Kiahuna Golf Club, Kauai
The Kiahuna Golf Club can be found in sunny Poipu Beach amid lush Kauai surroundings, in an area of great natural beauty and ancient Polynesian archaeology. The golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr who deftly incorporated many authentic remnants of an ancient Hawaiian village into the design. As they negotiate this course, players will experience its exceptional beauty and they will get a real sense of Kauai, of Hawaii, and of the islands’ enduring history. The Kiahuna Golf Club also acts as a sanctuary for many of the island’s endangered species including the Nene – the state bird of Hawaii. If they are lucky, players may glimpse the rare Hawaiian Stilt or even a Moorhen when they are in the vicinity of Waikomo Stream. It is also possible they will see a Black-Crowned Night Heron fishing in any of the water features along the course.
The golf course at Kiahuna is an 18-hole, par-70 course that offers considerable challenge along its entire length of 6,925 yards. The layout includes many doglegs including six on the inside nine, and there are water hazards at seven holes. These include three ponds and a stream that cuts across the 12th fairway. The fairways are relatively narrow and players will encounter fascinating obstacles such as stone structures and lava walls. For example, there is a small outcrop of lava tubes to the left of the second fairway and these contain a rare type of spider - the Kauai Cave wolf spider, which has no eyes. Discovered in 1973, this harmless spider variety is thought to only exist in six caves in Kauai’s Koloa-Poipu region. The remnants of a house that was inhabited by a Portuguese immigrant in the early 1800s can be found to the left of the 15th fairway. The man’s occupation was controlling irrigation of the local agland, which was achieved by diverting the Waikomo Stream, and he and his family are interred in a nearby crypt.
The second hole is the most picturesque but the most difficult. This is a par-4 measuring 440 yards where a pond and bunkers impose on the dogleg to the left. The signature hole at Kiahuna is the 12th, a par-3 measuring 212 yards. Here, players have to contend with crossing trade winds, treetops, and Waikomo Stream.
The comprehensive range of facilities at Kiahuna Golf Club includes a club rental service and a driving range. The pro shop stocks a good selection of high-quality merchandise where visitors can purchase anything from a pack of golf balls to a full set of clubs. The club’s restaurant – Joe’s On the Green – offers a tasty menu and a nice relaxed environment. Weddings, meetings, and other events are also catered for at Kiahuna Golf Club.
