LIHU’E — The new items on the menu at the Puakea Grill are already in place, said Fran Roach, general manager of the Puakea Golf Club during the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours function Thursday at Puakea Golf Club.
“Noodles all day,” said chef Richard Dias, who helped develop the new menu offerings with chef Wendell Fukumoto. “Wendell is the next generation. He’s been working here a long time learning the ropes.”
The Chamber Business After Hours provided the Puakea Golf Course an opportunity to highlight some of the improvements to the golf course and the grill since Roach took the reins as general manager.
“This is my first time as Kaua‘i Originals,” said Liz Hahn, who managed the availability of art by her son Aaron Habermann, some of which decorate the walls of the Puakea Grill. “I’m glad they invited us to be here.”
“They took out all the new targets and flags for the event,” said Phil Worwa, also known as Santa in Paradise and the originator of disc golf on Kaua‘i. “This is all about the new things at the golf club.”
Activities centered around the golf course included a closest to the pin and putting contests, and disc golf on an abbreviated, three-hole layout.
“It’s been 30 years since I golfed,” said Ron Wiley, one of the 100-plus guests in attendance and trying his hand at negotiating the chilly wind to the blue flag.
Puakea Golf Club is one of three sites on Kaua‘i where the Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association hosts its annual Hawai‘i Junior Golf Day, a fun and free introductory golf experience for juniors aged between the ages of 5 through 18, still set for Saturday, March 21, from its 8:30 a.m. registration and activities from 9 to 11 a.m.
The Kiahuna Golf Club and Princeville Makai Golf Course are the other two Kaua‘i sites where walk-ins are welcome and instruction will be led by Aloha Section Professional Golf Association professionals, including Roach, who gets help from golfers from the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation.
Puakea Golf Club will also be home to the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Association Glow Golf that will take place Friday, March 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., for golfers ages 5 to 12.
“The kids always have a lot of fun,” said Jennifer Hreljac, KJGA tournament director. “Everything is lit up and everyone has fun.”
Puakea Golf Club is also the site for the opening round of the KIF golf season today when the first groups tee off starting at noon, according to the KIF schedule.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
