Quite simply the best golf experience I've ever had in Hawaii.

We made friends with David Havens a year ago and he promised that if we came back he'd plan this terrific trip for us. He pulled it off in spades.

We met for the 6:30AM shuttle out of Lahaina and spent the day on Lanai. The golf was superb. I was afraid to take a swat on the practice range because it was so perfect.

Each hole is memorable and the views of the ocean and other islands are breathtaking. I took tons of photos on the front nine only to realize that there were even better photo-ops on the back nine.

After we were done, we sat out and had late lunch and drinks before heading back on the ferry to Lahaina. A day I'll never forget, and I've had more than my fair share of great ones on the golf course. (The staff was incredibly kind too...!)

Mahalo.

The battle for Hawaii's best resort course might not be as clear-cut as people think. Sure, Kapalua's iconic Plantation course has glorious ocean views that stretch for miles, a long-standing history with the PGA TOUR and plenty of creative holes by the famous team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

But after playing Manele for three straight days, I'm drinking all the Jack that Mr. Nicklaus serves up on Lānaʻi's cliff-side stunner built in the 1990s. I played the course in three different winds this week - howling, soft and a complete directional shift - and loved how the layout played each way. The fairways are infinitely wide, usually with a bunker on one side just to make you sweat, although occasionally with one menacing in the middle of the fairway (4 and 16). The cliffside holes - the par 3 12th and par 4 17th - are legendary, but there are ocean views from nearly every hole. The front nine goes out in three par 3s, including back to back at 7-8, and three par 5s - a combination that promotes scoring and shot-making. There's even an interesting short par 4 on the cliffs (no. 13). My favorite holes - the par 5 11th and par 4 16th - sweep majestically downhill toward the ocean. No. 11 features a cool kick-point in the fairway near the green that just might send your approach shot rolling onto the green for a putt at eagle, just like you've seen on TV at Kapalua's famous finishing hole.

Now that only Four Seasons guests have access to Manele, it's as exclusive a golf experience as a resort stay can buy.

My goal was to play 36 which is possible if you take the 6:45 am ferry over. The course closes at 4:30, the shuttle picks you at 4:00, I finished at 3:30 with time for a shower.

I played as a single, my wife rode along for an extra charge, the pace of play is brisk with a 20 minute warm up session, lunch eaten on the course, by calling in your lunch order. We thought we would have a tough time getting in 36, but we could have used the extra time after the round, before the 6:45 pm ferry for snorkeling down at the bay which is a top rated Hawaii beach.

The course was in exquisite shape. I noted on the rating that the course as being extremely challenging, but in truth it is very fair. It demands good driving, I played the gold tees, one removed from the Championship tees at 6684 yards, shot rounds of 88 and 84 and feel that the course would definitely yield much lower scores.

The bottom line, definitely would recommend that a golfer takes the time to play this beautiful course.

No doubt this is a beautiful course. Staff is friendly but prior planning will help. The ferry over takes longer than expected. Food is scarce depending on your tee time; restaurants open only 11-3, bev cart was out of wraps, no food or drink at ferry terminal. $ 215 to play, $60 round trip ferry, $20 entrance fee....but it's really full of stunning views! Would I recommend? Yes, but with caveats.<br/> We joked that the experience and challenge really referred to getting there. Btw : greens are slow and don't break as much as you think.

We took the ferry from Lanai and played the Challenge. Amazing views, great staff, and was not full at all. Definitely should do if in the area.

The course was challenging but still fun to play, minus the 50mph wind. Staff were friendly, food was great.<br/> We look foward to coming back and playing it again

This was our third time to ferry over and play the Challenge. It is such a beautiful course. They have cut down a lot of trees opening more views to the ocean on the back 9. The name speaks for itself. It is a challenge to play, however, I only lost a couple balls! The ravines and fairway obstacles and angles make it fun and very challenging. The course was in great shape. The outside staff was very friendly and accommodating. We got distracted watching dolphins play while on #18.

Absolutely fabulous, every hole is on the water. Would go back in a heart beat. The restaurant was great, the staff at the pro shop and restaurant were pros! Excellent condition, like walking on a carpet. No ball marks on the greens and very well maintained.<br/> Beautiful, beautiful my beautiful wife absolutely loved the course. We will be back in the future. One great thing about the trip was the boat ride to and from Lahaina to Lanai......