Episode 37: Municipal Golf Courses
On this episode of the One O'ahu Podcast, City golf administrator Jordan Abe and assistant golf administrator, Nainoa O’Sullivan join host Brandi Higa to discuss booking tee times at our City courses , the latest when it comes to concessions, and just why some of the grass is brown in color at the City’s most popular course, the Ala Wai Golf Course.
Listen Now:
Booking Tee Times
The Golf Division has recently upgraded the golf reservation system from a call-in only process to an online system, maximizing tee time opportunities for all of the six municipal courses, Ala Wai, Pali, Ted Makalena, Ewa Villages, West Loch and Kahuku. Stand-by play is also welcomed at all of the City courses on a space-availability basis.
To book a tee time online, click here: https://www.teetimes.honolulu.gov
To call-in tee time reservations, use one of the following numbers:
1. Ala Wai Golf Course: (808) 207-6856
2. ‘Ewa Villages Golf Course: (808) 207-6741
3. Kahuku Golf Course: (808) 207-7076
4. Pali Golf Course: (808) 207-7099
5. Ted Makalena Golf Course: (808) 207-6735
6. West Loch Golf Course: (808) 207-6720
For more information visit: https://www.golf.honolulu.gov
New Concessions
The Golf Courses Division is not just in charge of the courses and facility improvements, it’s also responsible for overseeing golf course food, the pro shop and the driving range concessions. Jordan Abe discusses the plans for food and concessions at our municipal courses.
“We actually had a purchasing meeting earlier in the week and we are heavily looking at getting our concessions contract out,” explained Abe. “Our new director for Enterprise Services, Dita Holifield, she’s been with us now for a little over two months and she’s been really spearheading on getting our golf concession contracts going, so we’re looking to have that out by the end of this calendar year.”
And the green grass grows all around, all around
A question that comes up often is the health of the grass at the City’s most popular golf course, Ala Wai Golf Course.
“What a lot of people don’t realize here at Ala Wai, is that we do not rely on the Board of Water Supply potable water to irrigate this entire golf course,” explained Abe. “We actually do have a brackish well on property that we predominantly rely on (as) our main source of irrigation.” He goes on to explain, “the reason why you do see those brown spots at times here too is because we rely on brackish water, the salinity levels in our water are so high that sometime it builds up salt in the soil profile so the turf doesn’t look green as you are accustomed to seeing.”
Jordan Abe went on to explain that often times if you see the sprinklers on during the day, it is to recharge the system and turn out water and not due to any kind of irresponsible watering practices.
