Haleakala DGC reviews
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Haleakala DGC, PoliPoli, Maui, Hawaii 2+ years
Reviewed:
Updated:
Played on:Jul 17, 2003
Played the course:once
Pros:
Haleakala DGC has 27 amazingly scenic holes, and is located in a remote area high above the clouds toward the top of PoliPoli, in Maui, HI. With such lush and vibrant tropical flowers, bushes, and trees, and including an abundance of wildlife, this course is truly the perfect getaway from reality!
The course was not only challenging physically, but mentally as well. Haleakala seemed to have a lot of elements that played a major factor in ones score including extreme elevation, constant trade winds , heat, and high humidity. This course can tire out just about anyone!
The course layout was really well thought out, icnluding a mixture of tight wooded fairways as well as some long open ones which allowed you to really air it out. Pin positions were great too, with some placed on hills (making for tougher putts), and many others heavily guarded. As mentioned earlier, there was plenty of elevation throughout the entire course.
Even though some of the baskets were home made (tires cut in half with chains) and others were typical baskets, they were all fairly sturdy and well maintained. There were some that were even hanging from the trees which made putting that much more interesting (especially on windy days).
The flow of the course seemed to work well, as it had players beginning and ending in the same general location (by the parking area), and included switchbacks to help make traveling easier along the steep mountainsides as well as large ravines.
Even though the entire course stood out to me, there were a couple signature holes on this course. One was the 1,000 foot hole downward from the parking area, where you watch your disc sail over tons of massive trees and other foliage toward a well protected basket. The other signature hole was the gully shot, where you shoot down toward a hanging basket (photo of this hole can be found under course pics, although it doesn't do it justice). Both holes truely tested your accuracy, with elevation and wind playing a huge factor.
The locals were another major plus to my overall experience. They were ALL extremely friendly and generous, and showed off a lot of skills along the way. It was truly a round of a lifetime and recommended to all who have the opportunity to visit this amazing island!
The course was not only challenging physically, but mentally as well. Haleakala seemed to have a lot of elements that played a major factor in ones score including extreme elevation, constant trade winds , heat, and high humidity. This course can tire out just about anyone!
The course layout was really well thought out, icnluding a mixture of tight wooded fairways as well as some long open ones which allowed you to really air it out. Pin positions were great too, with some placed on hills (making for tougher putts), and many others heavily guarded. As mentioned earlier, there was plenty of elevation throughout the entire course.
Even though some of the baskets were home made (tires cut in half with chains) and others were typical baskets, they were all fairly sturdy and well maintained. There were some that were even hanging from the trees which made putting that much more interesting (especially on windy days).
The flow of the course seemed to work well, as it had players beginning and ending in the same general location (by the parking area), and included switchbacks to help make traveling easier along the steep mountainsides as well as large ravines.
Even though the entire course stood out to me, there were a couple signature holes on this course. One was the 1,000 foot hole downward from the parking area, where you watch your disc sail over tons of massive trees and other foliage toward a well protected basket. The other signature hole was the gully shot, where you shoot down toward a hanging basket (photo of this hole can be found under course pics, although it doesn't do it justice). Both holes truely tested your accuracy, with elevation and wind playing a huge factor.
The locals were another major plus to my overall experience. They were ALL extremely friendly and generous, and showed off a lot of skills along the way. It was truly a round of a lifetime and recommended to all who have the opportunity to visit this amazing island!
Cons:
With Haleakalas remote location and the breathtaking views, I found it difficult to have many cons on this course. However, with that said, there were a few...
The biggest con in my eye was that it was private (and I don't mean pay to play), so many people miss out on a once in a life time opportunity due to restrictions. Two, the majority of baskets were home made, but were still quite solid. Three, navigation was next to impossible if not a local, with no tee signs or arrows directing players toward the next hole. Four, dirt tee pads, which made them sometimes difficult to spot and made footing rather difficult at times (especially during the rainy season). And last, there were no restrooms, so that could be a problem considering your on the highest part of the island (about 45 minutes from the nearest town).
The biggest con in my eye was that it was private (and I don't mean pay to play), so many people miss out on a once in a life time opportunity due to restrictions. Two, the majority of baskets were home made, but were still quite solid. Three, navigation was next to impossible if not a local, with no tee signs or arrows directing players toward the next hole. Four, dirt tee pads, which made them sometimes difficult to spot and made footing rather difficult at times (especially during the rainy season). And last, there were no restrooms, so that could be a problem considering your on the highest part of the island (about 45 minutes from the nearest town).
Other Thoughts:
Located 6,000 feet above sea level on the highest mountain in Maui, it was truely breath taking. I was very fortunate to get to play with such an amazing pro like Al Schwartz, as he gave me great tips and strategies to improving my overall game. Besides De Laveaga and Milo McIver, this was easily the best course I ever played!!!
