Few views can match the beauty and majesty of The Plantation Course. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jan. 7, 2009 -- No matter what surprises lie in wait in this 2009 PGA Tour season, we know one thing for certain -- the Tour starts at The Plantation Course at Kapalua. PGA Head Professional Scott Carroll of The Plantation Course gives us some insight as to what we can expect from the tournament and one of the most beautiful golf locales in the world.

PGA.com: So Scott, here we go again. Another year, another PGA Tour season, and another start at The Plantation Course at the season's first event. How is the course looking?

Carroll: The course is looking great. Our staff here, led by Superintendent Juan Gutierrez, has worked hard to make sure the course is in spectacular condition. Additionally, we had a lot of rain here last week so the grass, and especially the rough, is quite healthy. The trade winds came through and have dried the course nicely, so we are definitely ready to offer a great test. Hit it straight, you have some good chances to score. Miss the fairway, it's going to be a real challenge.

PGA.com: The winter trade winds you mentioned, should we expect that again for this week's event?

Daniel Chopra won at The Mercedes-Benz Championship in 2008. (Photo: Getty Images)

Carroll: It's hard to say really. We've been given a few various expectations about the winds, most seem to suggest there will be a good mix of wind throughout each day and from day to day. The good news is that we're hopeful for sunny conditions. I think that it's going to be a great week for the players and crowds to watch golf. I'm sure there will be wind, but as to how strong, it's hard to say right now.

PGA.com: This is your first event as the Head Professional at the course, have the preparations and demands been what you expected?

Carroll: It is what I expected because I've been through it many times before here, just not as Head Professional. But I really want to stress that as much work as it is, as many moving parts that have to come together, the fact that we have a phenomenal team in place -- on every level of the resort -- makes it possible and makes it work well. My job is made much easier because our team is so strong. I knew how big the challenge was, but I also knew what kind of people we had here so I knew we could handle it.

PGA.com: Please explain the spirit of the term "Maui Noi Ka Oi"?

Carroll: Well, "Maui Noi Ka Oi" means "Maui is the best." It's the spirit that we employ in everything we do. For the resort guest, you'll see it in every level of service. For the golf fans, you'll see it in how we host this week's event. We really rely on each other, different parts of the resort, different groups on Maui, to pull off such great events like The Mercedes-Benz Championship and welcome the world. In the spirit of "Maui Noi Ka Oi," we really work together to showcase the beauty of our location, our culture and our residents.

PGA.com: It's been said that yours may be the most isolated resort in the world. With today's economic climate, it makes golf travel even less compelling to some. Why is your resort still so compelling to golfers?

Carroll: We are constantly working on offering a better product, a better service to our guests. We've done extensive renovations recently on our Bay Course, our accommodations and dining and of course, our golf, are as great as you could find anywhere in the world. It is a tough time right now, certainly we're seeing some drop off from where we'd like to be. But as a resort that caters to the world, we work hard to welcome the world and all cultures, all people and promise an experience like they haven't had before. And the fact that a great percentage of our visitors are repeat visitors tells us that we are offering an elite service that can't be replicated anywhere else. We work hard to examine every aspect of our business to find better ways to enhance our guests' experience when they come visit.

PGA.com: Finally, what can we, as viewers, expect when we tune in this week to watch some golf?

Carroll: You're going to see 33 winners from last year's Tour season competing on a great golf course under championship conditions. You'll see incredible beauty, from the surf on the bay to breaching whales to a large, enthusiastic gallery. You're going to see a beautiful climate when much of the country is battling some brutal winters. And you're going to see some really exciting golf where anything can happen. It's going to be a great tournament for sure.