Highlights
The first course built in Wailea, not overly fancy or resortish (a new word) but fun and challenging nonetheless. Fairways are wide, and there is little trouble off the tees, which is a good thing. Hole No. 8 is one of my favorites—420 yards, trees left, bunker right, second shot to a long elevated green—4 is a real good score here. I really like the friendly, local atmosphere of this course.
More Details
For scratch golfers Wailea Blue is Maui’s 4th easiest from the tips. Bogey golfers playing from the ‘whites’ will score better here than even on the Emerald, with the USGA rating it as Maui’s 3rd easiest from the whites. Forward-thinking golfers who play the red tees will find it is also Maui’s 3rd easiest, and for ladies it is just a paltry two-tenths of a shot stronger than the Emerald. The Blue effectively plays to its shortish length. There are about as many uphill shots as there are downhill ones. Roll is a little less extreme, but several holes do have slopes that run away from where you want to be. Roughs are cut short and allow for recovery, although many greens are narrow targets and can be tricky to hit or hold from the short side. The few sharp doglegs favor mostly the draw, although a fade is the shot off several tees. The Blue’s topography is hilly with fairways often lower than the tees and greens, except on two of the reachable par 5s.
Amenities
The Wailea Blue Course features an all-new clubhouse facility just footsteps away from the famed Shops at Wailea. Golfers (and golf widows) are in the center of it all, with a stellar line-up of 19th holes and everything under the sun at your disposal. Manoli’s Pizza Company, a new pro shop, and many new amenities await golfers who wisely choose Wailea Blue.