Kapalua

[cruising_knc]

After careful consideration, my husband has decided he wants to golf at the Plantation course at Kapalua. I'll spend time at the spa while he golfs. I think the first tenders are scheduled for 8:30 am. Looking for advice on how to get to Kapalua from Lahaina and what's the earliest time to book the tee time and be reasonably certain we'll make it. Thanks, in advance, for any advice!

[slidergirl]

Does your ship overnight at Maui? That will have a big bearing on whether you hubby can get in a good round and get back on time.

The best thing to do is to rent a car for the day to drive up and back. If you are doing an overnight, tell the hubby to look for the "twilight" rate. I've done that rate many times over in Hawaii. The tee times are after 1pm and have a slightly reduced rate. You play until the sun sets. I've always been able to get in my 18 holes with that one. Plus, I find it's a more leisurely pace of golf than those who play in the morning. Does your hubby like to take some "warmup" time before heading out on the course? You've got to factor that into the time, also. It's me, but I wouldn't think of doing a tee time earlier than 11am. Others may chime in with earlier, but I like that cushion to do the drive and my hubby did like to always smack a bucket of balls before heading out...

My least "fun" round of golf was at Kapalua Bay Course. The pro who my hubby and I had lessons with that week scheduled our "graduation" round for 8am or there abouts. The people behind us kept crowding us and we WERE keeping up with the foursome ahead of us. It was a very rushed and anxiety-filled round for me. I felt like I had to run up to the ball and just hit it without being able to settle down. NOT a good way to spend a couple hundred dollars :-(

Didn't play the Plantation course - it was pretty intimidating! We played the Bay and the Village courses.

Have the hubby look at the Kapalua website and browse around it.

[CruiserBruce]

I think, if you aren't' sailing until 5 or later, you could arrange a 9:30 or 10am tee time, taxi up, and be fine.

 

Generally, they run a pretty tight ship, and you should expect a 4:15 round, or thereabouts. When I last played, we teed off at 8am, and were done in just under 4 hours. And everybody in front of us was a foursome.

 

By the way Village has been closed for a couple of years. Plantation is really long if from the tips, but not that massive from the other tees. Bay is very friendly course...like it a lot.

[Susan-M]

Since you are in port for 2 days I wouldn't worry about getting too early of a tee-time if he's going to golf on the first day there. I'd consider renting a car and keeping it for both days so that you can use it to get to the course & spa and back, and to do some sightseeing on day 2. (A taxi ride from Lahaina to Kapalua will be approx. $30. each way.)

 

An 11 a.m. tee-time will save him $50 and a 1 p.m. time (twilight) will save $100. Those times will go quickly, so the earlier you book it, the better.

 

We loved the Plantation Course (we were there in April) ... is he renting clubs at the course?

[CruiserBruce]

One of the reasons it is cheaper in the later day is it can get very windy there in the afternoon. VERY windy. You may or may not know Kapalua was so windy back in January the opening PGA tournament was reduced from 4 to 2 days AND delayed 3 days due to wind.

 

The earlier in the day, the better for wind.

[slidergirl]

I think, if you aren't' sailing until 5 or later, you could arrange a 9:30 or 10am tee time, taxi up, and be fine.

 

Generally, they run a pretty tight ship, and you should expect a 4:15 round, or thereabouts. When I last played, we teed off at 8am, and were done in just under 4 hours. And everybody in front of us was a foursome.

 

By the way Village has been closed for a couple of years. Plantation is really long if from the tips, but not that massive from the other tees. Bay is very friendly course...like it a lot.

 

I did forget that Village was closed.

We had a 7:30 tee time. I usually like the late afternoon times, so I was a little surprised at the very fast pace these people had. They were definitely on a 3 hour pace :eek: I think they had lunch plans at 11...

[Susan-M]

Agree that it can be quite windy there in the afternoon; we got lucky and had no more than a breeze throughout our afternoon of golfing. But by all means, if he can get an early morning tee-time and saving $50-$100 isn't a priority, then go for the early morning time.

[cruising_knc]

Thanks everyone! That helps a lot. We are doing the Old Lahaina Luau after golf. Good to know there's a fast pace of play! We have a car reserved with Hertz but if the cab is only $30 we might just do that. We have a ship's excursion scheduled for the next day and I don't want to worry about getting the car back.

 

Hubby is renting clubs. One less thing to haul. We'll be gone 14 days so packing will be interesting. (I only travel light on business.)

[cruising_knc]

I think rates are reduced while we are there because they will have just aerated the greens. We're also cashing in AmEx points so the hefty price will be easier to stomach.

[Susan-M]

We talked to a couple who were playing the Bay Course a few days after aeration and they said it wasn't worth it. As tempting as those 'post aeration' prices are, if this is his one chance to golf Kapalua, I would pick the other course there that isn't being aerated.

[Susan-M]

Forgot to add in my post above, it will likely be the fairways too that are being aerated ... not just the greens.

[cruising_knc]

We talked to a couple who were playing the Bay Course a few days after aeration and they said it wasn't worth it. As tempting as those 'post aeration' prices are, if this is his one chance to golf Kapalua, I would pick the other course there that isn't being aerated.

 

When I called to check on the timing to reserve a tee time, the guy on the phone said pretty much the same thing. I guess it comes down to whether DH wants to play the course he watches the pros play at the beginning of the season or not deal with a course that's recovering from aeration. His call, but it's helpful to go in eyes wide open.