Kaua’i: Golf’s Emerald Jewel

BY JANICE MARIE WILSON

For the past five million years, Kauai has been passionately ravaged by nature, shaped, sculpted, and chiseled into an infectiously beautiful island. The allure of this island’s beauty has enticed the world’s most esteemed golf architects to transform the “Garden Island” into “Golf’s Emerald Jewel.”

This rare jewel is naturally blessed with verdant tropical foliage, lush rain forests, spectacular waterfalls, and rainbow covered coastlines that take your breath away. But it’s the elegance, brilliance, and architectural mastery of Kaua’i’s golf courses that made my heart race. Through an expenditure of millions of dollars in renovating their top courses, Kaua’i’ has created the quintessential golf experience. It’s visually astounding, emotionally thrilling, athletically challenging and deeply rewarding. The game of golf becomes fifth dimensional in Kaua’i! It is a regal pleasure and seduction of paradise.

Golf can be a game of battling your inner demons. It’s learning how to maintain concentration under pressure. It’s mastering how to avoid the mental and physical tensions that will sabotage any shot. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple two foot putt or a bunker seeking tee shot. When you play golf, you’re always contending with that “nagging inner voice” that says, “how can I keep from messing up this next shot?”

But when you play golf at the the Makai Golf Club on the North Shore, you can’t wait for that next shot. The beauty of the terrain makes your inner demons disappear. The pristine attention to architectural golf design heightens your concentration. Your insecurities vanish as you walk onto the firm surface of seashore paspalum turf tee box. Your confidence builds with the overwhelming beauty of each signature hole. The hidden secret to your golf game is revealed.
With each chip shot, sand wedge, fairway play or putt, your natural instincts are unleashed. You begin to listen to the land and the sound of a well hit shot. The Makai Golf course delivers the golfer’s ultimate dream. It gives you the opportunity to improve every aspect of your game. This Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course, allows you to experience more than a game of golf. With every dramatic shape of their bunkers, the configuration of their green complexes, coupled with the beauty of Hanalei Bay, and the North Shore’s breathtaking mountains, you’re given the key to the perfect golf swing. This course holds the secret that makes champions of us all. A par 72 course, with four sets of tees and 7,200 yards, has mastered the uncanny ability to teach you the penultimate pleasure in playing the game of golf…. the art of relaxed concentration!

As I stood on the tee box of Hole #3, I perused the architectural artistry of the hole. The Pacific trade winds blew behind me. The surreal view of the mountains merged into the radiant blues of the sea. Glancing down the enormous 100 foot drop to the green, I was taken aback by two of the most dramatic white sand bunkers surrounding the green. They appeared like waves rolling into shore. The hole plays 180 yards from the tips, but they told me to play at least two clubs less because of the winds and drop. Would I be able to clear the mirrored lake fronting the green and avoid the bunkers?

I gave a nod to the gods before I hit my heavenly seven. As if on cue, the trade wind caught my ball and it magically soared over the lake and the first bunker. I heard it plop on the green. I watched the white speck gently roll off the green and flirted an inch short of the second bunker. But it was the second putt that gave me the rewarding chill of hearing the “kerplunck” of the ball drop into the metal cup. Par!

Hole 7 – Par 3 is a temptress. The championship tee box is perched on a cliff overlooking the serene Hanalei Bay and blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. I loved the feeling of being on top of the world. But the trajectory to the green was exceptionally frightening. My professional partner for the day Doug Sutter didn’t seem phased. He teed up his ball. His back swing arced to perfection. At the end of his back swing I noticed that the focus of his eyes remained directly on the back edge of the golf ball, as his hips rotated towards the green, he kept his upper body totally passive and his head still. At the precise moment his club head struck the ball, the “thrack” of a well hit shot sent shock waves through me. He had to carry that shot 213 yards above the most rugged, terrifying cliffs I’d even seen. The ravine was 160 feet deep – with white swells churning against the black rocks at the bottom. The green was fronted only by a cliff opulently covered with red boganvia trees and tropical vegetation.

I watched his ball soar higher and higher. The white speck against the deep blue sky grew wings. Unfortunately the green below was surrounded by the magnetic pull of several dazzling white bunkers. Did Doug’s ball have a protected force field around it? The surreal view of the mountains meeting the white tipped waves of the ocean was nothing compared to the aerial stunt his Nike ball performed. Overcoming the beastly odds of nature and Robert Jones Jr.’ architectural golf mastery, his ball flew over the bunkers, hit the green and gracefully rolled two inches from the cup. This course deserves it’s rating as one of the top five in National Geographic Traveler!

The mischievous Menehunes (Hawaiian Leprechauns) of the Makai Golf Course were everywhere that day. The rain intermittently poured down in liquid sunshine for exactly 52 seconds at a time. Rainbows appeared out of nowhere. On the 8th hole of the course, an attractive blond haired gentleman with an impish smile, blue golf hat, burgundy collared shirt and confident presence, introduced himself to us as Bobbie Trent Jones Jr. With great pride, he volunteered to give us some pointers about the design of his course. Wow! I practically jumped out of my saddle shoe designed golf shoes.

I found Mr. Jones to be an artistically astounding man, gifted with a passion for golf, story telling, politics, poetry and designing golf courses. Delighted to ride in the golf cart and golf with the man that designed those brilliant white bunkers, and terrifying tee shots, I asked him what was the most important part of designing a course. He gave me a thoughtful smile and told me without hesitation that a “good golf design possess an overall mood or rhythm that engenders feelings of anticipation, mixed with nostalgia in most players when they reflect on the course. The architect produces this effect in a fashion similar to the way in which a great composer creates a symphony. Each hole is deftly adapted to the site’s natural attributes. A great course also has balance, which derives from the melding, in a pleasant order, of holes of varying degrees of difficulty. For me the hallmark of a great course resides in a golfer’s ability to remember and visualize all the holes after playing the course once.”

Mr. Jones has succeeded in making the Makai Golf Course great! I can close my eyes right now and visualize every bunker, tee shot and breath taking scenery from that day.

I remembered the Aloha feeling and the island spirit of Ahupua,( living in balance with nature ) when I recalled the beauty of the luxurious accomodations on the island. I can still see the grand lobby of one of the luxury resorts. There were 4,000 pieces of glittering Murano glass that sparkled from the ceiling chandelier. The vision echoed the stunning brilliance of the Na Molokam Mountain waterfall on the island. The expansive views of the sea and the hotels built into the cliffs above the Hanalei Bay are firmly etched into my imagination like a rare emerald glittering in the sunlight on my beloved ring finger. I remember Makana, the landmark peak that was immortalized as the mysterious Bali Hai Island in the film South Pacific, as mystically enchanting.

But it was the play of light, through the grey mist along the coast line of deep green vegetation that captivated my imagination for Kaui’s magic. There were tiny rainbows that sparkled in the air from the warm droplets of rain, thousands of prisms were dancing every where. The sun played peek- a- boo with the clouds. And then the big light show began. A double rainbow emerged between the shore lines and arced across the sky. The colors radiated and faded three or four times, with at least eight different rainbow images painting the sky with blues, purples, pinks, oranges and yellows. I remember the shimmering light of the last rainbow as it fell upon my sandaled feet. I was the recepient of a rare prize of Princeville’s majestic beauty, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was me!

If the Makai Golf Course is the Empress of Golf, the Prince Course at Princeville is the Emperor. Mr. Robert Trent Jones Jr. is the original architect of this course. It is magnificent by nature with views from 300 feet above the Pacific Ocean. You truly feel that you are placed between heaven and earth. The strategic design of this course is billed to give golfers of all skills a run for their money. It is not for the weak of heart. You have to bring your best game to this 18- hole par 72 golf course and then know how to pray. The rolling terrain climbs slopes and careens down hills. The demanding layout requires you to use your best strategic skills to plan out your shots. The land, challenges you to overcome the worst of your golf demons. The course is designed to reward you with the thrill of overcoming the worst of obstacles. And just when you think the course has exhausted your best shots, you are deeply rewarded with the most breath taking natural water fall. It’s the “Prince’s” gift of rejuvination. The cascading waters renew the spirit of “relaxed concentration.” This is why you love to play the game! It’s your lasting reward for playing one of “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses,” in the world.

Kaua’i’s numinous charms are further captivated at the Poipu Bay Golf Course, the host of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994-2006. This spectacular course is located adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa on Kauai’s sun-soaked South Shore. And yes, it’s another masterpiece created by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., with 210 acres of ocean front vistas along the rugged Poipu Bay’s coastline. The course features 85 bunkers, five water hazards with wildly varying trade winds. Distractions abound with the panoramic vistas, with over 30 acres of tropical plants and flowers.

I’m an amateur golfer that gets easily distracted by the views, and the scenery. In fact, if it wasn’t for Chad, my personal pro for the day, I would have just stopped and meandered the course utterly lost in its beauty. Chad professionally reminded me that this course has a reputation in “making Champions of us all. He certainly had his work cut out for him.

I usually “thwack” the ball about 135 yards off the tee. Sometimes it hits the fairway, sometimes it slices right, once in a while I’ll miff it badly a few feet, it rolls and sometimes I shank it out to left field. Chad was thoughtful as he made his way towards me. With his lay back Hawaiian ways, he paused and asked if he could show me something. He used what he called the “Aloha” spirit in his teaching methods. He explained that Aloha is not only a greeting, it’s the ability to be “present to your breath in the moment. Golf has alot to do with breathing, as well as the positioning of your body,” he stated.

He showed me how to take my breath in on the back swing and let it out as I came through the ball and finish high, with my hips rolling towards the target first and the club head following. He instructed that the hips moving before the club give the golf shot it’s power and control. And when both hip bones finish facing the target for the ball, you gain greater distance and precision.

He made it seem so easy. Breathe in… breathe out… be present… and use the placement of your hips to ignite your power. I stepped up to the tee box to experiment. The prevailing trade winds whispered “aloha”. I gently inhaled with my back swing, and hula’d my hips through the ball. Releasing my breath as my hip bones swung through the ball, my club head finished high and both hip bones faced forward. I watched my ball soar for 200 yards and land firmly in the middle of the fairway. “Ah……..LO ……….HA!”

The course is nestled among the gentle contour of Poipu Bay, and sculpted from a rolling plateau eight stories above the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by ancient stone walls, and Hawaiian heiau (places of worship).

To my delight the first shot wasn’t a fluke! For the rest of the 18 holes, the wildlife of nene geese, Hawaiian monk seals, and green sea turtles all held witness to my “Aloha” swing.

I later learned that these places of worship, Heiau, were specifically built on sites deemed to have the most “mana”……a spiritual power that emanates from sacred places. No wonder my game improved so miraculously!

A great golf game can only be surpassed by an amazing Lomilomi massage, a beautiful hotel room at the Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort and Spa, a swim in their one and one half-acre saltwater swimming lagoons and two freshwater outdoor pools with meandering “river pools”, all followed by a succulent dinner fare at their Tide Pools Restaurant.

The Lomilomi massage was the highlight of this Four-Diamond Hyatt. It succeeded in soothing every aching muscle that comes from four days of golf. In this 45,00 square foot open aired Anara Spa, I discovered lokahi – the healing Hawaiian custom that inspires – unity-harmony and balance. This custom uses the restorative power of nature to reunite your mind, body and spirit as one. It couples massage with their locally – grown herbs and exotic botanicals. I languished for an hour feeling my mind release from the stress of wanting to always hit that perfect golf shot. It unkinked the knots from my neck and back and smoothed out my sore arm muscles. My spirit felt light and at ease. But the best part of this inspired treatment is that “lokahi” returns to me whenever I close my eyes and think about it. Wow!

Not all of Kauai’s golf courses have an expensive resort price tag. The Puakea Golf Course proves to be just as amazing. It’s a public course as great as the others, with a green fee that encourages you to play more than once. Visitors can experience a Ho’okipa Special for $79.00 that includes a $25.00 golf rental, warm up balls at their range, complimentary rider/junior. This course is a must on your Kaua’i golf tour. It has the charm, the intensity, the challenges and the beauty of all the others with a grace and ambiance that is truly relaxing. The beauty and expansiveness of the mountains and scenery inspired the film directors of Jurassic Park to use it as a set location. You can almost hear the whine of the dinosaurs in the distance.

The Kauai Lagoons Golf Club is a golfer’s dream. But if you’ve come with your family and feel guilty about leaving them behind when you play golf, the Kauai Marriott Resort is your answer. It’s family friendly with a beautiful sheltered beach on Kalapaki Bay, with an array of water activities for everyone. They have the largest single level swimming pool on the islands, with an extensive children’s pool. The grounds are heavenly Hawaiian. The staff goes out of their way to make sure that you have everything you would ever need. The food at the six restaurants is delectable. The rooms are charmingly beautiful and cozy. This golf destination has something for the whole family, so no one will feel left behind! Everyone gets what they want! Great golf….fabulous shopping….any kind of water sports, and a beautiful place to gather and share stories at sunset!

Kaua’i’s Emerald Jewel is a golfer’s dream come true. There is no other place in the world where you can learn to master the secret to golf with such beauty, elegance and championship designs. The natural beauty of Kaua’i has worked for 5,000 years to give you the penultimate golf experience landscaped by the genius of golf’s greatest architects. You’ll learn to listen to the land. Breath the “Aloha” golf swing. Master the “art of relaxed concentration.” Yet, the penultimate experience of Kaua’i’s golf, is that at any moment you can close your eyes and visualize in vivid color your golf game coming alive! These emerald jeweled memories are irreplaceably priceless.