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Posted on: Thursday, May 24, 2001 Ready for the Royal treatment By Bill Kwon It wont be long before the Royal Kunia Country Club will finally discard its label as the best golf course in Hawaii nobody played.
Royal Kunia photo If. But its not as big an if as it had been. It was the payment of the remaining $13 million impact fee to the City and Country of Honolulu that prevented the original developer (Royal Oahu Resort) from opening the golf course. Apparently, the city has decided enough is enough. Seven years is a long time. Its about time we let them open the course, said City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura. I think its a good thing for the city and the public. With that in mind, the city council is leaning favorably to a proposal by the new owner of Royal Kunia JAC Hawaii that will waive the $13 million impact fee if it will pay the city $2.5 million and $1 per round in perpetuity. The first of three public hearings on the proposal is scheduled for Wednesday with the final one scheduled for sometime in July. Yoshimura is optimistic that Royal Kunia will get the approval. The thinking is that everyone wants to see Royal Kunia finally utilized and productive. No one is more pleased to see the golf course finally opening than its designer. Weve been robbing the golfing public too long from playing what I think is the best course in Hawaii, Nelson said from his home in Mill Valley, Calif. Its hard to believe it has been seven years, said Nelson, who designed several other courses in Hawaii, including Mauna Lani, Coral Creek, New Ewa Beach and the Dunes at Maui Lani. Nelson, who also lives here part time, played a round two weeks ago with Hideaki Okuhara, president and CEO of JAC Hawaii, which took over Royal Kunia last September. The Tokyo-based JAC (Japan Auto Company) is the largest used-car dealership in Japan. Okuhara says the Royal Kunia is JACs first overseas investment. We are committed to opening the course and putting money in to make it a world-class golf course, said Okuhara, who plays to a 12 handicap. I want Royal Kunia to be one of the most famous, not only in Hawaii, but all over the world. Aesthetically, its got a jump start with the par-5 ninth as its signature hole. Theres water all along the right and a green with a dramatic view of Honolulu and Diamond Head in the background. From the black tee, it measures 621 yards and it is the second toughest hole on the course after the par-4 second, which is also periled by water features. Okuhara asked Nelson what was his favorite hole at Royal Kunia. Each one, Nelson replied, but especially No. 9 and No. 18. The 18th is a reachable par-5 with water on the right. With a green tucked into a hill, it makes for a natural stadium setting to view the finishing hole. The proposed clubhouse, which could be completed by the end of 2002, would also overlook the green. Okuhara envisions Royal Kunia which can measure 7,007 yards from the tips hosting a PGA, Senior PGA or LPGA event in the future. But he hopes the course will first become a favorite with local golfers. All but a couple of the par-3 holes have four separate tee-off areas and the forward gold tee for women is perhaps the friendliest in the state, measuring 1,000 yards shorter than the regular tee over the entire course. Once it gets final approval, Royal Kunia wont take long to get into top playing shape. The course has been maintained all this time by superintendent Leighton Wong and a staff of nine from the 21 original workers who came aboard in 1994. This project went through hell. We went five years without money, said Wong, who had been superintendent at Ko Olina. My staff has been very loyal. Im fortunate to have a crew like that. Like Nelson, they are elated to know that the golf course finally will be played. With a cart storage facility already built, purchase of 110 golf carts will be the first order of business once approval is given. That many carts are needed to hold benefit tournaments which require a shotgun start, according to Wong. As for the green fees, they will be competitive with Kapolei and Ko Olina, according to Okuhara. Kamaaina rates, naturally. Whatever the price, golfers will find playing Royal Kunia worth it. As Nelson put it, Hawaiis golfing public has been robbed too long from playing one of the states best courses. Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net
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