Top 15 Golf Resorts and Public Courses: Hawaii

Royal Hawaiian Golf Club

The Hawaiian Islands offer some of the most spectacular golf in the world. Of our Top 15, three are located on the Big Island, while Maui, Oahu and Kauai boast four each—so you can’t miss regardless of where you go.

Designs by many of the towering figures in course architecture can be found in Hawaii, including Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (Mauna Kea and Ka’anapali),  Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (Wailea, Poipu Bay, Princeville Makai, Ka’anapali and Kiahuna), Rees Jones (Mauna Kea), and Jack Nicklaus (Manele and Hualalai).

The great courses at Kapalua on Maui were most recently updated by the renowned team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and if you are looking for a terrific Pete Dye design, be sure to include Royal Hawaiian on Oahu.

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews. The resort rating also includes a factor for the variety of courses located at the property as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

Hawaii may be a bit of a hike, and can also put a dent in your wallet—but it has to be at the top of your bucket list. Until you decide to make the plunge, the golf experience of a lifetime will always be calling.

Resorts

Kapalua, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Kapalua Resort/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
  2. Troon Golf
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Francis Duane/Hale Irwin/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Neil Haworth/Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Bay:                    72.7 Rating/137 Slope
    • Plantation:      77.0 Rating/144 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golf Digest Top 200, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.7
    • Location
Mauna Kea/Marriott, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Marriott
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones/Neil Haworth/Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Mauna Kea:    76.6 Rating/144 Slope
    • Hapuna:          74.7 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 200, Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.6
    • Location
Wailea Golf Club, Wailea HI (Maui)
  1. Wailea Golf Club/Wailea, HI (Maui)
  2. Wailea Resort
    • Holes: 54 (3 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Gold:                74.5 Rating/138 Slope
    • Emerald:        72.8 Rating/135 Slope
    • Blue:                71.6 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.6
    • Location
Manele Golf Course/Four Seasons, Lanai City HI (Maui)
  1. Manele Golf Course/Lanai City, HI (Maui)
  2. Four Seasons / Lanai
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0 Rating/134 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with bunker. ProV1 Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100 Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.8
    • Location
Hualalai/Four Seasons, Kailua HI (Big Island)
  1. Hualalai Resort/Kailua Kona, HI (Big Island)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Nicklaus:         74.1 Rating/129 Slope
    • Ke’olu:              74.7 Rating/133 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (unlimited ProV1 Balls and complementary TaylorMade clubs provided).
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top-15 Public, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Mauna Lani/Auberge Resorts, Kohala Coast HI (Big Island)
  1. Mauna Lani/Kohala Coast, HI (Big Island)
  2. Auberge Resorts
    • Holes: 45 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses and Nine Hole Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Homer Flint/Raymond Cain/Robin Nelson/Rodney Wright/Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:              74.2 Rating/136 Slope
    • South:             73.3 Rating/127 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Bunker, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15 Public, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, GolfDay Top 100 Resorts
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
    • Location
Poipu Bay/Grand Hyatt, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. Poipu Bay/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. Grand Hyatt
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.7 Rating/131 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.2
    • Location
Kukui’ula, Koloa HI (Kauai)
  1. The Club at Kukui’ula/Koloa, HI (Kauai)
  2. The Lodge at Kukui’ula
Turtle Bay/Four Seasons, Kahuku HI (Kauai)
  1. Turtle Bay/Kahuku, HI (Oahu)
  2. Four Seasons
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/George Fazio
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Palmer:           75.2 Rating/134 Slope
    • Fazio:               73.8 Rating/130 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Golf Academy
    • Accommodations
    • Golf Packages
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.0
    • Location

Public Courses

Princeville Makai, Princeville HI (Kauai)
  1. Princeville Makai Golf Club/Princeville, HI (Kauai)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Rating: 75.5 Rating/135 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Junior Golf
    • Accommodations
    • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest Hawaii Top 15, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Public, GolfDay Top 100 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 100
    • Location
Ko Olina, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Ko Olina Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ted Robinson, Sr./Mark Miller
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Golf Academy.
    • Golf Academy
    • Junior Golf
    • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek Hawaii Top 15-Resorts, GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.9
    • Location
Ka’anapali, Lahaina HI (Maui)
  1. Ka’anapali Golf Club/Lahaina, HI (Maui)
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arthur Jack Snyder/Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Robin Nelson/Neil Haworth
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Ka’anapali Kai:            71.6 Rating/136 Slope
    • Royal Ka’anapali:       73.7 Rating/129 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets (250 Yard Max), Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Accommodations/Packages
    • Rankings: GolfDay Top 500 Public
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.9
    • Location
Kapolei Golf Club, Kapolei HI (Oahu)
  1. Kapolei Golf Club/Kapolei, HI (Oahu)
Royal Hawaiian, Kailua HI (Oahu)
  1. Royal Hawaiian Golf Club/Kailua, HI (Oahu)
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Perry Dye/Greg Norman
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.1 Rating/138 Slope
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Range Balls included with Greens fee.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 88.9
    • Location
Kiahuna, Poipu HI (Kauai)
  1. Kiahuna Golf Club/Poipu, HI (Kauai)
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Jr./John Colligan
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5 Rating/131 Slope
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 88.5
  • Location

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