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37 The Hawaiian island of Kauai is a fabled and fantastical place. Just imagining a visit is exciting enough, and the thought of playing golf there is liable to make your head spin. Being on Kauai, playing golf, and taking on a course designed by perhaps the greatest golfer of all time? Well, now you're just teasing. Jack Nicklaus first came to the Garden Isle shortly after winning his sixth Green Jacket and 18th professional major. He built two courses which, owing to unforeseen circumstances, were eventually combined into one: 18 terrific holes, the four most memorable of which come one after the other on an unforgettable stretch of coastline. You'd think the location alone would be enough to ensure this property's long-term success. But the team here, some of whom have been at Hōkūala for 40 years, are committed to constantly improving the course. It already hosts college events, but there is a thought that one day it could stage something altogether more prestigious. The PGA Tour might not be returning to the Aloha State, and it's never held a major, male or female. Hokuala wonders, however, if it might be a worthy venue for a Women's or Senior PGA, or even the PGA Championship itself. That's the intention, anyway. And though it seems a distant prospect right now, can you imagine anything more thrilling? We've all seen AI-created golf holes. They're obviously too lavish and too extravagant to be real, but of course we wonder what it would be like to actually play such a hole. The closest you'll come, on Planet Earth at least, is probably at Hōkūala's 14th hole, which starts high above Ninini Beach and the Pacific Ocean, crosses the surf, and finishes 210 yards away on a green backed by an attractive collection of wind-whipped palm trees. Across Nawiliwili Bay to your left are the mountains of Hā'upu Ridge—the southern arc of the volcanic crater that formed Kauai millions of years ago—which just add to the unreal, mirage-like quality of the setting. Somehow, though, you have to forget where you are and focus on what is a fun but demanding tee shot. Make the carry, hold the narrow green, and putt out for a three, or even a two, and float to the next tee. Architect: Jack Nicklaus Photography by Tom Freestone Scan this QR code to view Stay & Play specials OCEAN COURSE AT HOKUALA AT HOKUALA PAR 3 ● 210 YARDS LIHUE, KAUAI, HI H O L E 14 th

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