Award-Winning Mauna Lani Awaits on the Big Island

Mauna Lani’s pair of courses are among the most fun, scenic and manicured in Hawai’i.

The Setting

The North and South courses at Mauna Lani are built in the midst of the lava fields that dominate this side of the island, bright green ribbons of fairways bordered by black and brown rock and dotted by white sand. They are a unique playing field for the game, to be sure, but one that you quickly come to adore.

From most vantage points, it’s possible to see the five surrounding mountains—Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, the Kohala Mountains and Haleakala across the water on neighboring Maui—as you make your way around.

What to Expect

Recent upgrades have included new Club Car golf carts with GPS and built-in Bluetooth-enabled speakers along with a new fleet of premium Callaway rental sets. A spacious clubhouse serves both courses, with a golf shop that is renowned for carrying one of the best selections of apparel in the state.

The South Course

The South Course at Mauna Lani features wide fairways and multi-tiered putting surfaces that need to be skillfully negotiated. The routing emerges at the ocean at No. 6 green with salt air and ocean breezes signaling its proximity. No. 7, a medium-length par 3 (163 from the white/109 from the forward tees), is a thrilling experience. The hole plays slightly downhill with the ocean crashing against the rocks just to the left of the hole.

The course is perhaps best known for its memorable par-3 15th hole, where another exciting tee shot over an ocean inlet leads to a large green. Get your cameras ready here. From the 196-yard championship tees it’s quite a challenge given the crossing winds, but this is the perfect location for your selfies. After you’ve taken documented the experience, go play the hole from the 131-yard white or 117-yard forward tees. For those who enjoy history, the South Course is where the Senior Skins Game was contested from 1990-2000, with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and other legends of the game.

The North Course

The North Course at Mauna Lani plays through towering stands of kiawe trees with several oceanfront holes on the front nine. Fairways are wide enough that you can let the driver fly all round. But, accuracy is prized as grabby grass can make wedge and iron play challenging.

No. 17 is the postcard hole on the North Course. A short par 3 that plays from an elevated tee box to a green situated in a lava bowl with giant lava boulders and sand surrounding. The backdrop consists of wonderful oceanscapes and towering mountains.

With the addition of the new Mauna Lani, Auberge Resort Collection to the mix, both of these exquisite courses are sure to garner even greater national attention and several votes as the “best golf resort in the state.”

maunalanigolf.com

---

Want to read more articles on the top travel around the world? Visit our TRAVEL BEYOND page.

Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.