infolab1

We played Ko Olina twice during our stay at Aulani and we were not disappointed! The greens had been punched but were still playable; accordingly the staff was very accommodating and offered a discount because of the conditions. The layout is interesting with several dog legs and the scenery is everything you'd expect in Hawaii. Tee boxes and fairways were both in above average condition. Even though the course was crowded the pace of play was acceptable. Due to the significant wind, the major challenge was selecting the right club......but it added an interesting dynamic to our game. Overall this is a really nice course that's fun to play and the staff is super nice. I highly recommend it.

We played Ko'olau on a beautiful sunny morning, and there was only one other group on the course (that should have told us something was amiss). The staff was very friendly and explained that the back nine was probably too wet to play, so we could play the front nine again. (More about this later.) We proceeded to the practice area walking through weeds and grass 1' - 2' high and hit balls that disappeared into weeds on the range. At this point we should have stopped and asked for a refund, but we proceeded to the first tee anyway. The course was in HORRIBLE shape. Fairways were very weedy and as deep as the first cut of rough on most other courses. The rough was choked with weeds.....impossible to find a ball out of the fairway. Greens were so-so at best. It was obvious that the course had not been mowed in a long, long time. Bridges and signage were in disrepair; tee boxes were weedy and muddy. We ended up leaving after six holes. (Now back to the wetness issue....) This course is in the rainy part of Oahu so wetness is an ongoing issue. However, it was clear that they had neither the staff or the appropriate equipment to manage and maintain the course. Simply put this is THE worst course I've ever played. The only saving grace was the scenery which was lush and tropical. Ko'olau may have been a nice course in the past, but it certainly isn't now. DO NOT waste your time or money.

The Palmer Course at Turtle Bay provides some of the most spectacular island and ocean views you could hope for. The course was in fabulous shape with some of the best greens I've played on this year. Two of us played and our wives rode with us. ($25 rider fee is more than reasonable.) The winds made it challenging, but even then the course was extremely fun to play and we had a fantastic, fun day. After our round we had a really, really good lunch at the clubhouse grill (I recommend the chargrilled burger). The staff in both the restaurant and the club house were very friendly. I've played six different courses in Hawaii and this one is hands down my favorite. You cannot go wrong with this course!

Interesting lay-out with just enough sand and water to make it a challenge. Course was in great shape in spite of heavy rains the day before. Friendly staff. Overall an excellent value. I'll definitely go back.