After a good experience at Makena North and a bad one at Wailea Emerald, we were looking forward to our round at Makena South.

The service was once again quite good and we found the same leftover range balls on the range. See the Makena North review for more about the service and the course in general.

The South course runs much closer to the water than the North course does which made for some really spectacular looking golf holes.

The South course set up shorter off the tee than the North course; I hit a lot of 4-irons and 3-woods. I got myself in good shape off the tees, but the greens were very well bunkered requiring very precise approach shots. Since I’m used to playing golf about a mile above sea level and we had about a 2 club wind on that day, my yardage control wasn’t good enough to score well on this course.

The bunkers had very nice soft, fine sand which made for predictable bunker play. Unforunately, an approach shot with a wedge or short iron that has a lot of spin on it will embed itself it it’s pitch mark. I had three approach shots that I thought I’d hit perfectly (right at the flag) that came up short and buried in the bunker in front of the green. I was able blast out from one bunker without too much trouble, but no such luck with the other lies. On one I tried to blast out but didn’t make it out of the bunker. On the other (the 18th hole), I didn’t even bother, the ball was about 85% buried so I just took an unplayable lie.

A number of the holes on the back nine were very close to the water. The par 3 15th was reminiscent of the famous 17th hole at Pebble Beach; a severely downhill par-3 out towards the ocean. What a view!

Makena South was a great course and a great experience. If we could only go back to one course on Maui, this is the one we would choose.