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This #TipTuesday brings you an insider’s tip on how to play the 12th hole at Puakea Golf Course from golf writer Mike Dauplaise of Prime Golf Destinations. How would you play it? (Image courtesy of Mike Dauplaise)

No. 12 – Par 4

(397/356/339/298)

A number of design elements into play that make this hole interesting. Water, sand, trees, crazy terrain and elevation changes combine to make par a very good score here.

A large pond looms down the entire right side of the hole. The elevated left side of the fairway is definitely the place to be because of the angle to the green, but two bunkers there squeeze the safety zone and push many shots to the right. Any shot right of center will bounce down a steep hill and toward the lower portion of the fairway.

There is plenty of room on the lower level before reaching the pond, but the angle to the green makes the second shot much more difficult. A pair of large trees at the edge of the water just short of the green forces a left-to-right shot for any pin position not on the front left. Plus, two large bunkers that guard the left side of the green grab shots too wary of the water, leaving a delicate recovery shot down the hill and toward the water. Par is a very good score here.

This #TipTuesday brings you an insider’s tip on how to play the 17th hole at The Ocean Course at Hokuala from golf writer Mike Dauplaise of Prime Golf Destinations. How would you play it? (Image courtesy of Mike Dauplaise)

No. 17 – Par 3

(173/151/134/117)

The routing heads dead into the trade winds for the final two holes at Hokuala, beginning with this solid par-3 that plays longer than its yardage and is all carry over a pond. Water wraps around the right side of the green and behind it, leaving left as the only semi-safe place to miss. A bunker fronting the right side of the green and another back center tighten things up even more.

If you find yourself left and long of the putting surface, take your medicine and simply pitch it onto the left side of the green. Don’t even attempt to loft one over that rear bunker and get close to a pin position on the right side of the green. You will be risking fate (and water) in making an aggressive choice here.

This #TipTuesday brings you an insider’s tip on how to play the 18th hole at Poipu Bay Golf Course from golf writer Mike Dauplaise of Prime Golf Destinations. How would you play it? (Image courtesy of Patrick Koenig)

Poipu Bay Golf Course

No. 18 – Par 5
(550/525/517/467)

This medium-length par-5 features a risk-reward component near the green that provides a perfect setting for deciding a close match. 

With the wind helping from the right, bigger hitters can reach this green with two good shots. If that is out of your range, then length is not a requirement because you will want to lay up on your second shot to take a pond out of play. A bunker in front of the pond keeps a few more balls dry, but going in there is only a mixed blessing. You’ll still face a long sand shot over the corner of the pond, and that’s no bargain.

Regardless of how aggressively or conservatively you play this hole, the pond hugging the front left side of the green will catch your attention. This is a fun finishing hole and an opportunity for a closing birdie … or not. That’s what makes it fun.

 (KAUA‘I, Hawai‘i) – Fueled by four players who finished in the top 10 of a 126-player field, Brigham Young set a new 54-hole team scoring record (810) to win the 2023 John A. Burns Intercollegiate on Kaua‘i. The Cougars dominating performance shattered Auburn’s former scoring record that held for 15 years.

“Playing 27 holes on consecutive days meant anything could happen,” said Bruce Brockbank, BYU’s legendary head men’s golf coach who now has 59 tournament wins to his name across 31 seasons in Provo, Utah. “Our driving accuracy and short game precision were off the charts. It was very rewarding to watch these young men put it all together for a victory in Hawaii.”
 
BYU built upon their second-round lead of 10 strokes over Arizona to win the program’s fourth Burns team title (1977, 2000, 2007, 2023). Their 54-under total score was anchored by fifth-year senior Carson Lundell (T3), a 2021 All-American Honorable Mention, as well as Hawaiian-born Keanu Akina (5), David Timmons (T10) and Tyson Shelley (T10).
 
No. 19 Arizona (-36) now has two runner-up finishes in 2023, including at last month’s Thunderbird Intercollegiate. No. 9 Texas A&M (-32), No. 53 California (-27) and No. 20 San Diego State (-24) rounded out the top five.

Sam Bennett, the reigning U.S. Amateur Champion and 2022 SEC Golfer of the Year, shot 61 with 11 birdies and no bogeys to earn a share of the individual title. He tied the Burns tournament record set yesterday by Long Beach State’s Ian Gilligan. During last year’s final round on Kaua‘i, Bennett set the Ocean Course at H?k?ala course record (64) en route to a second place finish.
 
California junior Sampson Zheng enjoyed three birdies and one eagle over his final six holes to claim his first collegiate win. Zheng broke into the winner’s circle after coming in second place in the 2022 Alister Mackenzie Invitational.

In a unique situation, tournament officials declared Zheng and Bennett co-winners due to a lack of daylight remaining for a playoff, as well as the chance of rain on Saturday.
 
Following Aaron Du’s 2022 Burns individual victory, the Golden Bears have now claimed back-to-back individual medalist honors on the Garden Isle. Cal has tied New Mexico for most individual medalists in tournament history.
 
All team and individual scores are listed on Golfstat.
 
Next on the schedule for host school Hawai‘i, the Rainbow Warriors will travel to Palm Desert, Calif. to compete in the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate on March 1 – 3.
 
Team Leaderboard

Place	School	To Par	Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Total
1	Brigham Young	-54	273	271	266	810
2	Arizona	-36	278	276	274	828
3	Texas A&M	-32	286	279	267	832
4	California	-27	277	288	272	837
5	San Diego State	-24	292	279	269	840
6	Long Beach State	-20	278	284	282	844
T7	New Mexico	-19	282	282	281	845
T7	Utah	-19	288	284	273	845
9	Southern California	-17	294	274	279	847
10	Texas El Paso	-16	282	282	284	848
11	Fresno State	-15	284	281	283	849
12	Grand Canyon	-13	287	276	288	851
13	Santa Clara	-12	283	293	276	852
14	UNC Wilmington	-11	295	278	280	853
T15	Washington State	-8	294	283	279	856
T15	UNLV	-8	296	282	278	856
17	Nevada	-6	286	292	280	858
18	Sacramento State	-1	283	285	295	863
T19	St. Mary’s (CA)	E	287	294	283	864
T19	Loyola Marymount	E	297	285	282	864
21	Hawai‘i	+3	288	296	283	867

 
Top Individuals

Place	Player	School	To Par	Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Total
T1	Sam Bennett	Texas A&M	-18	70	67	61	198
T1	Sampson Zheng	California	-18	65	68	65	198
T3	Carson Lundell	Brigham Young	-17	70	63	66	199
T3	Ian Gilligan	Long Beach State	-17	61	71	67	199
5	Keanu Akina	Brigham Young	-14	66	67	69	202
T6	Julien Paltrinieri	Santa Clara	-13	71	69	63	203
T6	Matthew Manganello	Fresno State	-13	68	70	65	203
T6	Tiger Christensen	Arizona	-13	67	71	65	203
9	Shea Lague	San Diego State	-11	70	71	64	205
T10	Tyson Shelley	Brigham Young	-10	71	69	66	206
T10	Braxton Watts	Utah	-10

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize on the Gorgeous 6th at Princeville Makai

This #TipTuesday brings you an insider’s tip on how to play the 6th hole at Princeville Makai Golf Club from golf writer Mike Dauplaise of Prime Golf Destinations. How would you play it? (Image courtesy of Mike Dauplaise)

Princeville Makai Golf Club
No. 6 – Par 4
(446/409/395/367)

This straightforward par-4 heads out toward the ocean and some incredible views of the Pacific. The wind becomes a bigger player out here, and a few degrees of direction can make all the difference in the world. The wind generally helps from the right.

Bunkers frame the generous landing area off the tee and guard both sides of a large, but narrow green that appears to sit on the edge of the bluff. Short is the only safe miss, as right leaves you well below the putting surface and left presents its own challenge from above the level of the green. The ocean provides a gorgeous backdrop to a hole generally devoid of trees.

GO GOLF KAUAI COURSES WELCOME 2023
CELEBRATE MEMORABLE AND MEANINGFUL 2022

Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i (January 31, 2023) – Kaua‘i’s spectacular collection of golf courses welcome 2023 while celebrating a memorable and meaningful 2022. Not only is interest in the island golf destination at an all-time high with visits to the GoGolfKauai.com website up over 130%, but more importantly the golf courses continue to convey the spirit of Aloha and the cultural pillars of Mālama – to care for, protect and preserve Hawaii’s precious natural resources.
 
2022 saw Puakea Golf Course reopen following a nearly two-year pandemic-related closure, with Kaua‘i native TJ Esakai-Kua taking over as director of golf, under the leadership of Casey Watabu, who played in the 2007 Masters, and is a leader in Kaua‘i’s junior golf programs.
 
Kaua‘i golf courses were also honored in 2022 by national media outlets, including Golfweek magazine naming Princeville Makai Golf Club, Po‘ipū Bay Golf Course and the Ocean Course at Hōkūala to their prestigious ranking of the “Best 200 Resort Courses in the U.S.” Golfweek also named four Kaua‘i courses among the 15 “Best Courses You Can Play In Hawaii” with Princeville Makai ranked No. 4, Po‘ipū Bay No. 7, Wailua Municipal Golf Course No. 11 and The Ocean Course at Hōkūala No. 12. What’s more, Princeville Makai also placed on Golfweek’s “Top 100 Best Courses You Can Play in the U.S.” ranking (No. 75), and on its “Top 200 Modern Courses” list (No. 199). GolfPass also recognized Po‘ipū Bay and Princeville Makai in its “Golfers’ Choice 2022: Best Golf Courses in Hawaii” annual ranking, with Poipu Bay No. 1 and Princeville Makai No. 2 in the Aloha State.
 
In May of 2022, the Go Golf Kaua‘i golf courses and the Kaua‘i community were featured in an episode of the Fire Pit Collective’s “Journey’s With Matt Ginella.” On Ginella’s journey to the “Garden Island,” he immersed himself in the culture and community of the oldest and northernmost island. In the 36-minute webisode Ginella did an immersive deep dive into Kaua‘i to understand the island’s past and learn about what is being done to preserve its future, in the spirit of Mālama. Ginella visited five of Kaua’i’s golf courses and along the way sampled local eateries, beaches and farms. He shared with viewers an education about the focus on regenerative tourism while interviewing Kaua‘i Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and other cultural caretakers of the island.
 
In October, the Go Golf Kaua‘i courses banded together for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminding guests abouts the importance of early detection. Courses flew pink flags, executed charitable fundraising events for Breast Cancer Research and more throughout the month. Also in October, Wailua Golf Course hosted the 13^th World Deaf Golf Championships with more than 100 deaf or hard of hearing golfers from 14 countries descending on the island to compete in a 72-hole stroke play tournament over 12 divisions.
 
“2022 saw a return to a sense of normalcy for our community and for travel to Kaua‘i,” said Sue Kanoho, Executive Director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau. “We were thrilled to welcome golfers to our stunning courses, while also educating visitors on the importance of caring for and protecting our beautiful island. We look forward to an exciting 2023 with enhanced resort offerings opening in the New Year.”
 
Nicknamed the Garden Island for its lush tropical foliage, waterfalls and ever-present Pacific Ocean scenery, Kaua‘i boasts numerous daily-fee and resort golf courses. The destination is perennially recognized for its beaches, award-winning golf courses, ideal playing weather and stunning natural beauty. For more information on Kaua‘i golf, visit www.gogolfKauai.com.
 
About The Go Golf Kaua‘i Courses

• The Ocean Course at Hōkūala  – The Ocean Course at Hōkūala is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course that boasts the longest stretch of oceanfront holes in all of Hawai‘i. The picture-perfect course winds its way through papaya and guava groves to dramatic seaside cliffs. A 2016 renovation added sparkling white sand to all the bunkers, framing holes to be even more spectacular than before. The Ocean Course at Hōkūala has been rated as Hawai‘i’s Best Golf Course by the World Golf Awards 2018 – 2020.
• Po‘ipū Bay Golf Course – Po‘ipū Bay Golf Course was designed by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr and is set between lush mountains and rugged ocean bluffs. The course incorporates more than 30 acres of colorfully landscaped tropical plants and flowers, making it one of Hawai‘i’s most beautiful courses. Po‘ipū Bay hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 to 2006.
• Princeville Makai Golf Club – Princeville Makai Golf Club opened in 1971 as the first solo effort of Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The course was completely renovated in 2009, introducing spectacular new Seashore Paspalum turf grass on all fairways and greens. Princeville Makai features surreal vistas of Mt. Makana (aka Bali Hai) and Hanalei Bay, including the signature par-3, 7^th hole that offers a 213-yard shot over scenic cliffs.
• Puakea Golf Course – Designed by architect Robin Nelson, Puakea is a spectacular layout built along massive ravines and lush tropical undulating terrain, with the backdrop being used for the Jurassic Park series. Named one of the top courses in Hawai‘i by Sports Illustrated, Golf Advisor and Golfweek, the dramatic 18-hole golf course is also known for its high-quality, “Kaua‘i-style” customer service.  Puakea was rated “Best of Kaua‘i” by Garden Island Newspaper from 2013 – 2019.
• Wailua Golf Course – Wailua Golf Course offers classic, golden-era seaside golf holes just a few steps from the Pacific Ocean. First built as a 9-hole course in the 1930’s, and expanded to 18 holes in 1961, Wailua has hosted three USGA Amateur and three US Public Links Championships. This wonderful municipal layout was designed by Toyo Shirai and features stunning mountain views along the Royal Coconut Coast.

Media Contact:
Rob Myers
602.317.6131
rmyers@troon.com