Only on Big Island golf courses can you see volcanoes, fantastic ocean views, and petroglyphs!
Check out this overview of the Big Island golf courses to help you decide which course to try first. You can find a more detailed description of each golf course below.
Here are some golfing tips for an enjoyable day at one of the Big Island golf courses:
Mauna Kea Golf Course (808-882-5400) was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and has been open since 1964. It is located at the Mauna Kea Resort just south of Kawaihae off Highway 19 (near mile marker 68). Fees are $210 unless you are a resort guest and then you pay $150. This is perhaps the best of the Big Island golf courses. The location is amazing; it is fairly challenging but has somewhat open and forgiving rolling terrain. Hole number 3 is right along the shoreline and a quite a tough hole. There are long curving holes and ones with steep downhill drops. It’s a fun course! Hapuna Golf Course (808-880-3000) at the Mauna Kea/Hapuna Prince resort complex on Kauna'oa Drive was designed by Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay. It has been open since 1992. The fees are $145 except for resort guests who only pay $120. It has narrow fairways but not too many other hazards (as if the narrow fairways aren’t enough of a hazard!) This course is on an older lava field where plant life is beginning to take hold as opposed to the newer barren lava fields. This is a pleasant, well-run Kohala Coast course with excellent services. Mauna Lani Resort (808-885-6655) was originally the Francis H. I’I Brown course built in 1980 on Mauna Lani Drive in Kohala (between mile markers 73 & 74). In 1991 the course was split in half (9 holes each) and then 9 holes were added to both. Now you have your choice of the North Course and the South Course. The fees for either are $205 except for resort guests who pay $140. The North Course, the less popular of the two, has more trees and lava boundaries. This is one of the few Big Island golf courses where you can find lava tubes and lots of kiawe trees along the fairway. Beware of their thorns! The South Course is closer to the ocean and surrounded by barren lava. Bring extra balls because the ‘a’a lava seems to magnetically attract golf balls (it can’t be an accuracy issue, can it?)! You’ll get wonderful ocean views and some challenging holes. This resort, located at 600 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Waikoloa, has two courses. Waikoloa Kings’ was designed by Weiskopf and Waikoloa Beach was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Waikoloa Kings’ (808-886-7888) is the tougher of the two with deep bunkers and some difficult lava terrain to snatch golf balls when you’re not looking. On a clear day you can see five volcanoes (Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and even Haleakala on Maui). There are also plumeria and palm trees throughout the course. Waikoloa Beach (808-886-6060) gets more crowded than Kings’ probably because it is closer to the ocean. Take a look at the petroglyphs on your left on your way to hole 9.
Wind can be a problem at this hole. All in all this course is a bit more forgiving and a little less interesting than its counterpart, Kings’. That is to say the golfing is a little less interesting. The petroglyphs were a cool surprise! Hualalai Golf Course (808-325-8480) was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1996. This is one of the Big Island golf courses considered to be private. Only those staying at the Four Seasons Resort or at the adjacent residential community can play here. There are beautiful ocean views, very fast greens and a little less wind than most Kohala resorts. Fees are $195. Waikoloa Village (808-883-9621) is up mountain from the Kohala resort area. The fees are $75 for the equivalent of a very good municipal course. It is extremely windy here but less so in the morning. You’ll see lots of wild goats and turkeys and birds struggling to fly in the wind. If the weather is good you may prefer to play at Waimea Country Club for just a little more money. Waimea Country Club (808-885-8053) will remind you more of Scotland than Hawaii with rolling terrain, fog and mist high above the ocean. You can find this course off Highway 19 in Waimea (between mile markers 51 & 52). The fees are only $95! Does it sound too good to be true? Well, the major caveat is the rain—lots of rain. If you catch a good day you’ll have a wonderful experience. Makalei Country Club (808-325-6625) was designed by Dick Nugent and is located a couple thousand feet upslope of Kailua-Kona. You can find it on Hawaii Belt Rd. (190) seven miles north of Kona. This is one of the many Big Island golf courses that provides beautiful views of the coast but this on is less windy and it’s cooler. Fees are $49. Here you will find forest, pheasant, turkeys, and yelping peacocks. Have you always wanted to be videotaped teeing off at one of the Big Island golf courses? If you get a hole in one at 15 at this course, you’ll win a prize. The videotape is for confirmation. This country club (808-322-2595) has four sets of nine holes split into two courses on Alii Dr. in Kailua-Kona. Since this is the only course in Kailua-Kona you can expect crowds and therefore signs that encourage you to keep moving. Fees are $160 for the Ocean course and $145 for Mauka, which is a bit high for these courses. Look for specials. The Ocean course has a flock of wild parrots, a few lava hazards and some nice ocean views. At hole 13 you can see a blow hole near the handicap tees. The Mauka course uses the natural landscape (lava). Holes 14-18 all have good views of the coastline. Discovery Harbor Golf & Country Club (808-929-7353) in Naalehu is the southern most course in the US. Most of the Big Island golf courses are kept in really good shape. This one has become a bit rundown. The good news is it isn’t generally very crowded and it only costs $28. It is in danger of being shutdown so call ahead if you decide to visit. SeaMountain—Punalu’u (808-928-6222) could be a grand course with some extra effort and money. It’s a bit ragged in spots but it is an inexpensive scenic seaside golf course. You can find it near Punalu'u Beach on the southeast side of the island in Pahala about half way between Hilo and Kona. The fees are $47-50. If you’re in the neighborhood give it a shot. Volcano Golf & Country Club (808-967-7331) is just one mile from he main crater of the most active volcano on earth! You can find it at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . Fees are $64. You are up in the mountains (4,000 ft) where it is chilly so bring some extra layers. It is moderately challenging with the occasional mist and fog and very little wind. It’s a nice pleasant course and after your game you can go in search of flowing lava or take a break at the winery. Naniloa Golf Course (808-935-3000) can be found at 120 Banyan Drive in Hilo. This nine hole course is in good shape but the infrastructure leaves a bit to be desired. The fees are $30. Hilo Municipal (808-959-9601) is generally flat with no sand traps because of all the rain. It isn’t overly challenging and can get quite soggy after a good rain. It is generally quite crowded particularly on the weekends. Fees are $29-34. Hamakua Country Club (808-775-7244) in Honokaa was originally built as a community course back when the Hamakua area was sugar-rich. This is a small 9-hole golf course cared for by the community with tender loving care and a great deal of pride. This course isn’t very challenging but it sure is friendly. There are no rentals of clubs or carts and the fees are just $20 and on the honor system (drop your money in a box in the clubhouse). Return from Big Island golf courses to Hawaii golf courses
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