LIHUE — Kellie Hines, Deron Doi and Dan Nishimoto make up the latest class of golfers to be inducted into the Kauai Golf Hall of Fame.
An intimate group of family and friends collected on Thursday at the Moikeha Building to witness the induction that was emceed by another of Kauai’s well-known golfers, Jonathan Ota, and witnessed by another dedicated golfer, Sharron Weber.
Hines started her golf career as a child at the Wailua Golf Course, inspired by her parents, Tom and Jeanette Hines, and guided by mentors such as Frank Sullivan at Kauai Lagoons.
Hines developed to become a pioneer in the sport of golf, achieving recognition as the first female Professional Golf Association (PGA) Director of Golf at Sheraton Makaha in 1996, and the first female to serve on the Aloha Section PGA Board of Directors.
Her leadership in junior golf included serving as Kauai Junior Golf president and earning the Aloha Section PGA Junior Golf Leader Award in 1998 and 2001. Hines received the 2023 PGA President’s Plaque for extraordinary contributions in player development.
Hines’ passion as head girls golf coach at Kauai High School led her teams to two state championships in 2001 and 2004. She proudly coached her daughter Jennie and numerous other young golfers to success.
Hines was recognized in 2024 by Operation 36 Golf as a master coach, continuing her dedication to mentoring future golfers and giving back to Kauai’s golfing community.
Retired Ocean Safety Bureau lifeguard Dave Duncan, whose wife Hua works with Hines at the Ocean Course Hokuala, said, “I didn’t realize how big shot she was. I was helping her with Operation 36, chatting away with the golfers. Now, I’m afraid to go to work.”
Kawakami praised Hines for “her trailblazing leadership and heartfelt dedication to the sport and community” and noted the Wailua Golf Course that served to bond the three inductees together.
Kawakami said Dan “Danny” Nishimoto, one of the most talented golfers to emerge from Wailua Golf Course, distinguished himself as both an amateur and professional competitor.
“His prodigious length off the tee and unmatched skill brought him statewide acclaim, starting with his rare and remarkable achievement of winning the 1974 Hawaii State Open,” the mayor said.
One of the audience members noted that Nishimoto set a course record at Wailua after shooting a 61.
Nishimoto’s string of victories include the 1974 Makalena State Open, the 1981 Hawaii State Amateur, the 1991 Maui Open, the 1992 Hilo Open, the 1993 ANA Makaha Open, and five Kauai Open Championships.
His career included play on the Jordan Tour, Asian Tour and Senior PGA Tour, highlighted by competing twice in the U.S. Senior Open and finishing 34th in the 2001 championship in Salem, Mass.
Admired by golfers across the state and beyond, Nishimoto’s victories inspired a generation of junior golfers from Kauai to pursue their own championship dreams. In 2002, Nishimoto was inducted into the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame.
Doi is described as “a true Kauai golf legend” after having demonstrated extraordinary skill, perseverance, and dedication to the sport of golf from his youth through his professional career.
He was represented by his younger brother, Sean Doi, because of his dedication to being a principal of a school on the East Coast.
Deron Doi distinguished himself early on, earning D3 All-American honors in 1985, later capturing the prestigious Manoa Cup in 1991, and becoming a two-time Army Amateur Champion.
In 1993, he achieved a remarkable trifecta, being crowned Hawaii Amateur Champion, the Mid-Pacific Open Champion, and being inducted into the University of Hawaii-Hilo Hall of Fame.
Extending to the professional circuit, Doi qualified for the PGA Hawaiian Open in 1997, won the Hawaii State Open in 1996, and competed as a multiple time National Public Links qualifier.
Through their accomplishments, the inductees have all left an indelible mark on the game of golf in Hawaii, and inspired generations of young golfers from the Garden Island.
The trio will be recognized on the walls of the Wailua Golf Course.
Source: The Garden Island