sengelgolfer

I have no doubt that this course will be very nice once the renovations are complete. The track is interesting with some decent views, on an area of the island that is about 10 degrees cooler than the resort courses near the shore. Currently, however, the ongoing extensive renovations, along with the relatively poor upkeep of the course as a result of the maintenance, does not make for a pleasant golfing experience. The fairways are dry, bare in a wide variety of places, and weedy in others. The greens tend to be bumpy. Additionally, the pro shop currently is in a tent and they apparently do not have any permanent facilities in place at the time. On the positive side, the course is fairly priced given the renovations and I found the staff to be quite friendly.

I would, therefore, delay playing a round at this course until the renovations are complete. After that, tee off!

Hapuna, from my understanding, recently renovated their greens and I can attest that the renovation was successful. The greens rolled incredibly true and smooth and putting was a pleasure. I was, therefore, surprised that there were no marshals on the course to stop the group playing ahead of my group from driving right up to, and on some holes, on the greens.

The layout, while having some decent views of Mauna Kea and the ocean, unfortunately is either surrounded by housing (the back nine) or a construction zone (the front nine, around which new homes currently being constructed.) The fairways are wide and in decent shape, but there is very little room off of the fairway and penal grasses laying in wait just off the fairway. Unfortunately, for me, this reminded me too much of any resort course in Southern California to be on my "must play" list on the Big Island.

Royal Hawaiian is a physically stunning golf course that looks like it was carved out of a jungle and surrounded by mountains. The on-course scenery is spectacular. The layout is also top-notch, with many memorable holes throughout the round. That same layout is also, however, very penal. The course does not have much room off of the fairways and greens and errant shots are quickly punished and the lost ball count will rise precipitously
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The downside of this course is that it lies on the rainy side of the Ko'Olau Mountain Range (which ironically is what provides the course with its scenic beauty). The course can get a heavy amount of rain, which makes the course play much longer than its yardage on the card and, in certain places, close to unplayable with balls frequently deeply embedding through the green. The pace of play here was also disappointing, with no marshal/ranger/player assistant to intervene on a front nine that took 2 hours and 45 minutes.

I do, however, recommend this course if only for its physical beauty. I would urge that players call ahead to see how much rain the course has received and whether the course is playing "cart path only." If the course indeed is playing cart path only, prepare for a long, wet, and at times muddy round if you decide to venture out on the course.

Royall Kunia is a decent golf course with very nice views of Pearl Harbor on several holes. I found the layout to be interesting yet very playable. The course is in decent shape and the greens for the most part ran true, but the course is not immaculately manicured like some of the resort courses you will find in Hawaii. The staff is extremely friendly. The clubhouse and amenities are, however, somewhat "bare bones." I found the pace of play to be somewhat disappointing, with my round exceeding 4 hours and 45 minutes. Nonetheless, the layout, the views, and the friendliness of the staff place this course in the "recommend" category for me.

The Turtle Bay - Palmer Course is a top-notch golf course. The layout is very good and makes for an enjoyable round. The greens were close to immaculate, running true and fast without going over the top on the speed. There was some damage to a few of the fairways, which I surmise may have occurred as a result of the recent hurricane or other heavy rain (and which I imagine will be repaired with an upcoming aeration). The separate practice tee for the Palmer course is excellent, with very nice and well-maintained grass tees that are directly adjacent to the first tee box. The beverage cart (which may have been the coolest beverage cart I've ever seen, a 4x4 vehicle complete with doors) made frequent rounds without being intrusive. The lemon-scented cold towel at the end of the round was a nice touch. The greens fees are just a tad on the high side for Oahu, but the quality of the facility I believe merits the premium. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to visitors to Oahu.