Ladies and Gentlemen, please help if you can with a couple of questions. First, I will be heading to Hawaii next Wednesday, Playing Kapalua Plantation and Bay while I am there. Here are the questions and any help would be appreciated.

Is there a website that has a detailed layout of these two courses? How far to carry bunkers, water, etc,

Does Kapalua have GPS on their carts?

What are the inside secrets to these courses?

Anything you should bring with you that normally wouldn't?

I have tee times at 6:40 a.m., when do the trade winds pick up during the day?

Any locals on here that can/want to play at 6:40 11-13 or 11-16? I think I will try to play Plantation and Bay on 11-13, and Plantation twice on 11-16.

If there is anything else I need to know before flying out next week please let me know.

Thank you in advance.

I played the Plantation course one time in April 2008. It is the kind of course that I think requires a few plays to figure out. My advice is for the first time out there, just have fun and enjoy the quirky layout and the distracting views. I don't know if you have played any other Coore & Crenshaw courses, but if you approach the round with the technician viewpoint, I think you will be disappointed. You really have to just roll with the punches. The Plantation is the antithesis of the "it's all there in front of you" type of course.

The web site has only a few of the holes detailed. I don't know of a yardage book. They didn't offer one at the pro shop because "they have GPS on the carts." I think the GPS gives little tips about how to play each hole. The course is WIDE WIDE open. There are only a couple holes where carry distances might be needed, but most times the line off of the tee is not obvious so read the GPS tips.

The biggest trick on the course is the breaks on the greens. The whole course is pitched on the side slope of a mountain. The putts can be freaky and the seemingly obvious "putts break toward the ocean" can't be stressed enough.

Winds usually pick up in the afternoon as I understand it.

Bring a light rain jacket and lots of balls if you tend to spray it. The off-turf areas are basically impenetrable jungle but thankfully marked as lateral hazards.

I played with three other first timers. Luckily, they all had a good sense of humor. Whenever someone encountered one of those "WTF??" moments, we all just shrugged and laughed. It was quite windy so that added to the challenge. Overall, it was a FUN FUN round of golf.

Some photos to get you in the mood:
http://www.pbase.com/teejaywhy/kapalua_plantation

I played Kapalua Plantation a number of years back in October. I was lucky to play with people who played the course a number of times before.
The view is great and so is the course. The one thing that stands out in my mind is the grain on the greens. I could not belived the difference in the speed of the putts going with the grain and against. I play in the NJ area and have never experienced grain on greens like the ones at Kapalua.
If you are not a low handicap bring allot of balls. My wife's cousin has a high handicap and lost 33 balls. He insisted on playing the back tees with me and would not move up to the white tees.

I am sure you will enjoy the course.

BTW-on 18 hit a draw off the slope by the club house. The ball will run forever!

I'm from the UK and played the Bay course on my honeymoon in Dec '07. There are some forgettable holes but also some grat ones, a super par 3 over the water to a small peninsula, and another with a split fairway (you choose to go left or right side) preceeding a particularly nasty green. As the other guys have stated the weirdest thing to get used to was the break of the greens (plus the fact that about 1000 times faster than what we have in the UK!) but overall it was a fantastic course and I was lucky enough to be partnered with 3 top blokes from the carolinas. One starnge thing I do recall is the odd range balls - not so much golf balls but more like weird, ping pong balls - had never seen them before and never seen them since.

tjy355 - those are super photos of the plantation; sorry but couldnt help having a nose at your chambers bay pics - was that course as great as it looks? and did it play like a real links course?

Just got back first week of October after a week staying at Plantation, here's the detailed thread with pictures:
http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?sh...mp;hl=honeymoon

More photos here:
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/jdd...?albumview=grid

So there's GPS, towels, tees etc etc in all the carts.

The trade winds are always blowing and really pick up 10-2, on 4-5 at the Bay you'll get 90 degree pins.

Now you may want to call them now and get times cause they have a 5 day unlimited golf deal going til the end of November:
Play 5 days straight unlimited for $399(resort guests) $499(non-guests) this deal includes clubs etc if you need them.

Main thing I found is when you think you have enough club take a half club more. There's so many elevation changes combined with the wind you usually come up short specially uphill.

On 18 at the Plantation do what they say. Aim as far right as possible and hit it hard with a small draw, she's gonna kick left and roll and roll and roll.
On 7 at Plantation from the backs you can cut the corner, doesn't look like it but give it a go.

Pretty straight forward from here, use the GPS and you'll figure it out.

I Played there in June from the tips with a guy that plays there regularly. Knowing where to hit it definitely helps. Fun course and great views, played well too so that helps.

i'm in maui right now - staying at the marriott on ka'anapali. you are going to get wind period. the earlier the start the better! there is always a lot of wind on the kapalua side. there are some incredible deals right now at kapalua - call and find out for yourself.

Not a local but use to visit Kapalua twice a year for 7-10days; played every course on the island. However, they've redone the greens since my last visit so can't speak to undulations. I loved the Kapula Hotel which exuded old HI character, all gone.

Anyways, historically Plantation greens were much faster then other greens at Kapalua and elsewhere on Maui. Some holes are down wind, others into wind and strong cross winds; 7200+yards from the back tee's, I've even played the Exibition tee's, which really changes perspective.

It was said if you 3 putt often at home, be prepared to 4 putt on that course, and they were right. I've seen guys 4-6 putt. Every green breaks towards the island, least that was the case on my last visit. Trades can come anytime, but mostly later in the day; and they can change directions in a blink of an eye. I really enjoyed the Village course, which now is private. It use to be the most popular for locals, but didn't get nearly as much play as the the other two because it was so narrow.

A few tid bits...
#1 aim middle right - its usually down breeze - green slopes from left to right.
#2 is usually down breeze as well. Good hole for a fade, running approachs is good too.
#3 usually plays directly into the wind, making it play longer, dogs to the right a bit, green is plateauded adn slopes from right to left. Pars good.
#4 green feeds right to left
#5 driver middle left to end in the middle right or right side, play into left side of the green.
#6 usually has strong cross winds from the right. If you go left you'll likely have a blind shot in
#7 Downwind downhill plays way short of it's yardage, if the winds at your back. Best to run into the green vs. fly in.
#8 Green slopes back to front, right to left
#9 Usually plays into the wind, takes 3 good shots, if second shot falls short into the valley, you'll be blind in.
#10 is short but plays long into the wind and uphill. Fairway tilts right to left; hit a low shot into the green.
#11 Usuall the breeze is over my right shoulder on this par 3... if the pin is in the back left - forget it.. go for the middle.
#12 Accurate shot to the top of the hill leaves a short iron in with breeze at your back, consider landing short of the green using run to get safely on to the putting surface.
#13 Longest toughest par 4 becasue of winds; stay right off the tee. Greens exposed so pay attention to your putts.
#14 its a short par 4 but winds and small green make it more difficult then it looks
#15 long and testy, best approach angle is from right side, but that's also a gamble due to the canyon and crossing winds.
#16 Winds cross from the left. If you have length go left over bunkers, except if the pin is far left, then up the middle right.
#17 is usually down wind, either straight or a draw tee shot to a fairway that slopes right to left, play for middle left for a 2nd carry shot of 160yds.
#18 usually plays down breeze and landing areas feed right to left. Andy Bean's score card is in the locker room, Double Eagle, he holed out in two on this hole.

The Bay course use to a reasonable test, now I hear its been lengthened and is suppose to be even better. Play #5 over the ocean from the back and you'll face 210yds.

What's weird the last time I played the Bay from the back tee's it was sloped 138; Plantation from the back tee's is 135.

Sorry to go OT, but a quick reply to nikm77:

Having never played a true links course, I can't compare. I grew up and learned to play in Ohio but have lived most of my golfing life in Arizona. Needless to say, Chambers is a totally different golf experience than I'm used to.

One must know that Chambers is totally manufactured. It does have considerably more elevation change than a links. It is however, built on an old quarry, totally sand based and uses a fescue for the tees, fairways and greens. Very firm turf with tight lies. Humps, bumps, & hollows; contours that feed the ball toward or away from your target, shaved green surrounds that make you think about your choice of club (lob wedge is rarely a good choice). Highly contoured greens. Open and exposed to the wind. Large areas of sandy waste with tall native grasses. All the things that make a links experience are present at Chambers.

For me, a delightful and totally FUN golf experience and a MUST PLAY for any visitor to the greater Seattle area.

My only suggestion would be to check the replay rates. When I played several years ago, I had the first tee time out at the Bay course. The rest of the group was a no-show and I was given the option to wait for a group or go out by myself, which I did. After playing in 2.5 hours, I was asked if I wanted to replay either course. I, of course, jumped on the opportunity to play the Plantation course. I ended up getting to play both courses for less than the rest of my group at the Plantation course had payed for the one round at the Plantation course because I started my day at the Bay course.

A good sense of humor. The winds are crazy (but fun). I hit three drives well over 300 yards (per the GPS) which is not normal for me.

Seriously, I had a good round b/c I realized the fairways are quite wide. Don't try to be a hero and you should be fine.

Plantation is a great course and Bay is not bad at all. Just make sure you have dinner at Sensei while you are there.

dont play from the tips if your there to have fun. im a 7hcp and that was the best advice i got. i did not believe some of the breaks on the greens(read the break one way broke 6 feet the other way, read it to be slow and it was super fast.) just enjoy the day and appreciate how good the tour pros are.

To everyone that answered my questions and helped me out, a big THANK YOU goes out to you. Played Plantation this morning and what a wonderful experience that was. Ended up shooting a 75 (from the whites). Had a very good round and you all were right, with the wind, long drives, against the wind, not so far. Highlight of the day definitely had to be 18. Gentleman I was playing with told me to aim at the chimney on the club house and I would be fine. Hit a nice drive that rolled all the way down the hill and ended up in the left rough. GPS on the cart said 173 to the whole, hit a 7 iron to about 8 feet. Grain on the greens got me all day, and if you have played here before, my putt was slightly uphill and towards the clubhouse, directly into the grain. Perfect line but left it 8 inches short. Oh well, still made a birdie though. 4 over on the front, 2 under on the back. I think I could have done even better if I had played before because the gentleman I played with was telling me where to hit, but my driver was 50 yds longer than his so it hurt me on the first 3 holes until I started paying attention to the GPS. Going again on Monday so I am looking forward to it. Lot of risk/reward on this course. Thank you all for talking me into playing there, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I tried to take some pictures but they don't really show all the slopes and views correctly. What an awesome course, drove around Ka' Anapali and it does not compare to Plantation.