Course Tips
Opening in 1964, Mauna Kea was Hawaii's first great golf course. Located on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, it remains the standard by which all others are judged.
The Front Nine
- The course begins benignly enough, a short par-4 with a wide landing area and big green. The second hole is even shorter but it plays tougher because of the shallow, elevated green.
- The par-3 hole plays from a cliff-side tee across a bay to a cliff-side green. Getting across the ocean is just half the battle because the third green is surrounded by seven bunkers, each one large and multi-undulated. You may recognize the view, though, since this is one of the most photographed holes in Hawaii, if not the world.
- The No. 1 handicap hole is the par-4 fourth, which begins with a downhill tee shot and ends with an uphill approach to the severely sloped and well-bunkered green.
The Back Nine
- The back nine begins with a par-5 that curves up and to the right.
- The 10th requires three good shots to reach the green. The green is large and sloped so keep your approach shot below the hole.
- As daunting as the third hole is, the 11th is Mauna Kea's toughest par-3. The downhill tee shot drops 100 feet from tee to green, which is surrounded by four bunkers. Don't go long or you're in the ocean.
- The 18th is one of the toughest closing holes in Hawaii, demanding length and accuracy off the tee. It requires proper club selection for the second shot to a smallish green.
