Maui Golf Interviews

Standing guard at the portal to Kapalua’s greatest championships: Gary Planos, senior vice president, resort operations, Kapalua, on the steps of the Plantation Course Clubhouse; where the greatest players in the history of the game make their way through its immense doorways en route to the first tee each year for the PGA TOUR’s season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championships, Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 7, 2008.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, in Lahaina, was the setting for our first exclusive interview with Gary Planos in 12 years. It has been a long time coming, and the sure-footed Planos was in good form that evening, as the wonderful atmosphere and cuisine made it a breeze for us to have a relaxing and candid dialogue.

Maui Golf Review editor John Byrne (left) interviews Gary Planos, senior vice president, resort operations, Kapalua, over dinner in the corner booth of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Lahaina.

MGR: There is so much to cover. The people who will read this are front and center: Both those who live on Maui and those who are returning visitors, or plan to be. Before I get into the specifics about the enormity of what you and Kapalua are up to, I want to give our readers some idea as to who you are, how you came to be the “face” of what is Kapalua today, what it was like to take over the reins from Mark Rolfing, where you come from, what your hobbies and interests include, your family history, and in general, what makes a guy like you, Gary Planos, tick?

Gary:Mark Rolfing hired me in 1984 to be the head professional of The Village Course and for that I am always grateful to Rolf. From there I have held many positions and titles at Kapalua Land Company and have enjoyed the journey very much. I guess people have gotten use to seeing me in the many different roles and positions at Kapalua. I have really enjoyed working here and representing this brand which I feel is as strong as any in the game of golf. When I am not working, I try to get in a little fishing and hunting as I have two great English Springer Spaniels.

MGR:Okay, let's look at what you are doing for Kapalua. Again, many golfers and visitors reading this will be here for the first time and may know little about just how big Kapalua really is. Can you shed some light on the resort’s big picture: its history, its future vision, and its role in helping to shape Hawaii as the number-one golf destination in the world?

Gary:Kapalua Resort is 23,000 acres of legendary natural beauty and we feel home to Hawaii’s most comprehensive golf facility and we continue to invest and upgrade in this golf experience. We were the first 54-hole facility in Hawaii (1991), and now we are the only resort in the country that has

a PGA Tour, and an LPGA Tour event hosted on its golf courses annually. We also have the most comprehensive teaching and instruction facility in the state. We look forward to rounding out the experience with the addition of the private Mauka Course in the near future as this will also greatly enhance our brand.

MGR:The Mercedes-Benz Championship is a huge presence here on Maui, and it clearly reinforces the prestige of the Kapalua and Mercedes brands globally in a superior light. Everyone in golf knows that. But what is it that the average golfer doesn't know about? What goes on behind the scenes from a Gary Planos point of view of the event, its competitors, its sponsors, its galleries, volunteers, and the entirety of it all? Don't spare us any details.

Gary:The Mercedes-Benz Championship is our flagship event, and we are working on it daily and year-round. Each week there is “an event within the event” meaning that when Steve Stricker wins at Barclays, it has an immediate impact to our event as Steve qualifies to be in our field. We are in continual communication with the PGA Tour staff, the players and the media in congratulating them on their victories immediately and following up with their requests for accommodations and other needs for their families at our resort. The Mercedes-Benz Championship is a huge team effort where Nancy Cross’ event staff joins with the golf staff, works with the golf course maintenance staff, the resort facilities maintenance staff, the marketing staff, the 15-16 other departments at Kapalua Land Co., the staff at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, the resort restaurant staffs, the 700+ volunteer staff, the PGA Tour, Mercedes-Benz staff and people with the Golf Channel. Once you get this successfully completed, it is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and pride because of the unified and integrated efforts of everyone involved. In the end, they are coming to Kapalua Resort for this experience and really aren’t aware of the different ownerships or relationships within and it’s our job to look as seamless as we can. It’s just a great feeling and continues to be even after running so many events in the past.

MGR:While we’re on the subject of competitive golf at Kapalua, next October, you will be hosting the Kapalua LPGA Classic—an official 72-hole tournament on the LPGA schedule. Is this the first time a Hawaii-based resort has ever hosted two significant events from both Tours in the same year? In fact, who else in the world is hosting both Tours?

Gary:We are very excited about our new event on the LPGA Tour. It will be the last full field event on the LPGA schedule and they share in our excitement of coming to the Kapalua Resort. We feel this event will be great for the Island of Maui as it will help the fall season which has been slow of late and it will definitely enhance our brand and its venue, The Bay Course. Our goal now is to find the right title sponsorship for this event.

MGR:In July, Kapalua announced that it had signed Morgan Pressel on as its official touring professional. Her accomplishments and family history are well known. What other attributes did you find in her that helped you to determine that she was in fact a “perfect match for the resort”?

Gary:Morgan visited us last February and made a great

impression on us with her personality and professionalism. Her role as our LPGA Touring Professional will help promote the Kapalua Resort on the LPGA Tour and she is also helping us recruit for our event next October. I just returned from working with the LPGA and Morgan at the Canadian Women's Open and saw how much a fan favorite she is. She will be great for Kapalua.

MGR:Let’s talk about how seriously Kapalua takes golf from a standpoint of instruction. Is it true that Kapalua has the largest staff of PGA teaching professionals in Hawaii? Tell us about Jerry King. Isn’t he consistently ranked as the best instructor in Hawaii? And the Kapalua Golf Academy itself is stunning. My question to you is: What else can you do? How do you improve?

Gary:Kapalua’s commitment to providing the finest golf experience holds true as you enter our resort and immediately see the Kapalua Golf Academy. Led by Jerry King, director of Kapalua Golf Academy and Guest Relations, we have Hawaii's best practice and instructional facility. Jerry was recently ranked by Golf Digest as the #1 teacher in Hawaii and his staff joined him in these rankings where Ben Hongo was ranked #3 and Ian Hume #5. It’s a testament to what Jerry is doing to have three out of the top five coming from the Kapalua Golf Academy.

MGR:Many of our readers, by virtue of their love of the game, have created a good number of golf widows. Not everyone plays golf, or even cares about the game. But visiting golfers who have non-golfers in tow need to know what Kapalua has to offer beyond the game of golf, and it is a lot. Please share with the golfers of the world what their non-golfing partners can look forward to if they decide to stay at your resort.

GARY:The resort has made a commitment to expand and enhance our amenity mix, and the first part of that is the introduction of the new trail system; eventually we will have over 100 miles of hiking, biking and walking trails. The Village Walking Trail and Maunalei Arboretum Trail represent the first in a series of over 100 miles of planned walking and hiking trails throughout the resort's 23,000 acres. It includes a 3.5-mile scenic coastal route connecting Kapalua Bay to Honolua Bay, with rest stops and information about the resort’s rich history, flora and fauna. Designed for all fitness levels, these trails are complimentary and open to guests and local residents. The more remote Maunalei Arboretum Trail begins above The Plantation Estates in a series of loops that meander three miles along Honolua Ridge to the top of Puu Kaeo. On this newly opened trail, hikers will encounter Kapalua Resort's unique arboretum. Created 80 years ago by D. T. Fleming, the visionary manager of Honolua Ranch, the arboretum boasts numerous plant and tree species collected from around the world. Known as an innovative thinker, Fleming diversified Honolua Ranch's crops by introducing plantings such as pineapple, coffee, watermelon, mango, lychee, avocado and aloe. In addition to unique plants from around the world, the Ridge Trail is home to many native plants. We have also added a series of Hawaiian cultural and arts programs hosted by our Hawaiian Cultural Advisor Silla Kaina. These complimentary programs include such things as lei making, storytelling, hula, Lau Hala weaving and many more activities designed to give guests, residents and locals the opportunity to experience our host culture firsthand.

MGR:Our readers stay all over Maui. They are in time shares, condos, resort hotels, and so forth. Many are Baby Boomers. They are looking for a place to live the best years of their lives. If you could make a case for living at Kapalua, what would it be? If you had a relative or a friend who had never stayed at Kapalua, where would you want them to stay and why? What would you have them do (besides golf), once they land?

Gary:John, we recommend staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua or The Kapalua Villas. Since most are arriving near the evening, my recommendation is to go right to one of our great resort restaurants (The Plantation House, Sansei or Pineapple Grill) for a nice dinner to get settled in at our resort.

MGR:Many local golfers also read our magazine. They have followed you and Kapalua over the years. What, if anything, do you want to share with your fellow Maui residents and the others who have been with you through the incredible growth, preservation, traditions, and popularity of Kapalua?

Gary:We have all worked together to create a memorable experience and that is even more of the goal going forward. Our leadership here at the Kapalua Resort is committed to providing us with resources to continue this experience so the rest is up to the staff to serve our guests and members like no other operation in the world.

MGR:Kapalua is more than luxury living and golf. You are in charge of creating a total resort experience that is unlike any other. Yet, in 12 years, we have never had the opportunity to share with our readers much of what your programs and events are at Kapalua. Can you give us a snapshot of the best of the best of what your signature events are, and why they might appeal to a visitor?

Gary:Whale Quest Kapalua celebrates its third year, February 15-17, 2008, honoring Maui's most famous annual visitors, the beloved humpback whales. Benefiting Maui-based non-profit research groups, this enlightening event features lectures from marine experts, photographers and writers; as well as interactive learning stations, art and photo exhibits, whale-watch excursions and a charity golf tournament. Every spring, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua hosts their three-day Celebration of the Arts, a unique opportunity

to experience the authenticity of “Hawaiian heart and soul” through demonstrations in hula and chant, hands-on workshops in Hawaiian art and genuine one-on-one interaction with local Village Gallery artists. A must-attend for wine and food connoisseurs, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival draws more than 3,500 guests June 26-29, 2008 to the country’s longest-running event of its kind. Celebrating over 26+ years of fine food and wine, the festival includes master sommeliers, celebrity chefs and world-class wineries from around the globe. It’s a not-to-be-missed tasting tour of the resort. Finally, Billabong Pro Maui caps off the year in December with the last Triple Crown contest of the year and the only women’s stand-alone ASP event in Hawaii. Held at one of the finest surf venues in the world, Honolua Bay at Kapalua Resort, the event brings a host of amazing international talent in hot pursuit of the $65,000 prize purse.

MGR:You have been very gracious with your time. Few can argue with the fact that your stewardship of the Kapalua brand is indefatigable, selfless, brilliant, and admirable. How do you do it? What’s the Gary Planos secret? What was it in your childhood in Indiana, or your days as a young professional here in the 70s, that prepared you to be the leader of the number one resort in the number one destination on earth?

Gary:I have always liked taking care of guests and members so I continue to be comfortable on the "service" side of the equation. Growing up as a caddie taught me the respect needed to move forward in the golf business and Kapalua has provided a fabulous forum to work in, so I hope to do this for many years to come.

DEPARTMENTS

Courses

Maui’s golf courses on the grid.
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E Komo Mai

A thought or two about our culture.
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Journal

Recaps, previews, and news from Maui.
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Cover Art

The work artist Ronaldo Macedo fashioned for this issue’s cover.
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Interviews

Kapalua’s Gary Planos brings us up to speed. Read more....

Photo Galleries

Our extensive library of golf photography, shot by us exclusively, is the largest archive in Hawaii. Read more....

Videos

The Maui Golf Show debuts in 2008, but as our collection of footage grows, you can preview what’s ‘in the can’ right now.