added chance that a ball can be recoverable from the middle of it every once in a while.  Surprised it has not been done before...

[Carl Nichols]

Bill--
Thanks for the pictures.  Have you played any of the other courses north of Kohanaiki?  If so, how does Kohanaiki compare, in your view?

[Jon Wiggett]

Bill,

good looking course looking at your photos. I assume it is warm season from its location which is interesting as manages to keep good conditions without chemicals. This is the first time I have seen this and is nice to see it can be done.

Jon

[Jim Hoak]

Not to nitpick--and not that it really matters--but Kohanaiki is just south of the Kona airport, not north.

[Bill Satterfield]

Carl, this was my first time to the Big Island and I played four courses in addition to Kohanaiki.  Three of them were north of Kohanaiki (Hualalai-Nicklaus course, Mauna Lani South, and Mauna Kea) and one of the courses was south (Hokulia).   As much as I liked Kohanaiki, of the courses north of it I ended up being more impressed with the layout, elevation changes, variety, and views at Mauna Kea more.  However I did prefer Kohanaiki to Hualalai and Mauna Lani South.  Hualalai utilized the plentiful lava rock in some enjoyable ways on the front nine and then the back nine had some unique design features (including a bunker in the middle of a green on a par three) and some nice ocean views/holes.  Mauna Lani South had a couple of absolutely spectacular par threes (particularly #15 over the ocean), but too many of the inland holes were a bit uninspiring.

[Bob_Huntley]

Hmm. Looking at these pictures and Google Earth, it basically looks like a Rees Jones course, but in Hawai'i. I mean, don't get me wrong. It looks nice. But it looks like a Rees Jones course, not that I expected it not too. You know what I mean. 

Matt,

I am afraid that I do not know what you mean, do tell.

Bob