Aloha from Crystal Blue Waters of Kauna‘oa Bay at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

“Where the dramatic ocean meets great land.”  — Robert Trent Jones Jr.

KOHALA COAST, HAWAII: “During my first planning trip to brainstorm on the golf course renovation, I was flooded with memories of entering the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel lobby while walking on its famous blue tile flooring. Literally three generations ago, I ‘caddied’ for Dad and carried his briefcase around while he was designing the original course routing,” reminisced Robert Trent Jones Jr.

“My dad was in his 50s, and I was in my 20s as we walked the site covered in a‘a- lava, getting scratched up by non-indigenous bushes scattered about. It wasn’t an easy task. We had a map and pencil to route the course [GPS satellite service was still years away from being invented],” recalled Jones. “He taught me to sketch golf holes. One of his memorable lessons was, ‘Bobby, with sketches, you can use an eraser to eliminate mistakes. Consider it a second chance at redemption. After construction starts, it’s a whole different ball game.’

“There are two important aspects to designing a course: what you see and what you don’t. Above ground, you understand the intrinsic shot value of each hole: underground soil mechanics, drainage, and irrigation play a crucial role in conditioning.”

The Father of Hawaii Golf

 Laurance Rockefeller was a visionary and noted conservationist. Upon surveying the future site of Mauna Kea Resort, it hit all his goals of year-round warm weather, a crescent-shaped sandy beach, and the topography for an oceanfront golf course. “A destination resort was a new concept at the time,” continued Jones. “It wasn’t until jet service was introduced that it made travel to the corners of the earth possible. After all, Hawaii is more than 2,000 miles away from the mainland, and the Island of Hawaii, often referred to as the ‘Big Island,’ was primarily agricultural. There wasn’t even a paved road from Kona to Mauna Kea Resort.

“Rockefeller was skeptical that grass could be grown on pulverized lava. So, we did a one-acre test to prove our concept,” said Jones. “It worked, but now logistics proved problematic. The local fishing village had a rudimentary port for us to ship supplies and workers. Every skill set had to be imported.”

That Famous 3rd Hole

 Routing for Mauna Kea Golf Course replicates a figure eight. “The front nine plays clockwise and the back nine counterclockwise,” described Jones. “Although mainland Chinese make up a small portion of guests, the number eight is lucky in China.

“My renovation had several goals, including softening many of the bunkers [on the fairways and green complexes],” reported Jones. “I also paid special attention to reducing the number of crown greens that would often have a smart shot roll off the back apron.

“In many cases, golf at Mauna Kea was like British golf, with some shots so penal that you had to hit backward or sideways to advance the ball. I didn’t want the new routing to mirror the board game Monopoly that you don’t pass go and don’t collect $200 if you hit a bad shot. You can’t design a course just for limber backs; it must be fair for all. Harder isn’t always better. There must be a balance between crafting a course capable of hosting a championship and also having concern for the transient resort guest experience.

“All sports have levels of attack and defense with a clock counting down game time,” opined Jones. “Football has downs/quarterback, and baseball has innings/pitcher. In golf, the architect is like the goalkeeper in soccer.”

The third hole at Mauna Kea, a par-3 that plays over the ocean, is one of the most famous and photographed holes in the game.

Mr. Rockefeller wanted to quickly establish the hotel on the world stage, so he produced a promotional made-for-television event with Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Arnold Palmer (all three are U.S. Open champions).

It was rumored the trio didn’t want to play from the back tee box on the third hole, concerned they wouldn’t be able to clear the crashing waves and lava rock.

“The Golden Bear and I are the same age,” continued Jones. “Although I was a good stick when I was younger, I stopped trying to keep up with him. In my mind, he was the golfer of my era. During ‘The Big Three Match,’ it was clear Nicklaus liked to play, Palmer liked to joke, and Player liked to talk.

“Before the cameras were on, the threesome played the course to gain local knowledge,” said Jones. “The back tee on the 3rd hole measured a robust 240 yards—with the wind often not in your favor. All three struggled to reach the green, and they swung so hard I thought one of them might slip into the ocean. I distinctly remember Palmer and Nicklaus joking with Player that he needed another scoop of Wheaties at breakfast before filming.

“During the renovation, I did little to change the iconic hole. Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to touch one of his best-known achievements.”

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