Golf Courses on Maui
Where To Golf on Maui
Friends of mine who play golf regularly on Maui have helped me collect this information about Maui golf courses to help you get the most out of your time playing golf in Hawaii. On this page, you will find a discussion of all of the golf courses on Maui, including which are cheap versus expensive and difficult versus easy. Phone numbers are shown for each course, as well as suggestions for discounts on some. See details below.
You can rent golf clubs at most of these golf courses, but you can rent them much cheaper from one of the following two places. If you are staying or playing on the south side (Kihei, Wailea) use Maui Golf Shop. If you are staying or playing on the west side (Lahaina, Kaʻanapali, Kapalua) use Jimmy’s Maui Golf Rentals. Both can deliver to your hotel or condo, both can book you discounted tee times, and both can give you good advice about Maui golf courses.
For a coupon for a free floral golf ball (with club rental or tee time booking) from Maui Golf Shop, subscribe to the Maui vacation newsletter, and an email will be sent to you with coupons for many Maui restaurants and other deals.
See photos and video of Maui golf courses below.
Maui Golf Courses Info
There are fifteen beautiful golf courses on Maui. The best is the Plantation Course at Kapalua, famous as home to the Sentry Championship (formerly called the Hyundai or Mercedes Championship) every January. Second-best is the Bay Course, also at Kapalua. (The Village Course at Kapalua closed in 2007.) The Royal Kaʻanapali and Kaʻanapali Kai (formerly called Kaʻanapali North and South) golf courses are somewhat less challenging. Wailea Gold, Emerald, and Blue are also top courses. Wailea Gold is home to the Champions Skins Game held every February. The Plantation Course and the Wailea Emerald course have some of the most beautiful views. The Makena Course is now private and no longer available for visitors. (It was formerly called the North course at Makena before the South course at Makena closed in 2008).
You must have reservations at all of these popular Maui golf courses, especially for the early morning tee times. To make phone reservations at any of these courses, see the links above to Maui Golf Shop or Jimmy’s Maui Golf Rentals, or you can call 808-856-3650. You can make reservations for the Kapalua courses up to 25 days in advance and for the Kaʻanapali courses 30 days ahead.
The courses away from the tourist areas are much cheaper and most are also easier. Waiehu Municipal (808) 243-7400 has some of the best views on the island, as three holes are adjacent to the beach. Waiehu Muni golf course is a couple of miles northwest of Wailuku on Highway 330. If you go right of the fairway on the 6th, 7th, or 8th holes, be prepared to take a sand wedge with you. On the 15th, there is a downhill tee shot that looks as if you would hit it into the ocean. It doesn’t have the conditioning that the major resort courses do, but it’s much cheaper for the budget golfer, has some great scenery, and is quite “forgiving” for the average golfer.
Also, good value and somewhat forgiving are Pukalani Country Club near the entrance to Upcountry, Maui Nui (formerly called Elleair) in Kihei, and somewhat less forgiving is The Dunes at Maui Lani in Kahului. The other more budget course is Kahili Golf Club (formerly Sandalwood), which is on the Honoapiilani Highway at Waikapu, just southwest of Wailuku. For reservations at all of these courses call 808-856-3650. Almost all of Maui’s golf courses, both expensive and inexpensive, offer a large discount if you are willing to play “twilight” starting after 1 or 2 PM.
There are also two private Maui golf courses, where you generally have to be a member to play. But the King Kamehameha Golf Club 808-856-3650 allows you to buy a “guest for a day” pass King Kamehameha Golf Club and the Maui Country Club (808) 877-7893 is open to the public on Mondays.
There is less rain in Wailea than in Kapalua and Kaʻanapali. So if it is too windy or too rainy to play golf at the Kapalua courses, you may find better weather by driving 60 minutes (from Kaanapali) to play one of the three Wailea courses (Emerald is the most scenic and prettiest, compared to the Blue and the Gold). Here are more details about Maui Weather.
If you are looking for something different, or have played the Maui golf courses and would like to try the famous beautiful courses on the nearby island of Lanai, you can take a day trip by ferry boat to Lanai. There you will play the Challenge at Manele or the Experience at Koele golf course and then return by ferry to Maui the same day. You’ll have to separately reserve your golf on the island of Lanai, which you can read about at Lanai golf courses.
You don’t have to stay in a Kapalua hotel to play golf at the Kapalua courses, or in Wailea to play the Wailea courses: you can stay anyplace and play golf anyplace. However, you do get a discount on golf at the course affiliated with the hotel you stay at.
For one frequent Maui golfer’s opinions about which Maui golf courses have the best views, the best conditions, the best prices, the best restaurants, and more, see Best Golf Courses in Maui.
Maui Golf Video
For other Maui activities, luaus, whale watching, snorkeling, tours, helicopters, horseback, ATV, parasailing, fishing, biking, beaches, kids & family fun, events calendar, Hawaii cruises, and more, see Maui Things To Do.
