“Mr. Rockefeller, if you allow me to build a golf course here, this’ll be the most beautiful hole in the world.”
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., at the 3rd hole site, Mauna Kea Golf Course.

In honor of a summer Friday, today the blog is going golfing. I don’t golf (but my husband does) so if you have any questions about this post, I will defer all inquiries to him.  D wanted to play at least one time in Hawaii. I rode along at the Mauna Kea Golf Course one late afternoon in February. The price drops 30% that time of day, but if the sun’s out, it’s pretty hot! If you’re coming from an eastern location and already have jet lag, the first morning tee time is nice and cool.

The famous 3rd hole:
Who knows if it’s the most beautiful in the world, but the view is stunning and the task at hand a bit unnerving! Many balls don’t stay dry on this par 3. I know, as a kid my uncle and I once snorkeled through this little rocky inlet and and we saw quite a few golf balls along the bottom. And here’s the view from the other side of the 3rd hole, from just above the green:Well D, there are way worse places to be than this sand trap (notably the Pacific Ocean):11th hole:
Par 3 with a 100 foot drop from tee to green. The view is spectacular! So fantastic I think, “Gee, I should take up golf.”After finishing the 11th hole, there’s a look back along the coast to the beach resort:Somewhere on the back nine:
Still beautiful even on the mountain-side, but the holes are starting to blend together and I’m no longer thinking golf is my thing. This is a long game and there’s no one even playing in front to slow D down.Observatories on the summit of Mauna Kea (the volcano, not the resort):Tee for the 18th hole:
I’ve officially had enough golf and dang, it’s just when the light was getting good! Well, D can have golf and I will stick to photography.A few details from the course…Get out there and enjoy your Friday!