Wailea Old Blue Golf Course

Rating:

In a nutshell: The perfect balance of design, scenery & price in South Maui.
Minuses: Less competitive course than Gold.
Sound-bite: “This is the first time I can honestly say whales were my biggest distraction!”

SUMMARY:
18 hole regulation | 72 par | 6,765 yards | 72.2 USGA | 129 slope | Driving Range | GPS | Proper resort attire | Spikes not required

DETAILS:
The Wailea Old Blue Golf Course has a split personality. One personality is independent, yet playful – and the other is rooted in the past and its strong connection to its sister courses (Wailea Gold & Emerald.) Blue has its own clubhouse and facilities – heck, it even has a more playful and less refined logo when not presented alongside distinguished family members. (And two distinctly different websites: Wailea Golf family website | Old Blue website)

Perhaps the reason they portray this course both ways is because it does largely live up to either image. It is fun to play. It is beautifully landscaped. It has fountains, flowers, and spectacularly situated views. It is also easier on average players with forgiving, wide fairways and large (although challenging) greens. But it is also meticulously maintained, the service is stellar, and not a pushover course by any stretch of the imagination.

Now sitting between her two sister courses, the more fun and carefree imagery is true to life for Blue and Emerald. If you’re up for a serious challenge, or become easily annoyed when the foursome in front of you (assuming there is one that close) is focused just as much on having a great time as they are on playing the game, you may be more satisfied playing the Gold.

Opened in 1972, one Blue website states that this course was “the first thing built in Wailea.” That is actually not entirely true – native Hawaiian villages once thrived in this area, and you can see evidence of that in the old lava rock walls which were preserved in the construction of the course.

Blue is a classic resort design, built to preserve the character of the “lay of the land.” This course plays with absolutely stunning scenery. When it was built, the natural rocky terrain of sparse and dry kiawe forest was the only confining element to an open palette. You can see the limitless space they had to work with, and the attention to delivering grand views from every hole in the sprawling and meandering design.

Over the years, more resort development has come to the area and much of the vast open space between fairways has been filling in with houses, a sprawling garden-style resort hotel, restaurants, and even two office complexes with retail space have sprung up.

Wailea Old Blue is typically uncrowded and wide open. You can even frequently get a prime tee time booked on the same day.

Also on the course is Maui’s only authentic Irish Pub.

Arthur Jack Snyder design. Barry Helle, General Manager

Key Info:
Location: 120 Kaukahi St., Wailea
Phone: 888-328-6284
Rating source: Maui Guidebook & Google
Web: Wailea Golf family website | Old Blue website
Price: $80 – $160

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