Will of a Princess, Idea of a Businessman
Moanalua Golf Club is situated within the historic Moanalua ahupua’a, a land division spanning 6,000 acres that Samuel Mills Damon inherited in 1884 through the will of Ke Ali’i Bernice Pauahi Bishop, granddaughter of Kamehameha I and the last living member of the House of Kamehameha.
Established in 1898, Moanalua Golf Club stands as Hawaii’s first golf course and one of the nation’s oldest clubs. Designed by Scottish architect Donald MacIntyre and overseen by Samuel Mills Damon, a prominent banker and businessman in the Hawaiian Kingdom, the original layout featured eighteen holes strategically integrated into the slopes of Moanalua Valley and alongside Moanalua Stream, offering golfers unique challenges.
In 1908, the course transitioned to its current nine-hole configuration, renowned for its demanding layout. Every hole at Moanalua Golf Club presents challenges such as out-of-bounds areas, prevailing trade winds, and a meandering stream that winds through the course, ensuring a tough yet fair test for golfers of all abilities. Despite its modest yardage, the emphasis remains on precise tee shots and accurate iron play, with greens averaging just three thousand square feet.
Who Were They?
Prominent People and Their Connection to Moanalua Golf Club
Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Last Direct Descendant of the Kamehameha Dynasty
Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a Hawaiian princess and philanthropist, was renowned for her significant contributions to education in Hawaii. Through her will, she established the Kamehameha Schools to ensure the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture and the education of Native Hawaiian children. Inheriting approximately 9% of Hawaii’s land from her royal family, she became the largest landowner in the Hawaiian Islands at the time.
Samuel Mills Damon
Businessman for Hawaiian Kingdom
Samuel Mills Damon was a prominent Hawaiian banker and businessman who played a significant role in the economic development of Hawaii. He served as the Minister of Finance for the Kingdom of Hawaii and later the Republic of Hawaii, and was a trustee of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate.
Amelia Earhart
Aviator
Amelia Earhart was a pioneering American aviator and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In Hawaii, she made history by becoming the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California in 1935, setting a new aviation record. The 3rd hole of Moanalua Golf Club was also used both as a polo field and private landing strip. Amelia using it once to land her plane.