Inside the course: Plantation Course at Kapalua

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Badz/PGA TOUR

The 10th hole on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Maui.

Jan. 2, 2012

The 2012 PGA TOUR season kicks off at The Plantation Course at Kapalua. Here is all you need to know about the course that hosts the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

Fast facts

Original architect	Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (1991)
Par value	73
Number of TOUR events as host venue	13 (including 2011)
Course ranking	Ranked 51 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2011
Yardage history	7,263 yards (1999-2005)
	7,411 (2006-present)
Grass	Bermudagrass (tees, fairways, rough, greens)
Tournament Stimpmeter	9.5-10 ft
Sand bunkers	97
Water hazards	none
Course tour	Click here

Course record

Player
K.J. Choi
Graeme McDowell

Year
2003
2011

Round
3rd
4th

Finish
T2
3rd

Holes-in-one

There has been 1 ace recorded during the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua.

Player	Hole	Year
Lucas Glover	2006	No. 8

2011 Rankings

Most difficult hole in 2011

	The par-4 520-yard 1st "Kapalua," a downhill, downwind par 4 of immense proportion, introduces the character, scale and drama of the course about to be played. An adequate tee shot assisted by the wind and slope should leave a middle to long iron approach to an expansive and welcoming green that slopes from left to right. The difficulty of this hole is more psychological than physical. 2011: 0 eagles, 12 birdies, 87 pars, 24 bogeys, 5 double bogeys, 0 others.
Easiest hole in 2011
	The par-5 532-yard 5th "Cape." A natural, daring par 5. "Cape" slopes left to right all the way. The fairway culminates at a green perched on a peninsula high above the canyon that borders the entire right side of the hole. The nature of the hole entices the player to "have a go" after a fine drive. Aim approaches at the left side of the green. Courage, but not foolhardiness, is rewarded here. 2011: 5 eagles, 89 birdies, 25 pars, 7 bogeys, 2 double bogeys and 0 others.

Plantation Course			2011 rankings		Last 12 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. Score	Rank	Avg. Score	Rank
1	4	520	4.130	2	4.172	1
2	3	218	3.132	1	3.07	5
3	4	380	3.939	9	3.781	12
4	4	382	3.976	8	3.828	11
5	5	532	4.586	17	4.313	18
6	4	398	3.818	13	3.883	9
7	4	516	4.067	5	4.117	2
8	3	203	3.095	3	3.094	4
9	5	521	4.554	18	4.43	17
10	4	354	3.901	11	3.648	14
11	3	164	2.983	7	2.906	7
12	4	420	3.872	12	3.844	10
13	4	407	4.048	6	3.906	7
14	4	305	3.800	14	3.648	14
15	5	555	4.650	16	4.617	16
16	4	365	3.920	10	3.969	6
17	4	508	4.081	4	4.109	3
18	5	663	4.664	15	4.75	13

Course origins

Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, The Plantation unfurls across island canyons, native vegetation and panoramic oceanfront plateaus. A shotmaker's dream, players will find that the use of imagination and feel -- along with every club in their bag -- is an asset here. Kapalua means "arms embracing the sea." Kapalua is famous for its three championship golf courses: The Bay Course, The Plantation Course and The Village Course.

Surrounding most of Kapalua is one of Maui's active pineapple plantations and a giant stand of one hundred-year-old Norfolk Island Pines (Cook Pines). In 1995, the Kapalua resort established the "Kapalua Nature Society" to coordinate the resort's various environmental programs. This unique organization is managed by Kapalua Land Company, Ltd. and is comprised of resort employees and members of the community.

The Plantation Course was rated No. 56 in Golfweek's 2007 list of America's Best Modern Courses. -- Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
Desert Inn CC	Las Vegas, Nev.	1953-1966
Stardust CC	Las Vegas, Nev.	1967-68
La Costa CC	Carlsbad, Calif.	1969-1998
The Plantation Course	Kapalua, Hawaii	1999-present