By Fred Robledo
 
The Makai Golf Club, one of the oldest courses in Kauai, has long been regarded as “the other course” at Princeville, the luxurious resort community on the north shore of the tiny Hawaiian island.

 
The Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Prince course, after all, has been widely regarded as the No. 1 golf course in all of Hawaii.
 
If one wanted to experience the finest golf in Hawaii, the Prince was always on a golfer’s “must play” list and Makai was a course they would play if they couldn’t land a coveted tee-time on the Prince.
 
That also was my thinking when I booked a week in Kauai for a little R&R along with a couple of rounds of golf. When I learned the Prince course was going to be closed during that week for renovations, I accepted a starting time on the other course.

The day before we played, Frank Elliott, my playing partner and brother-in-law, and I were  sitting out on our lanai, tropical drinks in hand, mulling the upcoming Makai experience. We watched as foursomes played a beautiful par-3 located about 20 yards from our condo and marveled at view of the ocean in the background. I wondered out loud if we were going to be disappointed because we didn’t get to play the Prince.
 
“We’re in Kauai,” Frank said. “This is the Garden  Island. There will be views of the ocean and the course will probably be in great shape. It doesn’t matter if we don’t play the Prince. I think the Makai is going to be great.”
 
I have never known Frank to be a prophet before, but in this instance, he was better than Nostradamus.
 
It should be pointed out this was my first trip to Kauai while Frank has been there several times. I was beginning to think he had played on the course before and knew ahead of time of some of the awesome ocean views and the natural beauty of the course as it wound through some native woodlands and along some spectacular ocean cliffs.
 
The natural beauty of the island has not been lost on filmmakers through the years. Such epics as South Pacific, Blue Hawaii, Fantasy Island, Jurassic Park and Avatar have used some of the stunning vistas and locations for their shoots.
 
Besides, the Makai course also was designed by Jones and had recently re-opened in 2010 after undergoing a multi-million dollar facelift under the direction of Jones. He was called in after Troon Golf®, a leader in upscale golf course development, took over the management of the golf course. Makai was the golf course of the Princeville Hotel, but when Starwood Hotels took over and reopened it as the St. Regis Princeville Resort, it would need a golf course with the same upscale standards.
 
“I don’t think this course has to take a back seat to any course anymore,” said Alex Nakajima, the general manager of the Makai Golf Club. “Ever since the renovation of this course, we have been getting rave reviews, especially from people who had played it before. Mr. Jones did a tremendous job in renovating this course.”
 
Jones didn’t do anything to the Woods Course. It remains the same way he designed it in 1971, as a friendly layout for the casual golfer who wants to enjoy a leisure round with friends and family.
 
It was on the other two nine hole courses – the Ocean Course and the Lake Course – where he made the dramatic improvements. Instead of being two courses, the Ocean and Lakes layouts are now known as the Makai Course.
 
One of the major changes was the introduction of Seashore Paspalum turf grass throughout the course. What that means is a perfect lie every time, on the fairways through the greens and on the putting surface. The bad news, however, is it takes away any excuse you have for a bad shot. The bad shot is on the golfer, not the turf.
 
Jones also reconfigured many of the greens, reshaped many of the bunkers and filled them with imported white G3 silica sand from Vietnam
 
The course was lengthened to 7,223 yards from the back tees. It can also play as short as 5,377 yards. A fourth set of tees was added so that players of all skill levels can be accomodated.
 
When we played, Frank and I decided to play from the white tees. No macho blue tees for us. We wanted a chance to hit some irons to the flags. Another good decision we made was not to bring out golf clubs on this trip. We opted for rental clubs and at Makai the rental clubs are the latest models from Callaway.
 
“Our customers have come to expect the best, so we make sure if they rent clubs, they are getting the best we can possibly get them,” Nakajima said. “We upgrade our Callaway clubs every year.”
 
The new Callaways were working great on the driving range, also an area that had been upgraded with two new practice tees, seven target greens, a practice bunker and a short-game practice area.
 
Before heading out to the first tee, the starter went over some of the things in store for us. He told us the third hole, a par 3, was one that would get our attention because the hole was 50 yards below the tee level and we should take one or two clubs less on that hole.
 
After opening with a par-4 and a par-5 we realized the fairways were wide enough for some errant shots, but you had to pay attention to the placement of the bunkers. We both managed to negotiate the holes with a bogey and a par, then reached the tee of the third hole.
 
We looked at it from the back tee (181 yards) and took in the awesome panoramic view of the Hanalei  Bay in the background. Down below it was a sadder sight as we watched two players retrieve balls balls from a lake that protects the front and right side of the green. They had to play their third shots from a drop zone.
 
“What did that guy say, one to two clubs?” I asked Frank.
 
“Yeah, but I don’t want to be short,” he said and reached for a 6-iron, his normal club for a 150-yard shot. He pulled his shot, but easily carried the lake. It carried the green as well and landed in some brush well beyond and to the left of the green.
 
I decided to drop down one club, to a 7-iron, and still hit it over the green and into a bunker. Note to self: Listen to the starter the next time. He may know something about the course.
 
Four holes later we reached the signature hole, another par 3. From the tips, it’s a 213-yard shot from the edge of a cliff over the yawning chasm with the Pacific Ocean at the bottom. We played it from the whites at 155 yards and even that tee shot was a terrifying one. I took an extra club and still pumped it down into the canyn where it found its final resting place near some rocks that were being pounded by the waves.  
 
The next hightlight hole for us was another par-3, the 190-yard 12th. We both landed short, but while driving toward the hole, Frank commented that the hole looked vaguely familiar. When I looked around at our surroundings, I told him it was because we were playing the hole we had watched from our lanai the day before. We were playing right past our back door.
 
The round ended like it started, with a par-4 and a par-5, the difference being the final two holes featured shots over water to well protected greens. They were brilliantly designed and rewarded strategic play. By the time you reach the last two holes, you should know how well you are hitting your irons that day and play the holes accordingly.
 
Both of us finished shooting a little higher than our handicaps, but that was normal according to Nakajima. “The course is probably several strokes harder for a 15-handicap than it was before the redesign,” he said.
 
We agreed with that. Frank shot an 88, I carded a 90 andwe concured it was pure delight to play on a course so immaculately manicured, not to mention with some of the best ocean and bay views in all of Kauai.
 
“We are very proud of this course,” Nakajima. “We are still making improvements. Right now we have a temporary clubhouse, but soon we will have a new one that will be immaculate and feature all of the top brands in golf.”
 
Makai Golf Club is a course that is going to garner some top awards once those who make such judgements play the rennovated versiion. It was already rated among the Best 75 Golf Resorts by Golf Digest and among the top 25 Gold Medal Resorts in America by Golf Magazine.
 
Golf Vacations Magazine is the first to call it the finest golf course in Kauai.
 
 
Makai Golf Club
4080 Lei O Papa Rd
Princeville, HI 96722
Phone: 808-826-1912
www.makaigolf.com
General Manager – Alex Nakajima
Director of Agronomy – Seth Miller
Golf Professional – Eric Belmonte

Where to stay

Kauai’s breathtaking North Shore is the destination of choice of most golf travelers and the most popular place to stay on that portion of the island is the luxurious St. Regis Princeville Resort.
 
Formerly known as the Princeville Resort, it was taken over by Starwood Hotels & Resorts and given a $100 million renovation to increase the flavor of the Hawaiian island while retaining its sophistication and serene luxury.
 
Built into the side of a sea cliff overlooking the turquoise waters of Hanalei Bay, the  resort feature 252 rooms, including 51 premium ocean view suites, the elegant Halele Spa, the Prince and Makai championship golf courses, the Kauai Grill as well as unmatched panoramic views of the Napali Coast.
 
There is no shortage of excellent dining venues at The St. Regis Princeville Resort, but none more acclaimed than the signature Kauai Grill.
 
To keep those golf muscles toned, there is the 10,000-square foot Halele Spa where each guest is attended by a wellness consultant who uses Hawaiian healing rituals to design individual programs for body and mind.
 
Another popular attraction at the resort is a unique infinity pool, situated on the ocean overlooking the Hanalei Bay.
 
The St. Regis Princeville Resort
5520 Ka Hauk Road, Princeville
P.O. Box 223069
Kauai, Hawaii  96722
Phone: 808-826-9644
http://www.Stregisprinceville.com
 

Other Places In Kauai To Play

About "Kaua'i: Discover Golf's Ultimate  Island Green"
Kaua'i offers more than 50 miles of white sand beaches -- more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii. Only four percent of the island is developed for commercial and residential use.
For more information about golf on the Garden Isle visit www.Kauaidiscovery.com/activities/golfing, www.twitter.com/KauaiGolf, or call 800-262-1400.

The unique attributes of the golf destination cooperative "Kaua'i: Discover Golf's Ultimate Island Green" include:

1. Princeville Golf Courses (www.princeville.com)

• 45 holes of golf -- the 27-hole Makai Golf Club at The St. Regis Princeville Resort and the 18-hole Prince Golf Course -- all designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
• The Prince Course (800.826.1105) is rated the No. 1 course in the state and was rated No. 67 in Golf Digest's  "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses 2009-10.” It is currently  undergoing a refurbishment project and will be closed until the fall.
• The Makai Golf Club (www.makaigolf.com, 808.826.1912) reopened in 2010 after an extensive 15-month renovation and now features the 18-hole Makai Course and the 9-hole Woods Course
• The St. Regis Princeville Resort just completed a multi-million-dollar renovation and opened the first week of October 2009

2. Kaua'i Lagoons Golf Club (www.kauailagoonsgolf.com, 800.634.6400)

• Voted, along with Kaua'i Marriott Resort, one of the "Top 50 Resort Courses" worldwide by GolfWorld magazine  in its "2009 Readers' Choice Awards"
• Currently 18 of the 36 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus are in play, consisting of nine holes from the Kiele Course and nine holes from the Mokihana Course. The Kiele Ocean nine is receiving extensive upgrades, including the addition of one new ocean hole that will create a one-half-mile long stretch of oceanfront golf. Completion of the Kiele Moana (Ocean) nine is scheduled for May 2011
• The front nine holes feature the par-3 fifth green encircled by a tropical Mango and Guava tree forest

3. Poipu Bay Golf Course (www.poipubaygolf.com, 800.858.6300)

• Along with Grand Hyatt Kaua'i Resort & Spa rated No. 16 in GolfWorld's "America's  Top 50 Resort Courses, 2009"
• Four closing holes play atop a 150-foot sea cliff
• Home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 through 2006, it has frequently hosted players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and other major champions
• Course re-opened in December following a renovation project, highlighted by the installation of the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum turf on all greens

4. Puakea Golf Course (www.puakeagolf.com, 866.773.5554)

• Consistently rated a favorite among Kaua'i golfers in local media outlets and ranked as the No. 15 course in Hawaii by Golfweek.
• Golf Course Architect Robin Nelson used the natural layout of the land when he planned this layout, testing golfers of all levels and treating them to beautiful views of Mt. Ha'upu and deep lush ravines on several holes.