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3.4
301 Reviews (301)
5 Stars
65
4 Stars
104
3 Stars
58
2 Stars
34
1 Stars
40
Conditions
2.7
Value
3.3
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
4.0
Amenities
3.4
68.8%
Recommend this course
207 out of 301 reviews
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1 Stars
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Conditions
0
Value
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Layout
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Friendliness
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Pace
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Amenities
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Recommend this course
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7310 yards
Slope 153
Rating 78.2

Editor's Note: Course closed for business in 2020.

Course Details

Year Built 1992
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Greens Seashore Paspalum Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Dick Nugent (1992) Brad Bartell

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes
GPS No

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, JCB Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2017 #2)

Reviews

3.4
301 Reviews (301)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
19th Hole Scenic Views 8
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Forced Carries 37
Narrow Fairways 34
Elevation Changes 24
This course/club is great for:
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 32
Advanced Golfers 29
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 19
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 19
Convenient to the City 17

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Spectacular scenery, challenging layout, just OK conditions

This is a true Jurassic golf experience. The scenery is spectacular - mountains directly line the course. The layout is challenging - be straight or bring a lot if extra balls. The conditions were ok - slow muni-esque greens and very long, uneven fairway grass. I lost balls that would just disappear even on the fairway. That said, I think the rough conditions contribute to the "jungle" experience: stay away if you're looking for perfect greens, but overall this is a unique, worthwhile golf experience.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Extremely Wet

Although the course was very attractive, on the day of play is was extremely wet. Even the fairways were very soggy, to the point where it was practically impossible to find a dry spot to hit the ball. On that day, it was not worth the money paid!!

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Response from on 03/07/2018:
Hello. We appreciate your taking the time to write a review. We were pleased to see how much you enjoyed the course layout. We hope that you still had an enjoyable round despite the residual weather conditions. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we will share it with our staff so that we can improve your future experiences at our course. Thank you for choosing to golf with us here at Ko'olau Golf Club. We hope to see you again soon!
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful golf course design, but currently in horrible condition

The golf course design and scenery are truly spectacular, but the golf course is in absolutely terrible condition from all of the rain over the past month. It appears that the maintenance crew has pretty much given up for now, as the course is mowed, but the sand traps look to have not been maintained in maybe weeks, and weeds are overtaking the fairways, and the course is extremely wet. The course is quite tough, but not too unreasonable in my opinion. although I am a 6 handicap and quite a straight hitter, I lost 7 golf balls (but 3 on the fairway or near the fairway from plugging). So although I loved the atmosphere and course design, I would not recommend playing here until the course dries and is re-maintained, likely in April.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Response from on 03/07/2018:
Hey Stevio. Thanks for taking the time to write a review. We appreciate your input, and we are sorry to hear that your round did not meet your standards. We're very pleased that you enjoyed the course layout and the scenery, and we certainly hope that you will return to see the course in top shape. Thanks for golfing with us.
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Ko’oLau Golf Course

Beautiful scenery and layout. However course conditions were awful. No drainage on course. Extremely wet and muddy. Weeds in fairway that was at least 2 inches long. I lost 6 balls on drives hit in the fairway that we couldn’t find the were either buried in the grass or plugged in the mud. Sand traps full of water and completely washed out. Appears that a Presbyterian church owns the club and the golf course is an afterthought.
Quite a shame as the scenery of the mountains was breathtaking.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Response from on 03/13/2018:
Thanks so much for choosing Ko'olau Golf Club and taking the time to write a review. While we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the course layout, the pace was to your liking and the visage was awe inspiring. However, we are disappointed to hear that the overall course conditions did not meet your standards. We are constantly looking to improve, so your feedback is welcomed. We will share your comment with the appropriate staff to make any needed improvements or corrections. We hope that you will give us the opportunity to change your mind about the course.
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 25+
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Jane

Beautiful course, excellent layout.less maintenance ,wet and muddy

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging Course

This is a beautiful course with sweeping views of the Ko’Olau mountains. It is not a Course for first time or new golfers. It is incredibly difficult with many holes that have difficult carries over ravines. For these that want a challenge, this is the course for you. Golf Now was very easy to use. Enjoy!!

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Most beautiful course you’ll ever see

Unfortunately it was the worst condition you could ask for. This was my 4th time playing and it was muddy no fairways with grass on them and poorly maintained . I just brought a friend out that didn’t play just to see the incredible scenery. Probably won’t come back, sorry because I really like the layout.

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Response from on 02/13/2018:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course, Ko'olau Golf Club, and for the 3 stars. We are sorry to see that the course may not have been in the best shape when you played and your feedback is appreciated. It looks like you had a friendly experience with our staff and that your round was a great value for you, so we hope this improved your overall experience with us. Thank you for your choosing our course, in the Oahu, Hawaii area, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 33
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Hardest course

I've played some tough courses before, but this course was the toughest by far!!! Loved the course, bring extra balls or play smart & use the drop areas!!! Would recommend it to any of my buddies that come to Oahu!!

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

The views, the people

If you want a course with amazing backdrops that will leave you in awe, this is it. Is like you're on the set Jureasic park. In terms of golf condition, there is room to improve and i hope they do. The course layout is difficult and fun. Had the course been dry it would have been slightly easier. But the real hems are the people running the course. They are fun, interesting, and gracious. I'll come back if i get the chance.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 76
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing

Jurassic park

Beautiful scenery the gully is very deceiving you definitely need a book to tell you where to place the ball
The green need some work ( very slow and bumpy) very challenging course

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Unbelievable Hawaiian golf experience!

A must play. Short drive from Waikiki Beach. Incredible views.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Lots of Carries

Fun course. lots of carries - not able to hit driver on some par 5s. Greens were true. Need to hit the ball fairly straight or bring extras! Course is on the wet side of the mountain, be prepared for damp conditions.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

i must have been a nice course when it was taken care of. Crab grass and other grasses have taken over everywhere. so you are essentially hitting off the dirt often. The tee boxes and greens havent been aerated and rebuilt in a long time. it was the second sunny day after a wet stretch. The crew was working hard to beat back the jungle. They surely are more focused on making money on catering and facility rental.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 01/09/2018:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course, Ko'olau Golf Club, and for the 3 stars. We are sorry to see that the course may not have been in the best shape when you played and your feedback is appreciated. It looks like you had a friendly experience with our staff and that your round was a great value for you, so we hope this improved your overall experience with us. Thank you for your choosing our course, in the Honolulu County area, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

Exotic, fun and scenic

Winter can be the rainy season in The 808. While it didn't rain much on us, the course was a bit soggy. Balls plugged and could be difficult to locate. Otherwise, a brilliant place to okay and a wonderful day.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Disappointed Golfer

I played this course on the 1st of Jan 2018. I was really surprised of how unkept it was. The greens were horrible and it it is a wet Course. It was cart path only and I understand why for sure. I hit several balls in the fairway that I never found because they were plugged. The course was not manicured as one would think for the money. The course should have been half priced. The condintions for the money did not make much sense. The staff was great. Maybe I will try it again on my next visit for work but I am not sure. The sceneries were great I must say.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Response from on 01/04/2018:
Thank you for sharing your review, We truly appreciate both your positive and constructive feedback regarding the course conditions and will be sure to pass it along to our team. We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our staff and sceneries at Ko'olau Golf Club, and also appreciate your input on our maintenance. We hope to welcome you back for an enjoyable experience on the course in the near future.
Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Not up to previous standards

I played Ko'olau about 9 years ago, and was really looking forward to playing it again. It definitely did not meet expectations. The Ambassador and the Pro Shop were great.
Before I go father I must preface my remarks that it was an ugly day, with heavy rain showers intermittently, and wind. Also, my game was not particularly on, partly due to conditions. That said, the course was in dreadful condition. Started on the gold tees, but realized right away that the soggy conditions made the golds a 7100 yard slog, so moved up to the blues.The tees were rough and uncut, and the grass that now dominates most fairways was some thick-bladed almost weed. In the rough, it was weed. The greens were dreadful; little dirt mounds from worms all over, and crabgrass on many of them.
If you are going to play this course, it should be in dry season, and come prepared to lose balls, no matter how good you are.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Response from on 12/18/2017:
Hello Peter, thank you for taking the time to review us, Ko'olau Golf Club in Hawaii. We're very sorry to hear that your recent experience with us did not meet your expectations, and we greatly appreciate your feedback regarding the conditions of the course so we can make improvements for your experience with us in the future. However, we hope the positive experience with our staff helped improve your recent round and that your next one can be played on a brighter day. Thank you for choosing our course, and we hope to see you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Beautiful views spoiled by golfing in a swamp

This course should not be open if they have received rain. Cart path only made for an exhausting round of soaking feet and lost balls in the middle of the fairway.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Response from on 12/14/2017:
Hello Kevin, thank you for taking the time to review us, Ko'olau Golf Club in Hawaii. We're very sorry to hear you had a poor customer experience with us recently due to wet course conditions on the day of your round. However, we appreciate your feedback so we can work towards any necessary improvements for your future experience with us. Thank you for choosing our course, and we hope to see you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Could be amazing

An outstanding layout with amazing scenery and visually beautiful holes. A real challenging course. The problem now is the condition which has suffered tremendously from heavy rains allowing a weed of some kind to mix with the grass throughout the course including greens. Some shots just inches off the fairway almost impossible.
They are working with several sources in the area to correct the situation and hopefully can restore this magnificent facility

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Response from on 12/26/2017:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course, Ko'olau Golf Club in Hawaii, and for the 3 stars. We are so glad to hear you enjoy our facility, views, and course layout. However, we greatly appreciate your feedback and patience in regards to the conditions of the course as we work towards improvements and hope you will notice some of these improvements during your next round with us. Thank you for choosing our course, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Zero room for error

Played during the rainy season so the course was pretty muddy. Crazy layout, beautiful views. Back nine was upper wet and muddy. I’d recommend a less frustrating experience and course for the money.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Good
Amenities Fair
Response from on 12/11/2017:
Hello, thank you for taking the time to review our course, Ko'olau Golf Club in Hawaii. We're very sorry to hear the course may not have been in the best shape on the day of your round due to wet conditions, and we appreciate your feedback for improving your future experience with us. However, we hope the course staff and views were able to improve your recent round. Thank you for golfing with us, and we hope to see you again soon.
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

A “must play” course, but leave your pencil at home

Unbelievably beautiful course through the jungles of Oahu. Well worth playing. BUT as hard of a course as you will ever play and in bad condition. So play it for the experience and don’t fret over your score. Bring a bag of old balls and hit away. Even when you hit well, you may not find your ball. Green are in bad shape and covered with stuff from the trees. All in all, well worth the experience.

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
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