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mike_beene

  • Karma: +0/-0
Big Island
« on: January 05, 2013, 12:49:01 AM »
It has been years since I played on the Big Island but a trip has come up.Anybody have recent reports on the current conditions of courses?I believe Mana Kea was redone a few years ago?Are these new private courses just a novelty or worth the effort to get on?Any place allow walking? Last thread I found in search was several years old.
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Stan Dodd

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2013, 01:24:43 AM »
Mike,
I live in Kona.  Mauna Kea is pretty good and is in great shape.  The best of the new is Nanea if you can get access.  The only course that allows walking is Hilo Muni.  Would be happy to have you play as my guest at Makalei, cart ball on a severe sight but has some funs shots.
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Kevin_Reilly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2013, 01:26:24 AM »
Stan, any sign of life at the Kona Village?
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"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Stan Dodd

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2013, 09:53:53 PM »
Kona is unique.  Maybe the best weather anywhere, minus the VOG.  The local Alii walk the streets ranging from homeless to mega millionaires.
The golf is just so so.  The Kona Country Club courses are forgettable condo golf with each nine  having a 175 yard hole on the water.  The conditioning is muni worthy.  The privates up the coast are better and some good but a bit pricey.
Makalei where I play is $59 a month plus $15 for a cart each round, basically unwalkable.  the clubhouse is at 2,000 feet and the top of the course is at 3,000.
Hapuna is fun and has a decent local rate.
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Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 10:12:15 PM »
Aren't the Aliii the Hawaiian gods?   When I was a young Navy LTJG stationed at Pearl Harbor, Don Ho's back up band was The Aliis.  Loved that pace but not much decent golf.   

Stan, Kona?  Hard to keep up, I thought you were in Dornoch!
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Stan Dodd

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2013, 12:05:29 PM »
Dornoch in summer, kona the rest of the time...life is rough
The alii are Hawaiian royalty my use was tongue in cheek. 
The people that frequent Alii Drive are ... quite a collection of life's misfits, visitors and other flotsam and jetsam.
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Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2013, 07:33:29 PM »
I spent a couple weeks there in 2011 and played a lot of golf.  The privates are the best golf.  Hokulia is probably the easiest to arrange.  It is a very good Nicklauys course and the setting is maagical.  Kukio and Nanea are both great but tough tickets.  Mauna Kea is head and shoulders above the other resort courses.  It is one of the best courses in the state.  Golf on the Big Island is disappointing.  Hapuna is a pretty fun course.  The wind blows and is just plain fun.  Go across the street and have a meal at the Prince Hotel.  Mauna Lani and Hulalai are disappointments.  I would play Mauna Kea and Hapuna and skip the rest unless you can get on the privates.
Now that I think about it I did enjoy Big Island CC.  It is a Perry Dye.  It has the obligatory island green but is on a nice piece of property in the mts and is a nice change of pace.
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Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Cameron DeVries

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2013, 08:22:35 PM »
I've been out to Waimea twice, I thought it was a great public course.  Some really good, tough holes and not too many weak ones.  The prices are affordable and it's a beautiful place to practice too.  (Last time I was out there was 2009 though...)

I played Mauna Kea once in 2006 and it was good, especially the third hole.  I came back a few years later after the improvements and I could really see the change in bunkering, etc.  The course looked much sleeker and I would imagine it is still in great shape.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2013, 08:57:29 PM by Cameron DeVries »
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"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their mind cannot change anything."  -George Bernard Shaw

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2013, 09:40:24 PM »
Quote from: Cameron DeVries on January 06, 2013, 08:22:35 PM
I've been out to Waimea twice, I thought it was a great public course.  Some really good, tough holes and not too many weak ones.  The prices are affordable and it's a beautiful place to practice too.  (Last time I was out there was 2009 though...)

 
Unfortunately Waimea closed this past year.  It had fallen on hard times.  Too bad.  It was an affordable place for folks in the upcountry to play.  The terrain was interesting and the holes required some thought.
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Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Cameron DeVries

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2013, 10:18:10 PM »
wow, I'm surprised to hear that.  It was my favorite course to play in the area, near Honokaa.  Yeah nice terrain and beautiful views to complement a fun golf course. 

On a side note, Hamakua is a fun place to visit for a quick cheap round.  Nice ocean views, historic property, only 6 fairways really but it is a 9 hole course with a variety of greens and tees.  Drop your greens fee in a box (honor-code) and you probably have the course to yourself most days! 
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"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their mind cannot change anything."  -George Bernard Shaw

Tommy Williamsen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2013, 10:41:16 PM »
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Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Cameron DeVries

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2013, 03:05:32 PM »
tommy

thanks for the link.  It's always sad to hear about the closing of a favorite course, but I can understand why it was not a success financially.
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"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their mind cannot change anything."  -George Bernard Shaw

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2013, 03:22:33 PM »
Wow, 17 employees for one course that is losing money ::) Sad to see a course close though.

Jon
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Tim Nugent

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2013, 07:42:35 PM »
Quote from: Stan Dodd on January 05, 2013, 09:53:53 PM
Kona is unique.  Maybe the best weather anywhere, minus the VOG.  The local Alii walk the streets ranging from homeless to mega millionaires.
The golf is just so so.  The Kona Country Club courses are forgettable condo golf with each nine  having a 175 yard hole on the water.  The conditioning is muni worthy.  The privates up the coast are better and some good but a bit pricey.
Makalei where I play is $59 a month plus $15 for a cart each round, basically unwalkable.  the clubhouse is at 2,000 feet and the top of the course is at 3,000.
Hapuna is fun and has a decent local rate.

Makalei is played not according to the intended routing.  They start at what should have been the 3rd hole.  It completely changes the pace of the course.  If you can, try playing it starting at #17.  You will then notice that it has returning 9's
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Coasting is a downhill process

Stan Dodd

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2013, 07:51:29 PM »
I can see that.  It alos brings the driving range and practice area near to the 1st tee.  Why the change?
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Jason Topp

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Re: Big Island
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2013, 11:36:54 AM »
How is the Makalei course?  On my one visit to the Big Island I did not play golf but that is the course that interested me most - in no small part because of the price. 
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Stan Dodd

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Big Island
« Reply #16 on: January 15, 2013, 12:51:48 PM »
Jason,
I play at Makalei regularly, mainly becasue of the price, but I have grown to like it.  There are some fun holes and some thrilling shots.  the site is severe about 1,00 feet difference from the first tee to the top of the course.  They did a good job in the routing so that the uphill holes are not too much of a slog.  It has the requisite drop shot par 3's.  The holes are lined with ball eating lava, scrub forest.  There are great views of the Kona coast.
The maintainence is what you would expect from an inexpensive public.  There are no houses around the course so you get a rural feel.  There is some great bird life. Francolins, pheasantts, jungle fowl (wild chickens) turkeys and maybe 100 peacocks roam the grounds.
I think it is a much better option than Kona Country Club but well behind the pricier privates.
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