The 10 Best Golf Courses in Hawaii You Can Play (2026)

The best golf courses in Hawaii you can play are Kapalua's Plantation Course on Maui, Manele on Lanai (resort guests only) and Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island. For value, Wailua Golf Course on Kauai is a county-run municipal course that welcomes visitors who reserve by phone.

The list at a glance

| # | Course | Location | Access | Best for | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Kapalua: Plantation Course | Lahaina, Maui | Resort (daily fee) | PGA Tour history | | 2 | Manele Golf Course | Lanai City, Lanai | Resort guests only | Clifftop ocean holes | | 3 | Mauna Kea Golf Course | Kamuela, Hawaii Island | Resort (public tee times) | Classic design, ocean par 3 | | 4 | Makai Golf Club | Princeville, Kauai | Public | North Shore ocean holes | | 5 | Poipu Bay Golf Course | Koloa, Kauai | Resort (public tee times) | Grand Slam history | | 6 | Wailea Golf Club: Gold | Kihei, Maui | Resort (public tee times) | Two-course trip | | 7 | Mauna Lani: South Course | Kohala Coast, Hawaii Island | Resort (call to book) | Lava-field golf | | 8 | Turtle Bay: Arnold Palmer Course | Kahuku, Oahu | Public | Resort golf outside Honolulu | | 9 | Ko Olina Golf Club | Kapolei, Oahu | Resort (public tee times) | Easy trip from Waikiki | | 10 | Wailua Golf Course | Lihue, Kauai | Municipal | Best value |

How we chose

Every course here takes public tee times except one clearly marked resort-guest course. We ranked by Golf Digest and Golfweek recognition, design pedigree and the visitor experience, spread picks across five islands and included a municipal value option. Facts were checked against course websites in October 2026; private clubs are listed separately.

1. Kapalua: Plantation Course

Location: Lahaina, HI · Access: Resort (daily-fee play welcome) · Holes: 18 (par 73) · Designer: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw · Island: Maui

The Plantation hosted the PGA Tour's season opener from 1999 through 2025 and plays to 7,596 yards from the Tour tees. Golfweek's Best 2026 ranks it 27th among all U.S. courses you can play and second in Hawaii. Golf Digest puts it third in the state, private clubs included (2025).

Drought and water restrictions canceled the 2026 Tour event and closed the course for turf recovery in fall 2025. It reopened on Nov. 10, 2025, and hosts the LPGA's LOTTE Championship in March 2027. The sister Bay Course remains closed.

Around the greens: The greens are TifEagle Bermuda, so read the grain: chips into it check up, and chips down-grain release farther. See our slope and grain adjustments.

2. Manele Golf Course

Location: Lanai City, HI · Access: Resort guests only · Holes: 18 · Designer: Jack Nicklaus · Island: Lanai

Manele is a Nicklaus signature course above Hulopoe Bay on Lanai's south coast. Three holes sit on the cliffs with the Pacific as the hazard, and other tee shots carry gorges and ravines. Golf Digest ranks it second in Hawaii (2025), behind only the private Nanea.

The Four Seasons states that the course is not open to day visitors, so plan on a resort stay. Five sets of tees on each hole let you pick a sensible length.

Around the greens: With the ocean in play on the cliff holes, aim pitches at the safe side of the green instead of the flag.

3. Mauna Kea Golf Course

Location: Kamuela, HI · Access: Resort (public online tee times) · Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr. (1965) · Island: Hawaii Island

Mauna Kea opened on Feb. 1, 1965, months before the hotel it was built to serve. Its signature is the third hole, played across the ocean. The fairways, bunkers and greens were recently renovated, and Golf Digest ranks it fifth in Hawaii (2025).

The resort's tee-time page also books its sister course, Hapuna, an Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay design from 1992. It suits players who value classic architecture.

Around the greens: The resort describes elevated, undulating greens and coastal wind, so use enough loft to carry the edge and commit to a precise landing spot.

4. Makai Golf Club

Location: Princeville, HI · Access: Public · Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr. (renovated 2010) · Island: Kauai

Makai was Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s first solo design, and he led its renovation, completed in early 2010. Six holes play along the ocean on Kauai's North Shore. Golfweek's Best 2026 ranks it tied for 57th among U.S. courses you can play and third in Hawaii.

Tee times book online. It suits golfers who want a top-ranked course without needing a specific hotel stay.

Around the greens: On a course you have never seen, hit a handful of practice chips to learn the release before you trust a landing spot. Our 15-minute pre-round routine covers it.

5. Poipu Bay Golf Course

Location: Koloa, HI · Access: Resort (public online tee times) · Holes: 18 · Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr. · Island: Kauai

Poipu Bay hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 1994 to 2006, with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els among its winners. The course sits between mountains and ocean cliffs beside the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Golf Digest ranks it 12th in Hawaii (2025).

It pairs well with Makai for a two-course Kauai trip, one on the North Shore and one on the south.

Around the greens: The greens are seashore paspalum, a surface most mainland golfers rarely see, so test a few chips on the practice green first.

6. Wailea Golf Club: Gold

Location: Kihei, HI · Access: Resort (public online tee times) · Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jr. · Island: Maui

Wailea's Gold and Emerald courses are both Robert Trent Jones Jr. designs. Golfweek's Best 2025 ranks Gold 93rd and Emerald 122nd among U.S. resort courses. Golf Digest puts Gold 14th in Hawaii (2025).

Two courses on one property make Wailea a practical base for a Maui golf trip. Gold is the higher-ranked of the pair.

Around the greens: Check the practice green speed before each round; don't assume Gold and Emerald run the same on a given day.

7. Mauna Lani: South Course

Location: Kohala Coast, HI · Access: Resort (book through the reservations team) · Island: Hawaii Island

The South Course plays through ancient lava fields, and its 15th hole carries over the water. The North Course winds through a kiawe forest. Golfweek's Best 2026 ranks North seventh and South 11th in Hawaii.

The resort offers a Players Pass and annual membership. In 2026 its site directed golfers to call reservations at 855-201-3179 while online booking was down.

Around the greens: Lava borders many holes, so a short-sided miss can be lost; aim pitches at the fat part of the green.

8. Turtle Bay: Arnold Palmer Course

Location: Kahuku, HI · Access: Public · Holes: 18 · Designer: Arnold Palmer (1992) · Island: Oahu

The Palmer Course is part of the Ritz-Carlton O'ahu, Turtle Bay in Kahuku. The course describes itself as public and open to all skill levels, and Golf Digest ranks it 20th in Hawaii (2025).

It suits Oahu visitors who want resort golf away from Waikiki. The property has a golf school and practice facilities.

Around the greens: Spend five minutes on the putting green before you tee off; it is the quickest way to calibrate landing spots for the day.

9. Ko Olina Golf Club

Location: Kapolei, HI · Access: Resort (public online tee times) · Island: Oahu

Ko Olina hosted the LPGA Tour's LOTTE Championship from 2012 to 2019. The club runs a shared shuttle from Waikiki and Kahala for groups of two or more.

It is the easiest quality round for golfers staying in Honolulu without a car. Golfweek's 2024 list ranks it 15th among Hawaii public-access courses.

Around the greens: Ko Olina posts its aeration dates. Freshly sanded greens roll slower, so land chips a little farther on if you play just after.

10. Wailua Golf Course

Location: Lihue, HI · Access: Municipal · Holes: 18 (par 72) · Designer: Toyo Shirai (second nine added 1961) · Island: Kauai

Wailua is run by the County of Kauai. It began as a nine-hole course in the 1930s and grew to 18 in 1961. Golfweek's 2024 list ranks it 14th among Hawaii public-access courses.

Visitors pay non-resident rates and must reserve by phone at 808-241-6666, since walk-ons are not allowed. It suits golfers who want a municipal round alongside their resort golf.

Around the greens: Municipal greens can run at a different speed than the resort courses on this list, so ask the shop for the day's reading.

Private clubs worth knowing

• Nanea Golf Club (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island): David McLay Kidd design, ranked No. 1 in Hawaii by Golf Digest (2025). Member invitation required.
• Kukio Golf Club (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island): ranked fourth in Hawaii by Golf Digest (2025). Member invitation required.
• Kohanaiki Golf & Ocean Club (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island): Rees Jones design. Member invitation required.
• The Club at Kukui'ula (Koloa, Kauai): Tom Weiskopf design. Member invitation required.
• Waialae Country Club (Honolulu, Oahu): Seth Raynor design. Member invitation required.

Tips for playing golf in Hawaii

• Golf is year-round, but check each course's aeration calendar before you book. Makai, Ko Olina and Manele all post maintenance dates.
• Water restrictions on Maui closed Kapalua's Bay Course and briefly the Plantation in 2025. Confirm status before planning a Kapalua trip.
• Book directly with the course. Some Oahu courses, such as Kapolei, require Hawaii ID to book, and Manele is for resort guests only.
• Turf is different from most mainland golf. Kapalua has Bermuda greens and Poipu Bay has seashore paspalum, so expect grain and practice before each round.
• The Kapalua Tour event has moved to Torrey Pines from 2027. If you want to play that course too, see our guide to the best golf courses near San Diego.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best golf course in Hawaii you can play?

Kapalua's Plantation Course on Maui is the best course in Hawaii most visitors can book. The Coore and Crenshaw design hosted the PGA Tour's season opener from 1999 to 2025. Golfweek's Best 2026 ranks it 27th in the U.S. among courses you can play, and second in Hawaii.

What is the best value golf course in Hawaii?

Wailua Golf Course on Kauai is the value pick. It is a par-72 county course designed by Toyo Shirai, and it takes visitor reservations by phone. Golfweek's 2024 list ranks it 14th among Hawaii public-access courses.

Can the public play Manele Golf Course on Lanai?

Not as a day visitor. The Four Seasons Resort Lanai says the course is not available for day guest use, so you need to stay at the resort to play. Manele is a Jack Nicklaus signature design ranked second in Hawaii by Golf Digest (2025).

When is the best time to play golf in Hawaii?

Golf in Hawaii runs all year. Plan around course maintenance instead: several courses close for a few days each year for aeration, and water restrictions have affected Kapalua. Check each course's website for closures before booking travel.

How do I handle unfamiliar green speeds on a new course?

Ask the pro shop for the day's Stimpmeter reading, then hit a few chips on the practice green to see how the ball releases. Bermuda and paspalum greens also have grain. Our green speed guide explains how to adjust your landing spot.

Find your landing zone on every green

From TifEagle Bermuda at Kapalua to seashore paspalum at Poipu Bay, the greens on this list use grasses many visiting golfers rarely play. Green speed changes where every chip should land, and it changes from course to course. ELZS (Essential Landing Zone Systems) turns three inputs, your distance to the hole, your club and the green speed, into the number of paces to land the ball so it rolls out to the hole. It was built by former teaching pro Chaz H. Smith and comes as an app for iOS and Android and as a waterproof pocket chartbook. Before your next round, ask the pro shop how fast the greens are running, then look up your landing zone and chip with a plan.

Download ELZS for iPhone · Get ELZS on Android · Learn how landing zones work