Hawaii, Kauai Golf Course Reviews
The Prince Course at Princeville ReviewPrinceville, Kauai, HI
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Princeville Prince Scorecard Yardage Chart from the longest tees, as of the date of last review
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The Prince Golf Course at Princeville Overview: The Prince Golf Course is a great golfing experience, and a unique one. With jungle looming everywhere, natural streams, a waterfall and Ocean views for most of the day, the challenge is both visual and a true test of golfing skill. The hardest golf course on Kauai for sure, if the wind blows hard, it’s one of the toughest in the world. Sadly, the owner temporarily shut down the course in late 2014 and it has not yet re-opened. The rumor is that it will soon, but one never knows. There are plenty of great holes to play when it does open, the best of which are reviewed below:
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The Prince Course Hole 1: The start to the Prince golf course is a perfect taste of things to come as it is terrifying, like so many shots on this great course. The elevated tee shot must find its way between jungle short / right and long / left as the angled fairway snakes its way between the two. The second shot will be slightly uphill to the green, over the Anini stream, which guards its front. Thus, the longer the drive, the less heartburn on the approach, where the only real bailout is long and right over the green. The green is large, but tiered, making distance accuracy key.
The Prince Course Hole 2: A three shot par five where an accurate, lay-up drive is a must to avoid the jungle left, right and too far straight away. The second will must be played over the jungle, and short of the fairway bunkers 100 yards out. The approach is well uphill to a severely breaking green.
The Prince Course Hole 4: This hole provides the only lake on the course and the dogleg right par 5 wraps around it, making it come into play on every shot. The drive can be a lay up, or one can try to thread it between the lake and the bunkers, making going for it in two possible. However it is played, the second and/or third shots must be precise to avoid water right and bunkers left all the way to the tiered green.
The Prince Course Hole 5: The fifth isn't the most scenic hole on the course by any means, but it is very long and tough, requiring two long, accurate shots to avoid bunkers and long grass on the way to the green.
The Prince Course Hole 6: This downhill par four is as straight as can be and features sand traps galore. The tee shot must avoid them to give a better shot at hitting the green, which also has bunkers on three sides, a slight tier in the middle and is perched above the cliffs overlooking the sapphire blue Pacific Ocean.
The Prince Course Hole 7: This is an incredibly difficult par 3. The tee shot is played over a jungle barranca with the trade winds usually blowing directly in the players face. There are bunkers left, behind and right of the green, which might actually save a player from going in the jungle that surrounds the hole. Don't forget the ocean views.
The Prince Course Hole 9: One of only two or three "breather" holes on the entire course, this short par four favors a layup off the tee to avoid the bunkers, which will still leave a short iron in. However, a big drive can leave just a chip into the green, which only has the back-left pin that is tough to get to.
The Prince Course Hole 10: The “?” hole. Any drive played safely to the left will leave a 200+ yard shot over jungle to the plateau green, which is very deep from this angle. If played conservatively, the 3rd will be from an angle where the green is very shallow and there are several deep bunkers short and a steep hill long. The amount of options makes this a hole that can be played many different ways. The jungle was cleaned up a bit in the 2013 restoration, so the green is more easily seen, but the trouble is just as present as ever.
The Prince Course Hole 11: The prettier of two medium length par 3’s on the back (this one has the ocean as a backdrop) that are snuggled against steep jungle infested hills to their left. The trade winds blow everything towards the hazard and if the green is missed at all, the ball is gone, period. There is also a large tier separating the front from the back of the green, making distance control crucial.
The Prince Course Hole 12: Intimidation at its best, the 12th tee sits high above the partially blind fairway, leaving a view of the peninsula green surrounded by the Anini stream on three sides. Accuracy is a must on both shots as anything hit stray will cost a stroke or more. The green is tiered and very difficult to putt.
The Prince Course Hole 13: This hole is cut right from the jungle and must be played perfectly to avoid bogey or worse. The drive is hit over jungle to a tiny strip of fairway with jungle left and long. Anything hit too far right, however, will be on a hillside, or at best, will leave a blind second over more jungle. The approach is uphill with collection bunkers on the left to gather those who are afraid of the Anini stream on the right. A waterfall greets the players directly behind the green.
The Prince Course Hole 14: Similar in scope and design as the 11th, this par three is just meaner and longer with jungle short and immediately left of the green, but with the added bonus of a the deep bunker and hillside to the right.
The Prince Course Hole 15: Another hole cut from the jungle, this par 5 sweeps its way down from the elevated tee to the 1st section of fairway. The aggressive drive will leave a possibility to go for it in two, but the percentage play is to cross the jungle on the second shot, leaving a good angle to the pin. The green is perched along a cliff to the right and a lone bunker is perfectly placed thwart attempts to get close to the pin if the angle isn’t right.
The Prince Course Hole 16 (right): Another This is as close to the longest par 4 in the world under 380 yards. When the trade winds blow, it can require driver and another wood to rich the green, but it's the tee shot that is the most memorable from the back tees. Starting at the low point of the golf course, it must be high and straight up a cliff between trees.
The Prince Course Hole 18 (below): The final hole of the day is very long and demanding with bunkers to avoid (or fly) from the tee, and an uphill approach to the narrow green set between bunkers.
The Prince Course Hole 18 (below): The final hole of the day is very long and demanding with bunkers to avoid (or fly) from the tee, and an uphill approach to the narrow green set between bunkers.
Read More Kauai Golf Course Reviews
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Play The Princeville Prince Golf Course while you still can. Plans are in the works to turn private. |