Kauai Lagoons Golf Club

Getting To Know: Kauai Lagoons Golf Club

An Insightful Interview With Kenneth Kimura, Golf Operations Manager

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Kenneth Kimura who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
The Kiele course at Kauai Lagoons sits in a secluded southwest corner of the island of Kauai in Hawaii, just five minutes from the Lihue Airport and Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai's main airport and seaport. Designed by legendary golfer and course architect Jack Nicklaus, Kiele's fairways weave through mango and guava tree forests on its inward nine then takes you along imposing ocean cliffs and promontories high above the harbor and among some forty acres of fresh water lagoons on the inward nine.

When Jack Nicklaus first created the Kiele in the late 1980's, the terrain lent itself so well to his vision that he made but a single change to his original design. In 2011, Jack Nicklaus was again called upon, this time to redesign the Kiele's famed back nine. Included in the redesign is a new ocean hole that is now the centerpiece of what is the longest stretch of continuous ocean holes of any course in Hawaii. Four fabulous holes providing over 1/2 mile of stunning oceanfront golf

Sharing this amazing paradise is the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, set amidst 800 waterfront acres along the Kalapaki Bay, and Marriott's Kauai Lagoons - Kalanipuu, which overlooks much of the Kiele's breathtaking ocean holes.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Golfers not accustomed to playing in the wind may be surprised at how much Hawaii's trade winds can affect shot distance. A mid-iron shot into some stiff headwind may require two to three extra clubs. Most will try to overcome the wind by hitting their normal club harder only to find that the extra backspin imparted leaves them even shorter from the target. The key is to use your use your normal tempo and club up to get back to the hole.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
The Kiele has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years. In 2012 we were voted one of the 12 most beautiful courses in the world in MSN Travel. Jack Nicklaus took full advantage of the natural beauty surrounding the course and the views on the ocean holes are simply spectacular.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Measuring just 330 yards, the par 4 number 7 on the Kiele's back nine is Kiele's signature hole and arguably one of the most photographed holes in golf. The crashing waves of the Pacific borders the left of the fairway, which slopes downhill and usually downwind. The green is built on a small peninsula that juts into the sea. Golfers with strong nerves can consider driving the green, but if their ball doesn't hold the turf, it's likely to be sitting at the bottom of the blue Pacific. A small lighthouse sitting on black lava rocks at the left of the green has become a landmark and this hole is often referred to as the "lighthouse hole."

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It? My favorite hole is the par 3 number 5 on the Kiele's back nine. Tees are set between 170 and 210 yards. The hole plays over an ocean inlet so to reach the green golfers need to carry the entire length of the hole. The green itself is bordered on the left by a sheer cliff so anything short or left will be wet. A very intimidating tee shot for anyone standing on the tee. However, the hole is not as difficult as it first appears. The prevailing trade winds normally assists your shot and there is ample room to the right. The key is to get the ball airborne and favor the right side. By the way, the panoramic views from this hole are breathtaking.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
The spicy bloody mary at Putter's Pub, our halfway house, has gotten many golfers off to the right start after a hard night.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
Corey Pavin, 65

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7156
Slope: 142
Rating: 76.2

More Information
Kauai Lagoons Golf Club
3351 Hoolaulea Way
Lihue, Hawaii 96766
808-241-6000
www.KauaiLagoonsGolf.com

Revised: 11/16/2013 - Article Viewed 31,560 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.