Maui And Golf Go Together As Good As Ever

The View From The 11th Tee At Kapalua's Plantation GC - All Images Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf Unless Otherwise Noted

By Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

It had been a few years since I’d had the pleasure of teeing it up in the Pacific paradise that is the Hawaiian Islands, be it to play golf or to enjoy any of the other multitudes of activities found there. With travel returning to somewhat ‘normal’ following the shutdowns that accompanied Covid-19, now seemed like an ideal time to pay a visit.

Planning a trip to the island of Maui around the PGA TOUR’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in early January is a great way for golf fans to witness many of the greatest male pro golfers in the world up close in a spectacular setting. It is also a perfect opportunity to take advantage of playing some golf yourself in a tropical locale that is both warm and welcoming.

Ka’anapali Beach, located just a few miles northwest of Lahaina, on the island's west side, is a great place to establish a home base. Especially when you’re going to be travelling to Kapalua on a daily basis for 4-6 days... and there are numerous outstanding hotels and bungalows to choose from.

Many of the PGA TOUR pros who play in the Sentry TOC stay at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Ka’anapali where the newly redesigned and completely transformed Hokupa‘a Tower offers magnificent views and top-notch amenities.

Guests who stay in the Hokupa‘a Tower enjoy exclusive access to The Lanai at Hokupa‘a, a second-floor lounge which features gorgeous panoramic views and may be one of the most ideal places to watch the breathtaking spectacle that is a Maui sunset.

Handcrafted Cocktails In The Infinity Pool At Sunset - Brilliant x2

The Lanai also provides daily breakfast bites, a private bar, infinity edge cocktail pools and cultural entertainment experiences. Sitting in the infinity pool with a finely crafted cocktail and watching as the sun sets behind the island of Lanai on the horizon is one of those moments we cherish forever.

The old line used by real estate types about ‘location, location, location’ is perfectly suited to staying at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa as virtually anything you could desire for restaurant options, shopping, world-class beaches and recreation choices are literally within a moment’s walking distance.

As much of a jolt to our daily lives as Covid-19 and many of its invoked protocols proved to be, it also offered facilities an opportunity to take on the task of upgrading and renovating during a time of restricted travel.

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa underwent a US$120 Million renovation project resulting in not only the reimagining of the former Beach Tower, now the Hokupa‘a Tower, and the introduction of the aforementioned Lanai but also the launch of an outstanding beach-front restaurant.

The Waicoco, featuring a wonderful blend of cuisines courtesy of chef/owners Chris Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou, offers entrees from both Makai (the sea) and Mauka (the land) which are sure to satisfy anyone. 

Our dinner consisted of a dish from each with the Big Glory Bay teriyaki & furikake glazed salmon and the braised beef short rib in maze tare sesame gravy providing delightful experiences in both cases.

Waicoco's Big Glory Bay teriyaki & furikake glazed salmon

Of course, there are several wonderful choices when looking for a meal along the Ka’anapali Beach strip; you virtually cannot go wrong with any of them. In fact, a visit to the HuiHui Restaurant in the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel should be near the top of the list. Meaning “star constellation” or “to join, intermingle, mix,” Huihui's menu is a blend of local flavours and features signature items with Hawaiian-inspired cooking methods and/or ingredients.

Many restaurants will explain how their chefs take great pride in creating dishes that are unique, flavourful and utilize fresh, local ingredients.  At HuiHui they take that statement to another level. We were fortunate enough to be joined by Huihui Sales and Marketing Manager Julie Yoneyama who took the ‘liberty’ of making a few selections for our table and they were truly magnificent.

Appetizers included steamed lobster dumplings (served with konbu (kelp) lemon grass cream reduction, chili oil, sweet soy & micro greens) and Molokai venison poke – a smoked and wok seared venison fresh from Molokai, with pickled ogo (seaweed) & onions, scallions, tomato, nīoi (chili pepper) & lemon soy dressing.

An Array Of Specially Prepared Appetizers Is Just The Beginning At HuiHui

Their cocktail menu features locally inspired cocktails, such as the Māmaki Old Fashioned, Lāhainā Smokestack and ʻOma Goodness Martini, as well as a food-friendly wine list. The restaurant also offers live music, happy hours and hula performances on a daily basis.

One of the most popular restaurants in Whaler's Village is the Hula Grill at Whaler’s Village featuring an open-air kitchen serving brunch, lunch & dinner and a daily Chef’s Tasting Menu from 4-4:45pm. We were there for lunch and once again went with one land-based dish and one from the sea, as we enjoyed the Hula cheeseburger and herb-grilled fish tacos.

The burger is made with a 1/2 lb. Angus chuck & brisket blend, cheddar cheese, kiawe grilled Maui onions, lettuce & tomato on a brioche bun with an option to add smoked duroc bacon or you can substitute a Hana-grown vegan taro patty with smashed local avocado. The tacos (also available beer battered baja style) were served on fresh local flour tortillas with cilantro jalapeño aioli, tortilla chips and chipotle salsa.

The Hula Grill Kaanapali is another prime example of an establishment in Hawaii that is dedicated to using fresh local ingredients whenever possible and also adheres to the ideals of sustainability and environmental stewardship that are so entrenched in the everyday routines of Hawaiian businesses now more than ever.

In fact, each of the eating establishments that we enjoyed and indeed the properties where they are located, take very much to heart the concept of sustainability and eco-friendly practices throughout their operations.

A visit to the spectacular Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa was clearly no exception with evidence of their commitment front and centre offered on signage at various locations throughout the property via 8 different Sustainability Information Stations (see image below/or above).

The Hyatt Regency Is Fully Committed To Sustainability In Their Day-To-Day Operation

Each sign outlines how the Hyatt approaches such important elements as water conservation, zero waste goals, caring for the ocean & landscape, green cleaning and more on a daily routine basis.

Utilizing locally grown products and the on-site ‘Chef’s Garden’ as part of the Hyatt’s program, one of their signature restaurants, Japengo, offers a nice mix of Asian fusion cuisine and a mouthwatering array of fresh seafood and sushi.

Pork, chicken breast, short rib and beef can also be found on the extensive menu — as can select vegetarian dishes, with options to request a dish be created as such. But the true star of Japengo could easily be its location and the incredible views featuring classic Hawaiian sunsets. The food, atmosphere, location and service all combine to make this truly a stop worth making. Reservations are very much recommended as this is a popular spot for all the aforementioned reasons.

The View From The Oceanside Suites At The Hyatt Regency

It's worth noting that the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa has also undergone some recent major renovations that included adding more shopping and entertainment options within the hotel’s expanded retail lobby. One of the more intriguing additions is the Yo! Maui Golf Studio run by Sutee Nitakorn, the former Director of Golf for 14 years at the Ka’anapali Golf Courses, located right across the street from his new facility.

When asked what the catalyst was for him to make the move from one side of the road to the other, Nitakorn said, “Being a golf professional and just seeing the progression of golf led to this idea, ultimately. I’ve been on ‘green grass’ for the last 17 years and just a big fan of getting people out to the golf course. So, what was nice about this...the way technology has grown and grown, this opportunity was too good to pass up.

Yo!Maui Golf Studio Creator Sutee Nitakorn Wields His Hockey Stick Putter

“The seed was planted a couple of years back from seeing simulators develop and then in 2020 simulation golf moved to the next tier. This site in the Hyatt has been a fun venture that has come about in the last 8 months.”

Nitakorn has long been a proponent of and fully involved in the development of junior golf. In fact, he still sits on the board of Lahaina Junior Golf and actively gives lessons to young players as well as assisting with the exposure of junior golfers to top-level golf via the Sentry TOC.

A number of the kids were standard-bearers at the tournament this year and one young fellow, Landon Long (apparently an up-and-coming star in his own right) had the role of announcing the players as they came to the 18th green on the final day.

The YoMaui Golf Studio offers lessons and golf simulator experiences – perfect for events and contests, which they are happy to host, (you can also have fun on some cool video game consoles) as well as club fitting and shopping for colourful Hawaiian golf attire.

As for Nitakorn’s former employers at the Ka’anapali Golf Courses, they operate two of the most enjoyable layouts one can play on Maui. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed Royal Ka’anapali Course is a 6,700-yard par 71 layout which takes you from oceanside to the foothills of the West Maui mountains and offers some devilish green complexes where one is very well served by being aware of knowing whether you are putting with or against the grain.

Image Courtesy Ka'anapali GC

Ka'anapali's Royal Course Finishing Hole From Behind The 18th Green 

According to the Kaanapali GC website, Arnold Palmer called the par 4 18th hole one of the best and most challenging finishing holes he’d ever played. Personal experience would tend to make one agree, as two great shots are required to arrive at the narrow, well-guarded green. And even then, there are some almost diabolical pin positions available to still protect par. Indeed, par on this hole should be considered a very satisfying achievement. I continue to await that feeling.

The second layout here is the Ka'anapali Kai Course featuring Norfolk Pines and coconut trees bordering many fairways and was originally created as an executive course which was later redesigned by architect Arthur Jack Snyder in 1976.

Image Courtesy Ka'anapali GC

Ka'anapali Kai Course

It was then redesigned by Hawaii’s most prolific golf course architect, Robin Nelson, and with 4 tee decks ranging from 4,500 - 6,400 yards to choose from this course focuses more on strategy and not necessarily distance or length. The course relies on undulating greens with subtle breaks as its main defence, although views of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the possibility of seeing breaching Humpback whales in the bay can be enough of a pleasant distraction in their own right.

Should you be looking for an ideal location to hold an event, Ka’anapali Golf Courses are able to arrange everything for you, just contact Kevin Martin the Tournament & Events Co-ordinator and he’ll set you up.

Whether you are staying at the Hyatt or anywhere in the vicinity a visit to the top of the building is definitely in order. And we don’t mean the top floor, necessarily. We’re talking about the actual roof where Edward Mahoney, Director of Astronomy and NASA Solar System Ambassador orchestrates a fascinatingly entertaining Tour of The Stars.

Image Courtesy Hyatt Regency Facebook

Stars, Planets & Other Nebulae Are Seemingly Limitless When Taking In The Tour Of The Stars

Not to be confused with gawking at the Hollywood homes of film actors and the like, this tour takes in heavenly bodies found literally millions of miles away in our solar system. Mahoney, replete with a razor-sharp wit and a knowledge of the stars seemingly as endless as the number of them glittering in the Hawaiian night sky, uses a computer to select an agenda, locate and identify 1,000 objects in the sky including stars, planets, galaxies and nebulae.

As we made our trip up the elevator and final ascent up some stairs to the rooftop observatory, our host was in a bit of a rush to get us there. He explained once we made it... with a few seconds to spare, that the reason for the hurry was so we could see the International Space Station literally ‘rocketing’ across the night horizon at some 1800 miles per hour, which we did with the naked eye and it truly was a sight to behold.

 Three Things You Should Do When Visiting Maui

Attend a luau – The Myths of Maui Luau hosted alongside the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows offers everything you want in an event of this nature; a great oceanside location, excellent food featuring local cuisine - including the succulent Pua'a Kalua (roast pig) which is unearthed from a traditional in-ground oven as an introduction to the evening’s festivities - and of course tropical cocktails such as Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians accompany beer and wine options served by very attentive staff.

The Fire Dance Finale At The Myths Of Maui Luau

Also, the keiki (kids) are well looked after with plenty of choices for the young ones. The show itself features beautiful, artistic dancing and is narrated expertly so you know what is being portrayed. The exhilarating fire knife finale just after sunset is truly a spectacle to behold.

If you stay at the newly renovated Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows you can purchase a special package of a room and Luau for two with a pair of VIP tickets to the Myths of Maui that includes dinner and drinks. The refurbished bungalows offer different setups and all are beautifully appointed with finishings reflecting classic Hawaiian textures and colours.

Take a Whale Watching Tour – I have been on a couple of whale-watching tours before but this particular one with Teralani Sailing Adventures was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were on the Teralani Sunset Whale Watching & Dinner Sail excursion and it delivered on every possible front. Just being on the water off the west coast of Maui is enjoyable enough, but then you add in being served a meal that includes shrimp summer rolls, and caprese skewers as appetizers followed by a salad consisting of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese marinated in Mediterranean spices and olive oil.

The Teralani Sailing Fleet Feature Wonderful Amenities And An Engaging Crew

Next is the main course: a ginger teriyaki chicken with stir-fried vegetables and ginger-infused jasmine rice with a dessert of freshly made cookies. And then, of course, there’s the ‘open bar’ which features their very own ‘Teralani Sunset Cocktail’, white wine, sparkling rose, beer on tap, mai tais, vodka, rum and mixers assorted soft drinks, tropical juices and water (all guests 21 and over are required to bring a valid picture ID).

Have A Real-Life Close Encounter With A Humpback Whale - As for the actual watching of whales, we were fortunate enough to spot several as they breached the surface nearby and our ‘tour guide’ host kept us informed with fascinating details about the habits and characteristics of these great creatures.

A Young Male Humpback Paid An Extended Visit To The Teralani 5

But even she and the crew on our boat were not prepared for the up close and personal visit we would receive from a curious young male Humpback as he appeared right alongside us and continued to swim under and around the boat for at least 20 minutes, often casting a curious eye toward all his admirers looking over the side basking in his presence.

The effect this intimate visit had on virtually everyone on board, including the ecstatic crew members – who announced that this kind of attentive encounter had never happened to them before - was indeed bordering on spiritual and is something I for certain will never forget.