Mauna Kea Golf Course

Opened in 1964, Mauna Kea Golf Course sets the standard by which most other courses in Hawaii have been judged, and it still today is among the most revered layouts in the state.

Designed by that era’s preeminent golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., it was at Mauna Kea that Jones demonstrated how the Kohala Coast’s ubiquitous lava rock terrain could be crushed and used as an excellent base for turfgrass, a method since used extensively in Hawaii.

Photos courtesy of Rees Jones. Upon reopening in late 2008, Mauna Kea Golf Course promises to capture international attention.

And now, the course has been completely refurbished by Jones’ son Rees. Internationally known and respected not only for his new golf course designs but also for his masterful work redesigning and updating classics, the younger Jones describes his job at Mauna Kea as “a complete tee-to-green restoration.” Bunkers are being restored to their original configurations, greens and tee boxes are being rebuilt, and new hybrid grasses are being planted throughout. Jones says his intent was to maintain the integrity and challenge of his father’s original design, while utilizing today’s technology to maintain this classic design at the highest level possible for many years to come. When the course is complete in late 2008, players will thoroughly enjoy Mauna Kea Golf Course restored to its original glory.

From a playability standpoint, the course is a shot-maker’s paradise and a primary example of Jones’ “easy bogey/ tough par” philosophy. Tee shots require length and accuracy to set up approach shots to the difficult putting surfaces. The greens often slope away at the edges, and players often find themselves chipping back onto surfaces they thought they had hit.

Hole 3 is one of the iconic holes in the world of golf, a stunning par-3 that can play as long as 261 yards (we dare you!) and as short as 140 yards, across a Pacific inlet to a green placed on a lava finger in the ocean.

Despite its challenge—and for many golfers precisely because of it—Mauna Kea is a complete joy to play.

Tee times/proshop: 808-882-5400
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