Kā‘anapali and First Tee – Hawai‘i to host Maui Junior Golf Kickoff on Dec. 30
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Ahead of The Sentry, Kā'anapali Golf Courses and First Tee - Hawai'i will host a free interactive event for juniors ages 3 to 18 in support of First Tee - Hawai'i.
The event will be from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 30 on the Kā'anapali driving range. Golf clubs for juniors will be available for use, and there will be a Q&A hosted by NBC Sports/Golf Channel analyst, First Tee - Hawai'i board member and longtime Maui resident Mark Rolfing.
"Kā'anapali embodies warm hospitality and a strong sense of community. The club has been a wonderful ally of junior golf in Hawai'i for decades," said Chris Noda, the executive director of First Tee - Hawai'i and Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association, in a statement. "We are thrilled to create this memorable experience for keiki and their ʻohanas ahead of the new year."
According to the organization, First Tee - Hawai'i integrates golf with a life skills curriculum to create learning experiences for juniors that build self-confidence and resiliency. First Tee - Hawai'i recently welcomed Joie Ruggiero as its new program director.
During the Maui Junior Golf Kickoff on Kā'anapali's driving range, youth can play games with inflatable targets, participate in discussions about First Tee - Hawai'i programs and more. Short game drills will feature "chipping darts" to different yardage circles.
Additionally, Maui Big Wave Shave Ice Company will provide free desserts, Maui Soda & Ice Works will pour beverages and guests can play corn hole and other lawn games.
Hawai'i men's golf team head coach and former U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson will be in attendance, as will prominent Rainbow Warriors Blaze Akana, Anson Cabello and Chris Salem.
Akana, who holds the No. 2 all-time scoring average in program history, has qualified for next month's Sony Open in Hawai'i for the second consecutive year.
Cabello, a Maui native and Kamehameha Schools-Maui graduate, won the 2024 Kaua'i Amateur.
Salem, a 2025 UH golf team commit, was a key contributor on Maui Prep's 2022 HHSAA Boys Golf Championship-winning team at Kā'anapali and finished tied for fourth in the individual competition.
"I feel tremendous joy when interacting with children, parents and community members at one of Maui's most enjoyable junior events," Rolfing said after emceeing the 2023 Maui Junior Golf Kickoff. "Mahalo to First Tee - Hawai'i, Kā'anapali, Sentry and all volunteers for your heartfelt support again this year."
University of Hawai'i men's golf coach, Scott Simpson (left) and Kā'anapali GM, Karl Reul (right), shake hands after Kā'anapali gifted $5,000 to UH during the 2023 Maui Junior Golf Kickoff. Courtesy photo
University of Hawai'i men's golf coach, Scott Simpson (left) and Kā'anapali GM, Karl Reul (right), shake hands after Kā'anapali gifted $5,000 to UH during the 2023 Maui Junior Golf Kickoff. Courtesy photo
Also, Karl Reul, the general manager of Kā'anapali Golf Courses, will present two checks including one for $5,000 to the Warrior Golf Booster Fund at the University of Hawai'i and another for $2,700 to Kā'anapali Golf Courses' employees affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires.
"Giving back to the communities in which we play is core to what the PGA TOUR and The Sentry are all about," said Max Novena, executive director of The Sentry. "Since becoming title sponsor in 2018, and a proud trustee of the First Tee since 2021, Sentry Insurance has formed strong relationships with Maui community leaders, and alongside The Sentry, is deeply committed to advancing the accessibility of recreational golf across Hawai'i."
To register for the Maui Junior Golf Kickoff, go to bit.ly/49WEQLC. For more about First Tee - Hawai'i, firstteehawaii.org.