Kapalua's playability hidden beneath natural beauty

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Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

The final hole at Kapalua overlooks the Pacific.

Jan. 5, 2010
By Dave Shedloski, LINKS Magazine

The dominant feature of Kapalua Resort's Plantation course, site of the PGA TOUR's season-opening SBS Championship, is the tranquil vistas of the Pacific Ocean and neighboring island of Molokai.

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But the postcard-perfect Hawaiian views sometimes obscure the clever routing and strategic shot values that Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw infused into rugged landscape that used to be a pineapple field.

One of the first collaborations by the design duo that has come to be known for their lay-of-the-land designs like their epochal Sand Hills, the par-73 layout is spread widely over 240 acres to allow for a pair of natural forces that heavily influence shots: wind and slope.

Some holes, including the 663-yard 18th, drop more than 150 feet from tee to green, and even a mid-handicapper might find the full 7,411 yards negotiable in the trade winds.

The contours can lead to quirky shot selections and mind-blowing club choices, but the architects' sober, throwback elements -- fairways 50 yards or wider, minimal use of bunkers, large and dramatic greens accessible in front to shots along the ground, and clandestine chipping areas -- ensure playability without surrendering to predictability.

As good as the sights are, this design is all about feel.