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Kauai, HI (SportsNetwork.com) - FACTS AND STATS: Course Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr. (1991, 2011). Year Opened: 1991. Location: Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii. Slope: 128. Rating: 74.5. Par: 72. Yardage: 7,123. Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 428 Yds 10 - Par 4 429 Yds 2 - Par 5 524 Yds 11 - Par 3 193 Yds 3 - Par 3 209 Yds 12 - Par 4 435 Yds 4 - Par 4 380 Yds 13 - Par 4 384 Yds 5 - Par 4 355 Yds 14 - Par 5 537 Yds 6 - Par 5 573 Yds 15 - Par 4 427 Yds 7 - Par 3 179 Yds 16 - Par 4 501 Yds 8 - Par 4 374 Yds 17 - Par 3 225 Yds 9 - Par 4 420 Yds 18 - Par 5 550 Yds Par 36 3,442 Yds Par 36 3,681 Yds Awards Won: Premier Resort by Golf Magazine (1994, 1997-2000, 2004, 2014-15), Rated one of Best Golf Courses in Hawaii - Hawaii Magazine (2013), Top 100 Greatest Courses in North America - Golf Digest (2013), Ranked #13 by Golf Digest - Best in State, Hawaii (2013-14), Top 125 Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler (2012), Golf Weeks Americas Best Golf Resorts (2006-07, 09, 2011-12), Rated #7 Best Courses You Can Play in Hawaii (2011-12), Rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digests Best Places to Play. Key Events Held: PGA Grand Slam of Golf (1994-2006), U.S. Womens Amateur sectional qualifier (2014-15), USGA Senior Amateur qualifier (2014), U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier (2011). Course Record: 59 (Phil Mickelson, 2004). Website: poipubaygolf.com. HISTORY: Built near the site of the ancient Hawaiian village of Kaneiolouma, with remains of Hawaiian heiaus (place of worship), Poipu Bay Golf Course is a wonderfully crafted design by Robert Trent Jones II. Often considered Kauais father of golf, Jones II designed four of the nine venues on the island, with Poipu Bay being his last on the Garden Island. With more than 270 courses in over 40 countries on six continents to his credit, RTJ II boasts more than 100 courses to have hosted tournaments on every major golf tour in the world. It will include the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay (Washington). Poipu Bay features four archaeological sites on the course dating back over 500 years. The first of these special areas is on the ninth hole, which includes a lava rock heiau located to the right side of the fairway. The final three areas where the remnants have been incorporated into the course are on holes 16-18. The 16th features a heiau, just short of the green on the left side, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, while the 17th hole sports another ancient structure next to the elevated tee and a stone wall down the right side of the cart path and through to the 18th tee. When we came upon a heiau, we obviously respected it and went around it, specifically on 16 and 17, Jones said. In some cases, we worked with the historical society and rebuilt part of the heiau wall in the old-fashioned way. It wasnt difficult, it was interesting and it added a cultural story to the course. The layout is built on the south shore on the island of Kauai, on 210 acres of breathtaking land, featuring rocky cliffs 150 feet above the mighty Pacific. Not only does the course possess ancient archaeological significance, it sports beautiful tropical foliage and flora, not to mention its mix of design strategy, making Poipu Bay Golf Course a unique, golfing experience. What started out as a 6,959-yard venue has been stretched to over 7,100 yards with room to grow! The challenge and adventure of Poipu Bay is all about the design. RTJ II used the lay of the land to create a precise layout, not only to challenge the best players in the world, but to make for a most enjoyable visit by the resort golfer. Poipu Bay is on the dry and arid part of the island, and its more exposed to the wind, Jones said. So our challenge at Poipu Bay was to lay it out as a continuous 18 that reaches way out and way back. This is similar to St. Andrews and Pebble Beach, so once you start playing golf, you have to play golf, youre committed. The pillar of our design philosophy is that every project is site specific, Jones added. We listen to the land and work with it to create the best golf design possible on every unique site. As with most courses in Hawaii, the elements can play havoc on your game and Poipu Bay is not without its share of weather, especially when discussing the trade winds, which whip throughout the layout. The course finishes along the coast and we laid it out in that direction, rather than in reverse of that, to take advantage of the prevailing winds finishing, so the winds are at your back, Jones continued. The winds are a form of a hazard, so you can either learn to use it as a player or be abused by it. As a designer, we like you to finish happy, so we wanted you to play downwind. But Jones II did not create just up and back holes. His layout features holes that play with the wind, into the breeze and across, just enough to keep you guessing on each and every shot. The word Poipu literally means crashing waves in Hawaiian and the final four holes run alongside and well above the Pacific Oceans mighty bounty. Just under one mile in length, the closing four holes are without a doubt the signature grouping at Poipu Bay, with the worlds largest water hazard on the left. The 16th is what many consider RTJ IIs autograph. In fact, he considered this gem as the Pebble Beach of the Pacific. It comes as no surprise that Poipu Bay Golf Course has received the accolades and awards that it has, such as one of Golf Digests Americas 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, and since 2000, Conde Nast Traveler considers the course and the Grand Hyatt Resort as one of the top resorts in the United States. We wanted to distinguish Poipu Bay from the other courses, so the greens are generally smaller and somewhat rounded on the edges, Jones said. Theyre a little like a Donald Ross concept, like an inverted concept and thats pretty tricky in the wind. Its a shorter course and compact and a real golf experience. Its produced a lot of excitement and a lot of history and fun when the Grand Slam was here. After just three years of opening its tee boxes, the powers that be at the Professional Golfers Association of America decided to bring its premier after-season event to Poipu Bay. The PGA of America was certainly pleased, as from 1994 through 2006 Poipu Bay hosted the Grand Slam of Golf, which features the winners of the four majors in that calendar year. The champions during this time frame read like a whos who of World Golf Hall- of-Famers, led by seven-time winner Tiger Woods. In addition, other HOFs who captured the Grand Slam at Poipu Bay were Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, Ernie Els and course record-holder Phil Mickelson. Two other winners, Tom Lehman and Jim Furyk, can possibly reach this pinnacle in the near future. When Norman captured the 1994 event, he became the first alternate in the history of the event to win the title. Norman capped off his final round 66 with a 5-foot eagle on the last hole to win by three shots over Nick Price, who had recorded wins that year in the PGA Championship and the British Open. A more dramatic finish came the next season, when Crenshaw holed his 50-yard approach on the last for an eagle to clip Steve Elkington and Corey Pavin by a shot. It should be noted that John Daly also eagled the closing hole by reaching the green in two and making the putt. According to Daly lore, the long-hitting lad from Arkansas leaped over part of the sacred ground (stone wall), but still made eagle. Call it irony or karma, but Daly has not won again on the PGA Tour since. Els set a tournament record in 1997, as he finished the two-day event at 11- under-par 133, besting Woods, then a first-time participant, by three shots. Woods started his streak of five consecutive wins at the Grand Slam of Golf by defeating Vijay Singh 2-up in match play as the PGA of America changed the format. Following another match-play win the following year over Davis Love III, the PGA of America returned the format to stroke play, and Woods edged Singh again, this time in a playoff. Woods made eagle in regulation to force the playoff and then eagled the 18th hole again in the extra session. In 2002, Woods obliterated the field by carding a 36-hole total of 127, which included a final-round 61 for a whopping 14-stroke win over Davis Love III and Justin Leonard. Making his first appearance at the Grand Slam, Furyk cruised to an eight-shot win over Masters champion Mike Weir. Furyk, who captured his only major at the U.S. Open in 2003, had 11 birdies in the two-day event and needed just 55 putts. Playing in the event for the first time, Mickelson made history when he carded a course-record 59 to win by five shots over three-time runner-up Singh in 2004. Mickelson played flawless golf during his record run, as he tied Woods for the lowest 36-hole total in event history. In his round, he made 11 birdies and an eagle and needed only 24 putts. The round could have been better if he had only made a 9-foot eagle putt on the last! Woods returned to Poipu Bay for the final two seasons of this event in Hawaii and did not disappoint, as he captured the 2005 and 06 events. In all, Woods recorded seven wins and one runner-up finish in his eight appearances at Poipu Bay. Over the years, Woods recorded 87 birdies and eight eagles for a scoring average of 66.75 and earnings of $3.15 million. Its hard to argue with success and Woods certainly has had his share. This facility here, the Hyatt, is absolutely fantastic, all of the amenities that they have. Its a pretty great place, said Woods. In 2010, Poipu Bay underwent a facelift of sorts, as the greens were transformed from traditional Bermuda to the eco-friendly Seashore Paspalum. In addition, several of the bunkers and tee boxes were upgraded. The main thing we changed were the greens, said Chad Dusenberry, head golf professional at Poipu Bay. Initially we had Tid Dwarf Bermuda, which wasnt a consistent putting surface for the weather that we have. After researching to find the best product to fit our conditions that we have, such as ocean breeze, we settled on Seashore Paspalum. We were looking for more consistency, quality and something we could speed up more, so that in the future we might be able to host another event here. HOLE-BY-HOLE REVIEW: The opener is a pretty straightforward hole, playing uphill from tee to green. Bunkers guard both sides of the landing area off the tee, but with the trade winds at your back, a solid tee ball will certainly avoid the trouble. A medium to short iron should remain to a fairly large putting surface that slopes toward the front and to the right. Stay below the hole, avoid the bunker on the left and youll get off to a good start. The second is a boomerang par-5 that stretches 524 yards from the back markers. Playing uphill from the tee to the fairway, the key here is to avoid the bunker down the right side of the landing area. Cut the corner if you dare, but missing the short grass might eliminate your shot at getting home in two. If youre forced to lay up, this shouldnt be a problem, as long as you stay left of the grouping of bunkers down the right. With a wedge in hand, the player should be able to stick one close to the flag and set up a great chance at birdie. Although the yardage does not suggest that the third hole will be the longest of the par-3s, trust me, it is, as it plays directly into the wind. The trouble here is pin placement and club selection. The green wraps around a deep bunker on the right side of the putting surface, so when the flag is tucked, stay away and play toward the center. A gentle, left-to-right shot, riding the breeze is the play here. This is not the time to be heroic. Make your par and move on. The fourth hole is an average par-4 of just 380 yards in length. Simple, right? Not so fast. At first blush, it might appear to be a real birdie chance, but with the elements in your face and a cross-bunker staring at you, youd better be careful. With a successful tee shot, youll have a medium iron remaining and dont forget to take enough club, as sand short of the green is not the place to be. The green is fairly simple, but if you miss right, youll finish in a tightly mown chipping area. The shortest par-4 on the course, the fifth is just 355 yards in length, but it requires pinpoint accuracy off the tee as fairway bunkers tighten the landing area. Missing the fairway will most likely end in bogey, but a quality tee ball can produce a birdie. From the shortest to the longest, as the Z-shaped sixth is a monster par-5 of 573 yards from the gold markers. One large fairway bunker guards the right corner of the first dogleg. Usually downwind, this hole can be had despite its length. A successful tee ball can set up a shot at the green in two, but a more sensible effort would be to lay up just past the bunkers on either side of the landing area, thus setting up a simple run to the pin. Your hardest choice will be what club to play to the putting surface, as this is one of the longest on the course with a huge slope splitting the green. Place your approach in the proper spot and youll have a great shot at birdie. One of the prettiest holes on the course, No. 7, is also the shortest of the par-3s at 179 yards. Club selection is critical in more ways than one, as a large pond protects the entire right side of the hole and with a back-right pin placement, youll need to be spot on, otherwise a double-bogey or worse might mess up your scorecard. I know first hand of this! A critical juncture of the golf course, the eighth, although short, is generally played back into the breeze, making this one of the more difficult par-4s. Two fairway bunkers squeeze the landing area off the tee and with the wind in your face, it would be best to avoid them at all costs. Your slightly uphill approach gets even more difficult with the fact that the putting surface is guarded by a dozen bunkers and is the smallest green at Poipu Bay. Lets not forget the undulating and tiered surface and you have one diabolical hole. The closing hole on the outward nine is rated as the most difficult on the course. A par-4 reaching 420 yards from the tips, this bad boy is also the first hole on the course to feature historical sites dating back over 500 years. Playing back into the trade winds, the ninth requires an accurate tee shot, as the bunkers lining the undulating landing area, crimp the fairway to just 24 yards. From here its a guessing game, as your approach plays uphill to an elevated green, so take an extra stick. To top it off, the first rock heiau (ancient worship site) is located on the right side of the hole and is a culturally sensitive area, where players are not allowed to enter or play from. The back nine opens with the fourth-most difficult hole on the course. A long, 429-yard par-4, the 10th features fairway bunkering that narrows the landing area, so much so that many players will use 3-metal off the tee for accuracy. Now youre faced with a 200-yard approach to a very tight putting surface, guarded by deep bunkers. Miss right of the green and youll be faced with a difficult up-and-down from a tight chipping area. Number 11 is a slightly downhill par-3, just under 200 yards in length. A pond guards most of the green, from the center to right, while a pair of bunkers protect the left. The winds generally blow left to right, so play out to the left for your best chance at par, especially when the pin is tucked to the right behind the pond. Any shot long will end up in a deep, chipping area, so your best play is middle of the green. Playing away from the ocean and toward the mountains, the 12th is a straightaway par-4 that reaches 435 yards in length. The large fairway bunker on the left side of the landing area off the tee pinches the short grass and must be avoided. Your approach to the green will be uphill and into the breeze, so choose the right club to bypass the bunker that fronts the putting surface. The green itself runs from front to back and is quite narrow, which will test your skill level. Missing the putting surface might result in bogey, as several bunkers lay in wait. This hole concludes a stretch of five holes that rank in the top 10 of most difficult on the course. If there ever was a chance to get a stroke back, the 13th is certainly that chance. The final of four par-4s under 400 yards, No. 13 can be had, especially with a good tee shot. Playing back toward the water, the trade winds will once again blow from left to right, so avoiding the bunker left and the trees right will be important to your success. The difficulty will be with your approach. Although youll have a short iron, the tiered putting surface is protected on the left by sand and the right by another pond. Another back- right pin can spell doom, especially since the water wraps around the green, so be careful not to go long. Half of the green is encased beautifully by a surrounding rock wall, from the front-center to behind the green. Adjusting your ball flight will serve you well. The final stretch of holes, starting with the 14th at Poipu Bay, are as rock- solid and as exciting as many of the courses in Hawaii. This par-5 is only 537 yards long, but plays longer than all of the three-shotters due to the uphill climb from tee to green and the fact that the wind blows against you. The landing area is one of the largest on the course, so let it fly off the tee. Your second shot, most definitely a layup, must avoid the long fairway bunker that stands right-center of the landing area. With a short iron in hand, your approach, again uphill, must be struck with precision, as the green is long with plenty of undulations. The 15th is a dynamic par-4 of just 427 yards. Dynamic because of the huge water hazard to your left, the Pacific Ocean. From an elevated tee, this hole plays down breeze and does not play as long as the yardage indicates. It does, however, require an accurate tee shot, as three fairway bunkers down the right, tighten the landing zone. A successful tee ball with leave a short iron to a green that features a bunker on either side and a severe slope on the left. Dont be cute, play toward the center of the putting surface and trust your putter. The final four holes play atop a 150-foot cliff overlooking the ocean. Many believe the 16th is the signature hole at Poipu Bay, and with good reason. Stretching 501 yards from the back markers, this par-4 is as difficult as it is breathtaking. Again with the Pacific down the left, your tee ball must favor the right side, avoiding the fairway bunker. Although this hole also plays down wind and slightly downhill, it will plays almost as long as its yardage. Called the Pebble Beach of the Pacific, by Jones II, since it hugs the coast and bends to the left, similar to its counterpart in California. Number 16 stifles the best of players, especially with your approach, which is played uphill from the fairway. With the ocean crashing down below and an ancient rock wall squeezing the fairway by the green, your target looks as small as a thimble. Toss in a back-left pin placement and youll be begging for bogey. At 225 yards, the final par-3 on the course - the 17th - is outstanding and difficult, to say the least. Although downhill and down breeze, youll need a long iron or fairway metal to reach the putting surface. Be careful to avoid the heiau to the right of the green and, of course, the bunkers guarding the left and right portions of the putting surface. Take time to take a look back from behind the green at the wonder of the Pacific Ocean. Trust me, its worth it. From the back tee, the closing hole plays like a dogleg right, as it bends around a stand of trees. Although it has been reached in two, No. 18 is really a three-shot, par-5 of 550 yards in length. Although the tee shot is important, it is the second shot thats crucial, as it must play short of the pond fronting the green and the bunker to the right. Roughly 100 yards will remain to a putting surface that runs from middle to back, so land soft to set up a birdie chance. If you played your cards right, you will be rewarded. FINAL WORD: Poipu Bay Golf Course is another Robert Trent Jones II classic on the island of Kauai, complete with rolling terrain, awesome elevation changes, dramatic views of the Pacific (as much of the golf course sits almost 90 feet above the ocean and 150 feet in some places), several water holes, over 85 bunkers and, yes ... the elements. The trade winds blow on an average of 15-20 miles per hour each and every day, making Poipu Bay quite a challenge. Jones laid the golf course out so that the wind direction is diverse throughout the layout. In doing so, Jones made club selection and strategy crucial in playing the course. As if you didnt have enough problems to worry about! The average player should not be overly concerned, however, as Poipu Bay is for all levels of golf. The playability, depending upon what skill level you are, and the different tees, makes it enjoyable for all different player types, Dusenberry said. From the high handicapper to the low handicapper, depending upon what tee boxes you play, it will provide a challenge. There are not a lot of forced carries, and you can miss it left and right and still keep your golf ball in play. Poipu Bay is a great mix of holes, such as three par-3s over water, with the quartet of one-shotters ranging from 179 to 225 yards. There are four par-4s under 400 yards in length, five over 420 yards and one over 500. Finally, the spectacular par-5s are all laid out in different directions, presenting their own set of problems. Our philosophy also calls for the creation of courses that combine playability for the average golfer with sufficient difficulty from championship tees to challenge the worlds best players, Jones said. Providing alternative lines of play adds another crucial strategic component to our courses. Although not as flamboyant as The Prince Course on the north shore, Poipu Bay is itself quite unique, with its several archaeological sites that boast Heiaus and ancient stone walls. The one aspect of the course that really stands out is the natural beauty of the layout. The conditioning of the layout is top notch and the flora and fauna throughout the course are stunning. From tropical flowers, such as the beautiful pink blossoms by the 18th green or the thick vegetation and timeless palms scattered throughout, make Poipu Bay a visual delight. As mentioned before, the fact this course is playable for all levels makes it a favorite amongst the locals and, of course, the resort guests. The forward tees are 5,372 yards in length and are followed up by the white markers (6,127 yards), the blue (6,612 yards) and finally, the gold tees at 7,123 yards. The inexperienced player, not to mention the medium handicap player, will enjoy the course, while the best of players will be extremely tested on a course that at times plays as difficult as any. Youll be forced to play shots that you normally dont on the mainland, such as knock-down shots with a 6- iron from 150 yards away or putting from 10 yards off the green. So pick a spot or mix and match and youll have the time of your life. The fairways are generous, the greens are undulating and slick and the course as a whole is a top-caliber venue that will bring you back, time and time again. Hey, if the golf doesnt bring you back, then the dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean, the waves crashing down below, the seals sunbathing and the surfers hanging loose will. Did I forget to mention the 21,000 square foot clubhouse, with a fully stocked pro shop, complete locker room facilities, a restaurant and a lounge. To top it off, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa is just a short walk from the first tee, so take advantage of this beautiful resort and its 602 luxurious rooms. As with all the courses on Kauai, Poipu Bay is a must play and should be on everyones proverbial bucket list. Aces, pars or bogeys, send your thoughts to psokol@sportsnetwork.com. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Free Shipping .com) - Devan Dubnyk stopped all 30 shots fired his way and made several big saves down the stretch for his third shutout of the season as the Minnesota Wild beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Tuesday. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Outlet Shop . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. http://www.cheapshoesaustralianike.com/. Meeks has agreed to a $19.5 million, three-year deal with Detroit, a person familiar with the situation said Tuesday night. The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because free agents cant sign contracts until the leagues moratorium ends July 10, also said Cartier Martin had agreed to a one-year contract with the rebuilding franchise. Cheap Nike Shoes Australia Online . Forsman closed with a 3-under 69 in windy conditions Sunday for his third Champions Tour title. He beat Jay Don Blake by two shots. Wholesale Nike Shoes Australia . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night.MIAMI - For the first time since Jan. 25, 2010, LeBron James returns to Miami as an opponent on Christmas Day when the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Heat. Heres a look at perhaps the 10 most memorable moments of his times at AmericanAirlines Arena while donning the Heat uniform that he wore from 2010 through this past season:___1. THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP, June 21, 2012Its about damn time. Thats what James said on the awards stand that night as confetti fell from the ceiling, when he finally got to hold his first NBA championship trophy. Finally, he was a champion. He had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Heat beat Oklahoma City 121-106 in the title-clincher.2. THE SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP, June 20, 2013Back-to-back titles were his when the Heat rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs to end the 2013 NBA Finals, completing a wild comeback that saw Miami pull off a miracle in Game 6, then turn the game over to the MVP in the final moments of Game 7.3. THE 61 POINTS, March 3, 2014He wore a mask that night to protect a broken nose, and turned into some sort of superhero instead. James made 22 of 33 shots in a dazzling show from the floor, including his first eight 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 61 points in Miamis 124-107 win over Charlotte.4. THE BUZZER-BEATER, May 22, 2013Down by one as time was running out in overtime of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, James took matters into his own hands. His layup as time expired gave Miami a 103-102 win over the rival Indiana Pacers, moving the Heat closer to what became a second straight title.5. THE ARRIVAL, July 9, 2010The infamous party that welcomed James and Chris Bosh to Miami had been planned weeks in advance, in anticipation of Dwyane Wade re-signing and the possibility of a marquee free agent joining him. But Jamees stole the show with his oft-replayed not two, not three, not four .dddddddddddd.. championship hopes.6. THE BLOCK, June 9, 2013With the Heat up by 19 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio, Spurs forward Tiago Splitter tried to give his team a spark by dunking the ball. James had other ideas. He met Splitter at the rim, his right arm overpowering the dunk try, and the Heat were on their way to a big win.7. THE DUNK, Jan. 29, 2012Poor John Lucas III. Hell likely be forever known as the human being who got leaped over — literally — by James on the way to a dunk. Dwyane Wade threw the lob pass to James, who was cutting from the right corner toward the basket. Lucas was in his way, so James simply went over him and finished off the dunk.8. THE DEFEAT, June 12, 2011This was the game that changed everything for James, sending him into a summer of self-assessment and helping him become the player who would win the next two NBA Finals MVP awards. Dallas won the championship in 2011, beating the Heat on their home floor and ending a dismal first Miami post-season for James.9. THE FINISH, May 11, 2011For years, James playoff nemesis had been the Boston Celtics. With a 3-1 lead in the 2011 East semifinals, James had a chance to oust the Celtics and end their Big 3 era for good. Boston led 87-81 with 4:29 left before James took over, scoring the final 10 points of the game himself as Miami ended the series with a 16-0 run.10. THE HUG, Jan. 25, 2013This was straight out of Hollywood, except it was real. James foundation was sponsoring an in-game promotion where a fan would get a chance to shoot a half-court shot for $75,000 — and lo and behold, a man named Michael Drysch actually made the shot. So not only did he get paid, he got tackled by James in celebration. ' ' '