After playing at the Mauna Kea GC 2020, I decided to extend my stay, one more week, to play this par 72 to find out the eventual differences between the two courses and was delighted when I saw the rugged mountains and the valley, as I spent more time inland, this time around, away from the city.
If this course is more wide open and has less tropical vegetation, it is, nevertheless, beautiful too with its ocean far away, its green scenery and its... waterfalls, seen on a few holes, not to mention its big lakes, especially on the back 9.
After an “appetizing” dogleg left par-4 1st hole, slightly uphill all the way, the next two dogleg right holes, both facing the mountains, are quite pretty, with the par-4 2nd, slightly-uphill all the way (and with a big waterfall, far away), and the par-5 3rd, more wide open but with a downhill tee shot, and a tiny creek across the fairway, two-thirds of the way, over which you will have to hit a long second or a (safer) short third shot to get to the green.
You will then need to hit a blind tee shot over a small lake flowing in front (and to the right) of the green on the nice and long (around 245 yards) par-3 4th hole, before enjoying two more dogleg right holes, with the par-4 5th having a gentle slope around the green to make it more challenging.
Speaking of challenges, the straight but tough par-4 7th hole, is quite short (around 285 yards) but with a blind tee shot uphill, getting to the green can be risky with a lake, next to it (on the left), and three bunkers around, unlike on the easier dogleg right par-4 8th and 9th holes.
Coming back, you will start with the pretty and tough dogleg left par-4 10th hole, with a blind and uphill tee shot over a big mound landing down onto an undulating fairway, followed by another blind and steeply-uphill shot toward the green (offering a gorgeous view of the valley and the coastline), just like on the straight and downhill par-3 11th, and its two waterfalls, seen far away (and far apart) as you reach the green.
Water comes into play again on the nice dogleg left par-5 12th hole, with a slightly-downhill tee shot and a long and risky approach over a big lake, in front of the elevated green and, to a lesser extent, on the dogleg left par-4 13th, with a small lake to the left of the green, compared to the two similar, but very pretty par-5 14th, all along a big lake (on the left) ending next to the green, surrounded by four big bunkers (but reachable with a long, but risky, second shot), and the par-4 15th, facing the valley and the mountains, but with a narrower fairway with a lake (on the left) and big bunkers lined up (on the right).
Last, but not least, you will enjoy the scenic par-3 16th hole, with a small lake halfway around a peninsula green, before walking over to the dogleg left par-4 17th, facing the rugged mountains and with a small lake, next to the green (on the left), and finishing with the easier par-4 18th, straight and uphill all the way.
Once again, rlslay designed another very scenic course, and this Kauai Hawaii GC is delightful to watch and play, and a perfect complement to his Mauna Kea GC 2020 layout, which is why you will have a hard time leaving Hawaii to return to the real life...

And another DITTO from me!

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