Hawaii
Is any place on earth more perfect for golf ?
By the time Hawaii became a state, in August of 1959, Arnold Palmer had carded 15 professional victories, including the first of his four Masters. He wouldn’t have known it at the time, but the state would become a beautiful part of his life story, host to golf courses he would design and to his wedding to his second wife, Kit. As such, Hawaii is a sort of “must play” pilgrimage for Palmer fans, and a dream destination for golfers in any case. Here, the aloha spirit runs deep—an irresistible facet of what might be the planet’s most perfect place for golf.
Hawaii became America’s 50th and (for now) final state on August 21, 1959, just seven months after Alaska joined the nation. That the last two states to join did so in the same year was by design, not coincidence, as Democrats in Congress believed Hawaii would be a Republican stronghold while Republicans felt Alaska would forever lean Democratic. Admitting them both at once would preserve balance, Congress believed — and it did, though not exactly to plan. Alaska long has favored the GOP, not the Dems, and blue Hawaii has rarely supported Republicans. Whether this says something about Congressional foresight or people’s unpredictability doesn’t matter in Hawaii today, where changing tides and shifting winds are a happily accepted part of life. Indeed, who wants to think about politics while palms sway overhead, tropical drinks are poured and some of the world’s best golf is waiting? And is it ever. The golf here is legendary, and Oahu is its center.
One of the few places on earth that lives up to its postcards, the main island in Hawaii— or Hawai’i, as written in the ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language)—has it all: touristpacked fun in Waikiki, remote beaches like that at Mākua, small waves, big waves, Michelin-starred restaurants, fantastic food trucks, high end, low end and everything in-between. The options are similarly diverse when it comes to golf, and whether you find yourself at a private club or on a local muni you’re bound to have a great time.
But before you hit the course, start at the beach bar under the banyan tree behind the Moana Surfrider hotel. When it was planted in 1904, the tree was roughly 7’ tall and seven years old. Today it is 75’ tall and spreads 150 feet across the courtyard, providing shade, ambience and the perfect place to enjoy a tropical cocktail while you plan your stay on Oahu. The hotel itself is lovely, a Victorian structure that opened in 1901 as the area’s first hotel and which has grown with Waikiki’s popularity over the years, adding levels and later adjacent buildings. Today it’s a far cry from the sleepy beachside “First Lady of Waikiki” favored by The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) in the 1920s, and so an hour or two among the crowds here will have you ready for the relative tranquility of a golf course. Thus begins the dilemma, because with so many great options your biggest question will not be where to play, but rather how long to delay your return flight. One more day won’t hurt (and it won’t).
Close to Waikiki
It’s never going to host a major, but the Ala Wai Golf Course (honolulu.gov/des/golf/alawai.html) is walking distance from many Waikiki hotels. It features views of Diamond Head and the Koolau mountain range, and few munis can say that. The course sits along the Ala Wai Canal, where local canoe teams practice and where locals enjoy all manner of water sports. Pour a Mai Tai into your thermos, forget the scorecard, and prepare for a charming, relaxed round not far from the beach. If nothing else, hit the driving range and knock off the jet lag before heading to greener pastures, as it were.
Not terribly far from Waikiki, on the other side of Diamond Head, sits Wai’alae Country Club (waialaecc. com), the private and stunning host to the Sony Open. Seth Raynor laid out the original track in 1927 but a Desmond Muirhead renovation in 1992 turned it into the beauty that it is today. Set in the Waialae-Kahala neighborhood, it’s a members- and guests-only affair, with a signature par-3 No.8 that enjoys a full 186 yards along the Pacific Ocean.
Continuing east along the Kalaniana’ole Highway you’ll pass the nature preserve at Hanauma Bay, famous for its epic snorkeling and kid-friendly conditions—calm and protected,
with plenty of shallow areas (hanaumabaystatepark.com). If you decide you want to spend time ogling an array of colorful fish and other sea life (and it’s worth it), the well-priced shuttle from the Waikiki hotels includes snorkeling gear and ensures you’ll get access to the bay. If you decide to drive yourself, bring your own gear and arrive very, very early in the morning as the limited parking spots go quickly. If you’d rather skip the fish and get on to more golf, Hawai’i Kai Golf Course is just up the road (hawaiikaigolf.com). The William Bell design opened to the public in 1973, with an 18-hole executive course by Robert Trent Jones joining the original championship layout some years later. Online reviews are all over the map with regard to playing conditions but, as one local wrote, most of the complaints seem to be “first world golf problems.” The ocean is in view from every hole, on a clear day Maui and Molokai are visible, and in winter whales can be spotted spouting offshore, meaning that a round here should provide some manner of a good experience regardless of whether or not course conditions are perfect. Before continuing up the highway and turning onto Oahu’s east coast, stop and watch the body surfers at Sandy Beach for a bit. The waves here break close to shore and can be huge and steep, leading to epic wipeouts. If the surf’s up you’ll see a line of photographers on the sand waiting to catch the next wreck, and it can be fun to watch (we advise against joining in unless you’re a very good swimmer in excellent shape—and always speak to the lifeguard before going into the water, no matter which beach you’re on in Hawaii.)
Heading North
Kailua is popular with windsurfers and kite surfers, famous for its consistent wind and rich views. Just half an hour’s drive from Honolulu, the pace of life here might as well have it on another island. This is a relaxed area, and so it makes a great spot for golf. The Royal Hawaiian Golf Cub (royalhawaiiangc.com) takes care of that nicely with a course originally co-designed by Pete and Perry Dye (recently redesigned by Greg Norman) and a 45,000 square-foot clubhouse with nearly every amenity a golfer could want. Set in the Maunawili Valley between the stately Mount Olomana and the Ko’olau Mountains, the course puts you at the foot of Hawaii’s dramatic rain-carved cliffs, with views in all directions. Every hole is a study in jungle beauty, with incredibly well-manicured fairways and greens framed by lava walls, swaying palms, banana and Koa
If you’re complaining, you’re not looking around; there are no bad days on course here
The Palmer design at Turtle Bay is one of Oahu’s best, and the resort is great
trees, and lush foliage. There are flowing streams with fish swimming in them, and a picture-worthy pond on No.2. It’s challenging, but if you’re looking for an immersive Hawaiian golf experience, this should do the trick.
So should the nearby Ko’olau Golf Club, and it’s no surprise that there’s a package available that allows you to play both (koolaugolfclub.com). The deal is billed as the “Jurassic Golf Package” because both courses have you in an environment reminiscent of the movie’s epic setting, and “epic” is the word. The course at Ko’Olau is a 1992 Dick Nugent design, challenging due to its use of ravines as targets for holes, large bunkers and 7,310 yards. Still, there are the views to distract from (or to blame for) any bad play.
North Shore
While most of Oahu’s golf is located in the southeastern corner of the island, the North Shore boasts an Arnold Palmer-designed course at the lovely Turtle Bay Resort, and it’s one of Oahu’s highlights (turtlebayresort.com). Perched about as far north as one can go on Oahu, the place was so beloved by Palmer that he married his second wife, Kathleen “Kit” Gawthrop, here in 2005. The course is a must-play for anyone visiting Hawaii, ranked among Golf Magazine’s “Top 10 New Courses” when it opened in 1992 and regularly earning rave reviews since then. The design is a fantastic mix of honoring both golf’s past and the site on which the course sits, as the front 9 brings a Scottish links-style layout while the back is more tropical, making its way through lush jungle. It’s also a responsible course, enclosing a 100-acre wetland known as the Punaho’olapa marsh, which provides a beautiful backdrop. Water comes into play on 14 holes, perhaps most amazingly on No.17, which offers panoramic Pacific Ocean views from the green.
If you need more, Kahuku Golf Course is just 10 minutes from Turtle Bay and offers a public option that has charmed more than a few visitors. Its nine holes may not be as well manicured as the Palmer course, but Kahuku is beloved by locals and it’s one of only three Oahu courses that plays on beachfront. The setting is Scottish in its rustic links layout but Hawaiian in spirit. Built in 1937, it hasn’t changed much since and that’s just fine with the locals.
Inland and the Return South
On the drive south to Royal Kunia Country Club from the North Shore you’ll pass right by Waimea Bay, home to waves that in winter months can run 20-25 feet high, which produces a 30-40’ face. Waimea is an important spot in the world of surfing, a historical proving ground of big wave legends and home to the “Eddie,” a big-wave tournament named for Hawaiian Eddie Aikau. Aikau was Waimea’s first lifeguard and, over his time there, he saved more than 500 people from the dangerous conditions. In fact, not a single life was lost at Waimea while he worked there, regularly braving waves more than 30’ high. Just before turning inland towards Royal Kunia you’ll pass through the town of Haleiwa, and a drink and lunch at the casual Haleiwa Joe’s is recommended, “where sandy feet are welcome” (haleiwajoes.com).
Royal Kunia sits in Waipahu, roughly equidistant from both Waikiki and the North Shore, 30 minutes from either. Sited high above the Ewa plains and overlooking the whole of the island, the views from this course are spectacular. Pearl Harbor, the Ko’olau and Waianae mountain ranges, the City of Honolulu, Diamond Head… They’re all visible from here, and really the feast for the eyes alone is worth the price of admission. The Robin Nelson-designed course reportedly is kept in good enough shape, and the on-site restaurant garners favorable reviews as well. As for a signature hole, well, that likely depends on your favorite view.
From Royal Kunia it’s a quick descent back to the sea and to Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei.
Ko Olina (koolinagolf.com) is a Ted Robinson design from 1990 and, considering its history and amenities, it’s quite a big operation. The 18 holes display a sophisticated array of design elements, including multi-tiered greens, attractive water features and challenging hazards, while the 35,000 square-foot clubhouse is a destination in its own right. Both men’s and ladies lockers have showers, steam rooms, and Jacuzzis, and the on-site retail shop has won awards. There’s even a Roy’s here—Roy’s Ko Olina—just one of 31 locations worldwide serving Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s James Beard Award-winning fusion cuisine.
Michelle Wie honed her game here while growing up in Honolulu, and the course has hosted LPGA and PGA Tour Champions events in the past. There are a number of accommodations available in the Ko Olina Resort area, and staying at any of them will get you on the course, a Hawaiian vacation unto itself.
Aloha Spirit
Before saying goodbye to Oahu, there’s another Arnold Palmer gem here to play at Hawaii Prince Golf Club (hawaiiprincegolf.com). Palmer and his longtime design partner Ed Seay built three interchangeable nines here in 1992, 27 holes laid out over 270 acres of verdant island beauty. Views of the Waianae Mountains complement brilliant white sand bunkers and strategically placed lakes on this relaxed experience so easily reached from Waikiki, and it’s easy to see why this is an area favorite. Stay at the Prince Waikiki resort (princewaikiki.com) for the complete experience, sand enjoy the golf, great dining and a great location under the swaying palms, within earshot of the waves, and far, far away from politics, work, and whatever the headlines are saying.