Maui, August 27, 2025
News Summary
The Plantation and Bay Courses at Kapalua are closing for 60 days due to severe turf damage from a lack of water. Amid legal disputes over water delivery, the temporary closure aims to recover conditions ahead of the Sentry Tournament in January 2026. This move impacts about 300 jobs and raises concerns over local water resources and agriculture, highlighting the interconnectedness of golf with the local economy.
Lahaina — A Major Maui Golf Course Shuts Down for 60 Days, and the Sentry Tournament Is on the Line
Big golf news with a West Maui twist
Golf fans and island workers woke up to tough news: Kapalua’s famed golf property is hitting the pause button. The Plantation Course, a signature stop on professional tours since 1999, is set to close for 60 days starting next week. The resort’s Bay Course will also be offline after both courses have been operating without water since July 25.
Why now? Water, damaged turf and legal drama
The closure comes after weeks of dwindling water deliveries. Course operators say the turf has been severely damaged by lack of irrigation, and they’re taking the radical step of shutting down play to protect what’s left and prioritize recovery work. The plan is to use the downtime to aerate, verticut, apply slow-release fertilizer and remove large swaths of dead grass on the greens — maintenance work that isn’t possible while members, guests and casual players are walking the course.
At the center of this crisis is a legal fight over water. The owner of the resort courses and a group of homeowners filed a lawsuit alleging that the party responsible for the century-old ditch system that supplies water has failed to maintain the delivery system. That claim was formally lodged after an August 18 notice about the historic ditch network that feeds the area.
The company accused in the suit says it has taken actions to manage the situation and points to low overall water flows as the underlying problem. Meanwhile, the state water agency has eased restrictions in West Maui, moving from a near-total stoppage tier to a less severe tier that still limits water use significantly.
Countdown to January: The Sentry tournament hangs in the balance
Why the rush to fix the turf now? The answer is simple: a big PGA Tour event is scheduled on the island in early January. Organizers and local leaders view the temporary closure as a necessary measure to maximize the chance the tournament will proceed as planned from January 8–11, 2026. The event is a major economic engine for the area, with estimates that it injects roughly $50 million into the local economy and millions more in charitable donations — more than $9.7 million raised historically for local nonprofit causes.
The PGA Tour is closely monitoring the situation and staying in touch with all parties involved, along with the tournament’s title sponsor. Local officials emphasize the tournament’s role in creating jobs and supporting community programs and say they remain committed to preserving the event if course conditions can be restored.
Local impact: jobs, farms and livelihoods
This isn’t just about fairways and championship headlines. Closing the courses could touch roughly 300 jobs at the resort and ripple through the local economy. Residents and farmers are worried that water scarcity will affect crops, landscaping and households — a reality that has fueled tensions between conservation, agriculture and commercial water needs.
Course managers say they’ll prioritize water for essential uses during the shutdown, like feeding treated slow-release fertilizer into turf rooting zones, while the accused water manager stresses attention to agricultural and residential supplies. The result is a complex juggling act between community needs and efforts to recover a world-class golf property.
Heritage and high stakes
The Plantation Course is not just any course. Designed by prominent course architects, it regularly features on lists of the nation’s best public layouts and has been the scene of memorable professional moments over the years. That history raises the stakes for everyone involved: players, island businesses, and charity programs that depend on the tournament’s fundraising.
For now, expect restricted access, heavy maintenance work over the next two months, and intense behind-the-scenes negotiations. The coming weeks will show whether the island can patch the water problem, heal the turf and keep a major winter tournament in the islands.
FAQ
Q: Which Kapalua courses are closing and for how long?
A: The Plantation Course and the Bay Course will be closed for 60 days beginning next week.
Q: What triggered the closure?
A: The courses have been without water since July 25. Turf damage and the need for recovery work, combined with a dispute over the century-old ditch system that delivers water, prompted the closure.
Q: Is this related to a lawsuit?
A: Yes. The course owner and homeowners filed a lawsuit claiming the water delivery system has not been maintained. The entity managing the ditch system disputes that claim and cites low water flows as the main issue.
Q: How could this affect the January tournament?
A: The temporary closure is intended to conserve water and allow maintenance to improve the chances of hosting the Sentry tournament January 8–11, 2026. Tour officials and sponsors are monitoring the situation.
Q: What maintenance will be done during the closure?
A: Staff will focus on aeration, verticutting, applying slow-release fertilizer, and removing dead grass on greens — work not suitable while casual play is allowed.
Q: What about the local economy and jobs?
A: The closure could impact about 300 local jobs. The tournament typically brings an estimated $50 million to the area and supports community nonprofit fundraising.
Q: Have water restrictions changed?
A: Yes. The state water agency relaxed West Maui restrictions from a maximum restriction tier to a less severe tier, but significant limits remain in place.
Quick Reference Table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Courses affected | Plantation Course and Bay Course |
| Closure length | 60 days starting next week |
| Water outage began | July 25 |
| Sentry tournament dates | January 8\u201311, 2026 |
| Estimated local economic impact of tournament | Approximately $50 million |
| Historical fundraising from the event | More than $9.7 million for local nonprofits |
| Jobs potentially affected | About 300 |
| Current state water restriction tier (West Maui) | Relaxed from tier 4 to tier 2 (100% to 40% restriction) |
| Key maintenance actions during closure | Aeration, verticutting, slow-release fertilizer application, removal of dead grass |
| Course rank | Plantation Course listed among top public courses nationally |
Stay tuned: this story mixes sport, environment, and local livelihoods, and it will evolve as court filings, water flows and turf recovery plans move forward. Golf followers should watch for official updates from tournament organizers and course management in the coming weeks.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- Maui Now
- Wikipedia: Kapalua Resort
- Golf Digest
- Google Search: Kapalua Resort
- KDH News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Golf Courses
- Hawaii News Now
- Google News: Kapalua PGA Tour
- Record Eagle
- Google Scholar: Kapalua Golf Course
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