Hawaii, Maui Golf Course Reviews
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Review
Ka'anapali, Maui, HI
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Royal Ka'anapali Golf Scorecard from the longest tees, as of date of last review
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Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Overview: This is probably the most familiar golf course on the island of Hawaii as everybody who stays in Ka'anapali or drives past that resort area to or from Kapalua sees many of its golf holes from off the road. The golf course starts and finishes in the relatively flat resort area near the ocean, which is characterized by palm trees and water hazards, but the middle 9 golf holes play uphill from the road, and feature more uneven lies, doglegs and/or generally hilly affairs. The best golf holes are reviewed below:
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Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 1: The day's first shot is a little unsettling with water down the right and a street to the left. It is a wide landing area, but does require concentration. The water continues for the entire duration of this par five opener and negotiating the trade winds is key, and that will remain a theme throughout the day.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 3: This par four plays slightly downhill and has an approach shot framed nicely with palm trees and bunkers, with the ocean in the distance. The green is angled and tough to hit without a well struck or shaped shot, especially with back-left pin placement.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 5: The signature hole, is a slightly downhill par four that doglegs left around a large bunker to a green that is perched along the edge of the Pacific. The tee shot needs to be strong and, ideally will flirt with or fly the bunker on the left, as that provides a much better angle to the well-bunkered green.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 7: The first golf hole after crossing the road is a short, but uphill and heavily bunkered dogleg right par four. The player can lay back, but the longer the approach to the uphill green, the harder it is to hold it. Thus, the better drive is to be aggressive and leave a wedge in, even with OB on both sides.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 10 (right): This downhill par four affords a great view of the ocean and Lanai. There are three bunkers to avoid on the drive and the second shot has a few more to a green where the only good miss is short of the putting surface.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 11 (below):
The key to this dogleg left par four is to hit a strong drive down the left side of the fairway, while avoiding the bunker at the corner of the dogleg. That leaves a more manageable approach to the green, with more bunkers to its left side.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 11 (below):
The key to this dogleg left par four is to hit a strong drive down the left side of the fairway, while avoiding the bunker at the corner of the dogleg. That leaves a more manageable approach to the green, with more bunkers to its left side.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 14: This golf hole parallels the 10th, but has a wider/easier drive and more well-protected green.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 16: This strong par four brings the player back down below the road with a cool downhill tee shot with water right and a few bunkers to avoid. There is also a boulder to not get close to as well. The landing area is wide, but the trouble and trees can make it feel a bit more challenging.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 17: The day's final par three is not long, but it does feature a water hazard that is very much in play. Gauging distance, especially in the trade winds, is crucial here to avoid a penalty stroke or a tough up and down out of the sand near the green.
Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course Hole 18: Woe to the player who needs a par on the final golf hole of the day as this par four is long with water down the right and plenty of trees and bunkers along the way to also cause trouble.
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