|
David
Murdock’s expansion of the Island
of
Lanai’s properties with the addition of Manele Bay Hotel
and the Challenge at Manele fit well with the style
that had established the island. Murdock’s
relationship with Jack Nicklaus had begun a few years
earlier at the exclusive Sherwood Country Club in Los Angeles. The Challenge at Manele would be a different affair
for both men, a resort course on an
oceanfront site. Nicklaus Design was arguably hitting
their stride in 1993, and the Challenge will prove
this logic true as one of the most exciting resort
courses a golfer can find. Similar to the 17th at
Koele, the Challenge’s reputation is built around
the signature 12th hole, a
disservice to the other 17 holes on a course where equal
doses of thrill and challenge lie in the most obscure
and unmentioned places.
Banked
on the hillside overlooking ocean, Nicklaus made a
concerted effort to never let the ocean escape from
view and sure enough the brilliant blues and views of
Maui and Kahoolawe
are omnipresent. The routing of the course though is
much brighter than simply positioning itself for ocean
views; it traverses some steep terrain without ever
making the golfer feel like they are on the side of a
mountain.
The
second hole – a 442-yard par four – plays over two
gulches, before reaching the green perched above the
fairway with bunkers on either side. The style of
openings in front of green remains a central tenet of
Nicklaus’ design strategy throughout as rarely does
the golfer face a forced carry if they prefer to use
the ground option.
Following
the climb to the second green, the golfer is treated
to a slight decline to the quaint par three third,
measuring 171 yards. The green horseshoes around the
front bunker located in the front centre of the green.
If the pin is located on either side the openings can
be used in front, which is a much better leave that on
the putting surface on the wrong side. The golfer can
literally be forced to putt around the bunker if they
do not play carefully.
The
longest par four on the course, the 462-yard fifth
hole’s bark is louder than its bite. The hole drops
significantly from the fairway to the green,
shortening the hole considerably. One of the most spectacular views to
be found on the course greets the golfer at the crest
of the hill here –
Maui
in the distance, and the green protected by bunkers in
the foreground.
The
shift to the back nine is evident on the 400-yard 10th
hole, which takes a line back out towards the
ocean. The hole moves gently from right to left, aided
by the slope of the land, which helps players hit the draw
required to play to the opening in front of the green
on the right. Depth perception is the difficulty here
as the lack of horizon to orient the eye plays tricks
on the golfer, so get your bearings and your yardage,
and be sure to trust both of them.
Inevitably,
holes 11 and 12 will be remembered by the golfers as
they leave Manele, and Nicklaus was clearly aware of
this. He balanced the key oceanfront
holes with a long par five at 11 and medium length par
three at 12. The 589-yard 11th plays
downhill, which aids the golfer slightly, but three
shots are guaranteed, so playing for the best angle is
key to scoring well. The best angle happens to be on
the far right side of fairway, which also happens to
be the higher point of ground. From the right, the
golfer is faced with a downhill pitch to the opening
of the green, which is flanked by two bunkers on
either side. Getting the approach close helps, as
taking two putts form any significant distance is no
easy task. The decision to utilize the cliffside for
the par-three 12th seemed perfectly logical
and the response to one of the world’s great par
threes has been resounding. Measuring 202 yards from
the back tee markers, the club choice is important as
the gulch short of the green leaves zero margin for
error. The drama of the hole detracts from what can be
considered an excellent green.
After
another short hole – the 345-yard par-four 13th
– the course moves to higher ground for the one-shot
par-three 14th, which plays uphill. While
two bunkers stand guard front and back, the hole is an
appreciated break from the pressure and drama built up
over the exhilarating ocean
stretch.
After
a further climb at 15, the 16th brings the
golfer down to cliffs again with long 458-yard par
four. The central fairway bunker dictates the hole, as
your tee shot should favour one side or the other. In
classic strategic style, the left forces the golfer to
thread the tee shot between two bunkers, while the
right side leaves the more difficult angle to the
green.
The
last of the oceanfront holes, the 444-yard 17th hole, has all the
elements of grandeur that 12 boasts, in a slightly
longer form. The tee shot is played to a fairway on
the far side of ravine with a lava-rock face, which
certainly acts as an imposing feature. The fairway
follows the terrain downhill to the right to a green
set well below the fairway. Depending on your angle of
approach, you can be confronted with one of the
tougher bunkers, located in front of the green. Two
solid shots are required, but the area to miss on the
approach is the left side where the ball can funnel
into the green.
The
Challenge at Manele has stood the test as one of
Nicklaus’ finest designs and certainly one of
Hawaii’s best courses. The balance created between these
two resort offerings could not be more complimentary.
While Manele is generally favoured because of its
proximity to the ocean, further examination shows that the holes on
higher land are what make Manele worthy of a top pick
when in Hawaii. |
