Local KnowledgeCourses / Best in state
Best Public Golf Courses in Hawaii
Experts + Golfers + Story + Architect + Challenge + Access = the Total Score
- 1Kapalua - The Plantation CourseKapalua · Resort · Est. 1991Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw8.3Destination★ 4.8Online Golfer Rating
66 reviews from GolfPass - 2Manele Golf CourseLanai City · Resort · Est. 1993Jack Nicklaus8.2Destination★ 4.9Online Golfer Rating
16 reviews from GolfPass - 3Mauna Kea Golf CourseKohala Coast · Resort · Est. 1964Robert Trent Jones Sr. (renovated by Robert Trent Jones Jr., 2008)8.1Destination★ 4.6Online Golfer Rating
582 reviews from GolfPass - 4Princeville Makai Golf Club - Makai CoursePrinceville · Resort · Est. 1971Robert Trent Jones Jr.7.9Destination★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
120 reviews from GolfPass - 5Wailea Golf Club - Gold CourseKihei · Resort · Est. 1994Robert Trent Jones Jr.7.5Destination★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
79 reviews from GolfPass - 6Poipu Bay Golf CourseKoloa · Resort · Est. 1991Robert Trent Jones Jr.7.3Memorable★ 4.6Online Golfer Rating
207 reviews from GolfPass - 7Wailea Golf Club - Emerald CourseWailea · Public · Est. 1994Robert Trent Jones Jr.7.2Memorable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
93 reviews from GolfPass - 8Mauna Lani Resort - North CoursePuakō · Resort · Est. 1988Homer Flint, Raymond Cain and Robin Nelson6.9Memorable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
60 reviews from GolfPass - 9Ocean Course at HokualaHokuala · Resort · Est. 1988Jack Nicklaus6.8Memorable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
133 reviews from GolfPass - 10Hualalai Golf ClubKailua-Kona · Resort · Est. 1996Jack Nicklaus6.8Memorable★ 4.1Online Golfer Rating
7 reviews from GolfPass
How we rank
Public courses only — anyone can book a tee time (public, municipal, resort, semi-private, university). Each course gets a Formula 18 Golf Total Score out of 10 with one word (Legendary, Destination, Memorable, Playable, Unsolved), cited on its page. Not enough to go on yet? It reads Uncharted. Expert lists, golfer stars, challenge, access and threads make the score. A notable architect and a real story add bonus points, and missing ones never count against a course. See the full formula →Editor’s picks are placed by the Formula 18 Golf team. Played one that belongs higher? Tell us.