The best public-access and private golf courses in Hawaii, ranked

Looking to play the best golf courses in Hawaii? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in Hawaii

Princeville Makai in Hawaii (Courtesy of Princeville Makai)

1. Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Manele)
Lanai (35m)

2. Kapalua (Plantation)
Maui (T40m)

3. Mauna Kea Resort
Kohala Coast (T176m)

4. Princeville (Makai)
Princeville (T184m)

5. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Kailua-Kona (m)

6. Mauna Lani (North)
Waimea (m)

7. Wailea (Gold)
Maui (m)

8. Ocean Course at Hokuala
Lihue (m)

T9. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Poipu Bay)
Koloa (m)

T9. Wailea (Emerald)
Maui (m)

11. Turtle Bay Resort (Arnold Palmer)
Kahuku (m)

12. Mauna Lani (South)
Waimea (m)

13. Kapolei Golf Club
Kapolei (m)

14. Wailua Municipal
Kauai (m)

15. Ko Olina Golf Club
Kapolei (m)

Best private courses in Hawaii

King Kamehameha in Hawaii (Courtesy of King Kamehameha)

1. Nanea
Kona (m)

2. Kohanaiki
Kailua-Kona (m)

3. Kukui’ula
Koloa (T173m)

4. Hokulia
Kailua-Kona (m)

5. King Kamehameha
Maui (m)