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:: Thursday, March 17, 2005 ::

Maui
Day Eleven - Golf
03.16.05

Well, I finally wake up to a sweet, perfect Maui day...sunny, warm, narry a cloud in the sky! Bruce is out surfing for the a.m. so I have breakfast, shower, shave, and do some blogging, until he gets back around 11:15.

We leave around 12 for the golf store in North Kihei to rent clubs. I'm able to get something close to my set back home, he switches out a 7 wood for me, and I get to switch putters, and get Callaway steel head cavity back irons. I missed the driver I thought I was looking at, but it was large headed, and with a graffite shaft, and it fared ok. A dozen golf balls and a new glove and we were off.

We head north to Kapalua (almost an hour) stopping by at S-Turns to check out the surf.

We arrive at the Plantation Course at 1:15 or so...a little early for our tee time of 2:30. But after a quick shop in the Pro Shop, and paying for our greens fees and carts and using the rest room...moving the car...we take our complimentary bucket of range balls and head under the tunnel to the driving range to warm up. The golf carts are electric, which is really cool, but the hill up to the driving range is so steep, and with the golf cart's governor, I wasn't sure we'd make it! But we did.

I did very little warming up because of my bad back...but just enough to know the clubs a little and hit a couple good shots.

Back to the first tee at 2:20, and we weren't late as we had two groups in front of us...one just teeing off. In the front window at the top was a 10-12 inch tv screen with a GPS device that showed us the distance to the green as well as to all the important hazards (like distance to clear a certain bunker), and where the golf carts in front of us were! So if they were over a hill, we could see on the GPS that they were still within driving range! And as we got closer to the hole, the GPS would adjust and show us the distance of the cart to the hole...especially helpfull when one needed to leave the cart at the path and walk 100 yards to the ball on the other side of the fairway (our out of bounds or whatever!).

Bruce

My starting play was far from stellar, but after a few shots that I thought I hit okay I couldn't find the ball. And worrying about being too slow (we were paired up with Joe and Andy, a father and son team from North Carolina) caused me to play faster, and consequently badly.

Out of bounds, high grass, bunkers and ice plant were everywhere!!! This is indeed a hard course, but extremely beautiful! There was absolutely no wind for holes 1 and 2, but by three or four it started to pick up.

3rd hole | 3rd hole view | tee shot on 5 | drive to 6 | tee shot | 6 green view back | putting 6

On the fourth hole I finally get a bogey! Yay! A couple doubles on 6 and 7. 8 is the signature hole, 172 yards over a deep barancka. The wind is whipping at us directly at 20 mph plus. I think Joe and Andy hit first. They both hit it a bit hard and to the right, and the wind just whips their balls over the green and out of bounds. I line up for the shot, and hit a smooth 5 wood, just where I want, just to the right of the pin. I pose and pray. The ball dives into the ice plant just short of the green. Lost. S&%$! And it looked so good!!! Of course the next two balls I hit were yanks left out of bounds...man, out of the hole. Only Andy (on his second tee shot...hitting three) was able to finally hit the green.

caddie on 7

So...on to #9. Less than stellar.

At the turn, the boys run in for a beer, and I suffer buying 9 more golf balls at $2.50 per...ouch!

We start the second nine...it's 5 pm already!!!

ten

The par three 11th kicks my ass again as I splay a couple of fades out into the woods.

12 | 13 | 15

Finally got a double bogey on 14.

Hey, 16th hole...a great drive just left of the right-side fairway bunkers. How about hitting a very gentle easy swing 7 iron from 115 right on the green! Two-putt for a par!!!

It's getting dark now, and we can barely finish in time. We hurry so much on 17 that I'm out of the hole. We are getting a flashing notice on the GPS that we need to have the carts in by 6:40. After 17 at about 6:50 a concierge in a cool little half-car drives up...I'm expecting an ass chewing, but he says we can finish out 18...the other major signature hole. I couldn't tell where my first drive went due to the darkness, but used a yellow ball for my next drive. I kept it in play for the entire hole, but in rushing hit a couple stupid chips near the end in almost complete darkness. Hey, at least I played it!

17 sunset | 18

We pack up, say goodbye to Joe and Andy who ask us to join them, as they're playing at another golf course tomorrow...can't do.

We drive (sweaty, achey and tired) to Lahaina to Mala for dinner. I treat myself to a couple of dry martinis, a salad with fresh greens, tiny tomatoes, and bleu cheese, and a nice toasted flat bread with sesame seeds. Then a Kobe Beef Hamburger with bacon and bleu cheese...oh...my...god! How great! And tarot chips on the side with a mango salsa. I'm sufficiently stuffed.

Back to the condo for single malt and a Padron cigar...yummy!

Good day!

DC

:: David 3/17/2005 02:08:00 PM [+] ::
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