Links Are Suitable For Beginners As Well As Experts
Oahu has more than three dozen golf courses, and many are located just a short drive from Honolulu and Waikiki. Spectacular ocean and mountain views are common, and the well-manicured courses are suitable for beginners as well as experts.
With Hawaii’s pleasant temperatures in the 70s and 80s, golfing on Oahu is a truly enjoyable experience. Here are some of the most enjoyable golf courses on Oahu.
Ewa Beach Golf Club (808-689-8351; 91-050 Fort Weaver Road, Ewa Beach)
Robin Nelson designed this golf course amidst kiawe trees and Hawaiian cultural sites. The course is well manicured with challenging fairways and plenty of bunkers. Hole number 13 is a signature hole covering 187 yards (par 3) and requiring a tee shot that faces straight into the wind while going over water. The course is located on the Ewa Plain is suitable for pros as well as average golfers.
Koolau Golf Club (808-236-4653; 45-550 Kionaole Road, Kaneohe)
Set beneath the majestic Koolau Mountains on the windward side, the Koolau Golf Course has won many praises from Golf Digest Magazine (best Oahu golf course) and Golf Magazine (top 100 golf courses). The holes are long and challenging with lots of sand bunkers and other hazards. This is not an ideal course for beginners but is a wonderful course for experienced golfers. Considered by some to be the hardest golf course in the United States, the Koolau course features extreme elevation changes as it winds through ravines. There are great views and also waterfalls.
Ko Olina Golf Course (808-676-5309; 92-1220 Aliinui Drive, Kapolei)
Ted Robinson designed this 640-acre oceanfront course in Kapolei on Oahu’s western shore, making it very challenging yet also scenic and enjoyable. Ka Olina Golf Course is an 18-hole championship course that is notable for its landscaping including waterfalls, and there are no parallel fairways. On hole 12 you get to drive your cart behind a waterfall. This is a very well-maintained course but it can be quite pricey. If you do some digging you can find some deals and special discounts.
Pali Golf Course (808-296-2000; 808-266-7612; 45-050 Kamehameha Highway)
Located about seven miles from Honolulu, this undulating hillside course on the Oahu’s windward side is as picturesque as it is challenging. Windy and wet conditions are common. Set beneath the stunning Koolau Mountain Range, the views are wonderful and also include a vista of Kaneohe Bay. Hole 9 has a wonderfully-framed view of a pali pinnacle.
Ala Wai Golf Course (808-733-7384; 404 Kapahulu, Waikiki)
Locals love this 6,208-yard course which is one of the most popular in all of Hawaii – up to 500 players a day try their luck on this course. Designed by Donald MacKay, this relatively flat course is located just across the Ala Wai canal from Waikiki, and it gets plenty of tradewinds. The Ala Wai Golf Course opened in 1931, and though it provides plenty of challenges the course is suitable for recreational players as well as serious golfers.
Hawaii Kai Championship Golf Course (808-395-2358; 8902 Kalanianaole Highway, Maunalua)
This lovely golf course is located about 13 miles from Waikiki in east Honolulu. Known for its narrow fairways, sand bunkers, and windy conditions, this is a championship course that is also suitable for beginners. From every hole there are great ocean views. Hawaii Kai also has a shorter executive course.
Makaha Resort Golf Club (808-695-9544; 84-626 Makaha Valley Road, Waianae)
Located in beautiful Makaha Valley beneath Mt Kaala, this golf course on Oahu’s wesern shore has 107 bunkers and 8 water hazards. The course spans the rugged Waianae Mountain cliffsides. The winds can be extremely challenging here. An easier course is located nearby.
Olomana Golf Links (808-259-7926; 1801 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo)
Located on Oahu’s windward side, Olomana Golf Links is set beneath the scenic Koolau Mountains. The first nine holes are very different than the second nine, with the front of the course having level fairways and lots of water hazards, while the back nine covers rolling hills and has lots of sand bunkers.
The Golf Courses at Turtle Bay (808-293-8574;57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku)
These two north shore golf courses – the (Arnold) Palmer Course and the George Fazio Course – provide challenging, high-quality golf at the northern tip of the island.
The Palmer Course (also called The Links at Kulima) moves from the sunny and sandy front nine in the Scottish style, to a back nine through forested areas including a wetland bird sanctuary. This was the site of the LPGA Tour SBS Open at Turtle Bay – there are five tees on each hole providing varying challenges for different player levels. The 17th green sits atop a plateau near the sea.
The George Fazio Course is known for its sculpted greens, large bunkers and wide, generous fairways. The courses span over 880 acres on Oahu’s beautiful north shore. The Fazio Course has hosted the LPGA Tour’s Hawaiian Open, and was the site of the first Senior Skins Game that included Arnold Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, and Sam Sneed.
Hawaii Prince Golf Course (808-944-4567; 91-1200 Fort Weaver Road, Ewa Beach)
Arnold Palmer designed this course that is associated with the Hawaii Prince Hotel and has great views of the rain-eroded Waianae Mountains. Very popular among Japanese visitors, the Hawaii Prince Golf Course consists of 27 holes – three interchangeable nines – amidst a great deal of water, very tight fairways, and well-placed bunkers. The course can get windy but is fairly flat, providing some considerable challenges.