Home to some of the world’s best golf, Kauai offers nine courses at seven separate locations. While it is difficult to pinpoint the best course because they all offer their own special niche, I have put together a few of my favorites.
Princeville Makai
Princeville / 808.826.1912
Ranked in the top 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses in America and #3 in the state of Hawaii by Golf Week, the championship Makai Course at Princeville offers some of the most breathtaking ocean and mountain views in all of Hawaii. Their signature holes are the Par 4 6th, Par 3 7th, and the Par 4 14th holes.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Golf Shop and Clubhouse
- Driving Range
- Dining
- Rental clubs and carts
Poipu Bay
Poipu / 808.742.8711
A winner of many awards and consistently rated among the top courses in Hawaii and the US, Poipu Bay is set eight stories above the Pacific along Kauai’s southern rugged coastline. Remains of Hawaiian heiaus and ancient stone walls are designed into this course that is a fantastic venue for golfers of all abilities. The dramatic cliffside holes, 15 and 16, are just a few of the great holes at Poipu Bay.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Golf shop and clubhouse
- Driving range
- Dining
- Showers
- Rental clubs and carts
Kukui’ula
Poipu / 808.742.3038
It’s been coined as one of the best private courses in America, and if you have had the chance to play Kukui’ula’s private course, you will know why. Weiskopf took into consideration the rolling terrain, dramatic view plains, and thrilling trade winds which results in a different set of challenges and opportunities every time you play. This upscale course is exclusive to members only which means you have to be an owner or be a guest of one. If interested in learning more about the properties available in Kukui’ula, please contact me.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Tom Weiskopf
- Golf shop and clubhouse
- Driving range
- Dining
- Locker room and showers
- Rental clubs and carts
Kiahuna Golf Club
Poipu / 808.742.9595
Once the site of an ancient Hawaiian village whose remnants are designed into the course, Kiahuna is a challenging venue with narrow fairways and unusual obstacles. The finishing 18th hole is a memorable finish to a beautiful course.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr.
- Golf shop and clubhouse
- Driving range
- Dining
- Rental clubs and carts
The Ocean Course at Hokuala
Lihue / 808.720.6693
Recently coined by MSN Travel as one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses, the Ocean Course at Hokuala (formerly Kauai Lagoons) is known for having the longest stretch of continuous oceanfront holes in all the Hawaiian Islands. Kauai’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature course received a major overhaul in 2015.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Jack Nicklaus
- Golf shop and clubhouse
- Driving range
- Dining
- Rental clubs and carts
Wailua Municipal Golf Course
Wailua / 808.241.6666
Originally designed as a 9 hole course in the 1930s, it became a complete 18 hole course in 1961. Kauai’s only municipal course, Wailua offers a great golf experience at a great price.
- 18 holes
- Architect: Toyo Shirai
- Golf shop and clubhouse
- Driving range
- Showers
- Rental clubs and carts
Kauai offers multiple neighborhoods with golf course frontage. If you are interested in seeing available inventory, please feel free to reach out to me.
William/Bill SharkMD
March 1, 2018
Would love to see more Kauai—south side. Have not been able to travel since 2011, (an only travelled to Kauai, before that—every year since 1963) Would like to see an article about Health Care on Poipu Side, if anything significant is new—thanks.