Maui Golf

Hawaii Golf Vacations and Maui Golf Courses

Maui, holder of the 2007 Conde Naste Traveller title to "World's Best Island,"  plays host to over 15 Hawaii golf courses. Several of the Hawaii golf courses on Maui rank at or near the top worldwide in many categories. Combine this with the amazing beauty and culture of Maui, and you have the perfect location for a fantastic Hawaii golf vacation.

Here is a sampling of the golfers' paradise you will find on Maui: 

Kaanapali Resort Courses – Golfers from high handicappers to near-pros love the two golf courses at Kaanapali. The legendary 36 holes of Kaanapali play through the beautiful foothills of West Maui. World-class Kaanapali has hosted pro tournaments including the Senior PGA Kaanapali Classic and the LPGA Kemper Open.  Featuring the "Number 3 Most Thrilling Hole in Hawaii – Kaluakoi Hole No. 3, par 3,184 yards".  Voted by the Seattle Post Intelligencer, these incredible golf courses were designed by Robin Nelson and NBC golf analyst Mark Rolfing.

• Tournament North Course – This is one of only two golf courses in Hawaii designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.  The 6,700 yard, par 71 golf course doesn't waste an inch of West Maui's scenic beauty and is both distinctive and demanding. Prevailing trade winds add to the challenge. This golf course lays claim to one of the best finishing holes in the state, described by Arnold Palmer one of the most challenging holes he'd ever played. The North Gold Course also offers the largest, most contoured greens on Maui. It has opened the U.S. Open Local and Sectional Qualifiers in 2005. The Tournament golf course offers 419 Bermuda fairways and water features on four holes. 
   
• Resort South Course - An Arthur Jack Snyder design, this golf course was recently renovated (2005) by Hawaii's famous golf architect, Robin Nelson. At nearly 6,400 yards, this par 70 golf course combines narrow fairways with more forgiving greens. The renovation included replanting of greens with Tifeagle, all new bunkering and the redesigning of several holes to incorporate the area's natural beauty and views of the Pacific. Water comes into play on three holes, and gusts of trade winds add a new dimension to golf club selection. An additional forward tee box was added to allow for a more strategic round of golf, making this a great golf course for the beginning as well as the avid golfer. 

Kapalua Golf Resort Courses  - Recognized by Golf Magazine as Hawaii's Best golf resort, Kapulua offers two golf courses that are situated on Maui's northwestern shore at the rolling foothills of Puu Kukui. Kapalua Golf Resort also plays host to the well known Kapalua Golf Academy, a state-of-the-art instructional facility where golfers can learn the basics or hone their skills. The teaching staff includes over 30 PGA Professionals.

• The Bay Course – Designed by Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane, this golf course was the forerunner to Kapalua Resort's other two championship golf courses; Resort golf at its best, the Bay Course is a 6,600-yard par 72 with gently rolling fairways and generous greens. 
   
• The Plantation Course – This par 73, 7,411-yard golf course is known as the "Course of the Champions." The Plantation Course is home to the  PGA TOUR Mercedes-Benz Championship, which features an impressive  field of previous year's PGA TOUR winners. The field has included golf greats such as Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Ernie Els, Davis Love III and many more. The golf course, designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, plays across natural geographic formations and pineapple plantation fields that are awe-inspiring. 

 Wailea Golf Courses - Sunny days and gentle breezes add to the charm of these golf courses located at the hot spot for Hawaii golf vacations, the south shore of Maui. All three of these resort golf courses provide fantastic views of the Pacific and nearby islands. The quality of the courses, accommodations, amenities and legendary spirit of aloha led Wailea Golf Resort's course to be rated among the best golf courses in the country by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. 

• Wailea Gold - This "thinking player's course" is the home course of The Champions Skins Game. This 7,078-yard golf course is the most challenging of Wailea’s trio. Its rugged and masterful design takes advantage of the terrain’s natural undulations, but four to six tee boxes on every hole also make it a suitable track for just about any golfer. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the Wailea Gold Course was honored by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest as one of the country’s ten best new resort courses. The golf course has also been recognized by the Maui Historical Society for its preservation of prehistoric lava rock walls, and it has been dubbed one of the world’s best-designed courses by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler. 
   
• Wailea Blue - Meandering across the foothills of 10,023-foot Haleakala, a dormant volcano, the pristine fairways of the Wailea Old Blue Course reach 6,765 yards from its tips. This beauty is an Arthur Jack Snyder classic. With its cooling fountains, peaceful lakes, tropical blossoms and white sand bunkers, the Blue is a true Hawaiian resort course. Immaculate fairways are woven through the resort, so golfers also enjoy a picturesque tour of Wailea Resort including spectacular views of the a ocean and dramatic volcanic slopes. The graceful design and generous fairways offer a nice repast for weekend golfers, while elevation changes and strategically placed hazards have tested some of the best professional players. Ocean vistas are found at every hole. 
   
• Wailea Emerald  – This 6,825-yard golf course was designed for fun. The Emerald Course is a repeat winner of Top Fairways Award from Golf for Women Magazine for having the country’s most women-friendly golf clubs. This golf course delights golfers with its carpet-like fairways, colorful foliage, and multiple vistas of the Pacific Ocean and Haleakala. Relatively few forced carries and kinder fairways make this course a great choice for golfers looking for enjoyable recreation, while golfers seeking a greater challenge, have four to six tee boxes on every hole allowing them to tailor the course to their skill level. One of the distinctive features of this golf course is the double green shared by holes number 10 and number 17. The green borders a lake that provides one of the picturesque spots on the course.

Makena Golf Courses - This exceptional Robert Trent Jones, Jr. design offers 36 spectacular holes on an incredibly pristine golf course. Located on 1,800 acres of unspoiled, natural beauty; both the North and South Courses at Makena are a golf paradise. It's no wonder this golf course is home to the Hawaii State Open. These golf courses are well known for their layout, excellent daily tournament playing conditions, helpful staff, and unparalleled golfing weather.

• North Course – Just as the South Course, the North Course offers a peaceful escape. On this Hawaii golf course, you will find no distractions, unless you consider unobstructed views of the blue pacific, neighboring islands, and humpback whales to be distractions. This is the more challenging of the two Makena golf courses, for more reasons than just the captivating scenery. Ancient Hawaiian rock walls, natural gullies, and streambeds are all part of the design. The course's other highlights include a 200-foot drop between the tee and green. 
   
• South Course – In addition to the tranquility of the North Golf Course, the South Course provides a sublime experience for golfers of every level. Its remote setting and well-spaced tee times make this golf course a favorite of many Maui golfers. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., this is 6,739-yard, par 72 golf course with natural rolling fairways, undulating greens, and views of the ocean and Haleakala. This Makena golf course is home to one of Hawaii’s top driving holes, the par-5 number ten. According to members of the PGA Aloha Section, number ten was selected as one of the top par 5’s in Hawaii.  Tucked between a view of the Puu Olai cinder cone and the clubhouse with the Ulupalakua Ranch in the background, the tenth hole is a long 502 yards.

 If you're planning  island hopping, check out the Hawaii golf course vacations on these islands:

• Kauai Golf Courses– The island known best for its natural beauty, is also host to what happens to be the top rated Hawaii golf course. You will also find many world-class resorts on this Garden Isle.
• Oahu Golf Courses  – This island offers 30 golf courses, several pro golf championships and more things to keep the family busy than any other island.  
• Lanai Golf Courses - Once known as the "Pinapple Island", this tiny but beaufiful Hawaii island now hosts a Golf Digest "Top Ten" golf course. 
• Big Island Golf Courses  – Possibly the world's most unique setting for a golf course, the Big Island of Hawaii is home to one of the worlds most challenging golf courses.
• Molokai Golf Courses – Take a ferry from Maui and step back in time to the "Most Hawaiian Island." On Molokai you can tee off at a par-72 golf course that is as challenging as the views of the deserted beach below are beautiful.