Penina - Samoa

Situated on the site of an old World War II US military base, the Penina golf course is set out on a coastal property in the north west corner of Opolu island, next to Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Beach Resort, with its eighteen holes routed close to the runway at Faleolo international airport.  

American PGA professional Mike Franko designed the layout, much of which was literally carved through jungle, and it first opened for play in 2007. Playing corridors are generally wide and open but don’t spray the ball too far wide at Penina as the punishing six foot high vegetation that lines many of the holes devours golf balls.     

A round here begins close to the shore - the par five 3th is a real feature hole, playing out along the beach - then fairways move inland through heavily wooded terrain before opening out into land that was formerly used as a coconut grove and banana plantation.

Historical landmarks like the burial site of a Paramount chief and his wife were preserved during construction, as were a number of old copra ovens used during the German occupation of the island.