Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [143]
Facilities include a driving range, lockers, showers, a restaurant, a snack bar, a pro shop, practice greens, a clubhouse, and club and shoe rental; transportation from the airport is provided.
Kalapaki Beach, Lihue (less than a mile from Lihue Airport). 80 0/634-6400 or 80 8/241-5061. www.kauailagoonsgolf.com. From the airport, make a left on Kapule Hwy. (Hwy. 51) and look for the sign on your left. Greens fees for 18 holes is $175 ($115 for guests of Kauai Marriott; $125 for guests of select hotels and condos).
Puakea Golf Course This former Grove Farm sugar plantation opened up 18 holes in 2003 to rave reviews. The course was in the middle of construction when Hurricane Iniki slammed into it in 1992, rearranging the greens from what golf designer Robin Nelson had originally planned. The first 9 (actually the first 10) holes finally opened in 1997 to many kudos; Sports Illustrated named it one of the 10 best 9-hole golf courses in the U.S. The final 8 holes are now open, giving golfers something to think about. The course opens with a fairly standard first couple of holes, and just when you think you have nothing to worry about, you get to the third tee. Now you see the evidence of Nelson’s work and the time he spent playing the first 10 holes numerous times. He offers golfers this advice on number three: “The fairway is really wide, and the difficulty of your second shot is really affected by which side of it you’re on, because you’ve got to angle your shot over a lake. Hit your tee shot to the right and you’ve got a good shot, hit it to the left and it’s almost impossible.”
Facilities include lockers, showers, a pro shop, practice greens, a clubhouse, and club and shoe rental.
4150 Nuhou St., Lihue. 86 6/773-5554 or 80 8/245-8756. www.puakeagolf.com. From the airport, take a left onto Kapule Hwy. (Hwy. 51 south). Take another left at the stop sign onto Rice St. (Hwy. 51 south), which becomes Nawiliwili Rd. (or Hwy. 58). Turn left at Borders on Pikake St., then turn left on Nuhou St. Greens fees: $135; twilight fees after 2pm $59.
Wailua Municipal Golf Course This municipal course, Kauai’s oldest, was built in 1920 with just 6 holes. Another 3 holes were added, then the 9-hole course was reshaped in 1962, and 9 more holes were added after that. The result is a challenging and popular course. The local residents love this course and book up the tee times. You can book tee times up to a week in advance, and we suggest you do that or risk getting very late times or no time at all. The 6,631-yard, par-72 course gets tough from the 1st hole, where you face a par 5 that not only doglegs to the right, but makes you drive into the wind (generally blowing off the ocean from left to right). If you hit too far to the left, it’s into the drink. If you hit too far to the right, better make sure the ball will stick. But regulars here agree that the 1st hole is nothing compared with the par-3, 17th hole. There, you are once again shooting into the wind coming off the ocean, past the numerous bunkers surrounding the green, and up to the seemingly teeny-tiny, skinny hot dog–shaped green. Good luck. Facilities include pro shop, lockers, practice putting green, driving range, and golf cart rental. As we went to press, there was no restaurant, but a lunch wagon is stationed by the practice putting green.
3–5350 Kuhio Hwy., Lihue. 80 8/241-6666.www.kauai.gov/default.aspx?tabid=66. Take Kapule Hwy. (Hwy. 51) north from the airport,