50 States. 50 Courses.: Princeville Prince - Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

Resort Information

Through Our Eyes

Bragging Rights

Golf Digest, Prince Course #46 on “America’s Toughest Golf Courses”

2013/2014 Golf Digest, Prince Course #22 on "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses", #4 in state

2013 Golf Range Magazine, "Golf Range Association of America" Top 50 Award, Public Ranges

2012 GOLF Magazine, "Premier Golf Resorts in North America," Gold Medal, The St. Regis Princeville Resort and Princeville golf courses

2012 GolfWeek, Prince Course #20 in America's "Best 100 Resort Courses" and #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play"

2011 Golf Digest, "Best 75 Golf Resorts in North America" - The St. Regis Princeville Resort and Princeville golf courses ranked #20

2011/2012 Golf Digest, Prince Course #97 in "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses;" #19 on "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses;" and #4 in the state of Hawaii

2011 GolfWeek, Prince Course #22 in America's "Best 100 Resort Courses" and #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play"

2010/2011 GOLF Magazine, Prince Course #22 on "Top 100 Courses You Can Play;" #2 in the State of Hawaii

2010 GolfWeek, Prince Course #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play," #20 in America's "Top 100 Resort Courses," and #92 in "America's Top 100 Modern Courses"

2010 GOLF Magazine, Princeville Resort on the Gold List for "World's Best Golf Resorts"

2010 GolfWorld, Princeville Resort #11 in America's "Top 50 Resort Courses

2009/2010 Golf Digest, Prince Course #67 in "America's 100 Greatest Courses" – the only Hawaii course to make the list; Prince Course ranked #1 in the state of Hawaii

2009/2010 Hawaii Magazine, Prince Course was named "Favorite Golf Course" in Hawaii by readers of Hawaii Magazine

2009/2010 ZAGAT Survey, Prince Course recognized in various categories in the "Guide to America's Top Golf Courses"

2009 Fairways & Greens, Prince Course on the "Sweet 16" list of top West Coast courses

2009 GolfWeek, Prince Course #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play," #18 in America's "Top 100 Resort Courses," and #85 in "America's Top 100 Modern Courses"

2009 GolfWorld, Princeville Resort #22 in America's "Top 50 Resort Courses"

2008/2009 Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play," Prince Course received a 5-star rating

2008/2009 GOLF Magazine, Prince Course #20 on "Top 100 Courses You Can Play"

2008 Conde Nast Traveler, Princeville Resort named in the "Top 100 Golf Resorts"

2008 Golf Digest, Princeville Resort named in "World's 50 Best Golf Hotels"

2008 GolfLink.com, Prince Course named in "Hawaii's Top 10 Courses"

2008 GOLF Magazine, Princeville Resort named one of 20 "Gold Medal Resorts"

2008 GolfWeek, Prince Course #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play," #18 in America's "Top 100 Resort Courses," and #85 in "America's Top 100 Modern Courses"

2008 Golf Digest, Prince Clubhouse named to the list of "50 Best 19th Holes"

2007/2008 Golf Digest, Prince Course #1 "Top Courses in the State of Hawaii,"#39 America's "Top 100 Greatest Courses," #9 in "100 Greatest Public Courses"

2007/2008 ZAGAT Survey, Prince Course recognized in the "Guide to America's Top Golf Courses"

2007 Conde Nast Traveler, Princeville #37 in the "100 Best Golf Resorts"

2007 Travel & Leisure, Princeville named one of the "Top 10 U.S. Resorts"

2007 GolfWeek, Prince Course #16 in "America's Best Resort Golf Courses," #2 in "Hawaii's Best Courses You Can Play" and #66 in "America's Top 100 Modern Courses"

Our Round

Set on Kauai’s northeast shore, the Princeville resort is beauty among the fog-laden landscape. Comprised of private homes, Westin and St. Regis resorts, and two award-winning courses: Prince and Makai, Princeville is a destination not to be missed on the Garden Isle.

With its average almost 80 inches of rain each year, it is no wonder this sliver of the island is exceptionally emerald. The Prince is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, and home to no less than three birds on the endangered species list including the Hawaiian gallinule, coot, and stilt. Further, the course rolls amongst lush vegetation reminiscent of a rain forest, and weaves atop cliff edges, providing breathtaking views of the Pacific.

Pinch yourself. You aren’t dreaming. Princeville Prince is a reality.

View to Pacific from the clubhouse

Scratch that. Princeville Prince WAS a reality.

We played the course on the last day it ceased to exist: December 31, 2014. Starting January 1, 2015, the course and Princeville resort began a transformation that will span the greater part of the next decade. The Prince course renovations are estimated to take 18 months (read as at least 2 years Hawaiian time). We can’t help but recognize the sinking feeling this caused us throughout our round. The Prince just reopened in 2012 after major, multimillion-dollar renovations by its original architect, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every hole, panoramic view, and frustrating lie on this course made us appreciate the time we had on this last day of its existence.

The Resort Group and Morgan Stanley bought the entire resort area in 2005, and Morgan Stanley was recently replaced in the partnership by the Chinese Reignwood International, for a total of a $343 million shared investment from the two groups. While I can’t begin to fathom that sum of money, it seems like the deal of a lifetime for the 1103 acres comprising the Princeville resort. The few remaining cattle ranches and rainforest-flanked cliff tops will be replaced with home sites rumored to go for $500,000-$2 million plus. Home sites. Not homes. Seems as though it won’t take long to make back that $343 million investment.

Given the immense change this will bring to the landscape of the resort, the Prince course will be completely renovated and redesigned (again) by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The plan is to make the course softer and more playable, not to mention a great loss in views due to the new homes occupying much of the (valuable) scenic backdrop. The existing 60,000 square foot clubhouse, with its panoramic views spanning from Mt. Namolokama to the Pacific Ocean, will become a wellness center for members. A spa, polo fields, equestrian course, airport, beach club, hiking and mountain bike trails, and ocean adventure activities round out the plans.

While the changes may seem like a dream for those, including myself, cowering with intimidation at the Prince, the course is subsequently turning private. According to locals, initiation will be $300,000, and dues will run at least $3000 per month. With the change in ownership is a change in employment. We can’t help but feel the lump in the throat of the employees smiling with Aloha through their last day. Discovery Land Co. will manage the resort and Prince course. The Makai course is reportedly going unscathed, and will remain the public course available to those staying at the nearby resorts.

Since all the change is yet to come, we remained enthusiastic to play the course on the last day it will be offered in its current dress, and to the general public.

View from the first tee.

The first tee is perched above the course, a plateau of tableland alongside the ocean. The views of the ocean from here are 270º+. This par four first hole is considered by some to be toughest starting hole in the world. Between the elevation change and the harsh winds, your guess is as good as mine on what the true yardage is for the tee shot. The starter told Shawn to plan for no more than 215, and the course regular playing with us, Joe, recommended Shawn absolutely use his driver. The driver was the best decision. Thanks, Joe. The first tee shot will also made us realize just how much wind is cutting across the course down beneath. Keep that information at the forefront of your memory, as it is information which will remain relevant on every shot you take thereafter.

Leaving the tee box, we realize we’re riding on the back of a turtle. Not literally, but our cart slows going uphill to the point that the other folks playing with us offer to give us a bump from the back in order to ensure we make it up the hill. It actually makes a sharp, repetitive, jarring movement when you start, like a sixteen year old on a standard transmission. We’re making memories. At least the cart doesn’t need to work tomorrow!

There's no way around it—this is a tough track. During the Prince Invitational Tournament earlier this year, the best scores were in the low nineties, and players teed from the blacks on all but two holes where they hit from the blues. We're pretty low stress golfers, but recognizing this reality gave us a more realistic sense of what to expect. If it's not a ravine you're hitting over (similar to our experience earlier this week at Ko'Olau), it’s a bunker, water, the vast abyss, a waterfall, or another challenge. The second hole is really what the Prince Course is about—it requires precise shot selection, execution, and remaining ignorant to the beauty that surrounds you. A nearly 600-yard par 5 that dog legs, uphill, over a ravine, with cross winds, many fairway and green-side bunkers, and with elevation high enough where wind will impact each shot—this hole keeps swinging right back at you. The fourth hole presents the first water hazard—a pond extending the last 200 yards of this par 5. There is undulation everywhere but the tee boxes, and the greens are slower than our cart. To put it in perspective, Shawn was missing two-foot putts on the practice green. Then again, there are lines on certain greens that will catch your ball and run with it. You'd never know which and where those lines are by the typical look. A great deal of luck lies in this round, and our luck is clearly not with the cart because on the fourth fairway I'm calling the clubhouse for a replacement cart. Our light is on. You know the one.

Six takes you down to the cliff side facing the Pacific, and seven keeps pulling you back away but over an expansive ravine easily thirteen stories down from the fairway. We leave seven overlooking another part of the ravine. It's as if the Prince were perched atop the world. We shall start collecting our quarters to purchase a lot right here. I have no doubt the new neighbors will adore the tent we set up on our million-dollar lot.

Even though nine is a 16 handicap, it proved tough for all. The tall marsh to the right delves down to ravine at left—the green flanked by bunkers. Ten is a 588-yard severe dogleg left. So severe in fact it looks more like a horseshoe. It also rolls EVERYWHERE. Bunkers are tipped with outcroppings of volcanic rock boulders.

While it is hard to pick out some of the most memorable views of the course, there are at least three noteworthy holes, which must be mentioned. Hole number 11 is a target hole with a landing around 250 yards from the tee, and the green another 200 yards beyond. In an unlike-many-traditional-golf-course-fashion, your approach shot distracts you with a beautiful waterfall careening down directly behind the flag. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of green in which to land your shot, but try focusing on that 200 yard approach shot with a waterfall staring right back at you. Three holes later, you will find yourself standing on the tee hundreds of feet above that fairway on a dead-straight par 4 with woods on the left and right. Your tee shot will tower above the fairway and come down from the sky from what seems to be about a mile above.

In the end, a 360-degree turn really has you feeling as though you’re tickling the clouds. The view beyond from the top floor of the clubhouse through the floor-to-ceiling windows truly leaves you breathless as the masterpiece of a golf course with seemingly endless waves of green leads out to the Pacific. That was a memorable round.

On course cemetary

We’re not really the panic-induced shopping type, but we made a stop back at the pro shop before leaving to get our bag tags engraved. What ensued was reminiscent of what I anticipate Black Friday is for so many. I have no idea because, as previously mentioned, shopping as a cardiovascular workout is not in my wheelhouse. We were really just hoping to stock up on some more golf balls, if anything, as they were ridiculously inexpensive when we checked in for our tee time. It came as no shock they were sold out when we arrived. Locals swarmed the nearly empty shell of a store with hats stacked from hand to chin. Others eagerly circled the racks like a buffet line, looking for final treasures.

We walked out, happy with the experience, and wishing we would have discovered this treasure sooner. My brother and dad played here many times during vacations, and I’m a bit remiss I didn’t play the game back then. I was busy playing the poolside.

Even though you can no longer play the Princeville Prince, the Makai is rumored to be a playable, scenic challenge as well. If nothing else, the Kauai traveler should not go without visiting this side of the island. Like other parts of Kauai and Hawaii, each has its own distinct traits.

Mahalo Prince course. It was a fun run.