Whenever you’re dreaming of golfing in the heart of paradise, put a visit to the Mauna Kea Golf Course on your itinerary. Although this course serves as an integral part of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, all are invited to swing by for a round of golf. You can either book your tee times online well ahead of your trip. Or swing by at your convenience to get ready to hit the 18-hole course at a moment’s notice. During your visit, you can also take full advantage of the practice facility, pro shop, and bar.
As the true star of the show, their 18-hole championship course came to life in 1965. Architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. dreamed up the design using the black lava fields as his guidelines. The fairways meander around the coastline as a result, offering a phenomenal view of the oceanside beyond the Big Island’s shores. In fact, the 3rd hole challenges you to drive the ball clear over the ocean, battling trade winds to land it straight on the green.
In recent years, the original designer’s son, Rees Jones, updated the par 72-course design to make it more accessible to players of all levels. The original character of the course remains, however, letting you truly enjoy how the past meets the future at each hole. Robust Tifway 419 Hybrid Bermuda Grass makes up the fairways, roughs, and tees, which makes it easy to maintain consistent gameplay year-round. Similarly, Tifeagle Bermuda Grass covers the greens, so you can sink the ball into the hole with ease.
Their offerings include:
Pro Shop
Before getting a taste of all the course has to offer, you can swing by the Pro Shop for all your gear. Their top-of-the-line equipment promises to help you make the most of all your golfing experiences. They even have high-quality rental clubs and shoes by TaylorMade available for your use.
Golf Lessons
While visiting the pro shop, let the staff know if you’d like to sign up for Golf Lessons. They often have seasoned pros available to teach you how to perfect every swing. You can work on long drives, improve your short game, or even learn trick shots if you wish.
Practice Facilities
If you want to work on all your skills before hitting the course, visit the Practice Facilities. They have a full driving range that lets you work on improving your long drives bit by bit. After that, you can stop by the putting greens to work on your short game, too.
Copper Bar
The Copper Bar is the perfect place to go when you want to fuel up for fun on the golf course. Their signature drinks are second to none, while their appetizers easily satisfy all your cravings. You can even go with the full lunch spread.
Want a memorable nighttime golfing experience? Just ask about their Glow Golf Night Putting activity. During this experience, you get to go out onto the course at night to putt-putt in style. The vivid glow leads the way to greatness as the darkness envelopes the stunning landscape all around.
Insider Tips:
-You must wear proper golf attire while playing at this course. If you’re not well equipped, go to the pro shop to get set up.
-Feeling a little snacky while running the course? Just go over to the beverage cart for cocktails, Spam Musubi, and so much more.
-If you’d like to get your golf shoes cleaned after playing the course, go over to the pro shop for that service.
-They close the course twice a year for aeration. Although the dates change annually, you can usually expect them to complete this maintenance service in May and September.