The PGA Tour's 2024 schedule begins with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua's Plantation Course.
Maui's famous golf paradise was closed earlier this year during the worst fires across the island, but reopened in October.
If there's one thing Kapalua's Plantation Course is known for, it's an incredibly long drive.
The three longest efforts off the tee of the 2023 PGA Tour season all came at the Plantation Course.
The layout is unpredictable, with steep slopes and dramatic elevation changes.
But these hills help players on the incredibly long drives on the Plantation Course.
This course is known for its low scores compared to par and its unusual length.
What makes Kapalua's Plantation Course unique among PGA Tour courses is that it is set as a par 73.
This great course has short short holes and very long long holes.
The course has four par 5 holes typically over 500 yards, but there are also four par 4 holes under 400 yards, all on the back nine. This also helps create the feeling of a fast finish, which is common when going around the course.
Wind and weather are the main factors on Maui, but golfers visiting the South Pacific should be prepared to make birdies if they want to threaten that course record.
The Plantation Course covers 316 acres of land and reaches a peak of 510 feet.
This course has many downhill tee shots. “You'll feel like one of the pros as you enjoy hitting one of the longest drives of your life with the help of the aggressive slope of the 18th fairway,” the course's website boasts. Masu.
Although there is no water on the course, most holes have ocean views. Still, many canyons present potential problems, including the infamous penalty section of Route 18. Water doesn't define Kapalua. The mountains are like that.
The 18th hole provides the sport with perhaps one of the most stunning views in all of golf, with players looking straight out onto the Pacific Ocean and the mountains that frame the majestic landscape.
The par 5 is one of the longest holes on tour, reaching a maximum distance of 667 yards. Players can hit long drives off the tee, but if they want to attack the green in two, they will need support from the ridge.
The first 400-yard drive in PGA Tour history took place at the Plantation Course. In the 2003 tournament opener, Jonathan Bird hit a monster drive, but it didn't last long.
In 2019, the fairways were stripped and re-turfed with Celebration Bermuda grass, a denser playing grass than the original Bermuda. Greenkeepers can mow the surface more tightly, protecting it from trampling all year round.
The course was created on a grand scale to suit the setting on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains. The 7,596-yard par-73 course is a test for pros, but the wide fairways and large greens make it fairly playable for casual golfers.
