b'L I N K S I N T H E L A V A Anything less than the perfect drive can land The Kings Course opened in 1990, and wasplayers in trouble on this seemingly mild-man-voted one of the Best New Resort Coursesnered hole, and what may have seemed like a in America by Golf Digest that same year. Itbirdie or eagle opportunity suddenly becomes delivers a memorable round from the first teea struggle for par.to the 18th green, a players course in theThat was the best natural place for a sense that low-handicappers can tee it up fromdrivable par-4 just because of the features that 7,000-plus yards and have all the length andexisted there, Weiskopf says. Originally it strategy they can handle. Mid- and high-hand- was going to be the 14th hole because I like icap players can select a tee that will provideto have the driveable par-4 in the last four or the same excitement and challenge, but at afive holes if I can. It just didnt work out that length that suits their game. way at Waikoloa. Designers Tom Weiskopf and the late JayA further tip-of-the-tartan sham to the old Morrish crafted a Scottish links-style layoutcountry is the double-green found at holes at the Kings that fits with Weiskopfs philos- three and six. And while youll find nary a ophy of demanding the best from the golfer,palm tree or lava field in Scotland, the windy yet doing so in a way that does not overlyconditions at Waikoloa are often reminiscent penalize mis-hit shots. A Scottish links designof a seaside Scottish links.in Hawai`i? It makes more sense than youThe home holes on the Kings Course rank might at first think.among the strongest on the island, with No. 17 One aspect the course shares with linksrequiring two strong shots into the prevailing courses is where the hazards are placed. Mostbreeze to reach the green; while the par-5 18th of the penalties on links courses in Scotlandmust avoid a lava field on the left off the tee, and Ireland are on the sides of the holes,and negotiate a narrow neck to reach the slop-Weiskopfexplains.ThatswhatIdidating putting surface. Par is often a good score Waikoloa because the wind can blow so hard.on this hole, and sometimes enough to win a The course is pretty wide, but when the windclose match. blows, what happens is the target areas dimin-ish and get smaller, especially in crosswinds. T O U R R E A D YAnotherdesignelementfoundonmanyThe two courses at Waikoloa Beach Resort links courses in Scotland (and a trademark of aare a major part of why guests return year Weiskopf design) is the driveable par-4. That holeafteryear,vacationaftervacation.But at the Kings Course is No. 5. Though it plays justtheyalsohavequiteaprofessionalhis-277 yards from the white tees, the putting sur- tory, thanks in large part to the passion face is perched eight feet above the fairway andoflongtimepresidentofWaikoloaLand tucked behind a massive sand trap that stretchesCompany, Thos Rohr, who became close almost from the tee to the green on the left, withwithmanyTourprofessionals,including a large lava boulder smack dab in the middle.PeterJacobsen,ParkerMcLachlin,and 74'