TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Koolau Golf Club's golf and catering operations are now managed by the same company, allowing for more streamlined operations. Koolau Golf Club
scratches a nicheOne focal point of the plan to increase business is the club's pride-and-joy "glass ballroom" with a view of the ever-verdant Koolau Mountains, often ribboned with waterfalls.
Santa Monica, Calif.-based American Golf Inc. has operated the golf side since Koolau was purchased by California-based businessman David Chang and a hui of local and other investors in 1998.
In March the company assumed Koolau's catering operations, which are now run by a raft of hotel industry veterans. They include Executive Chef Khamtan Tanchaleun, formerly of La Mer and Michel's at the Colony Surf; Catering Director Jeff Marcell, formerly of the Ilikai and the Hawaii Prince hotels; Catering Coordinator Lynne Uwono, formerly of the Prince and Ilikai and Catering Sales Manager Lynn Reyes, formerly with the Pacific Beach Hotel.
Koolau is exploring the idea of hosting of special events to draw more local people, in addition to building its service to tour operators. It serves lunch to three tour groups daily. One group eats lunch and learns hula, weaving and lei-making downstairs in Honey's restaurant. Honey's is "open from sunrise to sunset," said General Manager Rob Nelson, "because we have to serve our golfers." Fridays it becomes a nightspot with dinner service and live music, usually Hawaiian; brunch is served on Sundays.
The 300-seat and 400-seat banquet rooms are a Windward rarity, and a strong selling point. "We run them exactly like a hotel operation," Marcell said. "Our advantage is no parking costs and pricing is a lot lower. We don't have the overhead that would apply to hotels, and the people still get the same quality of service and style of food."
Koolau's golf ranges in difficulty -- including the most challenging course in the world. Nelson said when a United States Golf Association team sent its slope (difficulty) rating of 162 to New Jersey headquarters, it was met with disbelief. Dean Knuth, the former USGA handicap department senior director who devised the slope rating system, had to check it out himself because the scale "only goes up to 155," Nelson said. Upon a week's personal observation, Knuth agreed.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com