CaddieTrail Guide
Hawaii golf spans five islands and represents the full range of what the sport can be — oceanfront lava courses on the Big Island, windswept Maui resort layouts, and Kauai's clifftop scenery. Completing either trail requires island-hopping by design.
Hawaii's ten greatest courses stretch across five islands, from Oahu's oldest championship club to lava-field layouts on the Kona coast, cliffside holes above the Pacific, and upcountry courses cut through old plantation land. Six are private and admit almost no one; four are attached to resorts and open to guests. The pursuit is defined less by any single round than by what it takes to assemble them — inter-island flights, resort stays, and for the private half, an introduction.
#1 on trail
Nanea Golf ClubKailua-Kona, Hawaii
David McLay Kidd designed 18 holes across raw lava fields on the Kona Coast, creating one of Hawaii's most dramatic and exclusive private layouts.
#2 on trail
Manele Golf CourseLanai, Hawaii
- The Manele Golf Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993. - It is located along the rugged coast of Lanai, with the design incorporating several hundred acres of natural lava outcroppings. - The course features three holes on cliffs which use the Pacific Ocean as a water hazard. - Four Seasons Resort Lanai is home to the course. Jack Nicklaus 1993 design carved into Lanai's volcanic coastline, with three holes playing directly along Pacific cliffs. Resort access via Four Seasons.
#3 on trail
Kapalua (Plantation)Lahaina, Hawaii
Coore/Crenshaw's 1991 resort layout on Maui's volcanic slopes plays dramatically downhill, with sweeping elevation changes and persistent trade winds shaping every shot.
#4 on trail
Kuki'o Golf and Beach ClubKailua-Kona, Hawaii
Tom Fazio design carved through raw lava fields on the Kona Coast. Private access, ocean views on multiple holes, and a layout that demands precision over power.
#5 on trail
Mauna Kea Golf CourseWaimea, Hawaii
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1964, this oceanside resort track on the Big Island plays across dramatic lava fields with Pacific carry shots on several holes.
#6 on trail
The Club at Hokuli'aKealakekua, Hawaii
Jack Nicklaus design on Hawaii's Big Island, routed across dramatic lava fields along the Kona Coast. Private access. 18 holes.
Hawaii's ten greatest publicly accessible courses reach across four islands — oceanfront lava layouts on the Kona and Kohala coasts, clifftop holes above the Pacific on Kauai, resort courses cut into the West Maui slopes, and a windswept perch on Lanai. Every one is attached to a resort, so the golf is bookable; the pursuit is the travel. Completing it means island-hopping, and no two of these can be played from the same bed.
#1 on trail
Manele Golf CourseLanai, Hawaii
- The Manele Golf Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993. - It is located along the rugged coast of Lanai, with the design incorporating several hundred acres of natural lava outcroppings. - The course features three holes on cliffs which use the Pacific Ocean as a water hazard. - Four Seasons Resort Lanai is home to the course. Jack Nicklaus 1993 design carved into Lanai's volcanic coastline, with three holes playing directly along Pacific cliffs. Resort access via Four Seasons.
#2 on trail
Kapalua (Plantation)Lahaina, Hawaii
Coore/Crenshaw's 1991 resort layout on Maui's volcanic slopes plays dramatically downhill, with sweeping elevation changes and persistent trade winds shaping every shot.
#3 on trail
Mauna Kea Golf CourseWaimea, Hawaii
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1964, this oceanside resort track on the Big Island plays across dramatic lava fields with Pacific carry shots on several holes.
#4 on trail
Princeville Makai Golf ClubPrinceville, Hawaii
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1971, this Kauai resort course plays along dramatic ocean bluffs on the North Shore. Several holes border sea cliffs above Hanalei Bay.
#5 on trail
Hualalai Golf CourseKailua-Kona, Hawaii
Jack Nicklaus design on Hawaii's Big Island, routed through lava fields and oceanside terrain. Resort access via Four Seasons Hualalai.
#6 on trail
Poipu Bay Golf CourseKoloa, Hawaii
Robert Trent Jones Jr. design on Kauai's south shore, opened 1991. Ocean views frame several holes along rugged lava coastline. Public resort access.
CaddieTrail is the pursuit platform for serious golfers.