Golf Vacations Magazine, Dave McKibben
A global pandemic and a catastrophic wildfire staggered the bustling Maui tourism industry with two devastating blows over the last five years. And now comes word that a drought and a lost corporate sponsorship may cost Maui and neighboring Oahu their two professional golf tournaments, the Sentry and Sony Open. But after spending four days in Wailea, golfing on magical courses, dining on delicious sushi and fish tacos, sampling local IPAs and staying at a luxury hotel steps from the balmy Pacific Ocean, I’m betting on Maui recovering nicely from a series of calamities.
“We got the double whammy, Covid and then fires,” said Matt Chierek, general manager of the Wailea Community Assn., which manages hotels, restaurants, golf courses and condo associations in the charming enclave. “We rely on tourism and second homeowners. We want people to know that we’re here and we’re open. Everything that’s happened has really brought the Wailea community together.”
If anything can bring people together and tourists back to Maui, it’s the grande ole game of golf, which is still thriving in Maui. I’ve played a lot of championship golf courses in tropical places like Cabo, Punta Mita, La Paz and even Lanai (a short ferry from Maui), but I’m not sure any of those tracks match the Emerald and Gold Courses at the Wailea Golf Club for quality, character or sheer beauty.
I played the short, but striking Emerald Course (6,825 yards from the tips) with my son Jacob and the longer, more challenging Gold Course (nearly 7,100 yards from the tips) with Matt, Wailea golf pro Ben Bruno and a Wailea local. Even after spending¯ nearly half of my Gold round digging balls out of bunkers, I opted against cursing Robert Trent Jones II for designing a maniacal course with 95 bunkers sprinkled throughout 18 holes.
“You have to wear your board shorts at the Gold course with all the sand,” said Bruno, who landed in Maui a few years ago and spending most of his career in Northern California. “But since you’re near the beach, you have to embrace the sand.”
But there’s a lot more to the Gold course than just sand. The former home of the Champions Skins game features elevation changes, expansive fairways, long carries over deep ravines, plumeria, coconut and palm trees, centuries old lava rock walls and dreamy views of the Pacific Ocean, and the neighboring Molokini and Kaho‘olawe islands. Golf Digest ranks the Gold slightly higher than Emerald, but both land inside the top 20 of Hawaiian courses.
What the Emerald course lacks in difficulty, it more than makes up for in character and beauty. Breathtaking Pacific Ocean and Mount Haleakala views are available on nearly every hole, fewer bunkers, more downhill holes and wider fairways give mid-handicappers a decent chance at par on nearly hole. There are plenty of magnificent Emerald holes, but 13 and 18 stand out.
Bruno said Jones II reportedly had the iconic par-3 7th at Pebble Beach in mind while conceiving the downhill 13th on Emerald, a 139-yard masterpiece overlooking the Pacific. The hole plays into the wind and the tiny green is surrounded by bunkers in front and to the right and left. Fortunately, my 9-iron managed to carry the front trap and land 20 feet right of the pin. I didn’t hole my birdie putt, but I was happy to avoid disaster and make par. The downhill, par-5 18th is one of the island’s great finishing holes, playing toward Pu’u’olai, the volcanic cinder cone just off the coast.
The best way to experience both courses is through the Wailea Golf Club’s Unlimited Package, which offers three days of unlimited golf on the Gold and Emerald Courses for $900. Green fees for Gold and Emerald are normally $325. Replay rounds may also be played on the Blue course, the shortest and most forgiving of Wailea’s three courses at 6,285 yards from the tips.
An extra perk for those staying at the Fairmont Kea Lani. Members of the hotel’s frequent guest program enjoy complimentary Taylor Made club rentals during their stay.
The Fairmont Kea Lani
There are plenty of high-end hotels in Wailea, but it would hard to beat the Fairmont Kea Lani for luxury and elegance. Set on 22 acres of tropical landscape, steps from Polo Beach, the Kea Lani features award-winning fine dining, three sprawling pools (with a swim-up bar in one) and a world-class spa. The spacious one-bedroom (850 square-foot) suite was plenty big for our family of four. Our first night was heavenly as we watched the sun set over the Pacific while sampling a sparkling rose on our private lanai.
The hotel also features a highly-regarded spa, which I desperately needed after two grueling days of golf. While the family trekked to see the massive waves at Jaws, on the other side of the island, I relaxed for three hours with a wet and dry sauna, a Wai Hu’ihu’i Cool-down shower and a heavenly Lomi Lomi massage that hit all the right spots, rejuvenating my mind and body.
Dining Options Galore
The Pilina bar and lounge has only been open at the Fairmont for two years, but it’s already become one of Wailea’s top sushi restaurants. We sampled a slew of delicious rolls, but our two favorites were the Nani roll (spicy salmon, cucumber, avocado, seared salmon, Yakiniku barbecue sauce) and the Pe’Ahi roll (spicy ahi, cucumber, sweet Thai basil, avocado, seared Otoro and honey lavender).
Just downstairs from Pilina, we hit the jackpot at Ko (meaning sugarcane in Hawaiian), which recently reopened with a reimagined menu featuring Hawaiian cuisine. My daughter loved her fried chicken and truffle mac-n-cheese, my wife, son and I devoured the Wagyu Beef Tomahawk Steak (grilled with paniolo peppercorn and whiskey pan sauce) that somehow managed to top my mouthwatering Florentine steak from Italy last year.
Living in San Diego, the epicenter of the craft beer industry, I’ve become a bit of a hop head, or “beer snob,” as my wife calls me. So I was excited to try Wailea’s new brewery, Lahaina Brewing, displaced from Lahaina by the wildfire and less than a mile from the Fairmont Kea Lani. The Lahaina Haze and Waterman IPA exploded with hops and paired nicely with my smash burger and tater tots, a nice capper to our four-day visit to the islands.