What to Do With Kapalua?

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 10:59 AM EST

The chatter off the course this week at the Mercedes Benz Championship surrounded the future of the event after next season. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem was lukewarm on the subject. Kapalua seemed to care, but that was about it. The level of apathy about this event is palpable from many players (those in attendance and not) and from the Tour itself.

The question becomes, then: If the Tour doesn't really care that much about Kapalua, why should I?

Michael Arkush as Yahoo! Golf suggests that this event needs to move to the mainland. While I think that would effectively finish off the entire Aloha swing, I think it may be the way to go for this event. That move, though, would be effective provided that the tournament is played (a) on a course that has a place in golf lore and (b) on a course that isn't on an island halfway around the world for many players in the field.

Look, Kapalua was pretty cool this year. Yeah, the top four in the world were not there. Three had legitimate reasons, though. Sergio and Paddy don't want to fly across a continent and an ocean and a half to get to Hawaii for four days of golf and no appearance fee. Tiger still has a bum leg and this event's date constantly conflicts with his Chevron World Challenge duties. Phil, well...

The field still featured seven of the top 15 players in the world. Anthony Kim made it close. Geoff Ogilvy played great golf. The course didn't look like every other one that we'll see for the rest of the year. It's not that bad.

The tournament gets no buzz because it is NFL playoff season. Even I don't watch much golf during this time of the year. And that's not likely to change unless the NFL folds next season. The NFL is not the Arena League.

While I think that moving the tournament to a great mainland location will help the buzz, it will not be an overnight turnaround for the tournament's mainstream relevance.

If the Tour wants that, then I highly consider creating multiple clones of Tiger Woods immediately. While you're at it, create clones of Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Watson, and all of the greats whose DNA we can acquire through legal means. Can you imagine the entertainment value of having Nicklaus Clone II putting for the win in the Clone PLAYERS Championship to beat out Tiger Clone VI?

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another option...

…is to expand the field a bit. Use the world rankings and expand the field to 50 or 60 players – not just winners. Bring back former champions like Stewart Appleby. Kapalua has never been a big fan turnout spot – it’s just expensive to get there. Tiger and Phil would bring out a few more locals, but it has never been and will never be a big gallery draw.

I agree that the sponsors may put some pressure to bring the tournament to the mainland – but it will sure be a shame to lose prime time golf in January. I love watching good golf with views like they have at Kapalua…even if I do have to turn the sound down most of the time to avoid Kelly Tilghman.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 12, 2009 11:05 AM EST reply actions

Also a good idea

I thought about that one, too, but got lost in the golf clones idea. :)

It’s always going to look sparse at an event at a resort on a remote island. Kapalua is fun, though.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 12, 2009 11:11 AM EST reply actions

I like it

I like the venue and I like that the field is winners-only. It’s different and Kapalua is a really neat course. Having the tournament in Hawaii has a nice benefit for me: when I get home from work on Thursday and Friday, I can still catch live coverage.

I can understand why it’s not a huge spectator draw and I can certainly understand why going up against football during the playoffs is not a winning proposition. I also understand if sponsorship pressure changes things up for this event in the future, but honestly, I’d be happy if it stays the way it is.

by Double Eagle on Jan 12, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions

Don't give up on Hawaii

Okay, so Kapalua isn’t the biggest draw for spectators. It’s very hard to walk, – no doubt about it. But, not to have the Aloha season would break my heart! I live vicariously through this from the big white north.

Let’s move it to a different venue but keep it with the Sony on Hawaii. How about Ernie’s new course on Oahu? I just read it opened Monday: http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/01/12/daily13.html

Cheers,
Golfgal
www.golfgal-blog.com

by Golfgal on Jan 13, 2009 12:26 AM EST reply actions

why not ?

That’s an amazing part of the island. (I know I know – it ‘s Hawaii – what part ISN’T amazing) And it’s less open to the drastic wind changes when the direction changes. When they switch to the Kona winds, Kapalua is a real beast of a course.

The way Ernie described his design philosophy last weekend, he likes giving golfers room to land the ball – much like Kapalua – then challenged them on the second shots and greens. Should be interesting. Depends on contracts between Mercedes Benz and Kapalua.

Ogilvy said that he likes starting with Kapalua because the fairways are almost impossible to miss and it takes the pressure out of the first event of the year. (of course – he’s been playing down in Australia) :-)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 13, 2009 9:43 AM EST up reply actions

I have no problem

with keeping the event in Hawaii. If you want better players, give it a better date. The location is good.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 13, 2009 10:28 AM EST reply actions

the date doesn't matter

the top players don’t go to Hawaii because of the travel and the wind. besides – when would you propose they play these tournaments ? the top guys have their schedules set – the American guys only leave the continent for the British Open and maybe one before or after. They want a shorter season with easier travel – which counts out silly season dates and the rest of the year is already spoken for.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 13, 2009 11:08 AM EST up reply actions

It's a no win on the date

But it does matter, particularly for Tiger and Phil.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 13, 2009 11:13 AM EST reply actions

come on..

…you don’t think either of those two would change their prep schedule for Majors, WGC’s, or the Players to fly 3-6 time zones to play a course that requires them to change their swing for a week, do you ?

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 13, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions

They don't really care

about the WGCs or the Players. I’m not saying that you’ll get them if you change the date OR the course, but the date is the bigger deal for them than the course.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 13, 2009 11:54 AM EST up reply actions

WHAT ??

They don’t care about WGC’s or the Players ??? Cabin fever setting in ?? Those are the biggest purses, and the WGC’s have the smallest fields so they have the biggest paychecks. AND they have the most ranking points and FedEx points…aside from the majors, of course. The season is set up around Majors, WGC’s, and The Players – one a month during the Spring and Summer months. The guys arrange their play to peak around these tournaments.

David Duval said publicly that he was going to stop playing the Hawaii tournaments because he had to change his swing to play all the knock down shots it takes to play in that wind, and it took him a couple of weeks to get back to his regular game on the mainland.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jan 13, 2009 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

Yup

They don’t care about those events. They’re just about money. The majors matter because they put you into history. When you’re at the level of Phil and Tiger, money doesn’t matter. What matters is history.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jan 13, 2009 12:27 PM EST up reply actions