THE RITZ-CARLTON, KAPALUA

THE RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA

1 RITZ-CARLTON DRIVE

KAPALUA, MAUI, HI  96761

808-669-6200

www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/KapaluaMaui/Default.htm

I love Kapalua, Maui and I love the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.  It is the best place to stay during the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament.  Most of the players and media stay here so there is a good chance you will see them somewhere on property during your stay.  We checked in a little early and rather than make me wait for a Single Room with King Bed the Front Desk Clerk upgraded me to a Suite.  Also had Club Lounge privileges which is awesome.  The Club Lounge is a private oasis where an incredible staff tend to your every need.  Unlimited beverages including champagne make this a great place to visit for breakfast, lunch or dinner.   There is always food in the Lounge and I cannot say enough on how great the staff is.  Everyone is always smiling and asking if they can do more for you.  Truly Five Star experience.  We made sure to stop by the lounge for breakfast and then again for pre-dinner and after dinner cocktails.  Me and my friends loved our stay at the Ritz but our only complaint is the food served in the Lobby and in the Sushi Bar.  Probably had the worst Poke of our lives in the lobby and the Sushi was not what you would expect from a Ritz-Carlton property.  Who can complain though....We are on Maui drinking champagne and watching the greatest golfers in the world!

THE RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA 

 

ENTRANCE TO RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA PACKED WITH HYUNDAI'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE
HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS WEEK

GREAT GAL AT FRONT DESK UPGRADED ME TO A NICE SUITE

LARGE LIVING ROOM

BIG AND VERY COMFORTABLE BEDROOM

BEDROOM OPENS TO LIVING ROOM WITH WIDE DOORS

SMALL COFFEE/MAKE-UP AREA

DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THIS THING SO IT DID NOT GET ANY USE

LARGE WALK-IN CLOSET

LARGE BATHROOM WITH SEPARATE TOILET, BATH AND SHOWER AREAS

VIEW FROM THE ROOM WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL

ROOM INCLUDED TWO LANAI'S OVERLOOKING THE GOLF COURSE AND OCEAN

PLENTY OF ROOM TO RELAX

CLUB LOUNGE PRIVLIDGES 

THE CLUB LOUNGE WAS USED DAILY - LOVE THIS PLACE!

MY OWN CANDY STORE TO RAID EACH DAY

FULL BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND EVENING SNACKS IN THE CLUB LOUNGE

CHIPS AND FRUIT FROM 7:00 AM TO 9:00 PM

ALWAYS HEALTHY CHOICES TOO

VIEW FROM THE CLUB LOUNGE LANAI

OH...DID I MENTION THE CLUB LOUNGE INCLUDES UNLIMITED COMPLIMENTARY
BEER, WINE CHAMPAGNE AND COCKTAILS

2016 HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS - KAPALUA, MAUI

2016 HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

PLANTATION COURSE - KAPALUA, MAUI

I love attending the Hyundai Tournament of Champions Golf Tournament on Maui each year.  We always go up a day early to attend the Pro-Am where the players are relaxed and very accessible.  This year however they moved the Pro-Am up a day and I booked our rooms at the Ritz-Carlton and flights for the wrong day.  We missed the Pro-Am and the opportunity to get dozens of autographs and photographs from the greatest golfers in the world.  Not to worry.  We came up with a strategy and were able to get most of our items signed.  In fact, my friend got everything he brought signed.  Just took a little more time and dedication because we had to obtain the autographs at the hotel or during game day.  We did it and it was quite fun.  The Plantation Course at Kapalua is a monster.  Huge hills and long walks.  It is a workout to walk this course.  There are only a few beer gardens on the course and they do not allow you to walk the course with alcohol.  This means when you want a beer you need to stay within the roped areas which are sometimes without seating and shade.  Great to see Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Ricky Fowler, Jimmy Walker, Patrick Reed, Danny Lee and others staying and signing autographs for everyone.  Dogs like Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson and even Bubba dug out without signing.  I have met Bubba Watson twice and both times he has signed everything and posed for photos.  Nothing to say bad about Bubba.  Just amazes me that many players finish their round and ignore the dozens of fans lining up for autographs.  Spieth, Day and Fowler made it a point to sign for all!

HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

MANY PLAYERS AND THE MEDIA STAY AT THE RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA

LOBBY OF RITZ-CARLTON KAPALUA IS A GREAT PLACE TO MEET THE GREATEST
GOLFERS IN THE WORLD.  HERE BLOG AUTHOR HAS RICKY FOLWER SIGN A FEW ITEMS.

BILL HAAS WAS HAPPY AND COMFORTABLE WITH HIS SON ON MAUI

FRANK NABILO FROM GOLF CHANNEL WAS ALL SMILES ON MAUI.  GREAT GUY!

20 TIME PGA WINNER DAVIS LOVE III WAS AN AMAZING GENTLEMEN
AND JUST GREAT PERSON

ZACH JOHNSON WAS ELUSIVE AND NOT TOO FAN FRIENDLY

BUBBA WATSON ALWAYS A BIG CROWD FAVORITE

RICKY FOWLER SPORTED HIGH TOP GOLF SHOES AND JOGGERS

JASON DAY IMPRESSED ME WITH HIS GREAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS FANS

WORLD #1 GOLFER JORDAN SPIETH ALWAYS A GENTLEMEN

A GREAT COUPLE DAYS IN KAPALUA

PATRICK REED IN GREEN ON LEFT AND JORDAN SPIETH WITH WHITE HAT READY TO PUTT

JIMMY WALKER STAYED AND SIGNED EVERY ITEM FOR ALL FANS

JB HOLMES SIGNED EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE

GOT MY ITEMS SIGNED BY SPIETH, DAY AND FOWLER!
NICE RICKY FOWLER AUTOGRAPH

HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS - KAPALUA, MAUI

HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
PLANTATION COURSE - KAPALUA, MAUI

HYUNDAI TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

PLANTATION COURSE

2000 PLANTATION CLUB DRIVE

LAHAINA, HI  96761

877-527-2582

www.golfatkapalua.com/plantation-course.html

www.pgatour.com/tournaments/hyundai-tournament-of-champions.html

Kapalua has to be one of the most beautiful places in Hawaii or on earth.  I love the trees, ocean and resort feeling of this exclusive area that seems to be far removed from the tourists in Kaanapali and Lahaina.  If I were to pick a place to retire and live Kapalua would be tops on the list.  Always try to make it out to the Hyundai Tournament of Champions golf event held at the Plantation Course.  If you are a golf fan and want to meet some of the greatest players in the world I recommend you attend the Pro Am day.  This is the day where the players are relaxed and take time to sign autographs and take pictures.  You need to be strategic on where you wait for the players.  We usually hang near the 10th hole at first and then move around from there.  The Plantation Course is long and full of hills.  Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to do a lot of walking.
Two moments stand out on this day.  One was Bubba Watson who seemed at first to not want to sign autographs or interact with fans.  We caught him at the end of a hole as he was coming off the green.  I had a photo of me and Bubba from last years event that I held up and asked him to sign.  Bubba said "sure" and then proceeded to sign everything we had.  He was polite and posed for photos.  Basically took as much time as necessary to accommodate all of our requests.  Bubba really showed class here and I will never forget this.  Another moment was with Matt Kuchar who is one of my favorite players on tour.  Like my Bubba photo, I had a Kuchar photo from last year that I wanted to get signed.  Kuch saw it and with a huge smile said he would sign it.  He then posed for pictures and took time to engage us.  Kuch is an amazing player and person.  He is the perfect person to represent golf and the PGA.  Always smiling, always competing and always remembering the fans.  Hunter Mahan and Russell Henley also gave us their time and signed autographs and posed for photographs.  Most players on the course during the Hyundae Pro Am will always stop for a moment in between holes.  You just need to be polite and be patient.

Click links below for posts on the Hyundai Tournament of Champions from 2013 and 2014:
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2014/01/hyundai-tournament-of-champions-kapalua.html
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2013/01/hyundai-tournament-of-champions-kapalua.html

KAPALUA PLANTATION COURSE IS AMAZING

WAITING HERE TO MEET BUBBA WATSON

BUBBA WATSON - TWO TIME MASTERS CHAMPION AND A GREAT GUY.
HE MADE TIME TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AND TAKE PHOTOS WITH OUR GROUP

HUNTER MAYHEN BEING INTERVIEWED BY GOLF CHANNEL

HUNTER MAHAN

VIEW OF MOLOKAI

WHILE MOST OF THE COUNTRY IS FREEZING WE ARE ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL JANUARY DAY
IN KAPALUA, MAUI

RUSSELL HENLEY

MATT KUCHAR IS ABSOLUTELY THE NICEST AND COOLEST GUY ON PGA TOUR.
ALWAYS STOPS TO TALK, SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AND TAKE PHOTOS

THE VIEWS AT KAPALUA ARE AMAZING

FAIRWAY ON HOLE #1

LOOKING BACK AT PLANTATION COURSE CLUBHOUSE AND FIRST TEE BOX

HOT DOG AND A BEER AT THE HYUNDAE WILL SET YOU BACK $15

HEY THATS ME TEEING OFF AND AMAZING THE PRESS AT THE HYUNDAE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

 HUNTER MAHAN WAS FRIENDLY AND ALWAYS SMILING

BUBBA WATSON WAS A TOTAL GENTLEMEN AND TOOK TIME TO TALK, SIGN AND POSE FOR PHOTOS

 MATT KUCHAR SIGNED MY PHOTO FROM LAST YEARS EVENT

TWO TIME MASTERS CHAMPION BUBBA WATSON SIGNED MY PHOTO FROM LAST YEAR