The name Princeville echoes in the wider golf community with an almost mythical reverence, but lately, it's also been a source of confusion and sadness. If you've wondered what happened to the legendary golf on Kauai's North Shore, you're not alone. The story involves two distinct courses, an economic downturn, and a complete reimagining of what a luxury destination can be. This article will walk you through exactly what happened to the famed Prince Course and tell you where you can still play one of the most beautiful rounds of your life in Princeville today.
To understand what was lost, we have to appreciate what was there. Princeville, at its peak, was a 45-hole golf paradise designed by one of the modern masters of course architecture, Robert Trent Jones Jr. It wasn't just one course but two distinct and brilliant layouts that put Kauai on every serious golfer's bucket list.
Opened in 1991, The Prince Course wasn't just a golf course, it was an epic adventure. It was consistently ranked the #1 course in Hawaii by Golf Digest and was a fixture in America's Top 100 courses. This was not a place for the faint of heart. The Prince was a majestic brute that followed the dramatic, jungle-filled contours of the shoreline and Anini Reef.
What made it so special?
While the Prince grabbed the headlines for its difficulty, the Makai course, opened in 1971, was no slouch. Also a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, the Makai (meaning "toward the sea") was more resort-friendly but still a top-tier experience. It was originally 27 holes, consisting of the Ocean nine, Lakes nine, and Woods nine. It was beloved for its more playful character and its absolutely staggering ocean holes, particularly the seven that play directly along or towards the Pacific.
For golfers who had played it, the idea of the Prince Course closing was unthinkable. Yet, in December 2014, it happened. The closure wasn't a single event but the result of several converging factors.
The 2008 global financial crisis hit luxury travel and high-end golf resorts hard. Suddenly, hundred-plus dollar green fees in a remote location became a tougher sell. The massive operational budget required to maintain a course like The Prince - fighting the jungle back every single day in Kauai’s lush climate - became an increasingly heavy burden.
The St. Regis Princeville Resort and the golf courses were acquired by Starwood Capital Group, a private investment firm with a specific vision for its "1 Hotels" brand. Their focus was - and is - on ultra-luxury, wellness, and sustainability, not necessarily on maintaining a brutally difficult and expensive-to-run championship golf course. The vision for the property shifted away from being primarily a golf destination.
Ultimately, a difficult decision was made. The new owners chose to invest their resources into renovating the Makai Course and completely overhauling the hotel property. The Prince Course, with its immense maintenance costs and niche appeal to hardcore golfers, was deemed superfluous to the new business model. The gates were closed, and rumors began to swirl as course conditions began to be reclaimed by Mother Nature in Princeville, Kauai.
For nearly a decade, the Prince Course lay dormant. Photos and drone videos would surface online, showing the once-perfect fairways being swallowed by Hawaiian wilderness. The brilliant green complexes were overrun, and the razor-sharp bunker edges had softened into weeds. It was a painful sight for any golfer.
Fast forward to today. The old St. Regis hotel has been transformed into the stunning 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. The new resort is a masterpiece of sustainable luxury. The question remains: What about the land where the Prince Course used to be?
The 18-hole championship Prince Course is gone and is not coming back. The land has been repurposed to align with the wellness mission of the new hotel.
While the loss of a top-100 course is tragic for golf purists, the rebirth of the property into a world-class wellness retreat is an exciting new chapter for Princeville.
Here’s the part where I get to deliver the good news. While we mourn the loss of The Prince, its sibling, the Princeville Makai Golf Club, is not only open but is better than ever.
In 2010, the Makai Course underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation, also personally overseen by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The 27 holes were reconfigured into a spectacular 18-hole championship layout and a fun 9-hole Woods course. The renovation enhanced the playing surfaces, updated the bunkers with beautiful white sand, and further refined the already brilliant design.
As a golf coach, I can tell you that the Makai is a must-play. It has everything you want in a Hawaiian round of golf:
So, what happened to the Princeville golf course? The legendary and brutally difficult Prince Course closed in 2014 and its land has been reborn as part of the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay’s wellness mission. However, its brilliant sibling, the Princeville Makai Golf Club, was beautifully renovated and remains one of the premier courses in all of Hawaii, offering golfers a breathtaking and world-class experience.
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