Top courses on Oahu

[Evan_Green]

I am looking into playing a couple of rounds on Oahu.

I have heard Turtle Bay (Palmer Course) is good as well as Ko'olau.

Are these the best two courses on the island, or does anyone have other suggestions that might be better ?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Evan,
Nothing great there, but certainly dramatic--Makaha, a Billy Bell Jr. design about 30 minutes from Wakiki.

[moth]

You can also try Royal Kunia GC, designed by Robin Nelson - I think it is now public access. There is also a Dye Designs course next to Koolau which is worth a look, if only for the $8 million worth of stone retaining walls holding up the fairways!!  

[Evan Fleisher]

If you have access to only public, those choices "might" be okay...they are two of the three publics I've played on the island, so I cannot comment much further.

But...another possible choice would be Luana Hills and if you have accesss to private courses I would highly recommend Mid-Pacific Country Club.

[Stan Dodd]

Around the corner from Turtle Bay is a 9 hole public course that cost about 5 bucks to play rental clubs were a dollar or something and you got a wood and a couple of irons and a putter.  The most fun I had playing golf on Ohau.  Slag needs to check in as I know he played there and might remember the name, same town as the Ploynesian Culture Center.
Cheers

[Joel_Stewart]

If you are playing a "couple of rounds" I would play Royal Kunia the new Robin Nelson course and Luana Hills which is the Pete Dye course mentioned by Brett and Evan.  Both of these courses are short drives from Honolulu.

I haven't played Turtle Bay but its on the other side of the island and looks a little touristy for me.  

Waialae CC and Mid Pacific are both Seth Raynor courses and you can probably get on these without much problem.  There is virtually no Raynor left on either of these courses but they are better than your average Ted Robinson (Ko Olina or Waikele) courses on Oahu.

I've heard Honolulu CC has a few interesting holes?

[rjsimper]

If you are playing a "couple of rounds" I would play Royal Kunia the new Robin Nelson course and Luana Hills which is the Pete Dye course mentioned by Brett and Evan.  Both of these courses are short drives from Honolulu.

I haven't played Turtle Bay but its on the other side of the island and looks a little touristy for me.  

Waialae CC and Mid Pacific are both Seth Raynor courses and you can probably get on these without much problem.  There is virtually no Raynor left on either of these courses but they are better than your average Ted Robinson (Ko Olina or Waikele) courses on Oahu.

I've heard Honolulu CC has a few interesting holes?

Honolulu CC has an interesting hole or two, but by and large it is very ordinary and not worthwhile when you could play average golf in a much more dramatic setting.

Luana Hills is alot of fun, and GORGEOUS.

[Norbert P]

Around the corner from Turtle Bay is a 9 hole public course that cost about 5 bucks to play rental clubs were a dollar or something and you got a wood and a couple of irons and a putter.  The most fun I had playing golf on Ohau.  Slag needs to check in as I know he played there and might remember the name, same town as the Ploynesian Culture Center.
Cheers

 Whitey, great to hear that someone else out there loves the place like I do.  The name of the links course, and town, is Kahuku.  A few here have chastised it as not worthy of mention but in my eyes, and to my feet, it is a great escape from the resort CCFADs into simple old style, hidden gem golf.
  If anyone has even a slight hankering for dreaming up holes on land adjacent to an existing niner, this is it.  
  Also, you're almost guaranteed to play with locals if you go alone or as a pair.    

  The course has wind, sandy soil, blind shots and bunkers, beauteous windblown and sparse trees of a Shore Pine or juniper variety (me forgets now), perhaps a wahini to ogle at, no carts, cart scars, or cart expressways, warm rain, mucho quirko and some interesting green complexes.  

   If someone wants a golf course to be finished and presented and detailed, this is not the place.  They will cater to nobody except to take a pittance of your cash.  If you get the old guy in the hut to break a smile, you've achieved a minor miracle.  Get there early and you will play 'til sundown.
(BYOB)

   If someone wants to play a links course that allows one to dream of possibilities, this is the place.

  Aloha!  Long Live Kahuku !  

   

[Andy_Lipschultz]

Kahuku is great fun. I was on Oahu for a couple months in 2002 and had more fun there than any course. I remember thinking that this is what courses might have been like 100 years ago.

It was the most pleasing sight to me to watch surfers cross the course with their boards when the surf was up.

[Evan_Green]

Thanks to all for the many good suggestions I'll be sure to look into them-

I wasnt aware Raynor did Mid-Pacific- knew he did Waiaiae- shame to hear that the much of the Raynor was erased from these courses

I am definately intrigued from a uniqueness standpoint by Kahuku - sounds like something really unique.

Interestingly enough, I looked it up on yahoo and found a general golf in Hawaii link that says the non resident rate is $20, but the Kamaaina rate ( I have to assume that is island resident - if not someone please correct me) is $3 during the week and $4 on the weekend!! Unbelievable ! you cant even buy a Maxfli Noodle at a resort course for that price! Just curious if you can see the ocean from the course- is it nearby the ocean?

[Norbert P]

 I believe this is of the 7th.  Many views from many holes abound of crashing waves.

[Stan Dodd]

Slag,
Well stated...it was golf in it's pue Hawaiian incarnation.  The guy I played with played barefoot a wonderful lack of pretensiousness from Turtle Bay, plus I went surfing after the round.
Cheers