Hey guys,

I'm headed to Honolulu next week and want to play a couple of rounds. I wanted to play Ko'Olina or Makaha but the prices are outrageous. Can anyone suggest a good course about $75-$100? Or even less like Pali? I'm about a 5-10 handicap and would like to play a fairly challenging course. Can someone suggest a way to play Ko'Olina or Makaha for cheaper?

Thanks,

Tenn

 

u gotta go with someone local here. I just went to Royal Kunia w/ my co-workers, and it was $55 local, and $75 otherwise. And Makaha sucks. You want a nice course and a good challenge, go to Turtle Bay, or Iraquois Point. Locally it's about $60, but i don't know how much it will be for other people.

 

Yeah, those kamaina (sp?) rates are bad ***. Since I look sorta local my wife and I were able to get Kamina rates for sushi at the Marriott.

Anyway, I'll check them out. Thanks for the help. Are there any other courses you recommend (cheap or otherwise)? I played the Kaneohe Klipper on the military base and it was awesome!

thanks,

Tenn

 

Yeah I found out the hard way in Maui that there are two prices for everything. 1 Tourist Price 2 Local

 

get onto Bellows air force recreation area, the course has an outstanding view.

 

I'm a former Navy Brat.. However, I don't have a military ID anymore.. Can I still get in?

 

No,
There are several military forum guys there that should be able to play a round of golf with you while you are there.

 

Go play Koolau, not too expensive and be sure to bring extra *****. I think it's rated the 3rd hardest course in the country. Super fun. For a pretty course thats not too expensive I like Royal Kunia, Olomana or Waikele. Hawaii Kai is cheap but the greens are terrible and while I play Pali more than any other course, thats just cuz its so shitty you can get on without a tee time on a sunday morning. I'd skip it if you have other options since you're here on vacation.

 

Oh also cheap and nice is Ala Wai, but the wait is terrible cuz its right next to Waikiki so it's super crowded. Easiest ****ing course though, go if you want to feel good about yourself.

 

DJ Thanks for the suggestions.. I'm looking it up as we speak.

 

What are your thoughts on Hawaii Kai and Pali??

 

Let's see.................it'll take forever and condition sucks (almost always).

 

There are two Makaha Courses.............Makaha East and Makaha West as we call them. They are aka Makaha Valley and Sheraton Makaha. East is the shorter course and West the longer and definitely harder. West has some really grainy greens to the point where it's just not possible to read unless you play there a lot.........plus the greens keeper cuts pins in stupid areas.

Hardest course you can play on Oahu is Koolau. Play from the tips and it's death. A ton of forced carries, fairways necking down, decent lies if you are in the fairway, but it can get pretty wet. If it rains you can count on a round where you can lose a ball in the fairway (as in 9.95 due to the ripped entry into the fairway from your tee shot). Oh yeah last time (couple of years ago) I had a hard time on the greens because I wasn't able to adjust for the speed of the mud greens and couldn't figure out how moss breaks.

 

So...........best of the rest. I'm goin to break this into several different posts so I don't time out (moving west to east side of Oahu).

Ko Olina - yes it's expensive (even for the locals). It's still essentially a resort course. Condition is usually decent and pace of play is OK. If I was visiting from the mainland I wouldn't pay the money.

Royal Kunia - greens aren't in the greatest condition. It's a reasonably fun course, but has some quirks to it. Not difficult for a single digit player.

New Ewa - short course, but tight in some spots. Much better condition over the past several years after their renovation.

Coral Creek - shortish course, linkish in its character. If the rough is grown out, it can play tough......not your standard bermuda grass, I forget what it is, but the rough is nasty when it's long.

 

http://www.808golf.com/listallcourse...t_all.htm#Oahu
Check out the link for more info to the Hawaii courses.



Hawaii Prince - resort course. Three 9 hole layouts. They have tournaments there from time to time. Linkish in that it's defense is the wind and water. Play from the back tees and its a different (hard) course. Play it after a tournament and the greens can be incredibly quick (and grainy due to bermuda).

Barbers Point (Navy course) - shortish course. Exposed (as is pretty much everything on the Ewa plain) to wind. No wind and the course is really short with smallish greens. With the wind the greens become hard to hit and it turns into a chipping day.

Hawaii Country Club - don't bother............but if you are really stupid, then take a hard hat when you play.

Kapolei - resortish course. Not really hard, linkish. No bermuda greens, wide fairways, light rough. Fun place to play and condition of the course is usually pretty good.

 

Leileihua - Army course. Parkland layout. Large trees. Not really hard, but it's on the longer side. Pace of play is good, usually don't have to deal with the meatheads at the municipal courses (I'm not covering any munis - except Pali which you specifically mentioned). I don't have a home course, but if I did, this would be it.

Mililani - it's a dog track. Glacial pace of play. Very straight forward parkland course. Greens are usually beat as are the fairways.

Navy Marine (Navy course, but off base) - linkish. They just renovated a couple of years ago. Some moguls and undulations on the course. The pro was a total ******** the last time I played there. It's tough to get a time unless you are active duty military (read Navy or Marine, not Army or Air Force) or know one.

Hickam (Air Force on Hickam AFB) - linkish. If you can get on Hickam you can probably play. If you are Navy then you are a second class citizen as they definitely cater to the Air Fore guys..........it's a Navy/Air Force kinda unspoken war. If you can play there it's worth it.

 

Pearl Country Club - they hold pro qualifier and pro tourneys. It is a bit on the short side, but there's a lot of slope. Throw in some wind and it's challenging. Play after a tournament and it can be unfair as the bermuda greens can play like glass. It's probably worth the effort to play.

Kalakaua - doesn't exist anymore.

Olomana - short linkish course. Condition usually sucks on the front 9. Ain't worth the money.

Luana Hills - short course. It's tight and hilly and quirky. It can be a challenge if you are long and wild (like me). If you are short and straight you should eat the course up. If it's wet when you come down, I'd avoid it.

 

Turtle Bay - there's the Palmer Course and the Fazio Course. I wouldn't play the Fazio unless you want a warm up for the Palmer. The Palmer I like, it's linkish and non bermuda greens. Choose the right tee and the character of the course changes. Expect plenty of wind.


Well that's about the run down of the public/military/semi-private courses you can play. If it's not on this list it's probably not possible or probably not worth it.

 

No offense but I dunno how helpful that was to him, you listed a bunch of courses he can't play because hes either not a member or not military and a bunch of expensive courses mixed in with the others and didn't differentiate for him. I personally wouldn't play the Makaha courses unless you're staying near them, they're quite a drive.
Of everything he listed the ones that are affordable and open to the public and nice (in my opinion) are Olomana, Luana Hills, Coral Creek, Royal Kunia, and Koolau. Also note, New Ewa might be great but I haven't been since before the renovation so I have no idea if it still sucks.

 

Hey guys! thanks again! I checked on Ebay and there was a deal for the Ko'Olau course. I ended up getting it for $65. Thanks for the help DJ. I would like to play Turtle (palmer), Ko'Olina or pearl CC, we'll see how much money I have left. I want to learn how to surf and do stuff with the wifey. So, I may not be able to get a second round in.

Anyway.. Aloha fellas and PM me if you guys want to hook up in to play..

Peace,

Tenn