Golf World Laments ‘Terrible’ State of Former PGA Tour Course as 26-Year Long Partnership Ends

For three decades, The Plantation Course at Kapalua has housed iconic starts to a PGA Tour season. From Tiger Woods’ shot-for-shot battle against Ernie Els in 2000 to his unforgettable shot from a ways away to the greens in 2005, the course has offered plenty reasons to smile. But the game itself hasn’t been the sole reason.

After the Sentry Tournament of Champions moved from La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California, to Maui in 1999, the event was graced with a stunning setup. The par-73 course stretched across 7,516 yards of rolling hills with whales just offshore. Golfweek’s Best even ranked it the No.2 public access course in Hawaii and No. 49 in modern courses of the United States. But today, the once breathtaking course stands stripped of its visuals.

The PGA Tour’s opening venue has turned into a barren, dried-up, yellow land. “Stopped by Kapalua today and the course looks totally dead. Can’t fathom how much business this water dispute is costing them,” a fan shared the state of the Plantation Course at Kapalua on X. 

Alex Nakajima, general manager for Kapalua Golf, says that the picturesque landscape has been reduced to its present form due to drought impacts. In fact, the effects have been visible for months now.

Back in August, the irrigation was restricted to Tier 2, meaning 60% of normal. But by September first week, it was down to zero. AP reported that the Plantation Course hadn’t been watered since August 29, eventually leading to a 60-day shutdown.

The fingers are now being pointed at Maui Land & Pineapple Co. (MLP), the system operator responsible for the management of all the water that gets supplied in West Maui. The golf course owner, Tadashi Yanai, and his team sued the corporation for failing to maintain the ditch. It was followed by a countersuit alleging that Kapalua failed to follow the restrictions. 

As of now, though, the MLP is operating under the commission’s guidelines to distribute water under priority order: residential drinking water and fire protection storage. It means a limitation is imposed on all operations like mowing, reseeding, and fertilization at the golf course. The turfgrass has depleted after going months without irrigation, requiring at least a year or more to get back to its original state. 

As a result, in mid-September, the PGA Tour cancelled its Sentry Tournament that was to be held at the venue in January. While the dispute continues between Kapalua and MLP, the sight of the course has become a little too difficult for the fans to swallow.

Kapalua’s condition leaves golfing world in disbelief

Kapalua holds a special place in the hearts of golf fans thanks to the nostalgia and all the memories. It is a course that has seen Woods make a 40-putt birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden death playoff, and a course that saw Jordan Spieth win with the second-lowest score of TOC. “That’s heartbreaking. Coore/Crenshaws very first design. It may never come back..” one of the fans expressed. 

Architects Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore designed the course as their first ever collaboration with dramatic elevation changes and wide fairways by early 90s. They kept up with the location on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains, delivering plenty downhills and cleverly placed hazards, making for an exciting match. “So sad. I played Kapalua several years ago and it was gorgeous,” another echoed. 

The lush green coupled with the ocean in the backdrop just added to the excitement of the season opener. So much so that the course brought some $50 million to Maui’s economy each year. Watching it shutdown in the barren state was unbelievable for a few. “Wow, this is terrible,” one wrote, while the other agreed with, “Wow. That’s awful to see.” 

Nakajima believes that the course can be up and running again, ready to host the Sentry in 2027. So that’s enough solace for a few who are rather concerned about the native communities. “Kapalua is one of the best courses on Tour, but gotta be honest — in a tension between a luxury golf resort and Native Hawaiians’ efforts to earn a living, the resort isn’t ultra-sympathetic,” read another comment.

A Honokohau community representative admitted that the people are frustrated over how the water situation has been handled. The crops are dying and the children are endangered. But the water commission has ensured that the West Maui community will be a priority. Moreover, the event’s title sponsor, Sentry Insurance has kept up with its philanthropy efforts in the area, contributing about $9 million over the years.

Currently, the commission is considering long-term solutions, involving improvements in reservoirs and storage to save rain waters and recycling of wastewater for irrigation, among others.