If you are a golf enthusiast, the Kapalua Plantation course in Maui, Hawaii, needs to be on your bucket list.

Kapalua Golf Plantation Course is a one-of-a-kind golfing destination on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains. Known as ‘The Augusta of Hawaii,’ Kapalua Plantation course is a top golfing destination in the world. Kapalua offers amazing ocean views and  wide swirling fairways complemented by expansive picturesque green grounds.

Kapalua is located in one of the top golf resorts in the world. This golf championship destination course hosts the popular Tournament of Champions every January. Other than the picturesque backdrop, Kapalua is most its numerous downhill tee shots. If you want to get a feel of how amazing the course looks, pause here and check out how great it looks on a realistic simulator on X-Golf Fort Collins.

History of Kapalua Plantation Golf Course

Kapalua Plantation golf course is located within the property of Kapalua Golf Resort on the northwest shore of  Maui. The Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design opened for play in 1991. It sits on a mountainous nature preserve that was formerly a pineapple field on the slopes of West Maui. Because of the slopes, golfers will experience dramatic elevation and many downhill tee shots, a feature that appeals to many players looking to set records for their longest drives.

The 7,596-yard course is the only course in Hawaii that plays to par 73, with seven holes of over 500 yards and 6 par 4s of 400 yards or less. As a result, golfers will be challenged with long holes and presented with plenty of birdie opportunities.

Kapalua plantation golf course has consistently ranked as Hawaii’s number 1 golf course. If you ever dream of playing on the island, you should have it on top of your list. Its grand scale design and elevation changes, panoramic ocean and mountain views, make it an ideal golfing holiday destination.

The Most Famous Holes of Kapalua Plantation Golf Course

Big is the right word to use to describe the Kapalua Plantation course. It is a beautiful course with big slopes, big mountain views, big ocean views, and big holes. The stark differences in the 1st, 17th, and 18th holes on the course best illustrate the elevation changes on the course.

The 1st hole is a Par 4 520/381-yard hole that offers a captivating downhill view of the course. Thanks to the downhill slope the first hole plays a lot shorter than its listed yardage. The first hole often introduces the course’s varying characteristics, including the need for firm control over the ball, elevation changes, and the dynamic of the green slopes.

While, it may be little brother to the finishing 18th hole, the 508-yard, 17th hole has a ton of character. It is a two-shot hole offering an encouraging downhill play from tee to green. Additionally, the hole wraps around a beautiful ravine and offers two options: Chase the shot on the right and use the fairway contours to work the ball to the green, or approach with a towering hit over the ravine and land the ball on the green at a shallow angle. While the safe play is definitely the right side, those who brave the ravine may be rewarded.

The 18th is the most recognizable hole and consistently ranks as one of the best holes each year on the PGA tour. This is a 663/489-yard Par-5 with a 150-foot elevation from the tee to the green. As a result, it makes for one of the most incredible finishing holes on the PGA Tour.

In 2002, Tiger Woods played a record 498-yard drive that remains the longest in the history of the PGA. Thanks to the downhill tee shot and sloping fairway, the 18th presents a chance to hit the longest drive of your life. Whenever folks ask us the best tee shot for a long drive competition, we always recommend the 18th at Kapalua!

Tournament of Champions

Golfers like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed,  Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Jordan Spieth have played and won on the Plantation course. The course is home to the  PGA TOUR’s Sentry Tournament of Champions event where winners of the previous year are featured in January.

The standing record of Kapalua Plantation course is 61 (-12),  held by Jon Rahm, Matt Jones, and Justin Thomas. All three of their 61s were shot at the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Playing on Kapalua Plantation Course

Ready to hit your longest drive at the 18th hole on the Kapalua Plantation course yet? Current greens fees at the Kapalua Plantation will cost you nearly $500 plus tax. While the cost seems a little steep, but the quality of experience plus the boost to your golfing CV is invaluable.

So, before you starting saving for your ticket to Maui, familiarize yourself with the Kapalua Plantation course with a few practice rounds. With a realistic golf simulator, you can get a better feel of the course and its layout. When playing on our indoor golf simulators  variables such as elevation change can be simulated.

Conclusion

X-Golf presents you an opportunity to test your game at Kapalua for a fraction of the cost. By practicing on indoor golf simulator you can better understand the course if you plan to visit. Go to our book now page to get an indoor tee time on the Kapalua Plantation.