November 1, 2010 - Kai Ka'anapali Course, Maui, Hawaii

This was our final golf day in beautiful Ka'anapali on Maui, and we played the Kai course ($129 per person).  I had heard that it was an easier course, and I was ready for that.  I felt brutalized by the Royal course and did not want to play it again.  

This time there were five of us:  Stan B., Stan W., the Switzkys (Bill and Angela) and me.  We rented clubs from Bill's source ($60 for two sets), and I had Callaways, which was very exciting for me.  I was ready to play with a name-brand club and see if it made any difference.  There was a Big Bertha driver, a 4 iron and several hybrids in the bag, along with the rest of the standard clubs.  Angela had a 10 iron in her bag, which I had never seen before.  Our game plan was for the girls to ride ahead in our own cart and have the boys play a threesome behind us, but the powers-that-be at the course had other plans.  They put me with the Switzkys and had the Stans play with a twosome, who, as it turns out, were also staying at the Marriott.  

From left to right:  Bill, Angela, me, Stan B and Stan W.

Bill Switzky has an evil twin.  I'd heard about him, but never met him.  They call him Little Billy, and he presents himself only on the golf course, and only when Bill isn't having his best game (which, I had heard, could be fairly frequently).  Little Billy is prone to cursing, throwing his clubs and walking off the golf course.  I told Bill that I wasn't particularly interested in meeting Little Billy, but I'm not sure it's something that can be controlled.  Sort of like "The Three Faces of Eve" in golf shoes.

Bill on the 5th.

Today was a very nice weather day.  Sunny and a bit on the humid side, but beautiful blue skies and a nice breeze.  I was looking forward to this new course with happy anticipation.  It was a good thing I hit the ball pretty straight most of the time.  The grass off the fairways was on the long side.  You wanted to stay out of it, because if you had the misfortune of landing in that hay, it was like being stuck in mud.  Angela and I had the darnedest time getting out of that stuff - wood, iron, wedge, we tried them all and just couldn't dig out.  Frustrating it was, and it added many strokes to our score.  So, the key was hitting them straight and landing on the fairway (duh).  

Angela made yummy tuna sandwiches on wheat bread for us.  What a treat!  I didn't take a photo of them, but, trust me, they were good.  Even though Stan wasn't playing with us, Angela made sure that he had a sandwich before we all took off.  It was like having your own catering company travel along with you.  I missed playing with Stan.  He's my golf buddy.  I had no idea how he was doing, if he liked the guys he was playing with, if he was hungry, tired, happy or sad.  

The Stans - waaay back there.

I wound up driving really well with the Big Bertha driver, and I fell in love with my 4 iron.  I tried using a 3 wood and a 4 hybrid on the fairway, and they failed me (it couldn't have anything to do with my skill level), but I had a measure of success with the 4 iron and I stuck with it.  I can't wait to research the possibility of getting a long iron club when we get back.  I'll try a hybrid again, but I'm really learning to love my irons.  I'm excited at the prospect of a new club or two. 

This course has a charming, charming Sugar Cane Train running through it.  We saw it chug through twice, and waved to the kids that took it for a ride.  

Little Billy stayed out of sight for most of the game.  I think he peeked out every now and then, but there were no major sightings of him.  Every once in a while, Bill would mis-hit the ball a time or two on the same hole or wind up in the sand.  I would clap my hand over my mouth, thinking "oh, that's not good," and expect Little Billy to pop out, but it never really happened.  I guess that Bill was happy enough with his play today.  I'm glad for that, for him and for all of us.

Angela is a nice golfer.  She drives the ball very well and has a good short game.  Her score wasn't as good as I think it usually is; she was tired today and the humidity was getting to all of us.  She was with me when I broke 100 on the Buenaventura course at home.  I think she may be a good luck charm for me - I seem to play better whenever she's around. She sees what I'm doing wrong and I'm grateful for her insight when she mentions it.  I really don't mind when people correct my game - even when Stan does it.  I know they are only trying to help me, and believe me, I can use any help at this point.


I can think of worse things in life than playing on a golf course on Maui.  Golf courses are pretty in general, but looking at the beautiful Pacific, the swaying palm trees; a person could get used to this.  After this trip, Stan and I are thinking about bringing our own clubs when we travel.  If we could devise a way to put four-or-so clubs each in our bags, this will save us hundreds of dollars in club rentals if we play more than once.  We're already paying top dollar just to play golf, adding the cost of club rentals spikes that cost quite a bit.

When all was said and done, I wasn't unhappy with my play or my score.  Stan B and I both shot 113.  Stan W said the course killed him.  He shot 104, which wasn't great for him, but it is a score I would have been deliriously happy with.  Bill shot 104 as well, and Angela came in at 126.   (I can't figure out why these scorecard photos show up vertically.  I'll have to try and solve that mystery.)

Once we blew the grass off our shoes, we headed up to the clubhouse to rest our tootsies and have a beer.  (One of my favorite things about this golf course is they have an air pressure hose to blow the grass off your shoes - much more effective than a brush that you run your shoes over.)  Angela is British by birth and loves dark beer (Stan B and she are kindred beer spirits), I opted for a Corona, as did Stan W.  All in all, a lovely day, where we made more golf memories.  

We head for home on November 3rd, back to the golf courses at home.  I wonder how playing here will affect how I play at home.