Oahu has nearly 3 dozen golf courses, ranging from bare-bones municipal courses to exclusive country-club courses with membership fees running to six figures a year. Below are the best of a great bunch.
As you get to know Oahu’s courses, you’ll see that the windward courses play much differently than the leeward courses. On the windward side, the prevailing winds blow from the ocean to shore, and the grain direction of the greens tends to run the same way—from the ocean to the mountains. Leeward golf courses have the opposite tendency: The winds usually blow from the mountains to the ocean, with the grain direction of the greens corresponding.
Tips on beating the crowds and saving money: Oahu’s golf courses tend to be crowded, so I suggest that you go midweek, if you can. Also, most island courses have twilight rates that offer substantial discounts if you’re willing to tee off in the afternoon; these are included in the listings below, where applicable.
Transportation note: TheBus does not allow golf-club bags onboard, so if you want to use TheBus to get to a course, you’re going to have to rent clubs there.
Tee-Time Discounts
For last-minute and discounted tee times, call Stand-by Golf (www.hawaiistandbygolf.com; 888/645-BOOK [2665]), which offers discounted tee times for same- or next-day golfing. Call between 7am and 10pm for a guaranteed tee time with up to a 30% discount on greens fees.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
