Hawaii has eight main islands but only five that count. (Sorry Molokai, Niihau and Kahoolawe). That’s because Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Lanai and the Big Island have the best – or only – golf available. And what spectacular golf it is, with diverse views, terrain, weather patterns, culture and lodging options adding to the experience.
If our 50th state is on your travel agenda, these courses are solid enough to influence your island selection and pace of play.
BIG ISLAND
Mauna Kea Golf Course, Waimea: Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed this course that was revamped it into a tougher challenge, in 2008, by his son Rees. Deep bunkers form a circle of defenses around many of the elevated greens, and if you’re a risk-but-maybe-not-reward type of player, step to the tips and give the 272-yard carry over the ocean to the cliff-top green on the par-3 third hole a shot. Even from a sensible tee it’s quite daunting. And memorable.
Francis H. I’i Brown North Course at Mauna Lani Resort, Waimea: Better players tend to choose the shot-making difficulty of the North Course over the more resort-friendly South. Subtle elevation changes through a mesquite forest give the layout plenty of personality, and don’t be surprised if a herd of feral goats plays through. The coolest hole – the 132-yard 17th – sits inside a bowl of black lava rock.
Kings’ Course at Waikoloa Beach Resort Golf, Waikoloa: Island insiders consider the Kings’ Course a perfect warm–up round for mainlanders who bring rusty swings to paradise each winter. But even with generous fairways, water makes enough cameos to keep things interesting. The two risk-reward short par 4s – the 327-yard fifth hole and 332-yard 13th hole – are the signature of architect Tom Weiskopf.
Makalei Golf Club, Kailua Kona: If being wowed is on your to-do list, this roller coaster ride fits the bill. More than 950 feet of elevation change characterize this hilly course set high above the shore. Such severe terrain creates challenges for management and golfers alike, so recent routing changes made Makalei more player friendly. The temperature also rises and falls depending on location, and the on-high views of the ocean are stunning.
KAUAI
Kauai Lagoons Golf Club, Lihue: A recent transformation of this Jack Nicklaus Design gives Kauai’s eastern shore 27 holes of stout golf and scenic vistas. The ocean holes, renamed the Kiele Moana Nine, have new putting surfaces, bunkers and three new holes. One sits on the island’s edge and makes Kiele Moana the longest stretch of continuous ocean holes (over a half mile) of any course in Hawaii. The 331-yard No. 7 on this stretch has a tiny green adjacent a lighthouse well below the fairway awaiting approach shots that hopefully haven’t tumbled down a cliff to the left.
Makai Golf Club at Princeville, Princeville: Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s first course design in Hawaii is considered his baby, and the architect wasn’t about to let anyone else handle a recent renovation. One of the most breathtaking par-3 holes a golfer will see is the 213-yard No. 7, which requires a cliff-to-cliff tee shot 100 feet above the ocean. The green, surrounded by bunkers, has bailout room on the left but any ball short or right will end up in the crashing waves. Constant views of mountains and occasional ones of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay add to the experience.
Poipu Bay Golf Course, Koloa: This stunning layout, which hosted the PGA of America’s Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 to 2006, is spread over 210 acres of rolling terrain on Kauai’s south coast. Poipu Bay’s primary characteristics are trade winds, firm fairways and plenty of bunkers, but none are in front of greens, so approach shots can bounce or roll on. Two holes – Nos. 15 and 16 – are especially memorable because of fairways on the edge of a cliff. Those are followed by a downhill par-3 with ocean left and a par-5 with a sharp dogleg right. Special stuff.
Puakea Golf Course, Lihue: When Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992, construction at Puakea came to a halt, and in 1997 it opened with 10 holes. In 2002, Robin Nelson completed the final eight holes, with stunning views, ponds and lush foliage giving the layout character and challenge. Because of its setting at the base of Haupu Ridge, first-time golfers might recognize Pukea’s surroundings because of scenes from “Jurassic Park,” which was shot nearby. Also nearby is Kauai’s main airport, so a quick round upon arrival or prior to departure is doable. And recommended.
LANAI
Manele Golf Course, Lanai City: Built on lava outcroppings, this Jack Nicklaus Signature Design that opened in 1993 is a stout blend of holes with two of the best sharing tee space. The money shot is from the box at the par-3 12th hole that requires a tee shot to carry a 150-foot deep chasm over the ocean to a green perched on a cliff. Golfers return to the area about an hour later at No. 17, a par-4 in the opposite direction that also requires a tee shot to clear a yawning chasm to a fairway that bends to the right before sloping downhill to a cliff-side green. When Koele Golf Course, a nearby course being renovated that’s also attached to a Four Seasons resort, reopens, the island will have a dynamic one-two punch.
MAUI
Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, Lahaina: You’ve seen this layout on TV as part of the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions, but it’s more stunning in person. The course soars because of perfect contrasts of design and detail: open fairways have preferential sides and angles; greens are easy to hit and easier to 3-putt; conditioning is perfect; the long holes play downhill and with the prevailing wind; and for all the twining green stuff, most of the really bad trouble is on the sides. The resort also has an often-overlooked Bay Course, which has a few holes by the ocean and green fees a few Jacksons lower than its better-known sidekick.
Royal Kaanapali Golf Course, Lahaina: One of two Robert Trent Jones Sr. designs in Hawaii, Royal Kaanapali has been rerouted so sea level holes are below the highway and the green at No. 5 nestles the shore. Middle holes are on bluffs and provide sweeping views of west Maui, Lanai and the Pacific. The layout has wide fairways and large greens, and the ever-present trade winds give new meaning to risk–reward thoughts. Kaanapali, which completed its renovations in 2006, is a former playground for LPGA (1982-85) and Champions Tour (1988-2000) events.
Wailea Golf Club, Kihei: There are 54 holes at this site just off the road known locally as Resort Row. The A-flight is Gold, with Emerald a pop or two behind, at least according to the stats. Gold’s opener is a descending par-4 that sweeps sharply left and leads into a front nine that ambles about rolling terrain until reaching its zenith at the eagle-nest par-3 eighth and its bring-the-camera backdrop. The back nine tiptoes up to higher elevation, so keep the camera near. Emerald has a similar ski slope start followed by a returning nine that carries players gently upward as well. Old Blue, which dates to the early 1970s, is a sporty track that’s ripe for a first-day warm-up or a last-day wind down.
OAHU
Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku: It’s hard to improve on paradise, but recently completed upgrades to all sectors of this resort on the iconic North Shore makes the stay more enjoyable. Regarding the plays, Turtle Bay has offerings from Arnold Palmer and Tom Fazio; with the King’s track taking players through wetlands and by natural waterways and dense jungle terrain that minimizes the trade winds. The Fazio Course is more forgiving and walkable and builds to a back nine with four holes by the ocean.
Ko Olina Golf Club, Kapoei: This layout was designed by Ted Robinson Sr., meaning there’s water, water everywhere but none of it of the salty variety from the ocean in the distance. The course includes 16 water features on eight holes, multi-tiered greens and lots of sand, giving the course on oasis in paradise feel. Mounds, contours and elevated tees and greens give the holes protection and texture, and several waterfalls feed into streams that broaden into pools before becoming lakes.
Royal Hawaiian Golf Club, Kailua: Imagine giving Pete Dye a jungle to work with. That’s essentially what the love-him-or-hate-him architect and his son, Perry, were handed before crafting Royal Hawaiian. Tumbling terrain framed by thick vegetation and trees up to 100 feet tall at the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains are only part of the features. The back nine winds through leafy corridors and, per Dye’s bent, there are risk-reward scenarios throughout. With few signs of civilization, it’s best to stay in the fairways and on the greens with your golfing buddies.
