Post by : Maya Rahman

The Kapalua Plantation Course in Maui, one of Hawaii’s most iconic golf destinations, is set to reopen on November 10 for guest play after months of recovery from severe environmental challenges. However, General Manager Alex Nakajima clarified that the course is not yet ready to host a PGA Tour event, emphasizing that there is a significant difference between casual play and the standards required for professional tournaments.

The PGA Tour announced last month that the 2026 Sentry Tournament would not be held at the Plantation Course. A few weeks later, the Tour officially canceled the event for January, citing the course’s slow recovery. Traditionally, The Sentry serves as the season-opening tournament for the PGA Tour and attracts some of the world’s best players to Maui each year.

Kapalua’s reopening for guest play, just two months before the tournament’s scheduled date, led to public questions about whether the course could have hosted the event. Nakajima responded that while the course will be playable, it does not meet the elite conditioning standards expected by professionals.

In an interview with Golf.com, Nakajima explained the difference between opening for guest play and hosting a world-class event. “The level of detail is just so much greater,” he said. “We are not in the kind of condition you need to be in to welcome the best players in the world.”

Two holes, No. 1 and No. 8, remain closed due to insufficient recovery caused by excessive shade and soil damage. The other 16 holes will be open, with continued maintenance underway. Nakajima hopes to have all 18 holes fully open by the end of the year.

The Plantation Course’s condition has been severely affected by drought conditions, which have reduced water availability and slowed turf recovery. All available water resources have been redirected toward the Plantation Course, leaving its sister course, the Bay Course, in a “browned out and unplayable” condition for now.

These challenges come after years of strain from COVID-19 lockdowns and the Maui wildfires that devastated nearby Lahaina in 2023. The combination of environmental stress and community tragedy has created unprecedented hurdles for the Kapalua Resort management.

Despite the cancellation of The Sentry for 2026, Nakajima remains optimistic about the course’s long-term recovery. He emphasized that The Sentry remains committed as the title sponsor through 2035, ensuring that the event will likely return once the course’s conditions improve.

Nakajima stated that his focus is not on the temporary loss of the tournament but on restoring the course’s health and sustainability. “If you’re not right on property, you might think the course is playable,” he said. “But when you’re looking directly down on the turf, you can see the problems. It’s recovering, but it’s not where we would like it to be.”

Beyond golf, the Kapalua Resort is also investing in local recovery. The management has pledged a $750,000 donation to help rebuild the community and support those affected by the wildfires. This amount equals the sum that The Sentry tournament raised for local charities last year.

Nakajima said the support reflects the resort’s deep commitment to Maui’s people. “It’s been a real rollercoaster,” he said. “As a golf-course operator, these aren’t the kind of things you normally train for. We’ve been dealing with challenges that go well beyond golf.”

He acknowledged that not all locals support the return of major golf events, but emphasized that such events contribute significantly to the local economy. “It creates a baseline for this community,” Nakajima added. “Not just during the tournament, but for the other 51 weeks of the year.”

Kapalua’s management team is determined to bring the Plantation Course back to full strength. With steady progress in turf recovery and ongoing community support, Nakajima is confident that the course will soon return to its world-class standard. While this year’s setback is disappointing, the long-term outlook remains positive for both the course and the wider Maui region.

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