In the front of his mind Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa General Manager Jerry Gibson likes the fact that local restaurants and businesses will benefit from the crowds converging on the South Shore for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which begins with the pro-am event today, Thursday, Dec. 4.
In the back of his mind, he can’t wait to tee it high and let it fly, because one of the perks of his position is an invitation to golf in the pro-am, which begins at 10 a.m. today.
It is the one day of the three-day event when he sees the most golf action, because he finds himself running back and forth between the course and hotel often during the championship rounds scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6 (tee times at 9 a.m. both days).
And even without the presence of perennial qualifier and champion Tiger Woods, hotel workers and South Shore residents are still buzzing with anticipatory excitement over the event, said Gibson.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said of the anticipated influx of on- and off-island kama’aina and visitors for this weekend’s golf, which will benefit local restaurants and businesses during what normally would be the slowest time of the year in the visitor industry.
Indeed, after this weekend occupancies at his hotel and nearby properties drop down to traditionally low early-December levels, before shooting back up to near-full levels closer to Christmas, he said.
The Hyatt was nearly sold out Monday, and Gibson expects a full house as the weekend nears, he said.
Gibson is also excited about the Slam field, which includes Masters Champion Mike Weir, U.S. Open Champion Jim Furyk, British Open Champion Ben Curtis and PGA Champion Shaun Micheel.
“All the players are new. They’ve never been here before,” said Gibson. “It’s a new set of players for the fans to meet. I think it’s going to be a great Grand Slam.”
Curtis arrived Sunday, and the other qualifiers arrived Tuesday, he said.
The bit of golf he will be able to enjoy as a spectator on Friday and Saturday is made possible in part due to the fact that his staff, many of whom have nine Grand Slams under their belts, knows exactly what to do to keep the hotel running smoothly, he said.
“The staff and managers are used to it. They do an excellent job,” Gibson concluded.
Associate Editor Paul C. Curtis may be reached at pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
