Which golf course has best views on Ohau and Maui
 

We aren't interested in a challenging course, being high handicap players, but we do want incredible views for a great experience and wonderful memories. We will only have time to golf once on each island, and we'll have to be able to rent clubs.

Is Turtle Bay on Oahu a good bet? How about Wailea Emerald on Maui? Any better suggestions?

I've only played Makena on Maui - but the views (and the photos) were spectacular. www.makenagolf.com

On Maui, the Bay course in Kapalua has some incredible views. Several amazing ooceanside holes.

Wailea Emerald and Blue courses are both nice. Ive played them both and not being a serious golfer loved the views! However, Kapalua is beautiful though we did not play there....

Even the driving range at Kapalua is gorgeous!

Love the Bay Course at Kapalua, Maui..the views are stunning!
Makena is another great one too..
I have not golfed on Oahu..but my BIL played Turtle Bay and loved it.

I think the views at Kapalua on Maui are really stunning.

Thanks for the suggestions for Maui golf. Do I need to take into consideration the location of the golf courses on the island? Is the north windier than the south part, or is the difference too trifling to concern myself?

Any suggestions for golf on Oahu? Do all the golf clubs rent clubs? Good ones?

Elaine,

Depending on when you are there, the difference between weather in Kapalua and Wailea can be amazing. We stayed in Kapalua in early December, and they trades winds were blowing at a constant 25-30 mph for 2 weeks straight. And there were about equal amounts of cloud cover and drizzle to sunshine. Drive 10 minutes south to Kaanapali, and the weather is dry, sunny and warmer. Amazing!!! Wailea is almost always warm and dry, with a nice ocean breeze.

lesm is right on the money.

Kapalua is far likelier to be windy all the time with intermittent showers. Can actually be quite chilly in winter.

Wailea/Makena can get windy, too, but generally not until the afternoon.

We were just there last week, and only between Kaanapali and Kapalua. The weather on Kaanapali was fantastic. Kapalua was also sunny, dry and warm, but much, much windier than Kaanapali. On the driving range at Kapalua, there was a pretty stiff (but warm) wind at our backs.

Is it possible to just rent a golf cart and go around the courses and not actually golf?

Elaine, maybe try the Pali municipal course on Oahu. I don't think there really are any dramatic oceanside, cliff-top courses on the island though.

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/des/golf/pali.htm

We've been to events at Ko`olau Golf on O`ahu -- nestled under those soaring, magnificent mountains. Spectacular:
http://www.koolaugolfclub.com/

We are going in October, and judging by the comments, we are better off in the south part.

Kaanapali has a North and a South course, Wailea has a Blue, an Emerald, and a Gold course, and Makena has a North and a South course. For two lady golfers who love golf, but are not experts, (to say the least), and don't want too may frustrations - just a good time and the kind of magnificent views not available at home, how do we choose? We will only have time for one round on Maui, so we want to get it right.

I haven't heard too much about Oahu golf, and we may not even have time for it there, but Maui golf is a must. Any concensus here?

Elaine, if you are serious about just wanting great views:

Oahu: Koolau, hands down. It is at the base of a large mountain range (Koolau range of course) and the views are extraordinary. Unfortunately, it is one of the hardest courses in the nation (at one time, it had the highest rating for difficulty). The weather is also unpredictable. In October, it may very well be rainy and course conditions soggy. But again, if you just want a view, it's amazing.

The Palmer Course at Turtle Bay is also very scenic. Overall, I think it's the best course on Oahu. Another with good views of Pearl Harbor is Royal Kunia.

On Maui, Kapalua Plantation and probably Wailea Emerald or Gold would provide the best views.

Elaine,

One more option.

You may want to consider a day trip to Lanai when you are on Maui. There is a ferry service that has several runs to Lanai. Many folks will hop on the ferry, go to Lanai, play golf at either (or both courses), then return to Maui that evening.

Either course on Lanai (Manele Bay, great ocean views from every hole, or Koele, great mountain/forest views on the back 9) are prettier than the courses on Maui IMO.

We go often from Oahu to Maui to golf, and have played Kapalua, Wailea, and Makena (never tried Kaanapali) several times. I think the best view are from the Wailea Blue and Emerald Courses. The courses are long, but fun to play. The Wailea Gold course is tough (Seniors Skins Game played there) with lots of bunkers. It also has spectacular views, but the course is so tough that a high handicapper can walk away pretty disgusted with his game!

One of the best things about the Wailea courses is the restaurant there called the Sea Watch. The views are great and the food is too. We try to go to the restaurant every trip whether we golf there or not.

If you have military privileges, the course at the Kaneohe Marine base has great views. The holes along the beach are a little narrow and challenging, but the course as a whole is fun.

Pearl Country Club, above Pearl Harbor, has nice views too.

I guess with accolades for so many couses, we won't go wrong no matter where we play. I assume we can rent clubs at any of the courses. I imagine we'll play where it is less apt to be windy. Taking the ferry to Lanai is an interesting idea too. Is it windy or rainy in October there?