Hualalai Golf Club Nicklaus Course

Opened in 1996 as the centerpiece of the Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai on the Big Island's Kona coast, this Jack Nicklaus Signature layout threads roughly 7,100 yards across raw lava flows on the flank of the Hualalai volcano. Nicklaus routed the par-72 course from the resort's tropical gardens out toward the Pacific, framing fairways with jagged black a'a lava, native grasses, and clusters of palms, and setting several dramatic holes hard against the ocean. The par-3 17th, played toward the sea with the surf as a backdrop, is among its most photographed moments. Play is generally reserved for resort guests and members, reinforcing its exclusive, destination feel. Each January the course hosts a PGA Tour Champions season-opener, giving television viewers a familiar look at its coastline and volcanic terrain long before most players ever tee it up.