[Evan_Green]

Guys-

Thought I'd post a few pics from Poipu Bay GC. Kauai is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world. I can't imagine how anyone could care about their score on this course (except for that Tiger fellow - incidentally he seems to like to to play there an aweful lot ).

[Aaron Katz]

Evan, are you still in Kaua'i?  If you are, I'd highly recommend taking a hike on the trails past Ke'e Beach (sp?) on the extreme north side of the island.  When you hit the top of the cliffs, you won't be disappointed.

[Evan_Green]

curious as to others thoughts on this course...

[Aaron Katz]

I thought there were a couple of spectacular holes -- the ones right on those high cliffs are totally unreal.

Overall, though, I can't call Poipu a great course.  I just think it could have been so much more.  The tiny trees that are scattered between the fairways look out of place to me, and some of the mounding struck me as artificial.  I'm not sure how much vegetation they could have cleared on the sides, but I think the course would have been better without the mounding and without the interior baby trees.  That would open the course up and would have allowed the architect to move the bunkers more perpendicular to the line of play.  My recollection is that the course was really of the "hit it here" variety.  

That said, it is an eminently enjoyable course on the most beautiful of the islands, IMO.

[Pete Stankevich]

Played there on my honeymoon in 2003 with rental clubs on a beautiful, but windy day.  You get caught up in the scenery more than the golf holes, especially on 15,16, and 17.  But this sequence in the middle of the front nine shows how the course can play when it's not calm.  I believe the holes were #5 and #6, but I'm not positive.  #5 is a short par 4 of about 350 yards, playing into the wind, and I hit a drive and 7 iron.  The next hole is a par 5 of close to 550 yards, playing downwind, and I reach it with a drive and a 6 iron.  200 yard difference, but 1 club difference to reach it.

[Evan_Green]

Incidentally - not sure if anyone took a close look at the picture of the scoreboard from the 2005 Grand Slam, but in the first round Vijay made a 7(!!) on the relatively simply 193 yard, Par 3 #11 !! Does anyone remember how on earth this could have happened? Did he hit 3 balls into the pond?



Incidently Mickelson made a 5 on this same hole in the second round...and Tiger birdied it both days  ...

[Mike Erdmann]

Poipu's a decent course, but IMHO there are much better options on Kauai at both Princeville (Prince) and Kauai Lagoons (Kiele).

[Don Dinkmeyer]

Kauai just got voted #2 island for golf in the world (#1 - Bali?!)

It's my favorite with Kiele, Princeville, et al as i am sure will be mentioned here.

If you want a real treat for the eyes, go to the 9 hole kukuiolono course (toward waimea canyon area, near the Brick Oven Pizza) -- incredible views, cheap golf at about 8 bucks, and chicken feed is only 50 cents.

[Evan_Green]

Kauai just got voted #2 island for golf in the world (#1 - Bali?!)

It's my favorite with Kiele, Princeville, et al as i am sure will be mentioned here.

If you want a real treat for the eyes, go to the 9 hole kukuiolono course (toward waimea canyon area, near the Brick Oven Pizza) -- incredible views, cheap golf at about 8 bucks, and chicken feed is only 50 cents.

Don

While I didnt get to play Kukiolono, I did persuade (OK force) my girlfriend to stop there with me on the way to Waimea Canyon. I didnt get any shots of the course itself, but thought you'd appreciate these:


Front Gate


View of Niihau Island (on the horizon) from the Parking lot. Has got to be one of the greatest parking lot views in the world!

[Don Dinkmeyer]

Evan--

Yes, that brings back the positive vibes!    

Kukuiolono qualifies for: best views, worst greens, most supsect range balls, and cheapest chickenfeed for all courses in the islands!

Hope to return soon. The next trip is to Molokai - not much there in terms of golf, but the one there, Kaluakoi, has some spectacular, spectacular ocean views - you are at sea level.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Agree completely with Mike E - there are 10 better golf courses than Poipu in the Hawaiian Islands with two of them being on Kaua'i.

JC

[Wayne Freeman]

Frankly, I've never been impressed with any of the courses on Kaui, they're at best just ok, and Poipu to me is a major disappointment.  Except for the finishing holes  on the ocean  how many other holes can you even remember.  It's just typical resort golf. I guess Princeville is the best of the lot.

[Tom_Doak]

I stayed at Poipu Beach a few years ago, along with Kauai Lagoons and Princeville, courtesy of GOLF Magazine's resort-rating awards.

It's been demeaned here as "typical resort golf" and that is probably not far from accurate, but it IS a resort and in fact it's the most family-oriented of the three resorts to boot -- so it is fairly likely you might play it with your wife.  And your wife would have ten times as much fun playing at Poipu, as at Princeville or The Kiele Course.  It is also the only one of the three which remains playable and fun in the wind, and the wind only blows in Kauai about 250 days a year.

[Evan_Green]

I stayed at Poipu Beach a few years ago, along with Kauai Lagoons and Princeville, courtesy of GOLF Magazine's resort-rating awards.

It's been demeaned here as "typical resort golf" and that is probably not far from accurate, but it IS a resort and in fact it's the most family-oriented of the three resorts to boot -- so it is fairly likely you might play it with your wife.  And your wife would have ten times as much fun playing at Poipu, as at Princeville or The Kiele Course.  It is also the only one of the three which remains playable and fun in the wind, and the wind only blows in Kauai about 250 days a year.

Plus, as indicated in the title of this thread- the course and its surroundings are so beautiful that its really hard not to have fun playing it even if you dont care for the design...

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