For golfers, the Big Island is a big deal—starting with Mauna Kea, which opened in 1964 and remains one of the state's top courses. (That course had to close temporarily due to damage incurred during the 2006 earthquake, but is scheduled to reopen in 2009.) Black lava and deep blue sea are the predominant themes on the island. In the roughly 40 mi from the Kona Country Club out to the Mauna Kea Resort, nine courses are sculpted into sunny seaside lava, with four more in the hills above. Indeed, most of the Big Island's best courses are concentrated along the Kona Coast, statistically the sunniest spot in the Hawaiian archipelago. Vertically speaking, although the majority of courses are seaside or at least at sea level, three are located above 2,000 feet, another at 4,200 feet. This is significant because in Hawaii temperatures drop by three degrees for every 1,000 feet of elevation gained.

Green Fees: Green fees listed here are the highest course rates per round on weekdays for U.S. residents. Courses with varying weekend rates are noted in the individual listings. (Some courses charge non-U.S. residents higher prices.) Discounts are often available for resort guests and for those who book tee times on the Web, as well as for those willing to play in the afternoon instead of the morning. Twilight fees are also usually offered; call individual courses for information.

Big Island Country Club. Set 2,000 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mauna Kea, the Big Island Country Club is rather out of the way but well worth the drive. Pete and Perry Dye (1997) created a gem that plays through an upland woodlands—more than 2,500 trees line the fairways. On the par-5 15th, a giant tree in the middle of the fairway must be avoided with the second shot. Five lakes and a meandering natural mountain stream mean water comes into play on nine holes. The most dramatic is on the par-3 17th, where the Dyes created a knockoff of his infamous 17th at the TPC at Sawgrass. 71-1420 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kailua-Kona. 808/325-5044. 18 holes. 7034 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $143. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, pro shop, lessons.

Hamakua Country Club. The typical modern 18-hole golf course requires at least 250 acres. The 9-hole, par-33 public Hamakua course requires just 19. Compact is the word, and with several holes crisscrossing, this is BYO Hard Hat. Holes run up and down a fairly steep slope (a product of Hawaii's plantation era) overlooking the ocean. There is no clubhouse or other amenities, and the 9th green is square, but for $15 bucks, whaddaya want? Hwy. 19, 41 mi north of Hilo, Honokaa. 808/775-7244. 9 holes. 2520 yds. Par 33. Green Fee: $15. Facilities: Putting green, golf carts, pull carts.

Hilo Municipal Golf Course. Hilo Muni is living proof that you don't need a single sand bunker to create a challenging course. Trees and several meandering creeks are the danger here. Despite the lack of bunkers, the course, which offers views of Hilo Bay from most holes, has produced many of Hawaii's top players over the years. Taking a divot reminds you that you're playing on a dormant volcano—the soil is dark black crushed lava. 340 Haihai St., Hilo. 808/959-7711. 18 holes. 6325 yds. Par 71. Green Fee: $29 weekdays, $34 weekends. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, pull carts, rental clubs, pro-shop, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Hualalai Resort. Named for the volcanic peak that is the target off the first tee, the Nicklaus Course at Hualalai is semiprivate, open only to guests of the adjacent Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. From the forward and resort tees, this is perhaps Jack Nicklaus's most friendly course in Hawaii, but the back tees play a full mile longer. The par-3 17th plays across convoluted lava to a seaside green, and the view from the tee is so lovely, you may be tempted to just relax on the koa bench and enjoy the scenery. 100 Kaupulehu Dr., Kohala Coast. 808/325-8480. www.fourseasons.com/hualalai. 18 holes. 7117 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $250. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, pull carts, rental clubs, pro shop, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Kona Country Club. This venerable country club offers two very different tests with the aptly named Ocean and Alii Mountain courses. The Ocean Course (William F. Bell, 1967) is a bit like playing through a coconut plantation, with a few remarkable lava features—such as the "blowhole" in front of the par-4 13th, where seawater propelled through a lava tube erupts like a geyser. The Alii Mountain Course (front nine, William F. Bell, 1983; back nine, Robin Nelson and Rodney Wright, 1992) plays a couple of strokes tougher than the Ocean and is the most delightful split personality you may ever encounter. Both nines share breathtaking views of Keauhou Bay, and elevation change is a factor in most shots. The most dramatic view on the front nine is from the tee of the par-3 5th hole, one of the best golf vistas in Hawaii. The green seems perched on the edge of the earth, with what only seems to be a sheer 500-foot drop just beyond the fringe. The back nine is links-style, with less elevation change—except for the par-3 14th, which drops 100 feet from tee to green, over a lake. The routing, the sight lines and framing of greens, and the risk-reward factors on each hole make this one of the single best nines in Hawaii. 78-7000 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona. 808/322-2595. www.konagolf.com. Ocean Course: 18 holes. 6806 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $160. Mountain Course: 18 holes. 6673 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $145. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Makalei Country Club. Set on the slopes of Hualalai, at an elevation of 2,900 feet, Makalei is one of the rare Hawaii courses with bent-grass putting greens, which means they're quick and without the grain associated with bermuda greens. Former PGA Tour official Dick Nugent (1994) designed holes that play through thick forest and open to provide wide ocean views. Elevation change is a factor on many holes, especially the par-3 15th, with the tee 80 feet above the green. In addition to fixed natural obstacles, the course is home to a number of wild peacocks and turkeys, which can make for an entertaining game. After noon, green fees dip drastically. 72-3890 Hawaii Belt Rd., Kailua-Kona. 808/325-6625. 18 holes. 7041 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $99. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, pro shop, lessons, restaurant.

Mauna Lani Resort. Black lava flows, lush green turf, white sand, and the Pacific's multihues of blue define the 36 holes at Mauna Lani. The South Course includes the par-3 15th across a turquoise bay, one of the most photographed holes in Hawaii. But it shares "signature hole" honors with the 7th. A long par-3, it plays downhill over convoluted patches of black lava, with the Pacific immediately to the left and a dune to the right. The North Course plays a couple of shots tougher. Its most distinctive hole is the 17th, a par-3 with the green set in a lava pit 50 feet deep. The shot from an elevated tee must carry a pillar of lava that rises from the pit and partially blocks your view of the green. 68-1310 Mauna Lani Dr., Kohala Coast. 808/885-6655. www.maunalani.com. North Course: 18 holes. 6601 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $205. South Course: 18 holes. 6436 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $210. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, pro shop, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Volcano Golf & Country Club. Located just outside Volcanoes National Park—and barely a stout drive from Halemaumau Crater—Volcano is by far Hawaii's highest course. At 4,200 feet elevation, shots tend to fly a bit farther than at sea level, even in the often cool, misty air. Because of the elevation and climate, Volcano is one of the few Hawaii courses with bent-grass putting greens. The course is mostly flat, and holes play through stands of Norfolk pines, flowering lehua trees, and multitrunk hau trees. The uphill par-4 15th doglegs through a tangle of hau. Pii Mauna Dr. off Hwy. 11, Volcanoes National Park. 808/967-7331. www.volcanogolfshop.com. 18 holes. 6106 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $63.50 mornings, $51 after noon. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, restaurant, bar.

Waikoloa Beach Resort. Robert Trent Jones Jr. built the Beach Course at Waikoloa (1981) on an old flow of crinkly aa lava, which he used to create holes that are as artful as they are challenging. The third tee, for instance, is set at the base of a towering mound of lava. The par-5 12th plays through a chute of black lava to an ocean-side green, the blue sea on the right coming into play on the second and third shots. At the King's Course at Waikoloa (1990), Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish built a very links-esque track. It turns out lava's natural humps and declivities remarkably replicate the contours of seaside Scotland. But there are a few island twists—such as seven lakes. This is "option golf" as Weiskopf and Morrish provide different risk-reward tactics on each hole. Beach and King's have separate clubhouses. Beach Course : 1020 Keana Pl., Waikoloa. 808/886-6060. www.waikoloagolf.com. 18 holes. 6566 yds. Par 70. Green Fee: $195. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, lessons, restaurant, bar. Kings' Course : 600 Waikoloa Beach Dr., Waikoloa. 808/886-7888. www.waikoloagolf.com. 18 holes. 6594 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $195. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Waikoloa Village Golf Course. Robert Trent Jones Jr., the same designer who created some of the most expensive courses on the Kohala coast, designed this little gem, which is 20 minutes from the coast, in 1972. Though not affiliated with the resorts, the Waikoloa Village course is the site of the annual Waikoloa Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments in Hawaii. Holes run across rolling hills with sweeping mountain and ocean views. 68-1792 Melia St., Waikoloa. 808/883-9621. www.waikoloa.org. 18 holes. 6230 yds. Par 72. Green Fee: $80. Facilities: Driving range, putting green, golf carts, rental clubs, lessons, restaurant, bar.

Tips for the Green

Golf is golf, and Hawaii is part of the United States, but island golf nevertheless has its own quirks. Here are a few tips to make your golf experience in the Islands more pleasant.

Wear sunscreen, even in December. We recommend a minimum SPF of 30 and that you reapply on the 10th tee.

Stay hydrated. Spending four-plus hours in the sun and heat means you'll perspire away considerable fluids and energy.

All resort courses and many daily fee courses provide rental clubs. In many cases, they're the latest lines from Titleist, Ping, Callaway, and the like. This is true for both men and women, as well as left-handers, which means you don't have to schlep clubs across the Pacific.

Pro shops at most courses are well-stocked with balls, tees, and other accoutrements, so even if you bring your own bag, it needn't weigh a ton.

Come spikeless—very few Hawaii courses still permit metal spikes.

Resort courses, in particular, offer more than the usual three sets of tees, sometimes four or five. So bite off as much or little challenge as you like. Tee it up from the tips and you'll end up playing a few 600-yard par-5s and see a few 250-yard forced carries.

In theory, you can play golf in Hawaii 365 days a year. But there's a reason the Hawaiian islands are so green. Better to bring an umbrella and light jacket and not use them than to not bring them and get soaked.

Unless you play a muni or certain daily fee courses, plan on taking a cart. Riding carts are mandatory at most courses and are included in the green fees.

Lava Hazards

Lava tends to be razor-sharp and not good for the life of golf balls, or golf shoes. If you hit a ball into the black stuff, consider it an offering to Pele, goddess of lava, and drop another one.

Saving the Best for Last

Among golf's great traditions is the 19th Hole. No matter how the first 18 go, the 19th is sure to offer comfort and cheer, not to mention a chilled beverage. Many of the courses on the Kohala Coast offer a bit of history with excellent fare. At Hapuna, Arnie's features numerous photos and drawings celebrating Palmer's career. At Mauna Lani, the 19th hole overlooks the South Course's first and 18th holes and the North Course's 18th. At the Kona CC, the restaurant attracts non-golfers for lunch and dinner, offering good fare and views of the Ocean Course and Keauhou Bay. Cheers!