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 10 greatest courses span four islands — Kuki'o, Kukui'ula, Nanea, Waialae, and The Club at Hokuli'a are private; Kapalua Plantation, Manele, Mauna Kea, Kohanaiki, and Princeville Makai are resort-accessible. The primary challenge is multi-island travel logistics and resort costs.
#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 Course at Four SeasonsLanai City, Hawaii
Nicklaus-designed layout perched on Lanai's southern sea cliffs, with three oceanfront holes played directly above the Pacific. Resort access via Four Seasons.
#3 on trail
Kapalua Golf Club (Plantation Course)Lahaina, Hawaii
Coore & Crenshaw's 1991 layout on Maui's Plantation ridge plays downhill through trade winds with expansive fairways. Host of the PGA Tour's The Sentry.
#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 10 greatest public courses — Manele, Kapalua Plantation, Mauna Kea, Princeville Makai, Hualalai, Poipu Bay, and others — span five islands and represent the full range of Hawaiian golf, from oceanfront lava courses on the Big Island to windswept Maui resort layouts. Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Robert Trent Jones Jr., and Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw all have signature work on this trail. A multi-trip pursuit by nature — completing it requires island-hopping across Lanai, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai.
#1 on trail
Manele Golf Course at Four SeasonsLanai City, Hawaii
Nicklaus-designed layout perched on Lanai's southern sea cliffs, with three oceanfront holes played directly above the Pacific. Resort access via Four Seasons.
#2 on trail
Kapalua Golf Club (Plantation Course)Lahaina, Hawaii
Coore & Crenshaw's 1991 layout on Maui's Plantation ridge plays downhill through trade winds with expansive fairways. Host of the PGA Tour's The Sentry.
#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.
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