This is the huge double green for the 10th and 17th hole. A large ridge in the middle separates the two greens, with the 10th on the left and the 17th on the right. While both holes are shorter par fours, the small lake that borders the green makes you approach with caution, especially since both pins were tucked on the side closest to the water.
4/23: Arriving in Maui
4/24: Wailea Old Blue
4/25: Snorkel Trip
4/27: Makena North
4/28: Pineapple Tour
4/29: Wailea Emerald
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For my final round of golf in Hawaii, I reserved a tee time at the Emerald course at Wailea Golf Club. The course was in top shape, which for the price was certainly a good thing. I can't recall playing on greens that putted as true as these did in a very long time (perhaps never). It's nice to know that if you have a five or six footer left for par, your ability to read the green and make the stroke will determine if the ball goes into the hole.
It was an up and down day. I started off by hitting my first two balls out of bounds. Even worse than that, they were OB left. I rarely if ever go left. Eventually I started hitting them to the right (a couple of them way right onto other holes). The irons were pretty good on the day as I carded a 94 on the day.
Coming off a par at the second hole, I wanted to keep the momentum going at the 3rd hole. I hit a five iron to a back pin placement. I slightly pushed it bringing the right bunker into play. However, I had the distance for the shot. Unfortunately, I left myself a 15 foot, lightning fast, right to left putt. I was quite pleased to two putt from there.
After hitting a huge slice on the sixth hole, I recovered by hitting a five wood to leave myself about 115 yards out. The pin was tucked behind a bunker on the left side of the green, a very narrow portion of the green (about 10 yards deep). My objective was clear; even though I was very confident with the yardage I would play to the center of the green. I slightly pulled it, resulting in a shot directly at the pin. Even though I hit it solid, I wasn't quite sure as the ball headed for the green. I first yelled "Go!" As I realized it had enough I yelled "Sit!" It landed on the fringe a few yards over the bunker and rolled to about 10 feet from the hole.
On the 14th hole, I hit a fat six iron to a flat spot short and left of the green. Quite a bit below the hole, I faced a pitch shot over a bunker to a front left pin placement. There was no green to play with. Right of the hole, I did have a bit of a backstop with a ridge running through the middle of the green. I played to this spot, leaving a 25 foot putt. That resulted in another shot of the day, as I made the putt to save par.
Here are the results. I played from the blue tees. The par 72 course measures 6361 yards with a rating/slope of 70.4/124.
