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I am surprised to find that the links course at Lawsonia was ranked number 64 on the golf digest top 100 public courses in United States. While the course is nice and well-maintained, it isn’t particularly unique or appealing. Maybe that is why it is no longer on the top 100 list. By comparison, the Hawkshead course in South Haven Michigan, which is a links course, should be ranked well above the Lawsonia links course. And Hawkshead is not even rated in the top 100.

The bunkers were less than optimal too. They have stones in them, and many were hard packed and ungroomed . We were told that a major amateur tournament had been played just a week before. Presumably the course was in peak condition for that tournament. If these were peak conditions, I wouldn’t want to play it in less-than-peak conditions.

We played on a Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, they had allowed a group of five on the course. That group’s pace of play was appalling. There were three holes open in front of them, and we were waiting on every tee box on the back 9 because of them. On one par five we had four groups on one hole. At that point we decided to skip two holes and move over to number 15. Had we not skipped 13 & 14 we wouldn’t have finished anyway before dark. And we would’ve missed the last two holes. So better to sacrifice two holes in the middle and finish before it got dark.

That is just poor management. It’s all about the revenues.

I reviewed this course a couple of months ago because the greens were so bad, considered the course unplayable. Since then the greens have grown in nicely, and I can now recommend it again. I'm glad to see it back in playable condition as it is my main course for play. The only issue now is the poor condition of the bunkers from all the rain. We just treat them as GUR and drop outside. If they could find a long-term solution to their bunker problems this course could be really great.

i am really pleased to say that the greens on the Tradition Course are nearly back to their old glory. They were punched recently, so they have a little more recovering to do, but the dead and grassless areas are virtually gone. A few greens still have some bare spots around the edges, but they didn't really come into play for us except on # 16. We allowed the player to move the ball as ground under repair. I can't wait to play when the greens have fully recovered from the punching. I've missed playing Tradition since last December when I wrote a review which revealed horrid conditions on the greens. Also, the iced towels on the practice range, #4 tee, #10 tee and #14 tee were greatly appreciated in today's heat. Fairways and bunkers were in great condition as well. I'm excited to be going back!

I really appreciated the great condition of the bunkers. I was only in a couple, but having a bunker play like a bunker is really enjoyable. So many of the public courses in the Houston area have washed out or packed hard bunkers that are more like ground under repair than bunkers. Frequently, we declare our own rule that they are a free drop outside. No such rule at Wilderness. Outstanding. Fairways were in great shape, and the greens were nice as well. The greens had just a little remaining evidence of having been punched recently, but it didn't affect the roll. I wish the course were closer to me. I would play it frequently. The only issue I had was the starter bumping us back on our tee time to accommodate his friends just because they came up early for their tee time. It was not as if we were late. We approached the starter 7 minutes before our tee time while a group on the tee had not yet teed off.

I hate to have to write this review as this is my go-to course, and I have always enjoyed all three of the courses. However, the greens are so bad on Creekside it's like putting on dirt. There are a few weeds growing in spots on the greens, but absent the weeds there really is no grass, just sand from top dressing after punching. A slow rolling ball wobbles between the tufts of weeks as if in a pinball machine. The pines course was a little better, but still not great. I haven't had a chance to see the Trails greens, but have heard they are better than Pines and Creekside. I think they need to close down Creekside and totally replace the greens or do something to resurrect them. I understand it is costly in lost revenues not to mention the expense to cure the problem, but if people stop playing the course, that may be more damaging to profitability. They also have long suffering bunker issues. We automatically declare them ground under repair on every round because of their conditions.

I have played this course numerous times, but the condition of the greens on the Traditions course have been bad the few months. Dying them green does not make them greens. Except for a couple of holes, the greens are bereft of grass. A couple were appalling. You might want to call ahead to get an update (assuming they will be honest with you), but given their current condition I would think it might not be until March or April before they are acceptable. I know they have struggled with flooding, but, they can't charge $80 for the current conditions. I guess they can as long as people keep playing with the current conditions, but we won't be among the players. I hope they can correct the conditions because I really like the course, and it is otherwise in good condition.

We played this course on previous visits to the big island and were very favorably impressed. This time, not so much. My primary issue was that the greens had been recently punched and sanded and were quite slow and difficult to read. We were not told about the maintenance when we called for a tee time, and the course did not offer a discount for the conditions. The standard rate was $180.00. We paid $125.00 by booking online. We had some trouble with the booking site so we called for a tee time, but they said they could not honor the online rate unless we booked online--which eventually we were able to get to work. I definitely would not pay $180 to play this course in its current condition. Also, although no fault of the club, the air quality index from the VOG was fairly high the day we played. it did not impact our play, the vistas just were not as attractive on our prior visits. I recommend this course, but I suggest you ask about course maintenance and give the course a good 60 days to recover from any significant maintenance.
If you are considering a trip to the big island during the current volcanic activity, look for accommodations north of Waikoloa on the west side of the island. We stayed in Mauna Kea resort, and we had only one day where the VOG affected us. We typically, stay at Hualalai, but that has been affected by the VOG as well. Even Waikoloa and Mauna Lani had more frequent issues with the VOG than we did at Mauna Kea.

The greens fee for a Saturday should have tipped us off about what to expect. While the staff was very friendly and welcoming to our group which had never played here previously, that really doesn't impact the play. Many tee boxes were too wet to play. Most looked like they were selected by someone who said: "Hey, this looks like a good spot. Just mow the grass shorter right here in a rectangle." The best parts about the course were the fairways and bunkers which were reasonably maintained. Tee boxes were loaded with weeds, not that it impacts play, it is just an appearance issue. The greens were very soft and receptive to approach shots, but good luck getting to them in regulation. And when you do, they are really SLOW. They were the slowest I have played in years. They also have serious scars (area of no grass) and lots of weeds. Covering the scars with green die (as they have) doesn't make them play better. Putts consistently bounced there way toward the hole. This is not conducive to accurate putting.
Hitting the fairway is not just a premium, it is a must. The bermuda rough is 2 to 3 inches deep, and IF you can find your ball in it, it is very penalizing. You will not advance your ball as far you would need to get to the green in regulation. I found half a dozen balls just lying in the rough along the course that other golfers had lost. The rough must really impact pace of play at this course, as I find it hard to believe the average golfer consistently stays out of the rough. Our threesome (including one high handicap female) finished in 3 and 1/4 hours, but we had no one in front of us. I almost offered to allow the twosome behind us at the first tee to play first so we wouldn't hold them up. I'm glad I didn't. By the time we finished, they were no where in site behind us. The rough around the greens is equally difficult. The condition of the rough simply is too penal for the average golfer, and I have to believe it substantially impacts the pace of play. I'm glad it didn't impact us, because WE HATE slow play. Too bad the conditions weren't better, I liked the layout well enough, but not enough to make up for the poor conditions. We won't be going back.

The course is well-maintained, in excellent condition with enough variation in hole design to keep play interesting. The slope rating from the blue tees tells the story of its difficulty. Unless your really accurate off the tee or a long hitter, save yourself some difficulty by playing the green tees which are almost 6000 yards. I wish I lived closer to it so I could play it more often. The mosquitoes were not an issue this time. They were a menace the last time I played here. If it hadn't been for the twosome in front of us who took 25 minutes to play the first hole and then an average of 15 minutes per hole after that, it would have been much more enjoyable. While I know 15 minutes per hole is average for a foursome, a twosome should be able to play much faster. After skipping over them at 6, the pace of play was much more enjoyable.

Ask about the mosquitoes before booking. I never experienced them like this at this course before or ANYWHERE for that matter. We showed up only to find out when we were asked in the pro shop whether we had bug spray at which time he told us he had tried to play the day before but quit after 4 holes because the mosquitoes were so bad. We thought if the winds were strong enough, the mosquitoes wouldn't be able to fly in it. Unfortunately, the wind never got much over 10 mph, so it didn't help much. At times, we swarmed by way more than 50 at a time. Bug spray helped some. If you can play when the mosquitoes are gone or under control, the course conditions were excellent. The greens could use cutting a little shorter or rolled to make them a little faster, but they rolled true and were spotless of imperfections. The fairways also were lush, full and nearly as flawless as the greens. The course layout is challenging, but enjoyable, and with 5 sets of tees, you can choose a challenge suitable to your game. The forward tees are especially helpful for short hitters. Its nice to see a course which actually has forward tees FORWARD. I highly recommend the course in the mosquito "off season." BTW it frequently is windy on this course which makes it much more challenging.

I have played this course many times over the last ten years. I try to include it in my trips to Michigan. The conditions this year are excellent. Greens roll true and medium fast. The bunkers are well maintained too. Many courses could take a lesson from Hawkshead on bunker maintenance. A few of the bunkers had a wealth of stones in them. Luckily, I did not land in those, but I would have elected to drop out of them if I had. No need to damage a club over a shot. If they cleaned up the few with stones, I would rate the bunkers perfect.
Pace of play sometimes can be a challenge when players go looking too long for errant golf balls. Most fairways are generously wide, but a strong slice or hook will get you into trouble. Watch #10. Most players will want to hit less than driver to lay up short of the waste bunker, unless you are a strong driver, in which case you might want to try to carry the bunker. I don't think the risk/reward is in your favor to try to carry the bunker.
A very enjoyable course. I recommend it.

We have played this course several times over the years. Conditions this year are awesome! True rolling, lush, fast greens, yet receptive to well placed approach shots. Fairways are beautifully green, thick and not soft (i.e. you will get some roll out). Bunkers were in good condition, but some have stones in them. I simply choose not to play out of bunkers with stones. I scarred up a wedge from a stone under the grass on one hole. Unfortunate. At least the bunkers were playable unlike many courses I have played who think they are a nuisance to maintain and simply don't. I highly recommend this course. A course in this condition with a senior rate on Tuesdays of $23.00 is like playing for free.

While I probably should be grateful for having been presented with the opportunity to play this exclusive private course, I didn't find it that compelling. I think I might get bored playing it repeatedly as a member. You really aren't missing that much if you don't get to play this course. By the way, I read that Hawaii residents can play the course on Mondays with proof of residency at a rate of $275. The staff was extremely friendly and solicitous. The young man who handled our clubs refused a gratuity declaring that the club has a no-tipping policy. The layout was "familiar"--similar to others we have played elsewhere. It didn't have any particularly compelling island or ocean views. However, it had "kid in a candy store" "comfort stations" to impress its members and guests including freezer drawers full of ice cream, a wide variety of snacks from beef jerky to frozen grapes, a frozen mai tai machine, a frozen margarita machine, pepper infused vodka, pineapple infused vodka, wine, beer, soft drinks, and juices. While these amenities were fun and impressive, they aren't necessary to enjoyable golf. The course had been aerated about a week before we played, but the greens still were in good condition which suggests they must be superior in normal conditions. I guess I just expected more from a private course. Considering the cost, I think Kona Country Club is a far better value, with a more impressive layout and more than adequate course conditions. I can't recommend this course simply because of the cost relative to the appeal.

I have played almost every golf course on the island from Kohanaiki to Big Island Country Club. Based on course conditions, course character, aesthetics (scenery), pace of play, friendliness of staff and cost,Kona Country Club is by far the best value on the island. Course conditions were impeccable, with true rolling greens of fast, but not excessive pace. Several holes have fantastic, distracting ocean vistas. We enjoyed it so much, we played it twice.

When i reviewed this course in 2015, I described it as neglected. The course condition is vastly improved since then. I was a little disappointed the greens were still bearing sand from recent aeration which we were not warned about nor discounted for. A minor discount and advance acknowledgment of the condition of the greens would have gone a long way toward building goodwill, but maybe they don't count on repeat business to sustain revenues. The sand traps / bunkers remain unacceptable. A quarter inch layer of raked sand on top of hard packed sand does not make for satisfactory play. I guess I need to hear from a professional groundskeeper why bunkers are a recurring maintenance problem at golf courses. More than half the time we invoke our own "local rule" declaring them "ground under repair" rather than guessing how each might perform. I wish we didn't have to do this. Well-maintained bunkers are a part of the game I enjoy. I wish we could get them more often.

This course has improved substantially from when I last played it in 2014. I think it was facing semi-drought conditions in 2014. Currently, it is green and the fairways have grown in substantially. While the fairways are not pristine, especially in extreme sloping areas, they are very playable. There still are plenty of weeds in the fairways, but typically they don’t impact play.

The dramatic elevation changes downhill and uphill provide an unforgettable golf experience. This is a course of spectacular character. You really need a range finder with slope technology to judge distances accurately. I had one uphill shot measuring 132 yards but the slope indicator on my range finder read 161 yards. I hit a 160 yard club to the center of the green. There were dramatic differences downhill as well.

This course has substantial distances between many holes. The distances and difficulty make for a long round. While I read several reviews of single players playing under 3 hours, I think this is the exception. You would have to have no one in front of you. We had no one in front of us the entire round and it took us a little over 4.5 hours as a threesome. We typically play a normal course in 3.5 hours if we don't have to wait. On the day we played we did have rain on the first three holes which could have added to our playing time.

The greens can be tricky to read, but beautifully receptive to approach shots and true rolling. They are reasonably fast considering how lush and green they are. Reading some of the greens reminded me of the “mystery spot” in Kentucky where your eyes trick you into thinking you are on an incline when you are completely level. We tried reading the greens with feel from our feet to judge the slope which appeared to prove more effective than judging with our eyes.

When I reviewed this course three years ago, I said I would not go back; however, I had a friend along on this trip who had never played it, and we had time to play all the courses on the island. I’m glad I went back. I was favorably impressed with the improvement in the course from 2014, and I highly recommend it now.

This course lacks character and doesn't make up for it with any special views of the coastline or beauty of the island. Maintenance is below average. If I were to rate its maintenance based on the condition of its bunkers, I would call it abysmal. The bunkers reflect a complete lack of pride in the course. The practice facility has a reasonable facsimile of what the bunkers SHOULD be. The course bunkers however are hard packed dirt. The owners should be embarrassed with their condition. They might as well let them grow in. After the first encounter, we declared them "ground under repair" and did not play from them. Mowed grass was clumped all over the first three fairways. The starter was unfriendly and seemed annoyed to be there. I guess dealing with tourists day after day takes its toll. Overall it was just too expensive for the level of conditions. Go play Makalei for a way better value.

Dramatic elevation changes, picturesque views and immaculate course conditions earn this course an excellent rating. We played early and had no issues with pace of play because we were the first on the course. I can't address pace of play in normal conditions. It was foggy when we started so we had to send out one player as a spotter on the first hole which we couldn't really appreciate because of the fog. The fog lifted by the third hole, and we really enjoyed the rest of our round. I would like to play this course again if the opportunity arises.

The hype about this course is just that. I heard another golfer talking about it on the phone and called it "gimmicky." An apt description.
They opened this course for play too soon. It is NOT ready for play. The fairways basically are cross corn rows of grass in many areas that have not grown in. Beneath the grass everywhere are small pebbles in the dirt. The fairways are very hard. You can take a shallow divot, and the ball will roll out a good distance if you keep the ball on line. Of course, that also means if you are not on line, they tend to roll in to the "hazard" areas lining the fairway as there is no rough. To imagine the immaturity of the course conditions, just imagine a course you have played that is in decline and no longer maintained and you have a pretty good idea of this course's condition.
Greens are rock hard. I saw approach shots bounce 8 to 10 feet into the air and barely make a dent in the green. That doesn't mean they are super fast. They are reasonably fast, but not as fast as the greens on the Forest Dunes original course. And they roll true for the most part even though they are sometimes difficult to read accurately.
The course is walking only, and I understand it will always be walking only due to the nature of its reversibility. They are concerned with players driving carts into unseen bunkers facing the opposite direction from the direction the players are playing. The caddie fee is fairly typical of other courses. Of course you can play without a caddie and carry your clubs or use a pull cart, but the knowledge of the more experienced caddies is helpful to more experienced players in navigating the course especially with where to approach the greens given their non-receptiveness to your wedge shot. If you decide to use a caddy, request an experienced caddy. They have experienced caddies and high school or college kids with little or no experience. We had both. There is a difference. If you want a good caddy, ask for Jeremy if you insist on playing this course.
There are NO facilities on the course currently other than a porta potty after the 9th hole. I don't know what the future plans are for this. Also there was no drinking water on the course except an Igloo jug of water after #9 which was TOTALLY USELESS as there were no cups to drink it. It was a fairly warm day when we played, and we would have appreciated having the water. There was a beverage cart stationed after one of the holes to catch golfers who pass by, but it wasn't on the course until we reached it around hole #12 on only one of the two days we played. HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO PLACE ICE CHESTS WITH BOTTLED WATER STRATEGICALLY AROUND THE COURSE? FOR A FEW DOLLARS, THEY COULD PUT BOTTLED WATER AT EACH LOCATION. OR THEY COULD AT LEAST LET YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT YOU NEED TO CARRY YOUR OWN--WHICH WE DID ON OUR SECOND ROUND PLAYING THE COURSE IN REVERSE..
The course has wide rolling fairways. It looked like it was carved out of a corn field. It reminded me of several courses I have played that also lack any character or aesthetic appeal. There are a few interesting holes such as #18 on the black course which plays uphill from the tee box with a dogleg to the right. It is hard to pick out holes to describe as they are monotonously similar. The best way to distinguish them are the greens. Some of them also are gimmicky like #6 or #11--which was it-- that had a valley running through it. I asked my playing partner which hole it was on and he couldn't remember it either. His response was: "It's hard to remember as there was nothing memorable or remarkable to distinguish the holes. There are no water hazards on the course, and while there are many bunkers on the course, I never landed in one, my partner landed in only one, and I can't remember the other players being in more than one or two. This suggests to me that they weren't that strategically placed to add the difficulty of the course. I kind of feel sorry for Lew Thompson having invested so much in a course that I think ultimately will not add to the draw of Forest Dunes which I have raved about to anyone who would listen over the last 5 years.
The concept of a reversible course was intriguing which is why we played it. Neither of us would play it again or recommend it to anyone else, and this course is definitely NOT bucket list golf. There are many more memorable courses in the area such as at the Tree Tops Resort and Shanty Creek Resort. I suggest you not waste your time or money. I look at as 7 hours I will never get back.

I have played this course 7 different times. Last November 2015 the bunkers had not been maintained. Many fairway bunkers and green side bunkers were packed down like hard pan. I complained about this in November. In May I played here again, and the condition of the bunkers had not been improved. I don't consider these Four Seasons standards, and don't justify the $275 greens fee in November not the $295! I paid in May. In May I sent an email to the director of golf operations for Hualalai complaining again, and I didn't even receive the courtesy of a response. I have to wonder what has happened to the Four Seasons philosophy of exceeding expectations. Apparently it has been lost.