Kapalua (Bay Course)

Lahaina, HI

Reviewed by: JohnnyGK, Thousand Oaks

Played the Bay Course today, Sunday 8/5 at 9:30am, 4 hours POP and really enjoyed it. I’ve previously played the Plantation Course about 10 years ago, which is also an outstanding golf course. Personally, being a close to the ocean view kind of guy, I liked the Bay Course better. It’s a beautiful track. The 5th hole Par 3 is stunning.

As expected the golf course was in great shape and playing firm. The greens were much more firm than I anticipated and without my hotdog putter, and my trusty rusty 60 degree wedge, being I had to rent clubs, I struggled. They are not easy to read and you have to be careful as there are some very tough pin placements. Overall the greens rolled well and were Medium/Fast. Advice when pitching around the greens, don’t pin seek, the ball is going to release. Fairways were lush and firm. Rough was only a couple inches long but the ball always sat down in the bermunda turf. So much so I actually lost a couple drives that were in. The bunkers are beautiful Hawaiian red-ish sand well taken care of. The tee boxes, level, cut tight and surprisingly dry.

The golf course layout is a blast and gives you ample room to let the big dog out. There are some reachable in two par 5’s, tough par 3’s and many par 4’s with doglegs. It’s a hilly layout but not crazy. On just about every hole you can see the ocean. Holes 4 and 5 are right on it. I was loose with the driver early and the golf course made me pay for it. Once I got it dialed in, I had many birdie opportunities…if only I could have made some putts.

The service is outstanding. The starter walked me to the bag room for my rentals and filled me completely in about track. The guys in the club rental gave me exactly the type of clubs I requested, on the golf course I saw the cart girl numerous times, the marshal even helped me find a stray drive. Everyone with smiles and good professional attitudes.

I’ll be posting photos in the next few days.

Highly Recommended.