Playing the Sony Open Pro-Am at Waialae: A Masterclass in Hawaii Golf
Most golfers experience the Sony Open from outside the ropes.
In 2022, I had the opportunity to experience it from inside them.
Thanks to legendary Southern California golf veteran Brian Saltus, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Sony Open Pro-Am at Waialae Country Club, one of the PGA TOUR’s most historic and respected venues.
From the moment we arrived on property, it felt different.
Waialae isn’t just another golf course. For one week every January, it becomes the center of the golf world in Hawaii. PGA TOUR players, caddies, sponsors, volunteers, and golf fanatics from around the world gather on Oahu to kick off another season in paradise.
As we made our way through the practice area before the round, one thing immediately stood out.
Brian seemed to know everybody.
Everywhere we turned, another PGA TOUR caddy stopped to say hello. Handshakes became conversations. Conversations became stories. Before long, I found myself standing among people who had spent decades inside the ropes at golf’s highest level.
It was a reminder that while players often get the spotlight, caddies form one of the tightest communities in professional golf.
The knowledge they possess is remarkable.
And nowhere is that knowledge more valuable than in Hawaii.
Our group was paired with Chris Kirk, who would go on to win again on the PGA TOUR the following season. Watching a player of that caliber up close was fascinating, but what impressed me most wasn’t his swing.
It was his decision-making.
Every shot seemed intentional.
Every target had a purpose.
Every adjustment accounted for the conditions.
And those conditions are what make Hawaii golf so unique.
Many visiting golfers arrive expecting soft breezes, ocean views, and vacation golf.
The reality is often far different.
The trade winds can change direction several times during a round. A shot that flies perfectly on one hole may require a completely different club on the next. Grain affects every putt. Ocean air impacts ball flight. Local knowledge becomes one of the most important clubs in the bag.
Standing on the fairways of Waialae during tournament week, it became obvious why PGA TOUR players and caddies place such a premium on course knowledge in Hawaii.
Success isn’t always about power.
It’s about understanding the environment.
That experience reinforced something we’ve believed for years at CaddyTips.
Every great golf destination has secrets.
Hawaii has more than most.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve invested so heavily in developing our Hawaii course guides and Island Golf Scoring Tips. The goal isn’t simply to provide yardages or tell golfers where the trouble is located.
It’s to share the kind of insights that local golfers and experienced island players learn only after years of playing in the trade winds.
How the wind behaves on specific holes.
How grain influences putts.
How ocean exposure changes club selection.
When patience is rewarded.
And when aggression becomes a costly mistake.
Whether you’re playing Waialae, Kapalua, Poipu Bay, Hokuala, Princeville Makai, Mauna Kea, or one of Hawaii’s many hidden gems, understanding the islands is often more important than understanding your golf swing.
The Sony Open Pro-Am gave me a firsthand look at that reality.
What I expected was a memorable day at a PGA TOUR event.
What I left with was a deeper appreciation for why Hawaii remains one of the most fascinating places in the world to play golf.
Aloha.