GOLF Magazine honors Kaua’i ‘premier resorts;’ Puakea unveils junior golf academy dates
(KAUA’I, Hawaii) – Kaua’i Lagoons Golf Club – the award-winning amenity course of Kaua’i Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach – introduces Paul Ito, PGA, as its new Director of Golf Operations.
The 43-year-old Hawaii native previously spent six years (2004-2010) as Director of Golf at Puakea Golf Course, another popular Kaua’i course.
“I’m thrilled to be back on Kaua’i and to once again be part of the island’s great collection of courses and resorts,” says Ito. “I look forward to helping Kaua’i Lagoons continue its standing as one of the most scenic and well-regarded courses in Hawaii.”
A University of Washington graduate, Ito has been a PGA professional since 2002 and got his start in the golf industry as an assistant pro in 1996 at McCormick Woods Golf Course in Washington.
Kaua’i Lagoons is the lone Jack Nicklaus Signature design on the island. In 2011, the club completed a renovation of the Kiele Course, adding three new holes that are part of the longest continuous stretch of ocean holes in Hawaii.
Puakea Golf Course Announces Dates for Junior Summer Golf Academy
Puakea Golf Course – a local favorite set at the base of Mount Hau’upu – will host a Junior Summer Golf Academy with four sessions: June 2-13, June 16-27, June 30-July 22 and July 14-18.
Each session runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the cost is $50 per child. Two sessions are $90, four sessions are $160 and if an attendee participates in the first three sessions, the fourth session is free.
Puakea has been ranked a top-15 course in Hawaii by Golfweek magazine and is known for its scenic, player-friendly Robin Nelson layout and expansive practice area with grass tees and more than 30 hitting stations.
For more information, or to register for the academy, call 866.773.5554.
GOLF Magazine Honors Kauai’s “Premier Golf Resorts”
The St. Regis Princeville Resort, Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa and Kaua’i Marriot Resort on Kalapaki Beach were named to GOLF Magazine’s list of “Premier Golf Resorts, 2014-2015.” The prestigious biennial awards are included in the March issue of GOLF and are based on four criteria: golf, lodging, food and beverage and service.
The St. Regis Princeville Resort was one of 25 “Gold Award” winners. Overlooking beautiful Hanalei Bay, The St. Regis features the Halele’a Spa and The Kaua’i Grill by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, as well as luxury accommodations. The resort sits adjacent to Princeville Makai Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design highlighted by numerous breathtaking holes along the Pacific Ocean.
Also located on the renowned North Shore is The Prince Course at Princeville Golf Club, which has been ranked the No. 1 course in golf-rich Hawaii by GOLF Magazine.
Grand Hyatt Kaua’i, a “Silver Award” winner, boasts Poipu Bay Golf Course as its amenity course and is set among lush gardens with manicured lawns, a water playground with a lazy river pool, a saltwater lagoon and the luxurious Anara Spa.
Kaua’i Marriott, another “Silver Award” winner, offers a tranquil setting on 800 beachfront acres facing Kalapaki Bay. In addition to Kaua’i Lagoons Golf Club, a variety of recreational activities are available, including the largest single-level swimming pool in Hawaii.
For more information about Kaua’i golf – Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green – “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KauaiGolf, visit www.gohawaii.com/kauai/experiences/golf or call 800.262.1400.
About “Kaua’i: Discover Golf’s Ultimate Island Green”
Kaua’i offers more than 50 miles of white sand beaches — more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii — with only five percent of the island developed for commercial and residential use. The Kaua’i golf destination is a cooperative of five world-class golf courses and three award-winning resorts:
1. Prince Course at Princeville Golf Club (www.princeville.com, 800.826.1105)
• Ranked as the No. 1 course in Hawaii by GOLF Magazine (2012) and No. 22 among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013-2014 by Golf Digest
• Robert Trent Jones Jr. design re-opened in 2012 following an extensive refurbishment project that restored original design aspect, and improved playability for all skill levels
• The 66,000-square-foot clubhouse features The Tavern Restaurant, by celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi, and the beautifully appointed 5,500-square-foot Prince Golf Shop
2. Princeville Makai Golf Club (www.makaigolf.com, 808.826.1912)
• Re-opened in 2010 following an extensive renovation. The Makai Course has since been ranked by Golf Digest as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013/2014 and ranked #3 by Golfweek in Hawaii’s “Best Courses You Can Play” 2013.
• Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the 18-hole Makai Course incorporates serene lakes and stunning ocean coastline; the leisurely 9-hole Woods Course winds through native woodlands against a backdrop of lush mountains
• The St. Regis Princeville Resort recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation and is home to the Halele’a Spa and The Kaua’i Grill by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
3. Kaua’i Lagoons Golf Club (www.kauailagoonsgolf.com, 800.634.6400)
• In 2012 was voted No. 6 in Hawaii in Golfweek magazine’s Best Courses: State by State, No. 7 on GOLF Magazine’s “Best-Of” state rankings and one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” on MSN Travel
• Amenity of the Kaua’i Marriot Resort on Kalapaki Beach, which recently underwent major upgrades to all of its guestrooms, suites, restaurants and pool deck
• The championship 18-hole Kiele course features the longest continuous stretch of ocean holes in Hawaii with over ½ mile of oceanfront golf.
• The front nine holes feature the par-3, fifth green encircled by a tropical Mango and Guava tree forest
• Features the only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf experience on Kaua’i
4. Poipu Bay Golf Course (www.poipubaygolf.com, 800.858.6300)
• Along with Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa, Poipu Bay has been honored by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top golf resorts in the U.S. from 2000 through 2013
• Named to Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” 2013-2014 and Golfweek’s “Top 100 Resort Courses in America” 2012.
• Home to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 through 2006, it has frequently hosted players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and other major champions
• A Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design, the course underwent renovation and unveiled the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum turf on all greens in 2011. Its four closing holes play atop a 150-foot sea cliff.
• The Grand Hyatt Kaua’i Resort & Spa completed a renovation in 2012 and features a water playground with river pool, waterfalls, a saltwater lagoon, tennis and the celebrated Anara Spa
5. Puakea Golf Course (www.puakeagolf.com, 866.773.5554)
• Consistently rated a favorite among Kaua’i golfers in local media outlets and ranked as the No. 15 course in Hawaii by Golfweek
• Golf Course Architect Robin Nelson used the natural layout of the land when he planned this layout, testing golfers of all levels and treating them to beautiful views of Mt. Ha’upu and deep lush ravines on several holes
• Owned by AOL co-Founder Steve Case
About the KVB and HVCB
The Kaua’i Visitors Bureau is a division of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau, which is contracted by the Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawai’i’s tourism agency, for marketing management services in North America. The HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawai’i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawai’i’s economic goals, cultural values, and preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs.
Contact:
Gary Trask, 978.228.0314
gtrask@buffalocommunications.com
Dan Shepherd, 703.403.5317
dshepherd@buffalocommunications.com
